 |
|
Burnsville, NC Public Art – near Mt. Celo Church
Title: Stream
Medium: Ferro Cement
Artist: Martin Webster
TRAC (Toe River Arts
Council: 828-682-7215)
|
My Lessons and Applications from Today’s Readings
(Ellipses are mine
and are used for contemplation.)
Come to the Waters,
to Me – Isaiah 55 and 56 – (Facts:
What It Says – Summarized) – We are called. God is continuing to call His
people…and all people…everywhere…from all nations…you who thirst…you who have
no money…to…”come to Me…listen carefully
to Me… incline your ear…”seek the LORD
while He may be found…Call upon Him while He is near.” We are admonished. “Why do you spend money for what is not bread and your wages for what
does not satisfy? We are promised. “Incline
your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your
soul shall live; And I will make an everlasting covenant with you.” We are exhorted.
“Let the wicked forsake his way,
and the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the LORD. Keep justice…do righteousness…keep from
defiling the Sabbath…keep from doing any evil” We are warned and comforted. “So
shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void,
but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for
which I send it.” We are all
included as believers. “The foreigner…the eunuchs…everyone…who keeps
from defiling the Sabbath…and holds fast My covenant…even them…I will bring to
My hold mountain…even to them I will give in My house and within My walls a
place and a name better than that of sons and daughters; I will give them an
everlasting name that shall not be cut off…For My house shall be called…a
house of prayer…for all nations…The
Lord GOD, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, says, ‘Yet I will gather
to him others besides those who are gathered to him.’” Principle: The Jewish nation has been chosen, has refused
God, except for a remnant. Now all are
invited and will be accepted into the kingdom of God in Christ (the “yet” by which He will gather us all) through faith
(exemplified in obedience) by His grace.
Praise the LORD –
Psalm 113: 5-9 (Facts; What It Says –
Summarized) “Praise the LORD…who dwells on high…who humbles Himself to behold the
things that are in the heavens and in the earth. He raises….the poor…out of
the dust…lifts…the needy…out of the
heap…THAT He may seat him with princes…with the princes of His people…He grants…the barren woman…a home…like
a joyful mother of children. Praise the LORD!” Principle: God in Christ raises,
lifts, grants a home to those with none, along with His people. Again, this is the gathering of all people –
the Jew and the Gentile in Christ.
Keep the Unity of the
Spirit in the Bond of Peace – Ephesians 4 (Facts: What It Says – Summarized)
– Paul is reminding the Ephesians – and us – of the “good work” to which we
were called as unified believers…in
Christ…through the cross…both the Jew and the Gentile…in the new man. He begs…beseeches us to “walk worthy of this calling…with all
lowliness…gentleness…long-suffering…endeavoring to keep…the unity of the
Spirit…in the bond of peace.”
This unity, the apostle says, is made possible through Christ Himself “who gave some to be apostles…some prophets…some
evangelists…some pastors and teachers…FOR…the equipping of the saints…for the
work of ministry…for the edifying…of the body of Christ…till…we all
come…to the unity of the faith…and…of the knowledge…of the Son of God…to a
perfect man…to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ…no longer tossed to and from…and carried
about with every wind of doctrine…by the trickery of men…in the cunning
craftiness of deceitful plotting…but speaking
the truth in love…may grow up in all
things into Him who is the head – Christ .” Paul reminds us we are a…whole body…in
Christ…”joined…and knit together…every joint doing its part, causing the growth
of the body for the edifying of itself in love.”
The old man : futility of their minds…alienated from God…blinded in
their hearts.. past feeling…have given themselves to lewdness…to work
all uncleanness…with greediness. But we,
the new man…”have been taught by
Christ…put off our former conduct…are being renewed in the spirit of our
minds…in true righteousness and holiness…putting away lying…speaking the
truth…members of one another…being angry but not sinning...letting no corrupt word proceed out of our
mouths but what is good for necessary edification that it may impart grace to
the hearer…not grieving the Holy Spirit of God…putting away all bitterness,
wrath, anger, clamor, evil speaking, all malice…being kind to one
another…tenderhearted…forgiving one another…even as God in Christ Jesus forgave
us.” Principle: God has
come in Christ to reconcile the world – both Jew and Gentile, slave and free,
man and woman - to Himself – in unity – as one new man. As such, we are called to a new life, a
renewed mind, a different conduct – possible only through the leading of the
Holy Spirit within us.
My Lessons and
Applications: I sit under heavy
conviction as I read these admonitions of the apostle, knowing how much I fall
short of the perfection required here.
Then I am reminded by the Holy Spirit that this is an ongoing work, an
ongoing struggle as we remain in the flesh – the Spirit within us warring with
our flesh. I am reminded of the essence
of sitting under the Ministry of the Word, of studying, meditating upon and
applying the Word of God…until Christ is formed in me…in fullness.. at the
redemption. I am reminded that keeping
the unity of the Spirit – in the bond of peace on earth is a continuous
endeavor as we stand against the old man we are putting off and “the prince of the power of the air, and the
spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience.” (Eph. 2: 2) I am humbled that holy God – in His love for
us, His mercy, His grace cares so much to bring us all into communion with
Himself that He sent Jesus to die for our sins, that He has torn down the walls
and veil of separation, that our Lord and Savior still continually makes
intercession for us at the right hand of God, that we are granted constant
access – even now – to the very throne of Almighty God, in the heavenly places,
through prayer – to speak with our heavenly Father. Am I hastening to His throne for others…for
His kingdom? Am I fulfilling my part in
fitting together and building up His kingdom work here on earth?
Till we all come…unto the
measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. Eph. 4:13
Rehabilitation means the putting back of the
whole human race into the relationship God designed it to be in, and this is
what Jesus Christ did in Redemption. The
Church ceases to be a spiritual society when it is on the lookout for the
development of its own organization. The
rehabilitation of the human race on Jesus Christ’s plan means the realization
of Jesus Christ in corporate life as well as in individual life. Jesus Christ sent apostles and teachers for
this purpose – that the corporate Personality might be realized. We are not here to develop a spiritual life
of our own, or to enjoy spiritual retirement; we are here to realize Jesus
Christ that the Body of Christ may be built up.
Am I building up the Body of
Christ, or am I looking for my own personal development only? The essential thing is my personal
relationship to Jesus Christ – “That I may know HIM…in entire abandonment to
Him..” It will be a big humiliation to
realize that I have not been concerned about realizing Jesus Christ, but only
about realizing what He has done for me.
My goal is God Himself, not joy nor peace, nor even blessing, but
Himself, my God.
Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest
