As Friend

Yesterday morning as usual, as I was about do my physical exercise, a deep sense and longing for prayer engulfed me; leading me on my knees. The time of intimacy with God, through the Lord Jesus Christ in my mingled spirit is so enjoyable. As friend conversed with friend, I just talked and had fellowship with God. Time seemed to be impatient, and when the fellowship was over, it was time to rush for office.

Oftentimes, the Lord visits in a very subjective-dynamic way, in spite of the fact that He is always within as the indwelling One. The whole day was in His sweet presence. O the joy of the presence of the Lord! Later, as my family visited a brother's family, it was all a horizontal fellowship to complement the vertical one in the morning. In the midst of fellowship, the Lord reminded me again and again, that I should not try to defend my opinion nor my understanding of the Scripture. Rather I must simply fellowship and minister Christ to others; in word, in prayer or in testifying. Of all, giving a living testimony is the most effective, I found. None can refute nor argue. It's an experience. Doctrine, teaching and interpretation often varies and is prone to differences. But a living testimony, none can refute. Its a testimony of the experience and enjoyment of Chirst. Not everyone who speaks or teaches, necessarily have the experiences. Nor vise versa. 

I could spontaneously identify with Fanny Jane Crosby's classical hymn, "I am Thine O Lord.."

O the pure delight of a single hour

  That before Thy throne I spend,

When I kneel in prayer, and with Thee, my God,

  I commune as friend with friend!

Source: http://www.hymnal.net/hymn.php/h/387#ixzz1zpN5aWWp

See Clearly

When the Lord healed the blind man in Bethsaida in Mark 8:22-26, two steps of healing were involved. First He healed and the blind man could see, however, he could not see clearly. And there was the need for another healing touch, then only then, he could see normally and properly. There is a divine light in these.

First Touch--Seeing

He took hold of the blind man....He spat on his eyes and laid His hands on him....he looked up and said, I see men, for I see them as trees, walking. vv.23,24. Many have been touched by the Lord when in sinful and dark situation. And many did see the light thereafter. And many can graciously echo with John Newton in his marvelous hymn, 

"Amazing grace! how sweet the sound,

  That saved a wretch; like me!

I once was lost, but now am found,

  Was blind, but now I see."

Source: http://www.hymnal.net/hymn.php/h/313#ixzz1z3HOCf2N

Was blind, but now I see! Yes, seeing is fine, but what do you see, how do you see, and how clearly do you see? Perhaps, seeing "men as trees walking?" This is the sad situation of many believers today. Yes  they are saved by grace through faith. Salvation is not the problem, for they are saved genuinely. But is that salvation leading to God's eternal purpose? They see partially God's economy but not fully as God intended to. There is a greater need to see further, see better and see clearer. A second touch is needed.

Second Touch--Seeing Clearly

Then again He laid His hands upon his eyes,..and he began to see all things clearly. v.25

Many believers need the second touch of the Lord. We should not be merely satisfied with the first touch of salvation only, we need to see further why God saved us. Salvation is not God's goal. Salvation is the means for God to fulfill His purpose, eternal and divine. That the saved ones may grow in the divine life, be transformed to become precious materials for God's building work, and be built up as God's house, His dwelling place, His church which is His Body. 

These two seeings are very much aligned with the two parts of 2  Timothy 2:4. He(God) desires all men to be saved  and to come to the full knowledge of the truth.  All men to be saved happens with the first touch of the Lord, however this is not the end. A step further isneed, i.e., to come to the full knowledge of the truth. Truth here means reality, denoting all the real things revealed in God's Word, which are mainly Christ as the embodiment of God and the church as the Body of Christ. 

Lord, grant us the second touch too, to see clearly.

Ashes

In the Burnt Offer in Leviticus 6:8-13, the ashes was very significant. This morning as I was musing and enjoying the word the Lord enlightened me on the "ASHES." The footnotes in the Recovery Version of the Holy Bible throws a great light into the depth of the holy word. O I love this Bible, helping and opening my eyes to see that the issue of the Burnt Offering is the "ashes!"

God's Acceptance of the Offering

Ashes signifies the heart of God's economy in dealing with man to gain man for His divine purpose. The very fact of the formation of the ashes from the burnt offering is a proof that the offering on the burnt offering is accepted. For the ashes would not have been produced if the offering on the alter were not accepted.

Importance

The ashes were handled by the priests putting on linen garment signifying the fineness, purity and cleanliness in handling the outcome of the offering, and thereafter, changing the garment to take the ashes outside the camp further portrays the stateliness in handling the ashes, which thereby signifies its importance.

Crucifixion

Ashes indicates the result of Christ's death, which bring to an end, i.e., to ashes. When we offer up ourselves to God as burnt offering, and if our offering is accepted the issue will be that we are crucified and that we are "no longer I, but Christ (Gal. 2:20a)." We do not belong to ourselves nor have any right over ourselves, we wholly belong to God to Whom we offer ourselves.

Resurrection

The ashes were put beside the altar toward the east, the side of sun rising, which is an allusion to resurrection. Everything offered to God as an offering, is accepted becomes "ashes" which is a sign that we are crucified and crucifixion is always followed by resurrection. The only way to experience resurrection is to be crucified by being burnt to ashes, terminating anything natural.

Transformation

Ashes if of high regard to God, for eventually the ashes would become the New Jerusalem! As we are reduced to ashes we are transformed to become precious materials--gold, silver and precious stones-- for the building of the New Jerusalem!

  

Lord, I offer myself to You afresh, laying my being at the altar of the burnt offering. Do what pleases Thee and burn me to ashes, transform me into precious stones of Thy heart's desire for the building up of the New Jerusalem.

Fruitful and Multiply

Psalms 2:8-9 Ask of Me, and I will give the nations as Your inheritance and the limits of the earth as Your Possession. You will break them with an iron rod…


Genesis 35:11-12 ‘‘I am God, all-sufficient: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins; and the land which I gave Abraham and Isaac, to thee I will give it, and to thy seed after thee will I give the land’’ (Heb.).


The promises of God says, "Ask of Me, and I will give the nations..." and confirms that what He is,  " I am God, all-sufficient: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations....and kings shall come out of thy loins.." These promised blessings are for God's chosen ones not in Shechem (individualistic believers' standing place) but in Bethel (in the house of God among believers corporately.) God is a God of blessing, but whether we receive these promised blessings depends on where we are and what we are. He is ever ready, but are we ever ready too to receive and contain the blessings? Often times, we do not receive the promised blessings due to our wrong standing ground and our being not ready to receive the blessing.


This morning the Lord reminded me again of His blessing, He spoke confirming He is the all-sufficient God and commanded, "be fruitful and multiply" and promised what He would bless. This is what I have been longing and praying for. The Lord thus speak and reconfirms His willingness. However, these blessings are for the Body and in the Body, in Bethel, the house of God. To realize what the Lord has promised I must be in the Body, with the Body and be for the Body. The Lord is wise and sovereign over all, He spoke such a word on such a day, as timely as it is today. What a comfort, what a joy!


The instant "rhema-tic" speaking of the Lord is a treasure, so precious. And it is instantly fulfilling. "Lord, thank you for your promised blessing upon Your Body, the church, the house of God, Bethel. Preserve me in the church to ever enjoy the promised blessings to be fruitful and to multiply. You are indeed my El-Bethel."

Two Beginnings

The Israelite had two beginnings in their journey towards the promised good land. The first one was the exodus from Egypt, Exodus 13:4 ,"On this day in the month of Abib you are going out." This is the first day of the first month of the first year. This exodus was for their salvation from the tyranny of Pharoah in Egypt after the experience of the Passover Lamb, typifying our Christian experience of salvation from the tyranny of Satan in the usurpation of the world by experiencing the reality of the Passover Lamb, the redemption accomplished by Jesus Christ! That's the Abib of a Christian life! The experience of God's salvation! Every genuine Christian has this experience.

Later, after one year, as in Exodus 40:17, "And in the first month in the second year, on the first day of the month, the tabernacle was raised up." Then the Israelite had another beginning, after building the tabernacle, God dwelt among them in the Tent of Meeting which was the tabernacle to God. From this time forth, it was a step further to fulfill God's desire of having His building among men. In the same manner, this is the Christian experience of co-working with God for the building up of God's house, the Church, the Body of Christ, after the experience of salvation by the Passover Lamb. The former experience is for the later, and without the later, a Christian experience is incomplete. 

Many Christians are just satisfied with salvation by the Passover Lamb, and little do they know or live the experience of the building of the tabernacle. They are saved from Egypt but roaming in the wilderness far away from the good land. They need the experience of the practical building up of the house of God which is what a Christian life is for. Apart from this, our Christian life is incomplete. Our first beginning of salvation by the Passover Lamb is for the second beginning of building up of the church as God's dwelling place to fulfill God's purpose on the earth. May the Lord lead all His children into these two beginnings.

Word of Grace

 Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one. Colosians 4:6


The Lord taught me this morning how I need to be graceful in my words. Its very easy to say a thing intentionally or unintentionally, and hurts others. This morning I spoke a word as a reflex action commenting on something of someone. Though I did not mean to hurt any it has an opposite reaction and the matter worsened as I tried to justify it later. 


A simple innocent sentence uttered in ignorance can mean so serious and striking.  The enemy can interfere easily in any matter. This reminds me of my need to be in my spirit all the time, and speak words of grace out from my spirit even for simple matter. 


As James stated rightly in James 3: 8"But the tongue no one among men is able to tame; it is a restless evil, full of deadly poison".  I may put a guard to my mouth that I may not utter hurtful words unintentionally.  Later, as I had a business deal with someone, I was careful and cautious not to add or emphasize my opinion or idea. Let the Lord rule over the matter. Though I feel a little defeated for not putting forth my feelings and have to kind-of oblige to the other party's say, I learned to trust in God in this small matter and let Him take control. I peacefully let things go. Deep within as I pondered over the matter, the Lord seemed to confirm that giving matter to the Lord is the best I could do and its up to Him to deal with it.  Most of the time when I cling onto my own ways its always a curse, and its a blessing whenever I let things go and the Lord take over.

Unfruitful?

Mark 4:19 And the anxieties of the age and the deceitfulness of riches and the lusts for other things enter in and utterly choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.


Why are so many Christians unfruitful? Even the ones on the service of the Lord? Unfruitful, in the sense of bearing fruits, spiritual fruits, subjectively as the inward experience and enjoyment of Christ and objectively as the increase in bringing sinners to salvation. Normally, a Christian, whether serving full time or part time, by virtue of being a Christian must bear fruits. If this does not happen, it is a warning sign to reconsider our lives and livings before man and before God. Most sadly, the greater danger is not realising that one is fruitless even when he is indeed fruitless and having no feeling about it.  This is recognizably a dead Christian.


This morning as I was on the Word on the parable of the Sower, the Lord spoke to me on how one can become unfruitful. Three things are mentioned in Mark 4:19. 
1. The anxieties of the age
2. The deceitfulness of riches
3. The lust for other things


These entered into a believer and choke the word he has within him as a deposit. These are like worms that eats up whatever a person has eaten of the word. The matter is not in eating or what he has eaten, but in the "worms" that choke the word! Unless the worms are dealt with, however much one eats, all would be nullified. 


A particular worm caught my attention, "lust" for other things. Other things, I believe, are things other than Christ as the reality of all food and drink. This lust is particularly specified in 1 John 2:16 as " Because all that is in the world, the ¹lust of the flesh and the ¹lust of the eyes and the ¹vainglory of  life, is not of the Father but is of the world."
16¹ The lust of the flesh is the passionate desire of the body; the lust of the eyes is the passionate desire of the soul through the eyes; and the vainglory of life is the empty pride, boast, and display of material things, of the present life. These are the components of the world. 
http://online.recoveryversion.org/FootNotes.asp?FNtsID=8260

These "lusts" are what chokes the word, and they are the very things all men are surrounded with, and the very tools  Satan uses as baits to hook mankind.  


How does one escape these baits? I find no other solution except in the Lord Jesus Himself, as the life-giving Spirit in our spirit. The moment by moment, daily exercise of the mingled spirit, exercising of our human spirit as in 1 Timothy 4: 7 " But the profane and old-womanish myths refuse, and ⁴exercise yourself unto godliness."

7⁴ As in gymnastics. Unto godliness means with a view to godliness. Godliness is Christ lived out of us to be the manifestation of God (see notes 16² and 16³ in ch. 3). Today this very Christ is the Spirit dwelling in our spirit (2 Cor. 3:17; Rom. 8:9-10; 2 Tim. 4:22). Hence, to exercise ourselves unto godliness is to exercise our spirit to live Christ in our daily life. "

http://online.recoveryversion.org/FootNotes.asp?FNtsID=6745

Lord, keep me in my spirit all the time, exercising myself unto godliness. Save me from all things other then You. Lord, deliver me from "lust" and make me fruitful, enjoying You and much more, bearing remaining fruits. Amen.