June 13, 2002

#1 Seeing Some Of The "All Things" God Works For HIS Good Pleasure

Have you shared with others what's been evolving within the Church during the past decade? Have you been frustrated that people "don't get it" and somehow you've become the outcast? Have you come to your wits end because after explaining a particular deception, they continue in the ways of the false spirit? Have you run into outright heresy and tried to get the truth across only to be called a heretic yourself? What can you do when those who "don't get it" totally twist the scripture you present into something that contradicts its true meaning? What about the fears you've experienced along the way - fear of being wrong, fear of being deceived, fear of what others will think, fear of being ostracized, fear of retaliation? And what about the mistakes you've made because you misinterpreted what the Lord was saying to you, or you listened to your flesh or another spirit that tried to get you off track? Has guilt been a problem in all of this?

What about after you passed through all of these things? What did you do concerning the effects it had on you, in your emotions, in your thinking, in your power to endure? What about the bad results and rejection that have even caused you to occasionally doubt whether you are right? What about the sadness and sorrow you feel over the fellowship you've lost, because friends, relatives and fellow church members didn't want to wake up to what is happening? What about the loneliness you feel because, knowing at least some of what the apostasy is all about, you could not allow yourself to remain in your church? Some of you approached your pastors, only to be rebuffed or dismissed openly or deceptively. Others were more fortunate and found a church that, though not perfect, has managed to stay free of the apostasy for the most part. For you who left the churches, what about the lull that followed as you realized your feelings to be somewhere, or do something, or be somebody? Scripture adequately describes this situation in the historic figures of the Old Testament:

Heb 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. 15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.

If you have made every effort to turn people away from deceptive religion, and have done all you can to stay in your church only to realize you couldn't remain anymore, recognize that the desires brought forth in you are very scriptural:

Heb 11:16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

You've realized you are a sojourner, a stranger in what has become a very strange land. The spirit of Babylon swallowing up all around you is bringing forth the emotions similar to that of Old Testament Israel:

Psa 137:1 By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion. 2 We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof. 3 For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion. 4 How shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange land? 5 If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning. 6 If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy.

Deception declared the churches to be Babylon, and then made them so. Spiritual Babylon is flooding the churches, creating, in one swift move, both apostates and sojourners. Many weep when they remember their churches of old. Many miss the old time hymns and the singing, but Babylon requires a "new" song, causing our "harps" to be hung on the willows that weep with us while the twang of the steel guitar echoes through the pews. Each in his own way, many ask, "How shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange land?"

Paul tells us what to do when things go badly, such as what I've described:

Rom 5:2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope: 5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. 6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. 8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. 10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. 11 And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.

If we have seen all our efforts as only bad results, we might wonder how in the world Romans 8:29 could be true:

Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

"Hey!," you say. "How come no one listened to me and now I feel like a tree on the ledge of a cliff? How come - tell me please - God didn't work any of these things to the good? Where is God? Is His word true?"

The things I mentioned above are part of the "all things" that God works for good TO FURTHER HIS PURPOSE in our lives. But the "things" themselves ARE NOT the ultimate purpose for which God has called us. They are necessary, we are called to do them - to stand for the truth, to warn others, to love God by standing for the word in its proper context. Loving Him is keeping His commandments, and that is why we do those things, but HIS PURPOSE is furthered because, by our doing them in spite of all it brings into our lives, THROUGH THEM we are conformed to the image of His Son:

Rom 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

When we went through these "things" in faithfulness, we came out more mature, and what is maturity but walking in the character of Jesus? We have eternally benefited because of these things, and that should bring joy into the hurts and sorrows and sadness and frustrations and doubts and fears we experienced and lift us up rejoicing over what HE has accomplished in us.

During the past decade, these things have had an effect on our lives. Our emotions were tossed in every direction, our minds were tested about whether or not we have the truth, our wills were exercised because of the Lord's power to cause us to endure, and our spirits have found that it was not in our strength, but in our weakness, that God carried us through:

2 Cor 12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

Isn't that being conformed to Christ? According to Paul, it most surely is:

2 Cor 13:4 For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you. 5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

Our experience of these things - the patience, faith and perseverance for the sake of Christ and the gospel - is evidence to God that you can be counted worthy of His kingdom. It is the evidence that His Son is in you:

2 Th 1:4 So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure: 5 Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer: 6 Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you;

James said,

James 2:17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. 18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works.

Do you see all the benefits that come out of those seemingly hopeless things mentioned above? To others, your works for the furtherance of the gospel and the truth seem fruitless, useless, void of any purpose; but not to God. He sees, He knows and He acknowledges, and He makes a righteous judgment towards you:

Psa 26:1 A Psalm of David. Judge me, O LORD; for I have walked in mine integrity: I have trusted also in the LORD; therefore I shall not slide. 2 Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart. 3 For thy lovingkindness is before mine eyes: and I have walked in thy truth. 4 I have not sat with vain persons, neither will I go in with dissemblers. 5 I have hated the congregation of evildoers; and will not sit with the wicked. 6 I will wash mine hands in innocency: so will I compass thine altar, O LORD: 7 That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works. 8 LORD, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth. 9 Gather not my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloody men: 10 In whose hands is mischief, and their right hand is full of bribes. 11 But as for me, I will walk in mine integrity: redeem me, and be merciful unto me. 12 My foot standeth in an even place: in the congregations will I bless the LORD.

After going through any of the trials mentioned, or even not mentioned, above, did you ever feel empty or wonder where God went now that it was over? Did you ever hit a lull and wonder if maybe God had placed you on the shelf or abandoned you because you possibly did something wrong? Did you ever wonder why you don't get the goosebumps like you did early in your Christian life and just want a goosebump or two to assure you of His love and care for you and your work? Did these words ever stir in your heart as you silently prayed?:

Mark 15:34 . . . . My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

We have to know the weakness of Christ. He did what the Father said to do and said what the Father said to say, because He did not come to do His own will, but the Father's:

John 5:19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. . . . 30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent

Jesus did nothing of Himself. He was perfectly weak in the flesh and that weakness was perfectly shown, dying sinless but bearing our sins on the cross:

John 8:28 Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things. 29 And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.

Do we see the Lamb lead to the slaughter, silent before those who would slay Him, speaking only what the Father said and doing only what He saw the Father doing? Do we hear in the following verses His call to us to be weak in Him that we might live by His power in us?:

John 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

John 15:5 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.

"These things" tell us we are somebody, not in the world's eyes or even the apostate church's eyes, but in God's eyes. And "these things" tell us we belong somewhere:

Heb 12:22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, 23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, 24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. 25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven: 26 Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.

The word of God has pointed us to the cross, and through the cross of Christ and His resurrection, the spirits of those who died have entered heavenly Jerusalem. Scripture says the living saints have drawn near to these as well, and the day will come when Jesus will gather together the saints in heaven and the saints on earth to bring His visible reign to earth for a thousand years. On that day, there shall be a counting of the sheep under the rod of the shepherd:

Psa 87:1 A Psalm or Song for the sons of Korah. His foundation is in the holy mountains. 2 The LORD loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. 3 Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God. Selah. 4 I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to them that know me: behold Philistia, and Tyre, with Ethiopia; this man was born there. 5 And of Zion it shall be said, This and that man was born in her: and the highest himself shall establish her. 6 The LORD shall count, when he writeth up the people, that this man was born there. Selah. 7 As well the singers as the players on instruments shall be there: all my springs are in thee.

You may be in a church, you may have left your church, you may have found a house fellowship or you may be all alone where you live. Know, though, that God is working His eternal purpose in you (Romans 8:28,29), and that He is doing so "according to the good pleasure of His will":

Eph 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

Notice He works not according to your good pleasure, but His. Jesus walked in that fact and therefore could say what He did in the verse I quoted above:

John 8:28 Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things. 29 And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; FOR I DO ALWAYS THOSE THINGS THAT PLEASE HIM.

Jesus is speaking here of His going to the cross, which was the good pleasure of the Father. Know that, throughout Jesus' ministry that would end with His death, He went through the same things you have gone through. Read the questions again, as applying to Him:

Did He come and speak the truth to those in Israel? Did He get frustrated that people "didn't get it," with Him becoming the outcast? Did He explain deceptions, yet people continued in the ways of the false spirit? Did He run into outright heresy and try to get the truth across, only to be called a heretic Himself? Did those He spoke to totally twist His words into something that contradicted their true meaning? What of His words, "The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head" (Matt 8:20)?

Did He seemingly have "bad results" throughout His ministry? Did He feel sadness and sorrow over those who would not listen - those to whom He had come - such as when he cried over Jerusalem? Did He answer the leaders of His time, only to be rebuffed or dismissed openly or deceptively? What about the loneliness He felt because of being rejected, and deserted even by his disciples when taken by the Romans? What about the rejection and its ensuing loneliness he experienced as He hung on the cross between heaven and earth?

Isa 53:3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

If He endured these, and many more, things, how much more shall we who are being conformed to His image and likeness according to the Father's good pleasure? Scripture says,

Heb 12:2 who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross

Part of that joy that he saw ahead of Him is found in Isaiah 53:

Isa 53:10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. 11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.

Remember who you are! You are the pleasure of the Lord that has prospered the pleasure of the Lord. You are the travail of His soul, the offspring whom Isaiah said He would see. You are part of that which makes Him satisfied. You are those of whom

Psa 87:6 The LORD shall count, when he writeth up the people, that this man was born there. Selah.

#2 The Silversmith

Some time ago, a few ladies met in a certain city to study the scriptures. While reading the third chapter of Malachi, they came upon a remarkable expression in the third verse:

"And He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver (Malachi 3:3)"

One lady proposed to visit a silversmith, and report to them on what he said about the subject. She went accordingly, and without telling the object of her errand, begged the silversmith to tell her about the process of refining silver.

After he had fully described it to her, she asked, "But Sir, do you sit while the work of refining is going on?"

"Oh, yes madam," replied the silversmith; "I must sit with my eyes steadily fixed on the furnace, for if the time necessary for refining be exceeded in the slightest degree, the silver will be injured."

The lady at once saw the beauty, and comfort too, of the expression, "He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver." God sees it needful to put His children into a furnace; His eye is steadily intent on the work of purifying, and His wisdom and love are both engaged in the best manner for us. Our trials do not come at random, and He will not let us be tested beyond what we can endure.

Before she left, the lady asked one final question, "When do you know the process is complete?"

"Why, that is quite simple," replied the silversmith. "When I can see my own image in the silver, the refining process is finished."

==============

This newsletter will be sent out whenever I think there is something the body of Christ needs to consider, to build it up, to give it encouragement or comfort in hard times.

To sign up for this newsletter, email Ed at ejt@ncinter.net Past issues may be read at The Newsletter Page http://www.ncinter.net/~ejt/List.htm