I have been convicted of late about things in my life that the Lord's dealings are bringing about. And while at the time, those dealings can be difficult, they bring about the fruits of the kingdom of God in our lives. And through those dealings, I find the realization that the major lack in the church at large today (with which I have been made aware and partaker of) is the teaching of a crossless Christianity. There is mercy and grace and wonderful things in store, but the connection between benefits in the Lord and self-denial is not made clear. There may be mention made of the cross, but I fear too many see it as an historical event (true event, mind you) and don't realize why Paul said "I die daily." and "The preaching of the cross is to them that perish FOOLISHNESS, but unto us which are saved, it is the power of God.". The church seems to want the power without the one thing in their walk that brings that power - because it goes against human wisdom.
Yesterday, while out looking for something in a store, the Lord dropped a snippet of a verse in my mind. It was from Matthew 11 (though I didn't know that at the time) and the thrust of what He gave me was:
"What went ye out to see? A man clothed in soft raiment?".
And along with that, I recalled:
"Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these." (Matt 6:28,29)
The idea of being clothed even comes into another scripture the Lord gave me many years ago - in Revelation regarding the Laodicean church, Christ said:
"Because thousayest, I am rich and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of Me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anointed thine eyes with eye salve, that thou mayest see."
(Rev 3:17,18)
But what strikes me now about all this is that clothing is something very important to the Lord - He considers it vital. And clothing is not a matter of the body or even of any earthly concern (indeed, those concerned primarily with earthly matters have their bellies as god), but of the Lord's very provision. We think to 'clothe' ourselves and do not await the Lord's clothing. We seek to have our own understanding instead of forsaking it for the Lord's. All this is an integral part of the cross, but, as Christ charged the Pharisees, too many teach the traditions of men for the commandments of God because it sounds good. It is logical, it is correct and even sounds good...but it is NOT the Word of God. These things are starting to stir me and I am in desperate need of prayer for the poverty of spirit that Christ said was blessed. Only then can I be able to seek, find and test what His good and perfect will is for my family (as a group and individually).
So with all that in mind, I offer these thoughts that I believe are not my own, but have been the Lord's from generations gone by - even from the time of Creation.
Matthew 11:8-19 What went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings houses.
The Lord has been dealing with me recently (and for many years, I see now) regarding the expectations of human flesh and the chasm that is between that and God and His expectations. We have our own preconceptions and understandings of everything from the proper political party to vote for to what manners someone should show in public and this spills over into the things of God, it seems. We think we know how to worship God, we have preconceptions about what is right and wrong in a church and preconceptions about how people should act towards visitors and members alike. But what we quite often fail to recognize is that the standards and conceptions we have are our own more often than not. This is the cause of much division in the world and in the church if not all division. It is the exaltation of my understanding. And not just exaltation of my understanding, but exaltation of our understanding even to the point where there is a Baptist understanding and a Lutheran understanding etc This meeting of the minds can be seen in its ultimate extension at the tower of Babel. ALL men were in agreement and God saw this and knew that with such agreement, they could do anything. While it puzzles many that God should find this wrong, it does not take much serious examination to find that it was they who were doing the doing according to their will. The biblical analogy to what your mother probably asked you at one point: If everyone decided to jump off a bridge, would you follow?. The answer, of course, is no. But at the time of the Tower of Babel, the answer was a universal yes. Mans will was enthroned in all hearts and so God confused their speech so that the will of man would meet with weakness in that confusion. This was a blessing, but I dont intend to write on this now.
We return to Matthew and find Jesus speaking to the people around him. As with us, they had their preconceptions of the Messiah and of the Elijah to come before Him. Even the disciples thought He would restore an earthly kingdom to Israel and arrive as a king decked out in royal robes. We know He didnt and much prophecy bears out that we should never expect this. Yet in spite of what the Word of God was through the prophets, the people elevated their own expectations against the scriptures and more importantly against the very Word of God (Himself!). So because of the elevation of self over God, Jesus says in verse 12 that men thought they needed to take the Kingdom by force and by violence. Even after saying this, Jesus still suffered violence. The people were hard of heart and did not hear (vv. 13,14)
But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows, And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented. (Matt 11:16,17)
Jesus shows them their fault, their exaltation of their expectations over the reality of Gods provision and it starts here right here is where men leave the narrow way and enter the broad through their own understanding. We read that Gods thoughts are higher than ours and His ways than ours and we stand amazed, but turn around and substitute our own thoughts for His in every day life. Even in church! The reality of that statement never hits home partly because we fail to notice what prefaces it:
For my thoughts are NOT your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. (Isaiah 55:8)
This should have a devastating effect on us! His thoughts ARE NOT our thoughts! His ways ARE NOT our ways! Such a blanket statement covers the entire human condition and puts us under in imperative to seek His ways and thoughts out. And look just one verse back again and we see that ALL our ways are wicked:
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. (Isaiah 55:7)
So well, now, can we understand Pauls commonly expressed thought (no, the Lords thought through Paul) that ANYTHING that is not of faith is sin. ANYTHING that is not of God directly is wickedness and righteousness and needs to be repented of. Were I to go on about that, I would show how violent an act repentance is. It is not a pitiful, tearful thing nearly as much as it is a violent end. But that can be saved for now. We need to know about what Oswald Chambers spoke when he said that the great test in preaching is that it brings everyone to judgment. We need to go beyond simply accepting the static letter of lofty ideas (Gods ways higher than ours). No one will deny that God is higher than us, but far from being an excuse for complacency (shall we SIN that grace may abound? Heaven forbid!), it should be a sharp sword piercing the flesh. We should be brought to the point of despair so that anything that we are not SURE is of God (by His Holy Spirit) is to be cast away. We are to be as empty vessels that God may fill. We are to be opposite of the Laodiceans who were satisfied and thought all was fine when the opposite was true. May God open our eyes to the satisfaction we have May He expose our nakedness to us that we may submit it ALL to Him and be brought back to the cross in poverty. For without Him, that is what we are. And if we are walking around in our own thoughts in ANY way, we are naked and poor and wretched. Examine yourself! For if you be content, there is great demand on you to prove the Lords thoughts and ways in your life! If we become content in ourselves, how easy it becomes to say to the Truth: He hath a devil! (Matt 11:18,19). But as the Lord said, wisdom is justified of her children. But be warned, God has chosen the foolish things of this world to confound the wise of this world, so if your wisdom is in any way of the world, and not of the foolishness of the cross (I Cor 1:18-21) it is wickedness.
Oswald Chambers said it well, this way:
Is the Lord Jesus Christ being abundantly satisfied in your life or have you got a spiritual strut on? Never let common sense obtrude and push the Son of God on one side. Common sense is a gift which God gave to human nature; but common sense is not the gift of His Son. Supernatural sense is the gift of His Son; never enthrone common sense. The Son detects the Father; common sense never yet detected the Father and never will. Our ordinary wits never worship God unless they are transfigured by the indwelling Son of God. We have to see that this mortal flesh is kept in perfect subjection to Him and that He works through it moment by moment. Are we living in such human dependence upon Jesus Christ that His life is being manifested moment by moment?
(From My Utmost for His Highest - August 8)
I pray that the Lord will bless His Word and reveal all our own thoughts and give us the wisdom the weakness and the discernment to forsake them.
Yesterday, while out looking for something in a store, the Lord dropped a snippet of a verse in my mind. It was from Matthew 11 (though I didn't know that at the time) and the thrust of what He gave me was:
"What went ye out to see? A man clothed in soft raiment?".
And along with that, I recalled:
"Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these." (Matt 6:28,29)
The idea of being clothed even comes into another scripture the Lord gave me many years ago - in Revelation regarding the Laodicean church, Christ said:
"Because thousayest, I am rich and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of Me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anointed thine eyes with eye salve, that thou mayest see."
(Rev 3:17,18)
But what strikes me now about all this is that clothing is something very important to the Lord - He considers it vital. And clothing is not a matter of the body or even of any earthly concern (indeed, those concerned primarily with earthly matters have their bellies as god), but of the Lord's very provision. We think to 'clothe' ourselves and do not await the Lord's clothing. We seek to have our own understanding instead of forsaking it for the Lord's. All this is an integral part of the cross, but, as Christ charged the Pharisees, too many teach the traditions of men for the commandments of God because it sounds good. It is logical, it is correct and even sounds good...but it is NOT the Word of God. These things are starting to stir me and I am in desperate need of prayer for the poverty of spirit that Christ said was blessed. Only then can I be able to seek, find and test what His good and perfect will is for my family (as a group and individually).
So with all that in mind, I offer these thoughts that I believe are not my own, but have been the Lord's from generations gone by - even from the time of Creation.
Matthew 11:8-19 What went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings houses.
The Lord has been dealing with me recently (and for many years, I see now) regarding the expectations of human flesh and the chasm that is between that and God and His expectations. We have our own preconceptions and understandings of everything from the proper political party to vote for to what manners someone should show in public and this spills over into the things of God, it seems. We think we know how to worship God, we have preconceptions about what is right and wrong in a church and preconceptions about how people should act towards visitors and members alike. But what we quite often fail to recognize is that the standards and conceptions we have are our own more often than not. This is the cause of much division in the world and in the church if not all division. It is the exaltation of my understanding. And not just exaltation of my understanding, but exaltation of our understanding even to the point where there is a Baptist understanding and a Lutheran understanding etc This meeting of the minds can be seen in its ultimate extension at the tower of Babel. ALL men were in agreement and God saw this and knew that with such agreement, they could do anything. While it puzzles many that God should find this wrong, it does not take much serious examination to find that it was they who were doing the doing according to their will. The biblical analogy to what your mother probably asked you at one point: If everyone decided to jump off a bridge, would you follow?. The answer, of course, is no. But at the time of the Tower of Babel, the answer was a universal yes. Mans will was enthroned in all hearts and so God confused their speech so that the will of man would meet with weakness in that confusion. This was a blessing, but I dont intend to write on this now.
We return to Matthew and find Jesus speaking to the people around him. As with us, they had their preconceptions of the Messiah and of the Elijah to come before Him. Even the disciples thought He would restore an earthly kingdom to Israel and arrive as a king decked out in royal robes. We know He didnt and much prophecy bears out that we should never expect this. Yet in spite of what the Word of God was through the prophets, the people elevated their own expectations against the scriptures and more importantly against the very Word of God (Himself!). So because of the elevation of self over God, Jesus says in verse 12 that men thought they needed to take the Kingdom by force and by violence. Even after saying this, Jesus still suffered violence. The people were hard of heart and did not hear (vv. 13,14)
But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows, And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented. (Matt 11:16,17)
Jesus shows them their fault, their exaltation of their expectations over the reality of Gods provision and it starts here right here is where men leave the narrow way and enter the broad through their own understanding. We read that Gods thoughts are higher than ours and His ways than ours and we stand amazed, but turn around and substitute our own thoughts for His in every day life. Even in church! The reality of that statement never hits home partly because we fail to notice what prefaces it:
For my thoughts are NOT your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. (Isaiah 55:8)
This should have a devastating effect on us! His thoughts ARE NOT our thoughts! His ways ARE NOT our ways! Such a blanket statement covers the entire human condition and puts us under in imperative to seek His ways and thoughts out. And look just one verse back again and we see that ALL our ways are wicked:
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. (Isaiah 55:7)
So well, now, can we understand Pauls commonly expressed thought (no, the Lords thought through Paul) that ANYTHING that is not of faith is sin. ANYTHING that is not of God directly is wickedness and righteousness and needs to be repented of. Were I to go on about that, I would show how violent an act repentance is. It is not a pitiful, tearful thing nearly as much as it is a violent end. But that can be saved for now. We need to know about what Oswald Chambers spoke when he said that the great test in preaching is that it brings everyone to judgment. We need to go beyond simply accepting the static letter of lofty ideas (Gods ways higher than ours). No one will deny that God is higher than us, but far from being an excuse for complacency (shall we SIN that grace may abound? Heaven forbid!), it should be a sharp sword piercing the flesh. We should be brought to the point of despair so that anything that we are not SURE is of God (by His Holy Spirit) is to be cast away. We are to be as empty vessels that God may fill. We are to be opposite of the Laodiceans who were satisfied and thought all was fine when the opposite was true. May God open our eyes to the satisfaction we have May He expose our nakedness to us that we may submit it ALL to Him and be brought back to the cross in poverty. For without Him, that is what we are. And if we are walking around in our own thoughts in ANY way, we are naked and poor and wretched. Examine yourself! For if you be content, there is great demand on you to prove the Lords thoughts and ways in your life! If we become content in ourselves, how easy it becomes to say to the Truth: He hath a devil! (Matt 11:18,19). But as the Lord said, wisdom is justified of her children. But be warned, God has chosen the foolish things of this world to confound the wise of this world, so if your wisdom is in any way of the world, and not of the foolishness of the cross (I Cor 1:18-21) it is wickedness.
Oswald Chambers said it well, this way:
Is the Lord Jesus Christ being abundantly satisfied in your life or have you got a spiritual strut on? Never let common sense obtrude and push the Son of God on one side. Common sense is a gift which God gave to human nature; but common sense is not the gift of His Son. Supernatural sense is the gift of His Son; never enthrone common sense. The Son detects the Father; common sense never yet detected the Father and never will. Our ordinary wits never worship God unless they are transfigured by the indwelling Son of God. We have to see that this mortal flesh is kept in perfect subjection to Him and that He works through it moment by moment. Are we living in such human dependence upon Jesus Christ that His life is being manifested moment by moment?
(From My Utmost for His Highest - August 8)
I pray that the Lord will bless His Word and reveal all our own thoughts and give us the wisdom the weakness and the discernment to forsake them.
