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Joshua 1:7 Only be strong and very courageous so that you may be careful to do according to all the Law which My servant Moses commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may act wisely wherever you go.
8 This book of the Law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it by day and by night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall act wisely. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage. Do not be afraid, neither be dismayed. For Jehovah your God is with you in all places where you go.
Joshua had a tough act to follow. He was facing a vast array of challenges to overcome in moving the children of Israel into the Promised Land. Just the actual physical logistics were daunting. Then you have to add in the fact that the people had proven over and over again that they were given to rebellion and disobedience, not to mention a good measure of murmuring and complaining thrown in to top it all off. Anytime God tells you that you need to be strong and very courageous, it’s a giant red flag, isn’t it? You can rest assured that trouble, trials, and some God-sized challenges are ahead. A lot of us have the strong desire to turn tail and run, don’t we? Our general conversation tends to start out something like this: “You want me to do WHAT?!”
“Are you sure that You said what I thought I just heard?”
“Is this really you, God?”
And then we pull out our bag of excuses. We’ve all got one and we keep it with us 24/7. They come in all shapes, sizes, and colors to fit all possible occasions.
I DON’T HAVE TIME RIGHT NOW
How many of us pray fairly regularly for God to open doors and set divine appointments in our paths? Has it ever occurred to you that the thing you don’t have time for is probably exactly that? Do you really think that God doesn’t know what your schedule looks like? If it looks overwhelmingly full to you and God has asked you to do something, the chances are very good that He is telling you that you are spending a lot of time doing unnecessary, unproductive, or even worse, undesirable things. He is helping you establish better, more productive use of your TIME!
I’M TOO OLD
I’M NOT OLD ENOUGH
Abraham and Sarah were in their 90’s and 100’s.
Moses was about 40 when he was sent to Egypt. Noah was 500 when he started building the Ark and 600 when he completed it. How would you like to spend 100 years building a boat? David was 17 when he killed Goliath, 25 when Samuel anointed him king, and around 30 when he actually assumed the throne. Jesus was 12 when his parents found Him in the Temple studying with the rabbis. Age, no matter which end of the spectrum you find yourself on, has absolutely nothing to do with it!
IT’S TOO HARD
Whatever God is telling you to do is too hard for you to do by yourself. Luckily, God does not expect you to do it yourself. All you have to do is make yourself available and submitted to Him. Just follow orders!
I DON’T KNOW HOW
You came into this world not knowing how to do anything. You had to learn. God sent people to teach you, gave you tools to use, and books to read. Why should this be any different? He knows how to do everything anyway, so you don’t have to!
WHO’S GOING TO HELP ME
GOD IS!!!!
JOSHUA 1:9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage. Do not be afraid, neither be dismayed. For Jehovah your God is with you in all places where you go.
I CAN’T AFFORD IT
If God has told you to do it, you can rest assured that He is planning to pick up the tab as well. Remember, when he sent the disciples out?
Matthew 10:7 And as you go, proclaim, saying, The kingdom of Heaven is at hand.
8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. You have received freely, freely give.
9 Do not provide gold nor silver, nor copper in your purses,
10 nor a bag for the journey, nor two coats, nor sandals, nor staves. For the workman is worthy of his food.
I DON’T FEEL LIKE IT
This is one of our worst excuses. It is also one of Satan’s most effective tools. We have to constantly guard our minds in this area. We get our feelings hurt. We get depressed. We get upset. We worry. As mature adults (don’t you hate that part?), we are supposed to be in control of our emotions. Our emotions are not supposed to be in control of us.
James 4:7 Therefore submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
I’M SCARED (SOUTHERN TRANSLATION = SKEERED)
Fear is a funny thing. There is good fear and bad fear. Fear of walking through a dark alley in a bad part of town in the middle of the night is probably pretty healthy. Fear of throwing yourself off of a three-story building is also pretty healthy. There are also some fairly harmless fears. Being afraid to pick up deadly snakes, have spiders crawling around on you, or going skydiving are all understandable and fall into the OKAY fear range.
BUT… It’s really easy to cross the line. It’s easy to become fearful to the point where it interferes with us being able to fully enjoy, experience, and live our lives. We’ve all heard this before – False Evidence Appearing Real News reports can generate a lot of fear. Doctors’ reports can generate a lot of fear. Bad experiences in our past can generate a lot of fear. We can be afraid of the unknown. We can be afraid of what the future holds. We can be afraid of losing our jobs. We can be afraid of losing our stuff. These are all ungodly fears. They are all promoting thoughts, attitudes, and beliefs that are contrary to the Word of God. Did you know that you could almost find a different passage for every day telling you not to fear? Look back at v. 8:
8 This book of the Law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it by day and by night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall act wisely.
The worse thing about all of these excuses is that they proceed to come out of our mouth on a regular basis. The more we speak them, the more powerful they become. The more powerful they become, the more paralyzed we become.
Have you been making excuses why you can’t do what God has been asking you to do? Have you been rehearsing them so they can flow out of your mouth easily whenever needed? Do your excuses line up with the Word of God? Are you meditating on your excuses or are you meditating on the Word? Meditating and being obedient to the Word carries some pretty good fringe benefits. Verse 8 says that “you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall act wisely.” Wherever He tells you to go, whatever He tells you to do, He has already gone before you. He has already seen all the problems, all the circumstances, all the obstacles, all the heartaches, all the fears, and all the worries. He has seen it all. He has already placed the necessary people and provision in your path at the point you need it. All you have to do is step out in faith, stay on the path, and walk in obedience. He will be faithful to do His part. Will you do the same?
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| Since I did not get to church this morning because of problems breathing in this miserable air, I decided to add more to my blog site. It's Aug. 3, 2008. August is the month I will celebrate my mother's birthday. She drifted up to Heaven on Nov. 18th. of last year. What a beautiful home-going she had. I was with her the last 16 hours. The room was aglow with Heavenly lights the last few hours. She was calm and talked until the last 6 hours. God restored her sight for two hours that evening. What a miracle God! She saw my face and the nurses whom she had not seen before. Our pastor prayed with her and that made her so happy. I thought I had the funeral all planned out, but our pastor was going out of town. I had already asked my cousin, Rev. Dennis Reece to speak at the funeral, then decided to let him do the funeral. Mama was always so proud of him. Kat Kubitzky spoke also. She is our Senior leader. I decided at the last moment to dress Mama in red. It was her favorite color. When Mama was young she was so vibrant and lively. And she was beautiful. Red seemed appropriate. Life without Mama is not easy. I keep wanting to tell her something of interest. I guess everyone does this when they have lost a loved one. I have dreamed of Mama but not actually a spiritual dream, until a few months ago. Mama and I were singing in the choir at the Riverside Church of God. Mama always had a beautiful alto voice. In the dream Mama came out with her alto voice and sung one line of a song, "I will rise in glory." I have never heard the song or the tune. I think Mama expects me to finish the song. My granddaughter and I are working on it. We know it will be a hit. Mama would have been 91 on Aug. 20th. HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAMA!
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| What Did We Do With The Gift? No study of the gift of Jesus Christ is complete until you talk about the gift of His resurrection and the meaning of it. Our story starts in the Old Testament with the story of Aaron’s rod, the type and shadow of Jesus’ resurrection. The first time that Aaron’s rod is mentioned is in Exodus Chapter 7. Exodus 7:8 And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,9 When Pharaoh shall speak unto you, saying, Shew a miracle for you: then thou shalt say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and cast it before Pharaoh, and it shall become a serpent. Exodus 7:19 And the LORD spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and stretch out thine hand upon the waters of Egypt, upon their streams, upon their rivers, and upon their ponds, and upon all their pools of water, that they may become blood; and that there may be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in vessels of wood, and in vessels of stone. This is the first time that Aaron’s rod is mentioned. It is important to note that both Moses (the lawgiver) and Aaron (the high priest) had rods. There was a clear and distinct difference in the way the rods were used. Moses’ rod was almost always used for judgment. Aaron’s rod was almost always used to produce or sustain life. Each of the twelve tribes of Israel had a rod, which was the symbol of their authority. In Numbers Chapter 16, we read of a major, widespread rebellion that is taking place against Moses and Aaron. Numbers 16:1 Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men:2 And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown:3 And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD? Moses, understanding the gravity of the statement, fell on his face before God. He understood that they were not speaking in rebellion against him, but against God. Look at how God responded to the insurrection. Numbers 16:28 And Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that the LORD hath sent me to do all these works; for I have not done them of mine own mind.29 If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all men; then the LORD hath not sent me.30 But if the LORD make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down quick into the pit; then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the LORD.31 And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them:32 And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods.33 They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation.34 And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them: for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up also.35 And there came out a fire from the LORD, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense. But the people immediately started murmuring and complaining because God had destroyed their leaders. Again we see God’s swift response. Numbers 16:42 And it came to pass, when the congregation was gathered against Moses and against Aaron, that they looked toward the tabernacle of the congregation: and, behold, the cloud covered it, and the glory of the LORD appeared.43 And Moses and Aaron came before the tabernacle of the congregation.44 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,45 Get you up from among this congregation, that I may consume them as in a moment. And they fell upon their faces.46 And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a censer, and put fire therein from off the altar, and put on incense, and go quickly unto the congregation, and make an atonement for them: for there is wrath gone out from the LORD; the plague is begun.47 And Aaron took as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the congregation; and, behold, the plague was begun among the people: and he put on incense, and made an atonement for the people.48 And he stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed.49 Now they that died in the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred, beside them that died about the matter of Korah. This is the foundation for Aaron’s rod. In Numbers 17, we see God directing Moses and Aaron to gather the remaining leaders together so that He can make sure they understand whom He has chosen. Numbers 17:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and take of every one of them a rod according to the house of their fathers, of all their princes according to the house of their fathers twelve rods: write thou every man's name upon his rod.3 And thou shalt write Aaron's name upon the rod of Levi: for one rod shall be for the head of the house of their fathers.4 And thou shalt lay them up in the tabernacle of the congregation before the testimony, where I will meet with you.5 And it shall come to pass, that the man's rod, whom I shall choose, shall blossom: and I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the children of Israel, whereby they murmur against you.6 And Moses spake unto the children of Israel, and every one of their princes gave him a rod apiece, for each prince one, according to their fathers' houses, even twelve rods: and the rod of Aaron was among their rods.7 And Moses laid up the rods before the LORD in the tabernacle of witness.8 And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds.9 And Moses brought out all the rods from before the LORD unto all the children of Israel: and they looked, and took every man his rod.10 And the LORD said unto Moses, Bring Aaron's rod again before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the rebels; and thou shalt quite take away their murmurings from me, that they die not. When the Hand of God touched the dead, dry rod of Aaron, it budded, blossomed, and bore fruit simultaneously. This is impossible in the natural. In the natural there is a progression, a time sequence that takes place. Only in the supernatural can the full cycle manifest at once. There was no doubt that this was not of man, this was of God. It’s also important to note that it was Aaron’s act of intercession that stayed the hand of the judgment of God upon the people. God instructed Moses to bring Aaron’s rod before the testimony. The testimony was the Ark of the Covenant. Hebrews 9:4 [The tabernacle] Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant; It is important to understand the significance of the contents of the Ark of the Covenant. The tablets containing the ten commandments, which represent the will of God. The golden pot containing manna, which represents the provision of God. Aaron’s rod, which represents the resurrection power of God. So let’s bring this forward to the resurrection power of God that happened with Jesus Christ His Son. Isaiah 11:1 And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:2 And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;3 And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:4 But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. We see both the rod of Aaron and the rod of Moses in this passage. Verse 1 is the life producing and sustaining rod of Aaron. Verse 4 is the rod of judgment of Moses. Jesus carries both of them. Hebrews 8:1 Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; Hebrews 10:12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.15 Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before,16 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.18 Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;21 And having an high priest over the house of God;22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. When we receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we need to receive ALL of Him. We need to receive His forgiveness for our sins, His death for our old man, and His resurrection for our new man. We need to receive His grace for our daily walk. We need to receive His mercy for when we stumble, fail, and fall. We need to receive the Truth of His Word so our minds and spirits can be renewed and transformed. Look at Aaron’s rod when the Hand of God touched it. When we receive the gift of His resurrection power, God breathes life into us. 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. He resurrects our hope. Lamentations 3:21 This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.22 It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. Our lives bud and blossom. Psalms 1:3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. Jeremiah 17:7 Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.8 For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit. As evidence of His resurrection, we bear fruit. John 15:3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. Today is Resurrection Day! Have you received the gift?
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Whenever you talk about power and purpose, you also need to talk about how it is being handled. Last week, we talked about our accountability with those around us who are unsaved. Are we providing an effective witness drawing men unto Him or are we providing a stumbling block turning people away? We will be held accountable.
Jeremiah 8:20 The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved. 1 Peter 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
How have we handled the gift? Have we sold our birthright like Esau? Have we sold it to worldly value systems? Have we sold it out of greed? Have we sold it out of our “gotta have it now” mentality? Did we, like Esau, not know our value?
Genesis 25:29 And Jacob cooked a stew: and Esau came from the field, and he was weary:30 And Esau said to Jacob, “Please feed me with that same red stew, for I am weary.” Therefore his name was called Edom.31 And Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright as of this day.”32 And Esau said, “Look, I am about to die; so what is this birthright to me?”33 And Jacob said, “Swear to me this day.” So he swore to him, and he sold his birthright to Jacob. 34 Then Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils; then he ate and drank, and arose, and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright. What was Esau’s birthright? It is important to note that the birthright meant headship of the family and a double share of the inheritance. Who was Esau’s father? Wasn’t it Isaac, son of Abraham? To understand Esau’s birthright, you have to go back to the covenant Abraham had with God. Genesis 17:1 And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. 2 And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly. 3 And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying, 4 As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. 5 Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee. 6 And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee. 7 And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. 8 And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God. 9 And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations. 15 And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be. 16 And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her. 19 And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.20 And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation. 21 But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year. Genesis 25:5 And Abraham gave all that he had unto Isaac. Genesis 26:1 And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines unto Gerar. 2 And the LORD appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of: 3 Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father; 4 And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; 5 Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws. This was Esau’s birthright. And he sold it for a pot of stew and a piece of bread because he was tired and hungry for a short while. So what is our birthright? When we accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we didn’t just receive forgiveness for our sins. What else did we receive? John 3:15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Our birthright is eternal life. John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Our birthright is the power to become sons and daughters of God. We often make the mistake of seeing the promise of the power and not the process of becoming. We have to go through the process. Isn’t this the potter’s wheel that we hear so much about, where he shapes us, molds us, removes impurities, sanctifies us and cleanses us of all unrighteousness? And the more we struggle and climb off the wheel, the longer it takes! We have to understand who we are and what our birthright is. We have to believe on His name.
We are the sons and daughters of
Jehovah Adonai – The Lord our Sovereign
El-Elyon – The Lord Most High
El-Olam – The Everlasting God
El-Shaddai – The God Who Is Sufficient for the Needs of His People
Jehovah Elohim – The Eternal Creator
Jehovah Jireh – The Lord our Provider
Jehovah Nissi – The Lord our Banner
Jehovah Ropheka – The Lord our Healer
Jehovah Shalom – The Lord our Peace
Jehovah Tsidkenu – The Lord our Righteousness
Jehovah Mekaddishkem – The Lord our Sanctifier
Jehovah Sabaoth – The Lord of Hosts
Jehovah Shammah – The Lord is Present
Jehovah Rohi – The Lord our Shepherd
Jehovah Hoseenu – The Lord our Maker
Jehovah Eloheenu – The Lord our God
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| What Did We Do With The Gift? (Part 2) Last week, we talked about the gift God gave to us in Jesus Christ, His Son. This week we want to talk about the power and the purpose of this gift. Our acceptance of Jesus as our Savior, our public confession, and our baptism in water all come together as a point that marks our redemption from our sins. This is the primary purpose of the gift, to restore our relationship to our Father. Isaiah 1:16 "Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil, 17 Learn to do good; Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor; Defend the fatherless, Plead for the widow.18 "Come now, and let us reason together," Says the Lord, "Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool.19 If you are willing and obedient, You shall eat the good of the land; John 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. So these verses summarize the purpose of the gift. But what about the power? The purpose of God’s gift of His Son didn’t end there, did it? We talked last week about Jesus’ “job description”. Let’s go back to that. Isaiah 61:1 "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, Because the Lord has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound; 2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn, 3 To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified." One of the first assignments given here is to “preach good tidings to the poor”. The good tidings are the Gospel – the good news about Jesus and the benefits of having a relationship with God. Who are the poor? We aren’t talking about a financial status, are we? He is talking about the poor in spirit. Who is poor in spirit? The most poor are those who think that all there is to this human existence is what they see, hear, feel, touch, smell and know with their finite human minds. They have little or no concept of an awesome God who created the heavens and the earth and all within it. They have no concept of a God who loved us so much that He sent His Son to die for us to restore our relationship to Him. The next assignment given was to heal the brokenhearted. Can you think of some stories showing Jesus healing brokenhearted people? John 5:5 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.6 When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?7 The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steps down before me.8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.9 And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: Do you think this man might have been brokenhearted? He had come to the pool with hopes and dreams and believing that he would receive a healing miracle. He had stayed there 38 years. It’s important to look at how he is described here. It says he is impotent (powerless). Did Jesus see him that way? It doesn’t sound like it, does it? He asks him to make a decision – “Wilt thou be made whole?” Then He tells him to do something about it – “Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.” That Word went out. His Word has power. All the man had to do was to align his will with God’s will and act on it. John 11:1 Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.2 (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.)3 Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.4 When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.5 Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus. 6 When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was. 17 Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already.19 And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother.20 Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house.21 Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. Mary and Martha were brokenhearted. They had sent word for Jesus to come when their brother Lazarus was sick. But the Bible tells us that Jesus stayed where He was for two days. Why did he do that? Look at Verse 4. It says the purpose for the sickness was for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified. John 11:23 Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.24 Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?27 She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.28 And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is come, and calleth for thee.29 As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came unto him.30 Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha met him.31 The Jews then which were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily and went out, followed her, saying, She goeth unto the grave to weep there.32 Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.33 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, 34 And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see.35 Jesus wept.36 Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him!37 And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died?38 Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it.39 Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.40 Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.42 And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.43 And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.44 And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go. It tells us that Jesus wept. He wept because He loved this man. It was obvious to everyone there that He was deeply grieved by the death of Lazarus. What did He do? Not only did He heal the brokenhearted, He displayed the power of His Word. Lazarus didn’t have to make a decision or do anything. His dead, decomposing body and his spirit had no choice but to obey. That is the power of God’s Word going forth. What about the assignment to proclaim liberty and set the captives free? The Bible tells us where liberty can be found. 2 Corinthians 3:17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. So when we walk in the Spirit and abide in the Spirit, we walk in liberty. What is liberty? The dictionary defines liberty as: 1. The condition of being free from restriction or control.2. The right and power to act, believe, or express oneself in a manner of one's own choosing.3. The condition of being physically and legally free from confinement, servitude, or forced labor.4. Freedom from unjust or undue governmental control.5. A right or immunity to engage in certain actions without control or interference. This is man’s definition of liberty, but what about God’s definition of liberty? Is it the same? How does it differ? John 10:9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. Isaiah 58:6 Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? That is a lot of freedom isn’t it? He gives us the freedom to have life and have it more abundantly without confinement, control, or interference. He came to free us from heavy oppressive burdens and yokes of bondage. However, we are not free to do whatever we want to do whenever we want to do it. His Word is very clear here. Look at the passage from John: John 8:34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.35 And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. So when we sin, we walk away from the freedom that is found in Christ. We walk back into bondage and out of the house of God’s blessing and abundance. Much of the time we wrongfully perceive ourselves to be in prison or in bondage in some area of our life. Let’s look at Paul and Silas: Acts 16:16 And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying:17 The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation.18 And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.19 And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers,20 And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city,21 And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans.22 And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them.23 And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely:24 Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed. Look at the circumstances that Paul and Silas were in. They had been doing the right thing, proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ. Look at where it had landed them! I think if that had happened to you or me, we might have gotten a little brokenhearted, bitter and discouraged. It is hard to put a positive spin on things when our circumstances become woefully bad and desperate. But where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty! Just because we can’t see it with our natural eyes, it doesn’t mean that we can’t see it with our spiritual eyes. Our circumstances don’t change the Truth of God’s Word, but God’s Word does change our circumstances. Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises to God. God gave liberty not only to them, but also to all of the prisoners. Today, are we prisoners or are we free? Have we been made captive by our circumstances? We have the authority as believers to speak His Word, which is powerful over our circumstances. We have the authority to speak His name, which is greater than any other name in the heavens and on the earth. His name is more powerful than our sickness, our poverty, or any other circumstance we might find ourselves in. Isaiah 55:7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.12 For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off. What are you doing with the gift - the gift of Liberty in Christ? Have you received it?
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