Nehemiah 1:1-3 1The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah. And it came to pass in the month Chisleu, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the palace, 2That Hanani, one of my brethren, came, he and certain men of Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped, which were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem. 3And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire.
Finding Comfort in Crisis
The main message of the book of Nehemiah is contained in the first sentence. The name Nehemiah means “Jehovah comforts” and the name Hachaliah means “whom God enlightens”. In Scripture God often uses the names of people to convey a message Abraham, Isaac, Jacob/Israel, to name just a few, each have specific meanings to remind us of God’s purpose or judgment in specific situations.
“I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.” ~John 12:46
This is also true for the book of Nehemiah, which details how Nehemiah went about rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. The walls of Jerusalem had been destroyed earlier by the Babylonians and now that the Hebrews had returned home there was no wall. In this period of history, unwalled cities were vulnerable: they lacked both physical and economic security. As a result, the Hebrew nation was being oppressed by hostile clans around them. How could they cope?
God’s answer came in the form of Nehemiah son of Hachaliah: God comforts whom God enlightens. The secret to coping in situations where one is vulnerable and/or being taken advantage of, is to have our understanding illuminated by God.
At the beginning of Psalm 73, the Psalmist expresses despair at the seeming success of the unjust compared to the suffering of the just:
“But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped. For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked… Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches. Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency. For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning.” ~ Psalm 73: 2-3, 12-14
But then the psalmist is enlightened:
“When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me; Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.” ~ Psalm 73:16-17
And by that enlightenment he finds comfort:
“Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.” ~ Psalm 73:24-26
“Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” ~John 8:12
Likewise, when the Syrian army surrounded Elisha, Elisha’s servant was terrified. But when God “opened” the eyes of Elisha’s servant so he could see the Army of Angels encamped around them (“the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire”), then he was comforted (2 Kings 6:14-18).
The message for us is the same. As we face the various crises that come into our lives—whether it is job-loss, sickness, death or even depression—we can only receive God’s comfort when we accept His enlightenment. It is only as we grow in our knowledge and understanding of His Word, through the work of the Holy Spirit, as we read the scripture and commune with God in prayer, that we will gain the “the peace of God, which passeth all understanding” (Phil. 4:7).
A few months ago, a prominent public figure claimed that a pact had been made between the devil and Haitian slaves to help them defeat their French colonial masters in the early 19th century. And that Haiti has suffered from various natural disasters over the years as a direct result of this pact with satan. Here are some reflections on this matter.
“That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.” (Matthew 5:45)
It is clear in Scripture that the presence of the righteous can make a TREMENDOUS difference in the way God deals with a community.
Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people. ~Proverbs 14:34
Indeed, Jesus tells us that His disciples are the “salt of the earth”, which can be interpreted as fulfilling a preservative function to stave off the rot caused by man’s sinfulness.
However, Jesus wants us to ALSO understand that both the unrighteous living in Sodom, AND the unrighteous living anywhere else face the same fate: Hell. Therefore, when destruction comes upon any group, the salient question is not whether or not it was due to their righteousness. Rather the question to be asked is “Will I see God when I (inevitably) die, just as those who died in the tragedy?” Or, more crucially, for Believers, “What am I doing to rescue those around me who face eternal damnation, whether or not they die tragically?”
Specifically, tragedy of life/death has no bearing on where one spends eternity: a tragic life/death is not a sign of sin; a peaceful life/death is not a sign of righteousness. Has anyone died more tragically than Jesus? Has anyone been more righteous than Jesus?
Q. Did the Haitians make a pact? A. Don’t know and don’t care.
“I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” (Luke 13:3,5)
Whether Haitian slaves made a pact with the devil or not it is not pertinent since any pact made two hundred years ago, does not prevent present day Haitians from receiving Jesus as Lord and Saviour. And if the present day Haitians accept Jesus then they will be with God in Heaven. This same principle applies to ALL peoples everywhere, pact or no pact.
Q. Can a few make a pact that perpetually condemns a nation? A. No, because “Every tub must sit on its own bottom”.
All of the people of Sodom (except Lot) were in a present (relative to the day of their judgment) state of rebellion against God. So, none that died suffered for the sins of their ancestors: they were condemned for their OWN iniquity.
But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter: And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? Bring them out unto us, that we may know them. ~Genesis 19:4-5
Though we can, and often do, suffer (poverty, war, alienation) for the sins of our ancestors, we are JUDGED for our own sins. We are not slaves to our History. We can make our own choices and we can choose righteousness that comes through faith in Jesus Christ. For example, a man might suffer physically because of his mother’s drug use while he was a baby in her womb, but he will be judged by God for his own sin, not his mother’s… unless he is saved by the Blood of Jesus Christ!
And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. ~Revelation 20:13
Finally, we should all be careful of making the mistake of conflating material success with spiritual salvation. While righteousness can certainly have an impact on material wealth, it is certainly untrue that material wealth/success is sufficient evidence of righteousness (Matthew 19:16-30).
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised” (Luke 4:18)
Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. ~Matthew 19:23-24
There are many wealthy successful people/nations that have rejected God, AND there are many poor suffering people/nations that embrace The Saviour, AND vice-versa.
Let us who are Christ’s disciples concern ourselves with being the “salt of the earth” and the “light of the world”, so that, by God’s grace, we can counteract the effect of sin in our society and reveal the way to Christ Jesus. And may we do so for peoples everywhere and leave the Final Judgment to God.
And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. ~Joshua 24:15
Romans 12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
NOTES
No one above, no one below, we’re all on the same level.
Growth is measured by matching works done to faith given.
Use your faith to measure your own growth, not your brother’s growth.
If you are growing, God will increase your faith to keep you growing.
CHORDS
Our natural tendency as a human community is to organize ourselves hierarchically: a few at the top, a few more in the middle and most at the bottom. But that is NOT how God has instructed believers to live. Jesus told His disciples, the future leaders of the Church “…neither be ye called masters…” (Matthew 23:8-10).
“But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.” (Matthew 23:8-10)
In other words, there is no one at the top: we are all on the same level with the Apostles! And in James we learn that God gives wisdom to whoever asks Him for it (James 1:5). That is to say, we ALL have the same capacity to fellowship with God and to know His perfect will.
Moreover, God declares that ALL our righteousnesses are like filthy rags before Him (Isaiah 64:6) and that His ways are much higher than ours (Isaiah 55:9). The point being that before God we are ALL equal. Therefore, no one should consider himself/herself above anyone else. Believers are all on the same level in the Body of Christ: there is no hierarchy; no one to look up to and no one to look down on.
So then the question arises, “How do we measure our Spiritual growth?” This is the question addressed in our verse, Romans 12:3, where God declares an individual’s FAITH is to be his/her measuring stick.
In the verse, God instructs us to rigorously assess our performance against the amount of faith that He gives us. In other words, we are not to measure ourselves by comparing our performance with our fellow believers; we are to measure ourselves by what we have done with the faith we have been given. If we have been given great faith, but have done very little in the Kingdom, then we don’t measure up.
“But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.” (Ephesians 4:7)
To measure up, we must exercise all the faith God has given us. If you have been given the faith to move mountains, then move them around. If you have the faith to be a missionary, but you are serving on a church committee then you have missed the mark. If you have the faith to sweep the church, don’t settle for sweeping a pew. If you have the faith to witness to many, don’t settle for telling a few. Make no mistake, God expects us to ‘stand tall’ to attain our full faith potential; He wants each believer to be able to say like Paul:
I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith ~2 Timothy 4:7
The second feature of God’s appointed measuring stick (faith) is that it is of varying standard. This is quite unusual. In modern life great effort is made to standardize units of measurement so that a pound/kilogram in Peru is identical to a pound/kilogram in Nepal; that an hour of class at a university in Botswana is just as long as an hour of class in a university in Andorra.
God approaches the measurement of our spiritual maturity differently. Each of us has a different measuring stick, one that is as long as the faith He has given us. That means that I can’t measure my brother’s commitment with my measuring stick. I can only assess my growth with my measuring stick.
“Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.” (Romans 14:4)
To be clear, this is NOT moral relativism, because it is The One True and Living God, Jehovah, that provides the measuring sticks of faith. This also does not mean we are not to show a brother or sister an error; indeed we are instructed to (Galatians 6:1-3). What this does mean, is that we cannot judge the sincerity of anyone’s effort; we cannot determine the depth of anyone’s commitment. We cannot tell anyone that they should go on the mission field instead of in the choir stall. Indeed, many Christians have been pushed beyond the capacity of their faith and experienced the pain of failure.
Finally, it is God alone that gives us faith and it is God alone that increases that faith. The Bible has prescriptions for increasing our spiritual endurance our wisdom, our patience, but it gives us no prescription for increasing our faith. That is because only God increases faith. As we grow in the expression of our faith, as we reach the limits of the faith He gives us, God grows our faith some more. So we never get to a place where our faith matches our work in the Kingdom and there is no more need to grow. Instead, God continues to stretch us, He wants us to grow even more… because we have a looooooong way to go to get to the stature of His son Jesus.
Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ… But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ ~Ephesians 4:13, 15
Three Characteristics of Salvation, Part 1: Endurance
Matthew 25:1-13
But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. (Matthew 24:36)
1Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. 2And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: 4But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. 6And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. 7Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. 8And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. 9But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. 10And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. 11Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. 12But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. 13Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.
NOTES
Prepare to go the Distance
Salvation means Everything or it does Nothing
Those who are Saved, Endure & those who Endure are Saved
Fill your tanks while there is time
CHORDS
In this well-known Parable, Jesus relates the story of two groups of young ladies on their way to participate in a wedding procession. One group (the foolish virgins) was unprepared for the bridegroom’s late arrival and ran out of oil for their lamps. They were unable to get more oil for their lamps before the final ceremony begun and were shut out of the wedding party.
To fully grasp this story, it is useful to note a few background details about wedding ceremonies in Jesus’ day. In that period in Middle-Eastern culture, wedding ceremonies lasted seven days; on the seventh day, the bridegroom would take the bride from her father’s house. He would arrive with a wedding party of mostly men and his bride would join him with her own wedding party. Typically, the bridegroom’s arrival took place late at night and no one quite knew when he would come. But as soon as people saw him arriving with his entourage, some type of alert was made.
Those who listened to Jesus relate this parable fully understood that any sensible member of the bridal party would certainly make provision for the bridegroom’s (possible) late arrival. What elevated this story from the mundane was that Jesus’ applied it to Salvation.
In the story Jesus exhorts His audience to prepare for a long wait; He asserts that Salvation must be all consuming; and He establishes endurance as a unique characteristic of Christians/Believers.
Very early in the parable Jesus reveals the single quality that distinguished the wise virgins from the foolish virgins: preparedness. Both groups were aware of the uncertainty of the bridegroom’s arrival because, in that culture, that was to be expected. However, only the wise virgins prepared themselves. Similarly, it is fairly common knowledge today that death is uncertain; no one knows exactly when he/she will die (not even those who attempt suicide). Moreover, Jesus also makes it plain that no one knows when He will return for His bride, the church. Therefore, with such great uncertainty preparedness is the only way to guarantee survival.
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 5:16)
So the vital question is, ‘How does a believer prepare?’ In the parable, the wise virgins prepared themselves for the uncertainty by carrying extra oil. In Scripture, when oil is associated with lamp light it usually signifies the Word of God. Just as lamps need oil to give physical light, likewise Christians need The Word of God to give spiritual light:
“But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” ~ Matthew 4:4
“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path; The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.” ~ Psalm 119:105, 130
In other words, to prepare for an unsure survival to the end, whether by death or Jesus’ arrival Christians MUST maintain a reservoir full of God’s Word!!! It is Gods Plan to prepare (sanctify) Christians for the great Wedding Feast in Heaven through His Word. Without God’s Word working in our lives we will not be prepared.
“Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” ~ John 17:17
“…Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” ~ Ephesians 5:25b-27
The lack of preparation seen in the foolish virgins further suggests that being a part of the wedding ceremony was not as important to them as it was to the wise virgins. It did not captivate the attention of the foolish virgins. The same is clearly true of many Christians today. Careers/career-building, family, security and lifestyle, to name a few, often distract us. To be clear, the merit of each of these items is not necessarily the issue, rather it is that they distract Christians from our main purpose and goal: Salvation.
If we are going to be in the bridal party, then we must not be distracted from properly preparing ourselves for it. We know Jesus is coming back, we know we may die before He does, but, in both cases, we do not know WHEN. If we are not COMPLETELY focused on His return, if we are distracted (by anything), then we WILL NOT be able to prepare properly and we WILL NOT be ready. If Salvation is to achieve its work in us, then it must be everything to us.
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.” ~ Matthew 13:44-46
…Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? (Matthew 6:25-26)
Thirdly, in applying the parable to Salvation, Jesus reveals an amazing truth: The saved are those who are there at the end! The foolish virgins had left to get their oil replenished and when they came back the door had already been closed. As was their custom, when the bridegroom retired to the bride-chamber with his bride the doors to the house were shut and no one, not already inside the house, was allowed to enter. The foolish virgins were not there at the end and so were not saved!!! Jesus was not suggesting that their Salvation was forfeit, but rather that they were never really saved at all. This is shown clearly in vs. 12, where the bridegroom (Jesus) declares they are unknown to Him. In other words, no relationship had ever existed between the bridegroom and the foolish virgins!
The absence of a relationship is explained in vs. 8 and 9, where the foolish virgins ask the wise for some of their oil. The wise (rightfully) refuse because they wanted to make sure that they had enough for the wedding procession. However, the application to us is that God’s Word (which never changes) does a unique Work in each individual’s life and so cannot be “transferred” to another person. My reservoir of the Word is uniquely suited to me. On The Day of Judgment, it will be impossible to confer the transformation wrought in my life by God’s Word onto someone else:
“…work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” ~ Philippians 2:12b-13
In some ways this is like the Parable of the Sower. The foolish virgins did receive some oil (the word) at the beginning, BUT their lamps did not hold enough oil for the work of salvation to be complete. Likewise, the “bad” soils in the Parable of the Sower all were unsuitable for the seed (the word) that they received. Though the seed did grow in some of the “bad” soils, that growth was not sustainable because the soils were unprepared to receive it; so salvation never came, the seed/word was never established in them. Indeed, one chapter earlier (and again in 10:22), Jesus said:
“And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” ~ Matthew 24:12-13
…He that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved (Matt.24:13)
Endurance, the ability to stick it out, to persevere is a defining characteristic of true Salvation. Those who endure are those who are saved; those who are saved endure.
Finally, time was a deciding factor in the fate of the foolish virgins. Presumably, they had time to get it right (i.e., to get the extra oil they needed) before the trumpet announcing the bridegroom’s arrival sounded. However, for whatever reason, they didn’t. When they finally faced the consequence of their misjudgment, it was too late. Some, though not all of us (for many people are dying unexpectedly as this is being read), still have time to get the extra oil needed: we still have time to fill up on the Word of God and allow it to do its inimitable work in our lives. The question is, “Will we do what we KNOW is right?”, or “Will we find ourselves on the outside of the wedding feast?”
CODA
How full is your vessel?
Are you completely focused on Salvation?
If you know what you need, will you do what you must?
Mark 8:22-25 22And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him. 23And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought. 24And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking. 25After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly.
NOTES
Salvation: from Darkness to Light
Salvation+Sanctification: from Light to Sight
We Need Light to Live and Sight to Succeed
CHORDS
And Jesus said… I am come into this world, that they which see not might see… (John 9:39a)
Jesus does a curious thing in this miracle: He restores the blind man’s sight in two stages. Clearly, as seen in His other miracles, Jesus could have healed the man at once, in an instant. So, why did Jesus choose to heal the man in two steps? In the Scripture, Jesus frequently uses miracles as object lessons and here He teaches us that Salvation gives birth, and Sanctification gives growth to a Christian.
The Bible tells us that life before Salvation is like living in total darkness, which makes it impossible to see:
“Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” ~ John 8:12
“To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith…” ~ Acts 26:18a
So in the miracle Jesus shows us that when Salvation comes to a person’s life, it opens their eyes, removing darkness and enabling them to see for the first time. However, while the ability to detect/receive light is a clear and definite improvement over blindness, it is imperfect. Light is coming into the eyes, but the images that come with it are unintelligible: Light without Sight.
Indeed, doctors report that when physically blind people are cured (through medical rather than supernatural means) a period of adjustment of up to several weeks is needed before images become intelligible. Ostensibly, some of the components of the visual system (especially the brain!) require both practice and conditioning before they can function properly. The scripture shows us that this is also true spiritually.
In the miracle, the blind man does not go away from Jesus after the first stage (Salvation) of the miracle. While in an absolute sense he could now see, there wasn’t much he could do with unclear images. If he went away after the first stage he would stumble around, experiencing very limited improvement in the quality of his life. Instead, he continued with Jesus until his sight was fully restored, after the second stage (Sanctification) of the miracle.
Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth. While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light… (John 12:35-36a)
Likewise, if we fail to walk with Jesus after we experience salvation, we become like persons who stumble around because they can’t see clearly. We might know right from wrong, darkness from light, but we are unable to use that knowledge to navigate the often treacherous world around us. If our Christian walk (begins and) ends with salvation we remain vulnerable and easily led/misdirected down the wrong paths. We know light from darkness, good from evil, but men look like walking trees: we are confused.
Like the blind man, we need Jesus to give us more than just Light, we also need Sight: the ability to make sense of what the light shows us, the ability to use the light to good effect. So, we too should continue walking with Jesus as he guides us into that second stage after Salvation (Light), namely Sanctification (Sight).
Jesus further demonstrates the importance of Sanctification in the passage below:
“I [Jesus] have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word. Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee. For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me.
Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word” ~ John 17: 6-8, 17-20
Jesus starts out by confirming that the disciples (the 11 present) were saved (John 17: 6-8): they had The Light. But then He prays that they (John 17: 17, 19) and we (John 17: 20) might be Sanctified: that they might have Sight. Salvation was not enough for them to thrive, to succeed in the tasks God had prepared for them. The same is true for every Christian: to be successful, to overcome the devil, to complete the work God prepared for us to do, we MUST be in the place for the work of Sanctification to be completed. As Paul puts it:
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformedby the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. ~Romans 12:1-2
Only as the Transformation/Sanctification takes place can we start to prove (know with certainty) the will of God. Without Transformation/Sanctification we cannot know God’s will. And so we stumble, taking uncertain steps in life: never quite sure what we are about, or what to do or where to go and how to get there. We have the Light but not the Sight.
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light; (1 Peter 2:9)
In closing, Scripture leaves us (at least) two keys to securing (being in the place to receive) Sanctification:
STUDY
“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” ~ 2 Timothy 2:15
“Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing. For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.”~ Hebrews 5:11-14
WORK
“…He [Jesus]… gave gifts unto men… For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ” ~ Ephesians 4:8, 12-15
Romans 11:33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and His ways past finding out!
We often fail to realize the greatness of God. Somehow we get the idea that our way of thinking is at least as good as God’s. We think that the solutions we come up with are smart enough to solve the problems that we face. If only God would listen to us!!! If only God would do what we ask Him to do!!! It’s soooooo simple!
“But the LORD is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.” ~Habakkuk 2:20
However, instead of getting God to listen to us and to do things our way, we need to learn to listen to God and do things His way. We need to learn that our understanding is nothing compared to God’s infinite wisdom and knowledge. How can we even think of making a suggestion to our Omniscient God?
In Scripture, God repeatedly instructs us to cast all our cares on Him (1 Peter 5:7), to make supplication to Him (Philippians 4:6), to call upon Him in the day of trouble and to glorify Him (Psalm 50:15); but nowhere does the Bible tell us to give God advice or to suggest how He could solve our problems.
■ The purpose of prayer is NOT to give God information, He already knows ALL things. ■ The purpose of prayer is NOT to give God advice or to ask Him to work things out in the way our puny brains have concocted. ► The purpose of prayer IS to come into the very presence of God and to hear from Him so that we can conform to His perfect Will (Luke 22:42).
God’s wisdom and knowledge are infinite; the decisions of Almighty God cannot be rationalized by mere man. Who knows enough to argue with God? Who is wise enough to give God counsel?
Therefore, the only rational way to respond to our Omnipotent God is with humble obedience. We must wait on Him to tell us what to do and then eagerly seek to obey His perfect will.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. ~Isaiah 55:9
Luke 18:18-23 And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God. Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother. And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up. Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me. And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich.
"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field." (Matthew 13:44)
NOTES
Eternal life (Salvation) cannot be earned: it is a gift: Being “good” is NOT good enough.
Jesus is the ONLY way into The Kingdom of God.
Covetousness (the elevation of material over the spiritual) separates us from God.
Salvation does NOTHING for us if it is not EVERYTHING to us.
To receive salvation we most treasure it above everything else.
CHORDS
A wealthy young ruler came to Jesus and asked him what he needed to do to gain eternal life. Jesus uses this opportunity as a teachable moment for the young ruler, his disciples and for us today.
This was the second time that someone had asked Jesus, “…what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” On the first occasion (Luke 10:25) Jesus responded with a direct answer:
And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. And he [Jesus] said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live. ~Luke 10:27-28
Clearly Jesus’ prescription for inheriting eternal life (which the Bible also, interchangeably, refers to as “Salvation” or “The Kingdom of God”) does not vary, but while He focused on the link between salvation and our attitude to our brother in the first instance (Luke 10:25-37), now Jesus focuses on the link between salvation and our attitude towards God.
How can we Inherit Eternal Life?
The prevailing philosophy among the Jews at the time was legalism: that Eternal life was inherited by those who followed every letter of the Law. However, as Jesus had earlier declared salvation was inherited by those who loved God and their brother.
"But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life." (Titus 3:4-7)
Moreover, Jesus had spent much of His ministry teaching that it wasn’t the letter of the Law that was important; what was important was the spirit of the Law: i.e., that the Law had no relevance except in its expression of the love of God and your brother. Furthermore, Jesus explained that to inherit eternal life (to see the Kingdom of God) one must first be “born again”
Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. ~John 3:3
In other words eternal life does not come by what we do outwardly, but by what God does inwardly with our hearts/minds.
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. ~Ephesians 2:8-9
But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. ~Galatians 6:14-16
What Jesus does in this passage is guide the rich young ruler (and us) into seeing two obstacles, between God and man, which hinder the inheritance of eternal life. Significantly, Jesus does this within the framework of the Law, thereby allowing us to have the true understanding of the real purpose of the Law.
Who can we get Eternal Life from?
Though Jesus does not spend a lot of time on it, the first obstacle is identifying the source of eternal life. So, Jesus began by asking the young man: “Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God”. Or, in other words, Jesus was asking him “Do you realize that I am God, the source of eternal life?” This is a key point, because, if the young man realized that Jesus was in fact God and not just another rabbi, then he would have made the first crucial step towards inheriting eternal life.
"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him." (Romans 5:8-9)
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. ~John 14:6
The sinful nature of mankind makes it impossible for us to be declared good (righteous) on our own. Therefore, an inescapable prerequisite to inheriting eternal life is recognizing the need for a Saviour and that Jesus ALONE is that Saviour. If we don’t know we need Salvation we won’t look for it. And, if we don’t know who provides Salvation then we won’t know who to get it from.
How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! ~Romans 10:14-15
What is Eternal Life Worth?
Jesus then turned His attention to the second obstacle (between God an man) to salvation. And as Jesus continued to address the young man’s question, He went where the young ruler was most comfortable: the Law. Specifically, Jesus points to the five commandments that, from a legalistic viewpoint, are perhaps the easiest to comply with: “do not commit adultery, do not kill, do not steal, do not bear false witness, honour thy father and thy mother”. The young man declares that he has indeed kept these commandments from his youth. (Notice that Jesus did not challenge the accuracy of his statement.) This was his comfort zone, he could legalistically verify his compliance with these commandments. If obeying these commandments were the key to inheriting eternal life, then he was set!
Now that he was feeling good about himself, it was the perfect time to “drop the bombshell”. Jesus confronts the young man about his standing with the tenth commandment—i.e., “thou shalt not covet…” (Exodus 20:17). The confrontation takes the form of a challenge to the rich young ruler to sell all he had, give the proceeds to the poor, and THEN follow Jesus. Jesus could have just asked the young man whether or not he had a problem with covetousness. But that approach would have been easy to deflect without forcing the young man to look deeply into his own heart/soul.
"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it." (Matthew 13:45-46)
To understand what Jesus was doing we first have to understand what it is to covet. In Biblical usage, to covet means to desire something/anything that God has not given to you whether it be a person, or an animal, or something material (Exodus 20:17, Micah 2:2). In other words, to covet is to deny the sufficiency of God’s provision. Therefore, covetousness elevates the material over the spiritual. Consequently, covetousness is the root of materialism (idolatry).
…no… covetous man, who is an idolater hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. ~Ephesians 5:5
…covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience ~Colossians 3:5-6
By definition an idol is something/anything that takes the rightful place of God in our lives. Therefore, since covetousness is idolatry, it clearly is an obstacle for Salvation; it makes it impossible to inherit eternal life.
Conversely, Jesus makes it clear that it is ONLY when covetousness is removed that the pathway to eternal life opens up:
And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. ~Matthew 19:29
In other words, Jesus asked the young man to relinquish his material to gain the Spiritual; to give up remuneration to get Salvation. The young man had to consider whether his wealth meant more to him than the chance to be saved. Did he value the temporal more than the eternal? Were his possessions an obstacle to Salvation? Was he covetous?
Jesus told two parables that help us understand why His challenge to the young man was crucial in answering the young man’s original question: “Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.” (Matthew 13:44)
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.” (Matthew 13:45-46)
"Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." (Luke 12:32-34)
In both parables, the men that found the Kingdom of Heaven (i.e., Salvation) valued it so highly that they sold ALL they had to obtain it. So Jesus was really asking the rich young ruler: “How valuable is the Kingdom of Heaven to you?” “Is Salvation valuable enough for you to give up everything to get it?”
The implication of Jesus’ challenge to the young man is that Salvation was only available to those who valued it FAR above everything else. Conversely, if material things, money, possessions, popularity, power, pleasure, even people, are just as important as Salvation then it is not available to you. Salvation is so precious that one can have nothing else with it. For Salvation to come to our lives, it must displace everything from our lives. Jesus described salvation as a narrow gate one so narrow that you have to shed everything in your life to get through it.
Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. ~Matthew 7:13-15
Jesus’ challenge to the rich young ruler also applies to each of us: rich or poor, young or old, powerful or powerless. If to gain Salvation meant losing everything we enjoy in life, would we still take it? When He challenged the young ruler (and to us) to give up all he had, Jesus had already given up everything (Isaiah 53:1-12, Philippians 2:5-11) He had in heaven AND was about to bear the burden of all our sins and sacrifice His life to provide us with the gift of Eternal Life. That’s how much He valued Salvation!!! The gift of Salvation didn’t come cheaply, it cost Him everything. Accordingly, this valuable gift is not available to those who don’t recognize its value. If Salvation means ANYTHING to us, it must be EVERYTHING to us. How much are you willing to lose just to get Salvation? How much is too much to lose to get Salvation? Are we more afraid of a life without God or a life without things? Can we be happy and secure with God and without things?
Eternal Life can’t be earned, it is a Priceless Gift from God
"...God Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel" (2 Timothy 1:8c-10)
At the end of this encounter with Jesus, the rich young ruler was very sorrowful. Moreover, in the accounts of Matthew and Mark, we are told He went away grieved/sorrowful (Matthew 19:22, Mark 10:22). The rich young ruler recognized that his covetousness was what was preventing him from receiving eternal life. And, he understood that he was not yet in the place where he valued salvation above everything else. But this was good news!!! At least he knew where he was and where he needed to go. He knew he would have to discard his legalistic approach to life and ask God to search his heart and renew his mind. That salvation is a relationship with God that transforms a way of life and NOT a way of life that earns a relationship with God.
Many, many people claim salvation without ever facing up to Jesus’ challenge, without ever evaluating how much salvation really meant to them. It is not sufficient to simply acknowledge God and live “good” lives. The rich young ruler did both but was still unsaved. We must come to the place where Salvation is more important to us than anything else in life, only then will we be in a position to receive the gift of eternal life, to enter into the Kingdom of God.
CODA
Am I saved?
Is salvation more important to me than anything else in my life?
How should Salvation be presented? Is “pray this prayer after me…” enough?
Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. ~ James 1:12
Melting and Acid tests are two of the best ways to find out the materials present in any unknown ore/mineral. The toughest materials have the highest melting temperatures, which means they can stand the most heat. The most precious materials can survive the strongest acid: they can resist the most corrosive attack. Curiously, the material that can withstand the highest heat and the strongest acid is diamond. And diamonds themselves are formed in hot corrosive environments.
Temptation is a part of life; each person must face it in some way. Furthermore, we know that temptation does not come from God (James 1:13), but arises from our own desires (James 1:14). And, we sin when our wills give in to our desires (James 1:15).
“And I will… refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.” (Zechariah 13:9)
Therefore, temptation can be summarized as a battle between God’s commands and my desires: which one will I yield to? And, the intensity of temptation comes from the intensity of my desires: the more intense my desire is, the more intense the temptation is.
Temptation is like strong acid or intense heat: it reveals the authenticity of a believer. It exposes my willingness to yield to God’s commands instead of my desires. So the person that endures the heat and harshness of temptation rejoices because it proves their salvation is authentic. It is evidence of their rebirth; it affirms their heavenly reward; it confirms their love for Jesus.
Nevertheless, there is yet hope, even when we fail to endure temptation. At the start of James 1, we are told to rejoice when tempted, because “the trying of your faith worketh patience” (James 1:2). In other words, even if we fail to endure, the act of sincerely trying to endure temptation actually strengthens us! The constant testing of our faith helps to perfect us!
Clearly, we don’t sin so that “grace may abound” (Romans 6:1). But, when we fall, we don’t stay down: we get back up and keep striving to master temptation (1 Corinthians 9:24-25). We get back up and keep striving to yield our will to God’s Word. Not by our might, not by our power, but by the Holy Spirit working in us (Zechariah 4:6, John 6:63).
We keep fighting temptation, because intensely hot and intensively corrosive environments are necessary to produce true diamonds and true saints.
1 Peter 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.
The Christian way of life has two inseparable features. The first is our relationship with God, which is to be reflected in the second aspect, which is our relationship with our fellow man. So, as we devote time to draw ever closer to God, this growing bond must also prepare us to better relate to our brother’s needs. And one of those needs is Salvation.
“Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.” (John 20:21)
It is crucial for Believers both to know and to communicate the reasons for their faith in God. We should never assume that people understand the need for Salvation:
So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. ~ Romans 10:17
It is God’s plan and our calling/commission that we spread the Good News (Matthew 28:18-20) to whomever He places in our path.
It is also important for Christians to consider how to share their faith. Christian meekness is submission to God’s will and direction. Likewise, “the fear of the Lord” may be explained as awesome reverence of God’s infinite Holiness and Power (especially when compared to our nothingness). Therefore, the verse is instructing us to share our faith as God directs us, while understanding the tremendous responsibility He has entrusted to us.
So, let us neither shirk nor shrink from our responsibility. Instead, let us
Go, stand and speak… to the people all the words of this life ~Acts 5:20
Luke 17:11-19 11And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. 12And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: 13And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. 14And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed. 15And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, 16And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. 17And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? 18There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. 19And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.
NOTES
Focus on The Healer, not the healing
Faith when sick is good, Faith when well is better
Don’t just be healed, be Whole, be Healthy
CHORDS
In Scripture, Jesus frequently uses miracles as object lessons and here, in the Healing of the Ten Lepers, He teaches us the sometimes subtle differences between: submission and exploitation; faith and opportunism; wholeness and superficiality.
Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; (Psalm 103:2-3)
Ten lepers see Jesus passing by and plead to be healed. Jesus agrees and sends them (in accordance with Mosaic Law) to be examined by the priests. While on the way to the priests, they are healed. This is the crucial point in the story. Their responses to being healed reveal their attitudes and (spiritual) outcomes. Nine of them moved on with their lives; one returned to glorify and thank Jesus.
Jesus explained the importance of this point in verse 18, when He said: “There are not found… to give glory to God…”. The point Jesus was making is that the nine who kept going did not have the right attitude toward the miracle or towards God. When God works a miracle in our lives, the point of the miracle is to bring Glory to God: to reveal to the miracle receiver and those around him/her that God is in control of everything. And, therefore, He is to be worshipped; we must submit ourselves to Him.
“…Call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.” ~ Psalm 50:15
“He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions. Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing.” ~ Psalm 107:20-22
On the contrary, nine of the ten lepers focused on themselves rather than on God. Hence, once they received their healing, Jesus was no longer needed; no longer relevant. For them Jesus was essentially a means to an end: Jesus was exploited to accomplish a goal.
By application, we must ask ourselves:
“Is Jesus our Master or just a means to an end?”
“Am I serving God for my gain or to glorify Him?”
“Is my focus on my healing or The Healer”
This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him. (John 2:11)
When Jesus is for us a tool/appliance then BOTH the rewarding and the withholding of desired gifts/miracles/blessings will drive us away from Him. In John 6, Jesus feeds five thousand men, yet it is clear (John 6:15, 26-27) that that great miracle didn’t help them to understand Jesus’ ministry (Matthew 16:21-23). They wanted him to become their earthly King, they failed to understand the redemptive work of Jesus and that He was already King. The miracle did not draw them any closer to God. Later in the chapter (John 6:28, 30-31), the people ask Jesus to prove himself to them again. This time Jesus refused to perform a miracle (John 6:29) and instead challenged their theology. And many deserted Him. The people were not drawn closer to God whether Jesus performed a miracle or not! To those who abandoned Him, Jesus was a means to an end. When He failed to deliver what they wanted, He became redundant, unnecessary.
On the other hand, as His disciples showed (John 6:66-69), we can only truly come to Jesus when we accept Him as Master. They didn’t understand Jesus’ theology any better than the people (John 14:1-11) and were often surprised by the miracles (John 6), but they remained because He was their Master, not a means to an end. They focused on who Jesus was not what He should do for them:
“Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.”~ John 6:67-69
When Jesus is our Master, we focus on how we can glorify Him, not on how He can satisfy us. This does not mean we don’t have legitimate needs, but it does mean that our relationship with Him does not depend on those needs being met. Neither does His importance/relevance begin or end when those needs are met (or not). Instead of celebrating the healing we celebrate the Healer (like the tenth leper did; verses 15-16). Instead of celebrating the blessing, we must celebrate the Blesser.
In His response to the tenth leper, vs. 19, Jesus next teaches us about faith: “…thy faith hath made thee whole.”
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (2 Corinth. 5:17)
In other words, ONLY, the tenth leper had enough faith to be made whole; he was not just disease-free, but sin-free! Salvation had come to his life. He now had a new heart to go along with the new skin. Clearly, the other nine lepers also had a measure of faith; they had enough faith to be cured from their leprosy. As opportunists, they, like many of us, cried out eagerly to Jesus when they were in trouble. When the trouble passed, however, Jesus was quickly forgotten as they moved on to fresh opportunities.
But Jesus shows us that that kind of opportunistic faith was not enough for their salvation. Christians tend to believe that they need more faith in order to see/experience God’s miraculous power. However, Jesus turns that notion on its head. More faith is needed for salvation, than sanitation; and only the tenth leper had enough. It takes more faith to come to Jesus when there is nothing (earthly) at stake, than to go to the priests when everything is at stake. It takes more faith to submit to Jesus when all is well, than when our very lives are in danger. It takes more faith to give our lives to Jesus than to receive healing.
“And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee. And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth. And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts? For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk? But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house.” ~ Matthew 9:2-6
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. (2 Corinthians 4:7)
Finally, Jesus makes a clear distinction between being healed and being whole/healthy. The tenth leper was the only one with enough faith for salvation and so he was not just healed, he was whole: he was healthy in body, soul and spirit. Nine of the lepers settled for being healthy in body only. Likewise, we frequently seek only material/physical miracles from God, often forgetting to seek out spiritual miracles. But His word frequently reminds us that the inner man is more important than the outer man:
“But the LORD said… Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature… for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.” ~ 1 Samuel 16:7
“For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” ~ 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
To accomplish the will of our Master, Jesus, we must be transformed inwardly. Being healed of leprosy in our flesh is of little consequence if we still have leprosy in our spirit. Will we cry out to Jesus for the healing of our spirit/mind as much as we cry out for the healing of our bodies and the healing of our finances? Ten went for sanitation. One returned with salvation. Ten lepers in a pew, which one are you?
CODA
Is it more important for God to meet my need than for me to serve Him?
When do I call out to God most? What kind of faith might I have?
Reflections in The WORD 