Law and Grace

The ten Commandments in Exodus 20 is the law of God expressing what God is and exposing what man is. The highest standard of living is expressed in the law, but sinful man has no way to even fulfill even one of these commandments. Thank God for that. Let's take a look at some of the least of these:

Idolatry

Perhaps, one may consider he can actually keep the law, but in a very strict sense, far from the truth. For example, verses 3  and 4 says, "You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself an idol, nor the form of anything that is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water beneath the earth". These verses may be figure pointed to idolaters, to those who literally worship idols in religions. But the real meaning of idol is "any thing that replaces God; it could be good things or bad things, objects, matters, things or even persons."  Anything in a person's life or heart that takes the preeminence other than the true and living God, Jesus Christ, is the real idol. Beloved children, spouses, friends, family members, colleagues can be an idol. Career, profession, business, entertainment, sports etc., can also be an idol. Even religiosity can be the most deceptive form of  idolatry. If these all replaces Christ in our lives and in our hearts. No wonder John wrote in 1 John 5:21, "Little children, guard yourselves from idols."

Sabbath

Verse 8 says, "Remember the Sabbath day so as to sanctify it." This means God wants us to take Him as our sole rest, satisfaction and enjoyment. He wants us to enjoy Him and Him only. He wants us to take Him as our source and rest and depend on Him only. Otherwise, we profane the Sabbath day. 

Covetousness

Verse 17 says, "You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that belongs to your neighbor." One may not out rightly steal or grasp things. However, if there is an iota of day dreaming of things or persons as ours when in reality is not, is covetousness. 

This being the case, how about the remaining seven other commandments? Even just one of them, I personally cannot. No matter how hard I try, I cannot and will never be able to keep one faithfully. The more I try, I am just a replica of Romans 7. So what's the way then? 

Man indeed is utterly helpless. So God Himself became a man, Jesus Christ, full of grace and reality, lived a perfect human life yet a complete God, died and resurrected and became a life giving Spirit. And this Spirit in now in the believers; to be experienced and and enjoyed by them as grace. But for this grace, man is just  miserable. And because of this Grace, man is complete and mysterious. Whatever, the Law demands, Grace graces man to fulfill them all. God's highest demand can be fulfilled by His highest life-supply of grace.

A couple of weeks ago, I was selected as among finalist for a ten million INR sweepstakes win. The greed and covetousness in my flesh was indeed tempted. I went online and checked the veracity of such offer. Surprisingly, it was real, but that further ignited the already burning fuel of covetousness in my flesh. However, the Lord's grace and life supply led me to dump all such offers in a garbage can. And what a release it was to be freed from covetousness! This is possible only by grace that supplies what the law demands.

What a release to know this grace, enjoy and experience this grace! What the law demands, grace fulfills. To know and experience this is a great salvation.

Five, Two and Twelve

Matthew 14:

17 And they said to Him, We do not have anything here except five loaves and two fish.

20 And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve handbaskets full.

Five loaves and two fish are nothing to feed a crowd of five thousand. It is just a portion for a little boy. However, when the little we have is consecrated to the Lord, the Lord blesses it and is more than sufficient to meet all the needs. 

Five is a number of responsibility borne by man. When man faithfully cares for the Lord's interest on the earth and offers himself to the Lord as a testimony, signified by two, all that he has, God has a way to bless and meet His own need and the need of the one who offers himself and all that he has to Him. The issue of such a love consecration is an abundance of twelves baskets full, the complete blessings for the completion of God's work on the earth. 

To me, to love the Lord and consecrate ourself to the Lord, "2 Corinthians 5:14 For the love of Christ constrains us.."  is to live a normal Christian life. Any normal Christian will love the Lord, that is a spiritual law. The issue of such love is to consecrate to the Lord, that is the ensuing spiritual law again. Furthermore, by such consecration, the Lord will have a way to fulfill His economy on this earth. The Lord is the source, He is also the course of all things and ultimately He is the goal of all things from the source through the course.

For this, man's five loaves and two fish must be offered to the Lord as a love consecration and the issue will be a living of a normal Christian life that fulfills the Lord's desires and completes His purpose with an abundance of overflowing blessings of twelves basket full.

May all Christian see this divine principle, then there will never be a further delay in His coming back as His present need will be carried out by man's willing consecration and offerings for the Lord's move.

Lord, make me such a consecrated Christian.

Weeping

Oh that my head were waters,

And my eye a fountain of tears,

That I might weep day and night

For the slain of the daughter of my people! 

                                             Jeremiah 9:1

Jeremiah wept on behalf of God for the chosen people of God, Israelite, for He loved them even in His disciplining. This verse touched me deeply as the Lord has burdened me to pray earnestly for some saints who have backsliden or are not very positive with the Lord's move today. These saints are directly or indirectly brought to the Lord and in the church life through the Lord's grace abounding in me. In a sense, they are my spiritual children in the Lord.

I have done my best to shepherd them in all ways possible; if perhaps, I might have missed some ways, excepting those. Now and then, I tried to call them and text them. But the result does not seem forthcoming. However, I am not discouraged. It only reminds me of my stubbornness too, some decades ago, if not for His mercy that make me what I am today. When all ways failed or does not seem effective at the moment, the only solution is to weep for them. 

Recently a brother's  fellowship on caring for the new ones helped me a lot. When all fellowship of recovering the new ones failed, the only way remaining is to weep for them out of deep and heavy burden before the Lord.

This was the pattern of the apostle Paul. Acts 20: 19 Serving the Lord as a slave with all humility and tears and trials which came upon me by the plots of the Jews; serving the Lord as a slave with all humility and tears. Perhaps, he must have wept for the saints he was shepherding. No wonder, they all loved him and honored him. What a pattern!

As I considered and prayed for the list of saints and seekers yet to be saved, the Lord burdened me to continuously intercede for them day by day. I do not need to shed crocodile's tear, in trying to follow a patter, but as the burden for these ones grows stronger and stronger, shedding tears and weeping for them and their salvation is by life and spontaneous. It is a genuine burden issuing in tears of love, care and concern.

When I was saved, the burden for my family grew so much. I remembered one night, praying and groaning for my family the whole night with tears. I had no words to utter in prayer, as words would not suffice to describe the burden which was so heavy laden within. The only thing I could do was to kneel and intercede for my family members, one by one. The burden was not soon released then. It continued the following days and months and even years, until all of them were saved one by one. Well that's for my own family in the flesh. Now the burden is far higher; for the saints and new ones, of whom physically I have no relation with, except that of the Lord, in the Lord. The Lord is training me how to be a proper shepherd caring for the flock of God.

Lord, grace me to shepherd Your flock faithfully even with weeping.

With You All The Time

Acts 20:18, 20, 31

And when they came to him, he said to them, You yourselves know, from the first day that I set foot in Asia, how I was with you all the time, 

How I did not withhold any of those things that are profitable by not declaring them to you and by not teaching you publicly and from house to house, 

Therefore watch, remembering that for three years, night and day, I did not cease admonishing each one with tears.

The sincerity and genuineness of Paul was proven when he spoke his "farewell" speech to the elders of Ephesus in Miletus. His heart's content and desires were expressed in those loving words of exhortation mingled with life testimonies. No wonder, the hearts of the brothers were sorrowful when they knew it would be their last meeting ever as man with men. He had the ground and confidence to speak boldly how he shepherded the saints from house to house, right from the first day he set his foot in Asia; he visited the saints one by one, house to house, and was with them through thick and thin. What a testimony! A real pattern of shepherding and caring for the saints in the churches.

My lack in my service was fully exposed as I read and pondered these verses. Paul could declare that he was "with you(the saints) all the time." How about me? An enigma? Nevertheless, I was so encouraged by this solemn and sober words of Paul, "with you all the time." To whom can I say the same, to any saint(s) or any church(es)? May the Lord cover me and grace me that I may as well be able to live like Paul did, shepherding the saints one on one, day by day, house to house and testify one day that I too am indeed "with you all the time."

Moreover, he did not withhold any truths that would be beneficial to the saints. He taught them the healthy teaching of the ministry of the word, house to house as nursing mother nourishing her spiritual babes day by day. And he admonished them day and night even with tears. What a heart he had for the saints! Besides teaching, he was admonishing them even with tears. This reveals his deep desire for the saints growth and maturity that when words did not suffice, he wept for them out of burden; a deepest expression of one's concern for the truly beloved. And he did it faithfully, for three long years! What a shepherding heart he had! Perhaps, some did not listen to his admonishing, some would have rebelled, some would have been stubborn and slow to respond. Yet, even to those, his shepherding reaction was just to weep for them. If words did not suffice, he wept and prayed for them. What a man, what a pattern, what a shepherd!

Listening to these verses as expounded by a brother in a way of testimony touched my being so deeply. On the one hand it exposed me of my lack, and yet on the other hand, it encouraged me to reconsecrate myself to the Lord for the shepherding of the saints. I do not even have sufficient words to express the depth of the burden infused into me after this hearing of the word. I just pray that the Lord give me such a heart, such a burden, to care for the saints as He would and as Paul did. 

Lord, burden me with Your burden and grace me to shepherd Your flock, and intercede for them, even with tears.

Pray On Behalf

1 Timothy 2:1-3

I exhort therefore, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercessions, thanksgivings be made on behalf of all men; On behalf of kings and all who are in high position, that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all godliness and gravity. This is good and acceptable in the sight of our Savior God,

On the 22 January morning I woke up praying for a political leader of India and for the party, that the Lord may have a way to carry on His move in this country. It was so surprising, as I never bothered to pray for people in politics with a preconceived notion in my unrenewed mind that politics is a dirty game and that I had nothing to do with it. But waking up with an intense burden for the national leaders, I can't help but prayed for them, especially for the one promising young turf of the ruling party who has been so much mocked and attacked by leaders of the other parties. That incident reminded me of my late maternal grandfather who would pray day and night for the same party when I was still a high schooler growing up under his strict care. At that time too I never understood why he had to pray for political leaders. It never clicked in me to pray for people in politics, albeit I follow the current affairs as regularly as I can, for awareness sake.

Later, in the evening I followed up on the speech made by the said young leader.He was so impressive and I felt it behoved praying for. As I pondered over this matter and the burden for prayer arose, the Lord reminded me of His word, "I exhort therefore, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercessions, thanksgivings be made on behalf of all men; On behalf of kings and all who are in high position." It is indeed my responsibility as a believer to pray on behalf of all who are in high position, much more, even as a citizen of the nation, as a man in the flesh, even tough, my real citizenship is in the heavens. 

The reason for praying on behalf of the those on high position is that " we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all godliness and gravity." For the practical living out of a normal Christian life for the Lord to have an unhindered way to execute His eternal plan on this Satan usurped earth.

Recovery Version Bible Footnote on QUIET 

A quiet and tranquil life is one that is peaceable, still, and without disturbance, not only outwardly in circumstances but also inwardly in our heart and spirit. Such a life enables us to have an enjoyable church life in godliness and gravity.

http://online.recoveryversion.org/FootNotes.asp?FNtsID=6631

If the rulers of the nation are not proper, there will never be peace in that country. Therefore, it behoves the believer to pray on behalf of them. That is to be a responsible citizen for the sake of God's interest on the nation, for the proclaiming of the gospel of peace, to bring salvation in the Name of Jesus Christ and discipling the nation for the fulfilment of God's purpose on this usurped earth. This also echoes the Lord's prayer in Matthew 6:10 Your kingdom come; Your will be done, as in heaven, so also on earth.

After the rebellion of Satan (Ezek. 28:17; Isa. 14:13-15), the earth fell into his usurping hand. Thus, the will of God could not be done on earth as in heaven. Hence, God created man with the intention of recovering the earth for Himself (Gen. 1:26-28). After the fall of man, Christ came to bring the heavenly rule to earth so that the earth could be recovered for God's interest, so that the will of God could be done on earth as in heaven. This is why the new King established the kingdom of the heavens with His followers. The kingdom people must pray for this until the earth is fully recovered for God's will in the coming kingdom age.

http://online.recoveryversion.org/FootNotes.asp?FNtsID=229

Such inciting and inspiration by the Spirit to pray for national leaders is not to take side with any parties as such, but to stand in oneness with God for His will to be done on earth."This is good and acceptable in the sight of our Savior God," therefore I must pray for the rulers too, and pray earnestly for the ones chosen by God to rule that His move may be unhindered, as "Jehovah stirred up the spirit of Cyrus the kind of Persia..Ezra 1:1."

"For (God)Who desires all men to be saved and to come to the full knowledge of the truth." 

Lord, make me a faithful citizen to pray on behalf of kings and all who are in high position that we may live a normal Christian life in the normal church-life for the fulfillment of Your eternal purpose.

Except By Prayer

Matthew 17:21 But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting. 

In the case of casting out of an epileptic demon, the disciple of the Lord faced a stiff opposition and were not able to cast out the demon. The Lord rebuked them of having too little faith, and the response He gave was  "But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting." 

In the work of the Lord, being in the spiritual battle field, I have faced many situations like this. The Lord was sovereign to allow me to go through such an experience which has always been a training session. The recent one was in the propagation in Jaipur. We have been offering prayers of various degrees and had propagated in this pink city. However, we could not see a solid breakthrough as yet. Albeit, many had been baptised but what we looked for, are local families who would take the stand for His testimony. Preaching the gospel, bringing people to salvation, even baptising them and setting up home meetings were done, but the local new believers who are stable spiritually and even otherwise is the lack, who could be the pillar of the church.

Two weeks ago, when I was there, a brother suggested that we fast and pray continuously for six hours, discerning the need of the situation. On that day we were supposed to go for a home meeting, but the Lord reminded me to cancel and stay back instead for a thorough prayer. I went out for personal time of Bible reading and prayer, and then with the saints corporately fast and prayed; the flow of the Spirit was so strong that I enjoyed it so much. Time was never a factor at all. Burdens were released one after the other; intercessions were made on  behalf of the ones already contacted, and binding and losing prayer was done corporately with a strong spirit. The flow of the Lord was so sweet yet so strong. And the result was imminent from that time on.

The next day, as we had home meeting with a seeker, who is a brother who loves the Lord and have been serving by faith, obeying the Lord's call, step by step, the flow of the Spirit was so strong. The Lord just flowed into us as life and flowed among us as life too. The fellowship went on from 3 PM in the afternoon till 9:45 PM in the night, approximately in proportion to the prayer time we had the day before. The fellowship was full of life's testimony, and full of truth on God's eternal purpose concerning Christ and the church; the standing, foundation, ground, fellowship, oneness, practices etc.. I just felt like the Lord had answered our prayer for the testimony in Jaipur. 

Moreover, he invited us for various group meetings, and even on the Lord's day he gave us the full freedom to minister the word as the Lord led. In all the meetings, the Spirit's move and anointing was very strong both from the ministering and the minstered ends. 

Besides, the Lord also led us to another family who loves the Lord so much. To this family too, the Lord gave us the Rhema word; they enjoyed the fellowship so much so that the fellowship went on and on. We ministered mostly from the ministry of the word the Lord has blessed His recovery with, to the extend that a sister willing volunteered to be a distributor of the ministry books in the city. 

All these ensued from God as the source of life and life-supply. Our sole responsibility was to be open vessels, cooperating with Him for His flow by much prayer and even by fasting. The Lord wants to move but His enemy has been opposing His move and that barrier need to be dealt with by us. Such move does not occur ordinarily, except by prayer and fasting.

With this experience, the Lord showed me something that would change my way of service to Him, especially in my locality where for long a definite breakthrough is yet to be witnessed. 

Lord, ever burden me for this kind of prayer and fasting, and grant me the grace to exercise so.

Beer-sheba and Rehoboth

The experiences of Isaac in Genesis 26 was full of God's blessings. Wherever he went, whatever he did, he was blessed by God. In fact, he was inheriting God's promised blessings to his father Abraham (vv. 3,4). Jehovah appeared to him and stopped him from going to Egypt, and he obeyed. And God promised blessings--"..I will be with you and will bless you...will give you all these lands, and I will establish the oath which I swore to Abraham your father.... I will multiply your seed...."

God's Blessings

Isaac obeyed Jehovah's counsel and he dwelt in Gerar (v.6) and the result was God's blessing upon blessings." And Isaac sowed in that land and gained in the same year a hundredfold. And Jehovah blessed him, And the man became rich and continued to grow richer until he became very rich (vv. 12,13)." Studying the context of these verses, the blessings of God was purely out of God as the fulfillment of His promised to Abraham and him, and was based on his obedience too. On the one hand it was God who blessed, yet on the other hand it was also man who cooperated with God for God to bless. When the two sides correlated, the blessings were forthcoming.

If God Blessed, We Are Blessed!

Wherever Isaac's servants dug wells, there were water, unlike if others would have dug. The same principle applied to all that belonged to or were related to Isaac. Because, Isaac had been promised to be blessed. No matter what he or his servant did, it commanded God's blessings. Truly indeed, if God blessed, we are blessed. It all depends upon God's blessings. This perhaps entails the fulfillment of the requirements for God's blessings. For Isaac's case, it was his obedience with God's promised blessings.

This matter touched my being deeply. In whatever we do, as children of God, the reality of the sons of Abraham, the promised seed, we are also promised the same blessings. Only if we obey God's speaking in His appearing to us, all the blessings are ours. God blesses as He is a God of blessings.

Rehoboth Versus Beer-sheba

Rehoboth

"...so he called the name of it Rehoboth; and he said, Now Jehovah has made room for us, and we will be fruitful in the land (v.22)."  Prior to this, whenever a well was dug and water found, there was a dispute; finally when there was no more dispute, it was called Rehoboth, meaning broad places or broad way. Perhaps, the deck was cleared for fruitfulness in the land. This was pretty much related to the dealing of negative things for man's peaceful existence. Though the wells dug had water, due to the dispute, the blessing could not be enjoyed. There was a need for a proper base to enjoy God's blessings. When one was found, it was named Rehoboth, very similar in line with the judicial aspect of God's salvation when all the negative thingswere finally dealt with by the Lord at the cross by the shedding of His precious blood, as signified by the blood that flowed out of His pierced side in John 19:34.

Beer-sheeba

When Isaac went upto Beer-sheba, Jehovah God appeared again.

Genesis 26:24,25,32b,33

"And Jehovah appeared to him the same night and said, I am the God of Abraham your father. Do not be afraid, for I am with you, and I will bless you and multiply your seed for My servant Abraham's sake.

And he built an altar there and called upon the name of Jehovah and pitched his tent there. And there Isaac's servant dug well.....

We have found water. And he called it Shibah. Therefore, the name of the city is Beer-sheeba to this day."

In Beer-sheeba, there was no dispute with any one. Instead, Abimelech came to make peace with him and made an oath, a covenant, with him as the former witnessed the blessing of God upon the latter. "We plainly see that Jehovah is with you; (v.28a) ..You are now the blessed of Jehovah (v.29b.)"

This was in line with the organic aspect of God's salvation, when one begins to enjoy God's deeper work of growth, transformation and building up for the fulfillment of God's need. A step forward from Rehoboth which dealt mostly with man's need. In this place, Beer-sheeba, Isaac had further experience of Jehovah in His reappearing to reconfirm the blessings promised. The additional things he did were very significant. He did mainly three things:

1. built an altar there 

2. called upon the name of Jehovah and 

3. pitched his tent there

These three things are for God's satisfaction and for fulfilling God's purpose on the earth.

Note: Being Blessed is Not Maturity

However, being blessed does in no way guarantee one is mature in life. For in the case of Isaac in Genesis 27, his immaturity was out-rightly manifested in his lack of discernment when a false plot was laid at him by his beloved Rebecca and son Jacob. Vice versa may be true instead. A mature person always fulfill the requirements for God's blessings.