Isaiah 17:6
“Yet gleanings shall be left in it, as the shaking of an olive tree, two or three berries in the top of the upper-most bough, four or five in the outermost fruitful branches thereof, saith Jehovah, God of Israel.”
In this statement the prophet is foretelling of a day of sorrow and leanness which was surely coming to the idolatrous apostates of a nation who had treated Jehovah with perverse thanklessness and abject disregard.
The prophecy stood as warning to an ancient nation and to the peoples of that nation.
The same prophecy could be a warning to a modern nation and the peoples of that nation who have embraced apostasy with a heart blinded and hardened by the deceit of self.
It shall be for them as with the olive tree after is crop of berries has been removed by the “thrashing” or beating of its boughs and branches; just “two or three berries in the top of the uppermost bough” where the sticks of the beaters had not reached, and only “four or five on the outmost branches.”
Even now some are in such a barren condition spiritually, with faith and hope and love and joy and peace and strength and prayer and testimony and service, at the very best, lean and languishing.
If this is you, then why?
And what can be done about it, when the mirror of your heart convicts of the truth?
Isaiah 17:10
“Because thou has forgotten the God of thy salvation,………” There has been a forgetfulness of God.
It is evidenced in the fact that we have allowed ourselves to become immersed in the mundane things, in business, in pleasure, in domestic concerns, in social and political affairs, in getting and spending, in working and playing, in so much “coming and going” (Mark 6:31).
Our lives have become so full of worldly concerns that we are spiritually empty!
We have forgotten the one thing which is really needful.
That is one of the reasons that we are as the lean olive tree with only “two or three berries in the top of the uppermost bough.”
“and hast not been mindful of the rock of thy strength…………..” Indeed we have developed and unspiritually minded self sufficiency.
We have been neglectful of prayer.
We have foolishly preferred to manage (or mismanage) our own affairs.
We have forgotten how truly weak we are and imagined that the unsteady little lamb is a lion instead.
And now we have become as an olive tree, without the fruit of its branches.
In verse 8 read the words “altars” and “images” things that the Israelites had made with their own hands.
Could a part of the problem be that we have allowed ourselves to become idolatrous?
Have we allowed a friendship or some other ambition to take the place of God in our hearts desire and devotion?
If so then there is judgment against our altars and idols, our olive tree is stripped clean of all but “two or three berries in the top bough.”
Is there anything that we can do to remedy our leanness?
The answer is found in verses 7 and 8 “At that day a man shall look to his Maker….”
Whenever adversity begins to strip our olive tree of all but the “two or three berries”, it is a prodding to turn us from our self-made altars and back to the true God, our gracious covenant keeping Jehovah.
How ever hard it is to believe at times, God could do nothing more unkind than to allow believers a continued prosperity when we are self-willed, wayward, prayer less and backslidden.
Adversity must beat the olive tree with hard strokes which leave only “two or three berries.”
God loves us far too much to think more of our natural pleasures than of our spiritual profit.
Brother or Sister, turn your hearts and souls back to Him.
Make those wrong things right, according to His standards.
Cast off those idols.
Get back to the joy of prayer, the heart of faith, the act of love, and the life of new consecration.
Then shall the branches of our olive trees be bent with the fullness of fruit.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Saturday, January 17, 2009
AN INNER GARMENT REVEALED OUTWARDLY
WHO HAS DESIGNED YOUR WARDROBE
“For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” (Galatians 3:27).
If I could take a bowl of red dye and put a white cloth into it, then the cloth would be immersed in the dye, but the dye would be in the cloth. There would no longer be a white cloth; there would only be a red cloth. The white cloth is in the dye, but the dye is in the cloth.
We are in Christ and Christ is in us.
Paul, connects being “baptized into Christ” with being “clothed with Christ.”
We are now dressed in the garments of His righteousness!
We have a brand new identity in Him.
We are saturated with His power and presence.
We are totally identified with Him no matter our race, as he says , in verse 28: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female; ye are all one in Christ Jesus.”
It doesn’t matter if we are rich or poor: “there is neither slave nor free man.”
It doesn’t matter whether we are male or female: “there is neither male nor female,”
Why? “For ye are all one in Christ.”
The garment that Christ gives us to wear brings about a behavior that is Christ!
This behavior looks the same in all believers.
It causes us to have the same character from within.
We all wear the same uniform!
It is His character in us!
Now the question that must be asked then is this.
If believers are clothed with HIS GARMENT, if Christ truly now lives in us, why is it that so many believers live as if this is not true?
How can people in the body of Christ be cruel to others?
How can they pass by those in need, spiritual, physical, emotional, even financial?
We must understand: believers are dressed inwardly with Christ; He has come to live in us!
But for this life to be seen outwardly by others, then we must live totally by faith, trusting only in Him and His Word.
That is why Paul instructed believers “put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lust thereof.” (Romans 15:14)
Even though they had put on the garment inwardly, they needed to learn to put it on outwardly, by giving no provision to the flesh.
The inward garment being revealed outwardly has never been better explained than in the manner seen in (Galatians 2:20) “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”
Faith is a choice to believe and trust only God and His Word.
God graciously allows us to have a choice in the way we live.
But if we choose to fulfill the lust of the flesh, which is simply our will to do as we please, playing some religious game with God, then we need to seriously re-evaluate whether or not we have ever been truly born again.
I will safely state that if a person lives habitually unwilling to allow God to change him, then that person is not a believer.
A true believer may be in temporary bondage to his sin, but his sin will torment him and he will cry out for deliverance.
The characteristics of one who does not wear the garment of Christ are always the same.
He will become decisive in the body of Christ.
He becomes a detriment to all that Christ is seeking to do.
In fact he lives no differently than the lost when it comes to his behavior toward others.
Whose garment are you clothed in?
The garment of your self will, or the garment He is willing to clothe you with, both inside and out.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
HAPPY NEW YEAR
WE ALL WILL BE TESTED re-issue from 2008
Ending His great teaching that we call the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus used a very simple illustration about two men who built two similar houses, with the only difference being the foundation that the house was laid upon. Matthew 7:24-27
In brief , His admonition to all Christians is this, At some point God will thoroughly test your spiritual condition.
Why?
Because He wants to know what kind of Christians we are, doers of His Word, or hearers only, wise or foolish believers, prepared for adversity or unprepared, over comers or succumbers.
Later in Matthews Gospel, Jesus unflatteringly implied that in the last days a large percentage of those who claim to be His will be “foolish”- thoughtlessly unprepared for His appearing- and the other part “wise” Matthew 25:2.
This is not just a casual prediction.
It is the infallible foretelling, the final and authoritative, prophetic Word of the all knowing Master.
Although humbling, it is a very accurate picture, of the current body of Christians worldwide.
When combined with His earlier warning, it presents a very timely and disturbing message to all of us.
Thus says the Lord to His last-day church: "As these two houses were tested, so your spiritual construction-the spiritual house of character you are building daily, will be tested."
God will send powerful storms to “beat upon that house.” and Luke adds “vehemently.”
Just what will “beat” upon us?
Jesus described the assault in detail.
The “rains” are seasons of trouble, which will temporarily block the sunshine of peace and prosperity.
The floods” are sudden, and overwhelming personal losses or defeats, or rebellious uprisings against our authority.
The “winds” speak of the demonic “powers of the air,” the “wicked spirits…rulers of the darkness of this world,” who are set to bring down everyone who seeks and shares the Light of the world and the light that is His Word.
They “beat” upon us every time they prompt a fresh downpour, wave, or gust, of the troublesome resistance to strike the “house” of our marriage, family, ministry, or body.
Are we heedful or heedless of Jesus’ warning?
The state of our foundation will reveal this.
Are we prepared for a test of our spiritual construction, or are we procrastinating?
Are we incredulous or intrepid, disbelievingly ignoring the prophecy of Jesus, or are we fearlessly building our spiritual foundation?
Do we actually practice or only profess, all of His teachings?
Are we seeking, studying, praying, interceding, worshiping, giving, loving, suffering, forgiving, and thanking only God in all of these circumstances?
Or do we shamefully avoid the secret place, leaving Bible study to others, praying as little as possible, withholding tithes and offerings, harboring ill-will, crassly appeasing people to avoid the crosses of rejection of mankind, and complaining every time things don’t go according to our fleshly desire?
If the former is true of us, we’ve got a rock solid foundation and at the end of testing will be approved.
But, if the latter is true, and we build upon the shifting sands of the doctrines of men or of demons, then we will be found lacking and all that we have sought will be lost.
Update: January 04 2009
The testing is coming in many ways and for some is happening already, a very broad conflict may be beginning in the areas around Israel.
We are encouraged in scripture to pray for the peace of Jerusalem and of the salvation of all of Israel. Psalms 122:6
Along with those prayers we encourage you to pray for the peace and safety of your nation also.
WE ALL WILL BE TESTED re-issue from 2008
Ending His great teaching that we call the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus used a very simple illustration about two men who built two similar houses, with the only difference being the foundation that the house was laid upon. Matthew 7:24-27
In brief , His admonition to all Christians is this, At some point God will thoroughly test your spiritual condition.
Why?
Because He wants to know what kind of Christians we are, doers of His Word, or hearers only, wise or foolish believers, prepared for adversity or unprepared, over comers or succumbers.
Later in Matthews Gospel, Jesus unflatteringly implied that in the last days a large percentage of those who claim to be His will be “foolish”- thoughtlessly unprepared for His appearing- and the other part “wise” Matthew 25:2.
This is not just a casual prediction.
It is the infallible foretelling, the final and authoritative, prophetic Word of the all knowing Master.
Although humbling, it is a very accurate picture, of the current body of Christians worldwide.
When combined with His earlier warning, it presents a very timely and disturbing message to all of us.
Thus says the Lord to His last-day church: "As these two houses were tested, so your spiritual construction-the spiritual house of character you are building daily, will be tested."
God will send powerful storms to “beat upon that house.” and Luke adds “vehemently.”
Just what will “beat” upon us?
Jesus described the assault in detail.
The “rains” are seasons of trouble, which will temporarily block the sunshine of peace and prosperity.
The floods” are sudden, and overwhelming personal losses or defeats, or rebellious uprisings against our authority.
The “winds” speak of the demonic “powers of the air,” the “wicked spirits…rulers of the darkness of this world,” who are set to bring down everyone who seeks and shares the Light of the world and the light that is His Word.
They “beat” upon us every time they prompt a fresh downpour, wave, or gust, of the troublesome resistance to strike the “house” of our marriage, family, ministry, or body.
Are we heedful or heedless of Jesus’ warning?
The state of our foundation will reveal this.
Are we prepared for a test of our spiritual construction, or are we procrastinating?
Are we incredulous or intrepid, disbelievingly ignoring the prophecy of Jesus, or are we fearlessly building our spiritual foundation?
Do we actually practice or only profess, all of His teachings?
Are we seeking, studying, praying, interceding, worshiping, giving, loving, suffering, forgiving, and thanking only God in all of these circumstances?
Or do we shamefully avoid the secret place, leaving Bible study to others, praying as little as possible, withholding tithes and offerings, harboring ill-will, crassly appeasing people to avoid the crosses of rejection of mankind, and complaining every time things don’t go according to our fleshly desire?
If the former is true of us, we’ve got a rock solid foundation and at the end of testing will be approved.
But, if the latter is true, and we build upon the shifting sands of the doctrines of men or of demons, then we will be found lacking and all that we have sought will be lost.
Update: January 04 2009
The testing is coming in many ways and for some is happening already, a very broad conflict may be beginning in the areas around Israel.
We are encouraged in scripture to pray for the peace of Jerusalem and of the salvation of all of Israel. Psalms 122:6
Along with those prayers we encourage you to pray for the peace and safety of your nation also.
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