From The Prison To The Palace

Or

MAKING SERVANTS OUT OF ENEMIES

Genesis 50:15-20

You can have victory over sin, victory over self and victory over Satan, but there is another area in which we must have victory if we are going to live a consistent Christian life. Unless we come to experience victory in this area, then in all of the other areas (sin, self, Satan) we will not accomplish the life of overcoming that God has intended all of us to experience. I want to speak to you today on victory over situations, or victory over circumstances. I want you to remember that phrase victory over circumstances because in a moment I am going to change the wording of this phrase, and it is going to be an essential change. In the changing of that wording you are going to find the key to being victorious over every circumstance.

There are two kinds of circumstances. 1) There are those circumstances that we can control and they pose little or no problem. If there is a circumstance we are not particularly fond of and we can change it, then we change it. But there are other circumstances that present problems in living in victory. 2) These are circumstances we cannot control. So there are circumstances we can control, and there are circumstances we cannot control. There are circumstances we can change, and then there are circumstances that we cannot change—even though we wish we could.

Now, I want to change that phrase: victory over circumstances. Here was an adverse, contrary circumstance I didn’t like. I viewed that circumstance as an Amalek standing in my way before the Promised Land saying, you will not go in. I would say, Lord, if I am ever to enter into the Promised Land, I must overcome this circumstance. Somehow I must change it, go around it or tunnel under it. Lord, help me to get victory over this circumstance. I have viewed my contrary, adverse circumstances as obstacles in my path, presenting a barrier to my progress in the Christian life.

The word I want to change is the word over. I want to change it to the word through. It is not victory over your circumstances; it is victory through your circumstances. If you ever change your viewpoint about adverse circumstances from trying to get victory over or around them, to not viewing them as an obstacle standing in your path or blocking your progress, that is the key to victory: they are the MEANS by which you enter into victory. That is the key. Victory through the circumstances gives you victory over the circumstances. I am really not going to speak to you about victory over your circumstances, I am going to speak to you about victory through your circumstances.

In Isaiah, chapter 49, God is dealing with the people’s exodus from captivity and how they are going to get back to the Promised Land. Along the way, they are going to meet some obstacles. It is going to be rough terrain as they make their journey from Babylon back to the Promised Land. They are going to have to go through mountainous terrain.

Notice what he says in Isaiah 49:11 (KJV) And I will make all my mountains a way, and my highways shall be exalted. Look at that first phrase: And I will make all my mountains a way. Notice he does not say that he will make a way over the mountains.

He doesn’t say I will make a way through the mountains. He doesn’t say I will make a way around the mountains. He says the mountains will be the ROAD by which you get back into your land. The mountains actually become the road. In other words, he is saying obstacles, circumstances and mountains that stand in your way are not that which block you from entering into victory; they are the means of your entering into victory. My mountains will be the way. If the mountains are not there, you can’t get there. If it were not for the mountains, you could not enter in. It is not victory over your circumstances that you need, it is victory through your circumstances. That adverse, contrary circumstance is not a barrier or an obstacle; it is the means that God has divinely appointed by which you will pass into victory. It is the door, or the road.

Romans 8:28-30 (KJV) 28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

I want you to imagine with me this morning the three points of a triangle. We are going to start with the apex of the triangle. The first point, the top of the triangle, we are going to label The Purpose of God. If I am to have victory in every situation of my life, then I must first of all understand the eternal purpose of God. He says we know that all things right now are working together for good (and that good is not the good of ease and comfort but the good of God’s purpose), and all things are working together to accomplish that purpose--to those who are called according to his purpose. Whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to become conformed to the image of his Son. There is the eternal purpose of God. What is it that God is trying to accomplish in my life? What is that good that all things are working together to accomplish? It is this: that I might be conformed to the image of his Son. The word conformed means that my inner being, my essence and actuality, will become like the Lord Jesus. It does not refer to my appearing like the Lord Jesus by my actions only. It means that there is that divine plan and purpose that I will actually in essence become like the Lord Jesus. That is the eternal purpose of God for every believer.

Salvation is simply God restoring the image that man lost in the fall. The Bible says that we were created in the image of God. The image of God is man’s capacity to know God, to worship God, and to fellowship with God, and do all three perfectly. Only man is made in the image of God. Only man has the capacity to know God, to worship God, and to fellowship with God. You never saw a dog bowing his head and thanking God for his dog food. You never saw a cow worshipping. Only man has a thirst after God. There is born within every man an insatiable desire for God because man was made in the image of God. That image was not destroyed by the fall; it was marred by the fall. It’s like a bombed out building. The shell still stands. The semblance is still there, but it has been marred and perverted. There is still in man a semblance of the image of God but it is not as it was originally. That image, our ability to worship God, our capacity to know God and the fellowship of God has been marred, crippled, almost atrophied. God is seeking in salvation to restore the image of God to us.

He says that you and I have been predestinated to be conformed to the image of God’s son. That is God’s purpose for every person. The word purpose means to design beforehand. He is working this out on two levels. First of all, he is working it out in the future. You mark it down; there is going to be a day when every person who has ever been saved will be exactly like Jesus. This is a promise for the future. That is one level upon which God is working out his purpose. Someday in the future when Jesus comes, and we see him, we shall be changed in the twinkling of an eye. This corruptible will put on incorruptible; this mortal will put on immortality, and we will all be changed into his glorious likeness.

But God is working on another level. He is also working on the level of the present tense. In other words, right now, today, God is conforming us to his image. 2 Corinthians 3:18 (KJV) But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. When I was saved, the Holy Spirit took up residence within me. The ministry of the Holy Spirit is to reveal Jesus to me through the Word and other means to open my eyes to see Jesus. As I am beholding the Lord Jesus Christ through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, I am being changed into the likeness of Jesus. How? From glory unto glory. That means from one degree to another degree, changing us bit by bit, gradually into the likeness of Jesus.

You are not changed in this life into the likeness of Jesus by one cataclysmic, ecstatic experience. It happens bit by bit. One of the greatest disappointments was in believing that one of these days I would turn the corner and God would put a holy zap on me. He would say, poof, you’re just like Jesus. That’s not the way it happens. Sometimes people have offered us experiences in which we would be changed into the likeness of Jesus, the old sin nature would be eradicated, and everything would be just as it ought to be. It never happens that way. He is changing us bit by bit by bit. Why? Because he doesn’t want that final change when Jesus comes to be so traumatic. The goal that I have is that when he comes to finally finish off the job, there won’t be that much to do. What God is seeking to do in my everyday life is to make me like Jesus. This is essential in understanding if I am to get the best out of the worst and if I am to have victory through my circumstances. I must understand what the purpose of God is. God is working even today to make me like Jesus. That’s the apex of the triangle.

The two bottom points of the triangle support the purpose of God. I want you to label this point on the right The Predestination of God. The predestination of God assures us of the purpose of God. The purpose of God is that I am to be like Jesus. The predestination of God guarantees that will happen. Let’s look at verse 29: For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son. The word predestinate means to mark (choose) beforehand.

When I was born again God put a design on me. That design was to be like Jesus. God is not going to leave it up to me to become like Jesus because he knows I’ll never make it. So God guarantees that his purpose will be fulfilled. If you are saved, God has drawn a circle around you and says, “You are going to be like Jesus.” The predestination of God guarantees the purpose of God. That purpose of God is supported by the predestination of God. Friends, if you have been saved--like it or not--someday you are going to be like Jesus. There is no power in heaven or earth or hell that can ever prevent you from being like Jesus. You mark it down. Regardless of how discouraged you may be today, one of these days you are going to be exactly like Jesus.

Paul writing to the Philippians in chapter 1, verse 6, says: I am confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will complete it in the day of Jesus Christ. Friend, God never leaves any work undone. What God starts, he always finishes.

Beloved, now we are the sons of God. It doth not yet appear what we shall be (don’t have any idea what we are going to be). It’s incomprehensible to see what we will be like in heaven. I do know this. We shall be like him for we shall see him as he is. Every man that has this hope in his heart is purifying himself just like Jesus is pure. The purpose of God is to be like Jesus. The predestination of God guarantees it.

I’m glad that I have a Lord like this. I am guaranteed. It says in verse 30: Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. That’s past tense. Have you ever noticed how much of the book of Revelation is written in the past tense even though it is in the future? Have you ever noticed that Isaiah 53 is written in past tense even though it is prophesying an event that wouldn’t happen until 700 years later? Do you ever wonder why God wrote prophecy in the past tense? Even God himself can’t change it once it is history. You and I understand that God can do anything, but I am speaking after the infirmity of your flesh. He writes in the prophetic past.

George Washington was the first president of the United States. There’s not anything you can do about that. You can’t change that. There’s not a thing you can do about it. God is saying that it is so certain and so secure that you are already glorified. It has already happened. It’s in the past tense. God guarantees it. Right now I’m glorified. I don’t look much like I’m glorified. Sometimes I don’t sound too glorified. But friend, when God looks at me, he says I’m glorified.

God is a present tense God. There is no past and no future with God. Let’s suppose that I’m standing on top of a building. On top of the building, I am watching people walk. I am watching a fellow. I saw where he started. I see where he is going. I see where he is. Right now, that fellow is right below me. Now, where he was is his past; where he is going is his future. But from my vantage point where he was is my present; where he is going is my present; and where he is is my present. From my viewpoint, it’s all now. From God’s viewpoint my whole life is all now. I look back to where I was ten years ago, and that is my past. But that is God’s now. I wonder where I’m going to be ten years from now. That’s my future but it is God’s now. You see, God is the eternal now; there is no past or future. It is all present. God can say you are already glorified. The purpose of God is to be like Jesus. The predestination of God assures the purpose of God.

Let’s come to the third point of the triangle. Remember that these two bottom points support the purpose of God. The third point of the triangle is the providence of God. The purpose of God is to be like Jesus. The predestination of God assures that purpose. The providence of God accomplishes that purpose. The purpose of God , which has been guaranteed by predestination, is in the present life being accomplished by God’s providence. What is providence? Purpose is to design beforehand. Predestination is to choose beforehand. Providence is to provide beforehand. Providence is made up of two words: pro (before) and video (to see). It means to see beforehand and to plan accordingly. The providence of God is this: God saw every situation I would be in before I was ever in it, every circumstance I would ever encounter before I ever encountered it, he saw beforehand everything that would happen to me and he planned accordingly. If I know what is going to happen, I can make provision before it happens. That’s why you buy a burial plot, isn’t it? You know if the Lord tarries, you are going to die. Knowing therefore what is going to happen, you can provide for it.

God knows everything that is going to happen—every detail, every turn in the corner, every rut in the road. In eternity past he looked down, saw everything that was going to happen to us, and made provision for it. I may be surprised at what happens to me tomorrow but God isn’t. He has already made provision..

Verse 28: And we know that all things are working together for good. That’s the providence of God. The purpose of God is to be conformed to the image of God. The predestination of God guarantees it. The providence of God is God right now, today, working all things together to accomplish that good. Notice that he says ALL things are working together. Working together has the idea of all things fitting together like pieces in a puzzle, meshing together like gears. When you work a big jigsaw puzzle, you dump it all out on the table, and it looks like you will never be able to work that thing.

Once we got a big jigsaw puzzle. We bought some of this stuff you spray on it to make it stick so you can keep it and put it in a frame. We worked for days and days and days and got it all finished but there was one piece lost. It ruined the whole puzzle. We looked under rugs, in pants pockets, in closets, everywhere for that one missing piece. Now, every time we start working a jigsaw puzzle, I have a fear the last piece may be missing. I know a lot of Christians who go through life worrying that the last piece may be missing. Friend, it won’t be because God is fitting everything together to accomplish that purpose. You put it down, and rest on it. The providence of God is him taking everything in my life and causing it to mesh together to accomplish that purpose of making me like Jesus.

I want to share with you what I consider to be the greatest illustration in the Bible of the providence of God. It is found in Genesis, chapters 45 and 50. The story is of Joseph and his brothers. They were jealous of Joseph. One day Joseph came to meet his brothers in Dothan. They said, since dad likes him best; let’s kill him. Reuben said, no, let’s don’t kill him. Let’s not shed his blood. Let’s just throw him over here in a pit. There’s no water in the pit, so if we just leave him there, he will die. They sat down to have lunch and decided there was no profit in letting him die. Some Ishmaelites came by and they decided to sell him. We’ll kill two birds with one stone. We’ll get rid of Joseph and make a little profit too. They said let’s go pull him out of the pit. Before they got there, some Midianite merchants came along and drew him out of the pit and sold him to the Ishmaelites who took him into Egypt.

Seventeen years later, you know the story. A famine has come to the land and Joseph’s brothers have come to Egypt because they have heard there is plenty of food there. Joseph meets these brothers two or three times and does not reveal himself. They do not recognize him but he knows them. In Genesis, chapter 45, he just cannot contain himself any longer. He must tell these brothers who he is. He was weeping. 

Notice what he says in verse Genesis 45:4

Then Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life. For these two hears hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest. And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God.

Three times in this passage he says to his brothers, who thought they were the ones who sent him to Egypt: it was not you, it was God. He didn’t want his brothers taking credit for something that God did. You say, that’s crazy. It was his brothers who sold him into Egypt. I will take Joseph’s word before I’ll take yours. After all, he was the one who was there. Three times he says, it was not you, it was God. That is not predestination. Predestination would mean that God made Joseph’s brothers hate Joseph and seek to kill him. That’s providence. God knew they were going to be filled with envy and try to kill him. What did he do? He made provision for it. He planned for it. God wasn’t caught off guard. He had those Ishmaelites coming because he knew Joseph was going to be in a pit.

Look over in Genesis, chapter 50, verse 20. Joseph is again speaking to his brothers: But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. Friend, do you know how to have victory through every circumstance, therefore, victory over every circumstance? Would you like to know how to get the best out of the worst? You stand before every contrary, adverse circumstance and say two things to it: It’s not you; it’s God. It’s not evil; it’s good. That is what Joseph said about the worst thing that ever happened to him. It wasn’t you that did it; it was God. It wasn’t evil; it was good. You meant it unto me for evil; but God meant it unto me for good. My dear friends, God always means it for your good. All things are working together for your good, that ultimate good to make us like Jesus.

The providence of God does two things. 1) It provides for every eventuality in my life. It causes things to happen that are beyond my power to accomplish. For instance, there is no way that Joseph could have arranged for those Ishmaelites to be passing by just at that precise moment. But God provided for every event and had those Ishmaelites coming by at just the right time.

History tells us that the Egyptians hated Hebrews. They would not even eat at the same table with a Hebrew. Yet, just by coincidence, Joseph falls into the hands of Potiphar, the one man in all of Egypt who recognized in Joseph a man of worth. He sat and ate at Potiphar’s table—an unbelievable thing. He made him lord over all his house. The providence of God caused things to happen that Joseph could not accomplish. Joseph couldn’t have walked up to Potiphar one day and said, I’m a good little Hebrew boy, and I want to sit down and eat with you and be lord over your house. They would have kicked him out. They would have put him to death. Hebrews were despised by the Egyptians. Miracle of miracles, Potiphar sits him at his table and makes him lord over all his house. The providence of God causes things to happen that are beyond my power to accomplish.

Finally, he is thrown into prison by a lie of Potiphar’s wife. It just so happened that a baker and a butler were there. They had a dream, and it just so happened that Joseph was able to interpret that dream. It just so happened there was going to be a famine. There was no way that Joseph could have arranged a famine in the land. The providence of God is God causing things to happen that I could not accomplish. Why? In order to do me good. It provides for every eventuality in my life. There is a second thing that the providence of God does.

2) It protects me from every enemy in my life. It causes thing not to happen that are beyond my power to avoid. This is humorous to me. Joseph’s brothers wanted to kill him but they couldn’t. They thought they had gotten rid of him but they hadn’t. Potiphar’s wife wanted to destroy him but she didn’t. Listen carefully. The prison became the path to the palace. At every turn when his enemies tried to destroy him, God stepped in and used that mountain as a road, a freeway to accomplish his purpose.

The way you have victory through your circumstances is that God protects you from every enemy in your life. He does it by making servants out of those enemies. Would you say that Joseph’s brothers were his enemies? You would, wouldn’t you? If I had eleven brothers who wanted to kill me, it wouldn’t take long for it to dawn upon me that these fellows are my enemies. Were they his enemies? Yes. What did God do? He turned them into his servants. Joseph ended up prime minister of Egypt. Would you say that Potiphar’s wife was Joseph’s enemy. I would say that she was. But God made Potiphar’s wife Joseph’s servant.

The Apostle Paul tells us that one day he received a messenger of Satan to buffet him, a thorn in the flesh, an enemy. He sought the Lord three times to get rid of the enemy. Lord, remove the obstacle. Lord, I’ve got a circumstance I don’t like, and I want to get victory around it. I want to get victory over it. God said, I’ve got something better than getting rid of the thorn. I’ll give you grace. My grace is sufficient for you. Paul, the weaker you become, the stronger my power becomes in you. God took that enemy of the Apostle Paul and made it into his servant and served him up glorious power—so much so that the Apostle Paul was able to say he now rejoiced in his infirmities, distresses, and persecutions.

Of course, the greatest illustration of this is the cross. You would say the cross was the greatest enemy of Jesus. But it was through the cross that Jesus Christ was exalted as Lord and Savior. God took the enemy and made it into his servant.

Friend, I don’t know what in your life today is your enemy. I want you to know that God wants to take that enemy and make it into your servant, to make you lord over your Egypt.

I hesitate to make this statement because I don’t want anybody to misunderstand. Wouldn’t you say that Joseph’s brethren sinned in selling their brother into Egypt? If Joseph had not been in Egypt seventeen years later, they would have starved to death. Listen, their sin became their salvation. Wouldn’t you say it was a sin to crucify Jesus? That sin became our salvation! You say, are you encouraging us to sin? No, I am trying to get you to see a God who is so sovereign and powerful that he can take sin and turn it into salvation. The providence of God takes every enemy and makes it into your servant. God is in charge of every circumstance in your life. God uses it. Where did God want Joseph? He wanted Joseph in a position where he could save people. Joseph said, God did it that he might preserve you a posterity. God used that circumstance to accomplish his purpose.

Let’s tie it all together. God has a plan and a purpose. That purpose is to make you like Jesus. God has guaranteed that purpose is going to be fulfilled some day. But he doesn’t want to wait until someday. He wants to do it right now so that you can be a display case to the glory of God to a lost and dying world. And so that you can be a source of life to others as Joseph became a source of life to others. God is right now in this life trying to accomplish that purpose. Do you know what tools God uses for that purpose? The tool of circumstances. God will arrange for you a set of circumstances, tailor-made, that will fit you perfectly. They won’t sag or bag anywhere. The purpose of those circumstances is to accomplish God’s purpose in your life.

Most of us are praying that God will change our circumstances. Friend, God is not the least interested in changing your circumstances. He is interested in changing your character. When those circumstances have changed your character then God may change your circumstances.

To them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 29For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

 

God's Wearhouse

GOD’S WEARHOUSE

 

You’re Going To Like The Way You Look, I Guarantee It

 

2 Peter 1:3-9

 

Do you remember the scandal that blew up over this picture of Northwestern University's Girl's Lacrosse team? After winning the national championship in 2005 they were invited to the White House. The next day a picture ran in the Chicago Tribune with the heading, "You Wore Flip Flops To The White House?!" because four of the girls in the front row did wear flip flops.

I would agree with the criticism you don't dress that casually to visit the home of our nation's chief executive, but it shows there is indeed a dress code out there and we all know it.

I bring this all up because the Bible repeatedly uses "proper clothing" as a word picture to help us understand the kinds of virtues that should be seen in-or on-the life of every believer. For example,

Ephesians 4:22-24 (KJV) 22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Romans 13:14 (KJV) But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

Colossians 3:12 (KJV) Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering.

1 Peter 5:5 (KJV) Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.

In his commentary on this text Jerry Bridges refers to these attitudes or virtues as "garments of grace." And I want us to think of this "dress code" in that way, because these various "garments" are indeed undeserved gifts of God-precious attributes that help us to stand out as God's children. I also want us to understand that we must learn to "wear" or "put on" these various virtues because they help us to experience the abundant life Jesus promises in much the same way that wearing a great suit makes you feel good.

I'm reminded of that men's suit store around here whose owner says, "You're gonna like the way you look! I guarantee it" because, in essence this text says, "Put on these things-'wear' these attitudes and you're going to like your life! You're going to enjoy your walk with Jesus. I guarantee it!"

Look again at our text and you'll see what I mean. Verse 4 says that with these disciplines in our wardrobe, we will be able to: participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by lust or evil desires. Verses 8 and 9 says that this "dress code" will keep us from being unfruitful ineffective, and unproductive in our knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Peter even warns us that anyone who does not clothe him or herself in this way will be: near-sighted and blind, and will have forgotten that he has been purged or cleansed from his past sins. Sounds like we better be sure we know how to wear or put on these eight virtues doesn't it!?

It does indeed! We must learn to embrace these attitudes or disciplines. We need to ask God to nurture their growth in our lives because we can't experience abundant life without them. Unless we "dress" this way we can't be effective and fruitful disciples. And we do need God's help with this; similar to the way a parent helps a child dress properly. It is His divine power, it is God's Spirit in us, that empowers us to wear or live out these virtues. We can't be truly virtuous on our own. This is what Jesus was getting at in John 15:5 (KJV) I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. These are not just virtues in and of themselves, but they are also, seed beds of goodness in that they generate virtuousness. For example, brotherly kindness is a wonderful trait all on its own. Wouldn't you agree? Don't you like kind people-individuals who treat everyone as a brother or sister? One reason we esteem this caliber of kindness is because we have learned that it has the power to produce forgiveness, repentance, humility, unity, and trustworthiness. Brotherly kindness builds community, enriches friendship, and inspires servanthood.

And if this ability to generate virtue weren't enough motivation to "put on" these attitudes, we need to understand that in a sense, they also function as "antidotes" for sin. The amazing thing is that these virtues can have the effect of counteracting lethal attitudes and behaviors. To show you what I mean, let's use kindness as an example again because, like a base neutralizing an acid, it nullifies the sin of envy. Where brotherly kindness flourishes, envy withers.

And the good news is we don't have to "shop" for these invaluable garments of grace. We don't have to laboriously "stroll" through some spiritual equivalent of a mall to find them because, as Peter reminds us, in verse 3, God has already, "given us everything we need for life and godliness." In other words, the kind of "clothing" we need to put on in order to live a truly abundant Christian life is already in our spiritual "closets." In fact, our wardrobe is full! We have all that is required to live the Christian life to the hilt. All we have to do is learn how to "make every effort" to "put them on." When it comes to being a "well-dressed Christian," the responsibility is ours. Everything we need to embrace the perfect dress code is hanging in our closet. All that is missing is our effort, our decision, to ask God to empower us to wear them in life. My point is this-and please hear me! Unless we say, "Jesus, help me to be like this." Unless we consciously decide to "clothe ourselves with His righteousness" unless we "make every effort" toward the right thing we can have everything we need and still have the wrong thing.

In fact, take a moment to examine our life as a believer. How abundant is it? How victorious is it? How close do you feel to God? To what extent are you experiencing the fulfillment and joy of joining Him in His great work? If your walk with Jesus is less than abundant, could it be due to the fact that you aren't "dressing" correctly? Ask yourself: Are you wearing "rags" instead of virtues? Could your feelings of defeat and frustration stem from your not making every effort to embrace these Godly attitudes?

1.​FAITH

A.​The value of faith is rooted in the soundness and worthiness of its object.

Genuine faith-Biblical faith-does not believe that God will do what we say. It is a faith that knows and trusts that God will do what He says. It is a faith that acknowledges God's limitless wisdom and knowledge and goodness, a faith that says He knows more than we do and that He is always working out His absolutely perfect purposes. Genuine faith is resting on the promises of God, no matter what happens, His assurances that we will encounter hardship and heartache in this life, but that He is with us and is working in all things for our good and His glory, and that when this life ends we'll enter that perfect world where everything will be set right. Biblical faith is a relationship of trust in God. It's an experience-built confidence in the character of our Heavenly Father. Faith in and of itself is worthless. The value of faith is rooted in the soundness and worthiness of its object. Buchanan says, "Without faith it is impossible to please God but without God it is impossible to have good faith. Faith like that has no where to lay its head."

Author Tim Hansel tells the story about the day he and his son Zac were out in the country, climbing around in some cliffs. Hansel says at one point in the day he heard a voice above him yell, "Hey Dad! Catch me!" He turned around to see Zac jumping off a rock, flying straight at him. Apparently, Zac had jumped first and then yelled, "Hey Dad! Catch me!" Hansel became an instant circus act, instinctively twisting to catch his son in mid air. They both fell to the ground and for a moment Hansel could hardly talk. When he found his voice again he gasped in exasperation: "Zac! Can you give me one good reason why you did that?" Zac responded with remarkable calmness: "Sure! Because you're my dad!"

Zac's whole assurance was based on the fact that he believed his father was trustworthy. He'd no doubt experienced his dad's quick instincts and firm grip in the past. His relationship with his father deepened his faith and enabled him to live life to the hilt. He could risk the joy of that jump because he was confident-he rested in-the strength and love of his father that he had experienced every day of his life.

This is a great story. I think it illustrates my point well. But I must point out that Biblical faith is faith in God even if He doesn't catch us. Genuine faith says, "My understanding of the Bible and my life experience has shown me that I can trust God's goodness even if I can't see it from my perspective."

B.​Faith is believing in what we can't always see.

Hebrews 11:1 (KJV) Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

The Bible teaches us that real faith anticipates. It visualizes the future in the present. It sees in advance. It believes God's purposes will prevail somewhere out there over the horizon-so it is being sure even of what you don't yet see.

C.​Faith is acting on what we can't always understand.

 

You see, faith is not only a way of seeing-it is also a way of living. Genuine faith is more of a verb than it is a noun.

 

2.​VIRTURE

 

A.​Genuine virtue-Biblical goodness-being comes before doing.

I say this because the Greek word "that Peter uses here in verse 5 is "aretee" and it means "essential, intrinsic goodness." "Aretee" is a state of being that leads to doing. It's who we are inside. Virtue is, “moral excellence and purity of spirit that radiates from my life as I obey God’s Word.” If Peter wanted to describe goodness as simply doing, he would have used the Greek word, "chrestotes" which is a goodness that is limited to action. But Peter chose "aretee" a word that starts with being. So when it comes to this virtue, Peter is talking about a quality of the soul that results in good actions like giving mercy to the sick, kindness to strangers, hospitality to outsiders, or justice to underdogs.

B.​Biblical goodness is "kindness in action."

C.​Doing good, feels good.

3.​KNOWLEDGE

What is Peter talking about here? Exactly what do we need to know? Because, of course "We need to know what we need to know before we can know it." I'll zero in on the answer to that question in a moment, but first, I want you to note the order in which Peter lists these virtues these garments of grace that we are studying together. You see, this isn't a random list. These items must be worn together. They need each other for this dress code to work.

Each of these "garments" - each of these virtues -must be built on what? Right! Faith is where it begins! We can fill our spiritual wardrobes with each of the virtues in this list and can attempt to don them every day-but without faith it would be obvious to all that we were "dressed" improperly. None of these "accessories" work without faith. Everything starts there.

Goodness is the first virtue we add to faith. Without a faith relationship with God-without being good, we can't truly do good. Without God empowering our good deeds we often do them for bad, selfish reasons. Without His guidance many times we do good things that are good for nothing because they really don't help.

The next "garment" we take off the "hanger" is knowledge and once again I must point out that this list is not random. Goodness or virtue must come before knowledge because knowledge needs goodness/virtue. We said that the Greek word for "goodness" is "aretee" and that "aretee" described a quality of the soul a characteristic of being. The King James Version almost always translates "aretee" -not at "goodness" but as "virtue" which is right. You could say, that the KJV reminds us that the first virtue is virtue. And I like this because the fact is if we aren't truly good, if we don't let Jesus live in us and through us, if we don't have His virtue, then, knowledge tends to lead to conceit.

What do we need to know? What's going to be on the "test?" Well, as you probably noticed earlier, Peter says it's not what-but rather who. Look at verses 2, 3, & 8 again. We are to have, " knowledge of God and of Jesus--knowledge of Him--knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ " or as Tozer puts it, " knowledge of the Holy." So you see, just like the other two virtues we have studied so far-the source of knowledge is a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Knowing Him makes all the difference!

And we can to know God though the Bible, through worship and prayer, and through creation.

4.​TEMPERANCE/SELF CONTROL

In his book, So You Want To Be Like Christ, Charles Swindoll shares the following personal story,

"Many years ago as I was sitting up late one night, relaxing in the family room and watching 'SportsCenter,' the thought occurred to me, 'That half-gallon of ice cream is just going to get old sitting over there in the freezer, and that would be a waste. I think I'll have just a few bites.' So I took the half-gallon container of Rocky Road out of the freezer and sat down with a spoon (no need to dirty a clean dish!). I ate it all! In fact, I emptied it before 'SportsCenter' was over. Are you ready? There's more. I microwaved the last part and drank the little bits that get caught around the seams of the container. Like I said, I hate wasting ice cream. Suddenly, I realized that the kids were sure to see that the ice cream was gone. They would never have noticed a missing ten-pound roast or half a turkey, but no one could get away with eating more than his fair share of ice cream in our family. So I quietly sneaked out to my car, drove to the store, bought a new half-gallon-Rocky Road, of course-and carefully placed it right back where the other one was. I was in the clear except for one tiny detail. I forgot that one of our kids had eaten a little bit out of the top of the other one. Busted! They let me know, in no uncertain terms, that they knew exactly what I had done. The whole family got in on that one."

Well, can you relate to Swindoll here? Have you ever lost control of you and been embarrassed or frustrated by your behavior? Have you ever eaten too much-or spent too much-or said to much-or played too much-or bragged too much-or procrastinated too much-or interfered too much-or worked too much-or complained too much or argued too much or preached too much about doing too much of this or that? Can you think of a time or two or three in your life when you lost your grip on the reigns of self? Sure-we all have! Each of us has had to endure times of difficulty and frustration and defeat and realized later that we had no one to blame but self.

D. L. Moody, the great evangelist of the last century was once asked, "Of all the people you have come in contact with, who would you say it is that gives you the most trouble?" He said, "That's easy, D. L. Moody." We chuckle because we understand all too clearly that the one who consistently gives each of us the most trouble, the one we have to clean up after the most, the one we have to correct the most, is none other than our self. As someone once said, "If you could kick the person responsible for most of your troubles, you wouldn't be able to sit down for weeks."  Maybe that’s why we have padded pews.

This week I read about a 6' 3" 270 lb University of Kansas football player, named Dion Rayford who went through the drive-thru lane at Taco Bell for lunch back in 2001. He paid for his order and then realized they had shorted him a chalupa. In the ensuing discussion, Rayford got so angry about this that he tried to climb through the 14 by 46-inch drive-through window and got stuck. The frightened manager and employees locked themselves in an office and called the police. The police pulled up to the drive-through and laughed hysterically as they discovered the legs and back end of the football player kicking in midair. Police Sergeant George Wheeler said, "When you take a big guy and put him through a small space, something's got to give." Once they got him out, Rayford had to write a letter of apology, serve 12 months of probation and pay $579.17 to cover the damages to the drive thru window. What's your "drive-thru window?" What's the area of your life where the walls have fallen down and you've lost control such that you find your self caught in embarrassing behavior?

By the way-a lack of self control can indeed make us feel bad, can't it! Did anyone have an inner wince of empathy pain for that football player as you remembered a time when you lost control and did or said something foolish? I bet we all suffer from painful memories like that! When we regain control and are able to think clearly and look back at the damage our lack of self-control caused, well it hurts doesn't it! You don't have to kick yourself because you already feel pain and regret! It feels much better to keep self in check than it does to give it free reign. Maxi Dunham refers to this and says,

"The purpose of self-control is that we may be fit for God, fit for ourselves, and fit to be servants of others, it is not a rigid, religious practice. It's not discipline for discipline's sake. It is not dull drudgery aimed at exterminating laughter and joy. It is the doorway to true joy, true liberation from the stifling slavery of self-interest and fear."

We need self control to overcome temptations, to be victorious in trials, and to resist Satan.

5.​PATIENCE

“Accepting a difficult situation from God without giving Him a deadline to remove it.”  We need perseverance.

It's interesting where this particular virtue is placed in Peter's list. First Peter says we should add to our faith goodness. Then he encourages us to have knowledge. Next he admonishes us to be self-controlled. If you stop to count then you'll see that at this point we are halfway-we're at midpoint in the list of these seven garments of grace-and then, as if to remind us that halfway is only halfway, and that we still have a ways to go, Peter says, "Have patience, Don't quit! persevere. There are more garments of grace to put on, so don't close the door to your 'spiritual closet' just yet."

Peter mentions "suffering." In fact, if you were to count you would see that he does so seventeen times in his first letter alone.

Let's scan through them together so we can get a picture of the kinds of suffering our distant spiritual ancestors were enduring when Peter wrote these words:

• 1 Peter 1:1 says, "They live like refugees, like strangers in the world, scattered throughout the earth."

• 1 Peter 1:6 - "they suffer in all kinds of trials."

• 1 Peter 2:12 - "They are falsely accused, blamed for things they never did."

• 1 Peter 2:18-19 - "They are subjected to brutal working conditions."

• 1 Peter 3:13 - "They are punished for doing good."

• 1 Peter 4:4 - "They are abused and insulted when they won't join the sin of others."

• 1 Peter 4:12 - "They are punished for following Jesus."

• 1 Peter 5:8 - "They are harassed and threatened by the devil himself, who wants to eat them alive."

• 2 Peter 2:1 - "They are surrounded by false teachers trying to mislead them."

• 2 Peter 3:3 - "They are mocked by neighbors who find their faith naive and deluded."

• 2 Peter 3:9 - "They are disappointed with God, Who seems to be slow in keeping His promises."

And the truth is, all this suffering that they were going through would vanish in an instant if Peter's first readers did one thing: quit, abandon their faith, or at least stop talking about it. stop sharing it. quit obeying God when it puts you at odds with an ungodly culture. Quit trying to live pure and holy lives. Quit believing Jesus will return. Quit worshiping. In short, if these people would just say as Peter did, "I never knew Him, I never knew Jesus," then everyone would leave them alone. The "Persian hordes" would retreat and life will be easier. But Peter-this big fisherman who had become wise from his own failings and "quittings," said, "I know how you feel but don't quit! Don't give up! Trust me on this one! persevere! Keep on keeping on! You'll be glad you did because eventually victory will come!"

6.​GODLINESS

The word we translate as “Godliness” here in 2nd Peter is the Greek word “eusebeia.” Sometimes it is translated as “holiness”—but it literally means, “good devotion” or “genuine devoutness” or “piety.” It is a word used to describe the INWARD quality of a heart that is set completely on God, His kingdom, and His purposes. As Mark Buchanan puts it, “Eusebia is God-centeredness.” Charles Swindoll helps us in our search for a good definition by saying that Godliness is

“...not skin deep. No—it is something below the surface of life, deep down in the realm of an attitude...an attitude toward God Himself. The person who is Godly is one whose heart is sensitive toward God—it’s someone who takes God seriously.”

Shortly after WWII came to a close, Europe began picking up the pieces. If you’ve seen the pictures taken back then you know that much of the Old Country was ravaged by war and was in ruins. Perhaps the saddest sight of all was that of orphaned children starving in the streets of those war-torn cities. There’s an old story that you may have heard....a story that tells of an American soldier who was making his way back to the barracks in London. As he turned the corner in his jeep, he spotted a little boy with his nose pressed to the widow of a pastry shop.

Inside, the cook was kneading dough for a fresh batch of doughnuts. The hungry boy stared in silence, with his nose pressed against the window, drooling and watching the cook’s every move.

The soldier pulled his jeep to the curb, stopped, got out, and said, “Son, would you like some of those?” The boy was startled but blurted out, “Oh...yeah...I would!” The American stepped inside and bought a dozen, put them in a bag and walked back to where the lad was standing in the foggy cold of the London morning. He smiled, held out his bag and said simply, “Here you are.” As the soldier turned to walk away, he felt a tug on his coat. He looked back and heard the child ask quietly, “Mister...are you God?” Has anyone asked you that question lately? Perhaps a more realistic question for us to ponder is this: Has anyone thought that about you lately? Have your actions made anyone feel like God was near and at work?

7.​BROTHERLY KINDNESS

The late Erma Bombeck once wrote about a time when she says she was absolutely tired of listening. She explained by saying this started when she listened to her son go on and on in minute detail about a movie he had just seen, punctuated by at least 1,000 “you know’s” and “okays.” Next, she received several telephone calls filled with mindless chatter that never seemed to end. She says it was with genuine relief that she was able to honestly tell her last caller that she had to hang up because she had to rush off to the airport.

She grabbed her bags and got into a taxi—expecting a quiet ride—but the cab driver, thrilled to have Erma Bombeck in his cab, talked all the way to the airport, telling her all about his son who had won a scholarship at college, and how he was making straight “A’s.” Of course Erma was his captive audience so she had to sit there an listen to it all. She said, “Once I got to the airport, checked my bags, and arrived at the gate, I realized that I was 30 minutes early and I breathed a sigh of relief and thought, ‘I have 30 whole minutes when I don’t have to listen to anybody. I can just sit here and read my book and not be bothered at all. But no sooner had I opened my book than an elderly woman came and sat down next to me and said, ‘I bet it’s cold in Chicago.’

‘I suppose...’” Erma replied without looking up from her book. “I haven’t been to Chicago for three years.” the woman continued. “That’s nice” Erma replied again without making eye contact. “My son lives there.” the woman said. “Oh.” Erma replied, keeping her nose stuck in her book in hopes that the woman would take the hint, but she went on talking and said something that finally got Erma’s attention. She said, “My husband’s body is on this plane. We were married 53 years. I don’t drive and the funeral director was so nice. He drove me to the airport today.”

Erma recalls, “The woman droned on and it hit me that here was a person who didn’t want money or counsel. All she wanted was for someone to be kind enough to listen. And in desperation, she had turned to a total stranger with her sad story. She continued to talk to me until they announced that we were boarding. We walked onto the plane and I saw her sit down in another section. As I hung up my coat I heard her say to the person next to her, ‘I bet it’s cold in Chicago.’”

Well, the fact is there are people like this woman all around us—bearing the burden of grief or fear or just plain loneliness—people whose greatest need is for believers like you and me to put on this next garment in the dress code of a Christian...the garment of kindness. And unfortunately, these days our world needs this garment more than ever before because in essence it has become resistant to kindness. This is a side effect of our busy, “me-first culture.” With our hectic schedules we have created a hostile environment in which kindness tends to shrivel up and die. Like those animals on the endangered species list, kindness is having a hard time surviving these days. It’s becoming increasingly rare.

I think one of the factors when it comes to the approaching “extinction” of kindness is the fact that our world is becoming more and more impersonal. Think of it. We go to a gas station and don’t even have to talk to anyone. We just put our card in the slot, pump the gas, and drive away without ever looking at another human being Remember the days when you used to actually talk to the man who pumped gas for you, wiped your windshield, offered to check the oil, and asked you about your day? It’s the same way at the bank where instead of relating to living, breathing people, we “communicate” with those electronic tellers and even at the grocery store where we see more and more automated checkout lines that require little or no human interaction.

And—when it comes to calling a utility company or a store—or even a church for that matter—more and more often we get these very impersonal phone trees. Computers answer and say, “If you want information about this push #1,” etc. Can you imagine what would happen if they did this to the 911 system? “If your emergency is a murder, push ‘1.’ If it is a burglary, push ‘2.’ If the burglar is still in the house, push ‘3.’ If he has a gun, push ‘4’ repeatedly...’”

8.​LOVE

I want to challenge you to think of LOVE as the LAST thing you put on before you go out the door—your “coat or hat”—the one thing your “outfit” would be incomplete without—because when it comes to Christlikeness, LOVE is indeed an essential thing. In a very real sense we are “un-clothed” without it. Remember—as Paul puts it in 1 Corinthians 13, it doesn’t matter what else we have—if we don’t have love, we have nothing.

This love is agape love.  It is unconditional love. In order to have this kind of love we have to love the least of these, the most of these, and the worst of these.  

A woman named Regine, who was a survivor of the genocide of Rwanda, tells the story of another woman whose only son was killed. This grieving mother was consumed with hate and bitterness and constantly prayed, “God, reveal my son’s killer.” One night she dreamed she was going to heaven. But there was a complication: in order to get to heaven she had to pass through a certain house. She had to walk down the street, enter the house through the front door, go through its rooms, up the stairs, and exit through the back door. In her dream she asked God whose house this was. He told her it was the house of her son’s killer. The road to heaven passed through the house of her enemy. The next day she couldn’t get that dream out of her mind.

Well, two days later, there was a knock at her door. She opened it and there stood a young man. He was about her son’s age. He hesitated but said, “I am the one who killed your son. Since that day I have had no life. No peace. So here I am. I am placing my life in your hands. Kill me. I am dead already. Throw me in jail. I am in prison already. Torture me. I am in torment already. Do with me as you wish.” The woman had prayed for this day. Now it had arrived and she didn’t know what to do. Well, she found, to her own surprise, that she did not want to kill him or throw him in jail or torture him. In the moment of reckoning she found she only wanted one thing—a son—so she said, “I ask this of you. Come into my home and live with me. Eat the food I would have prepared for my son. Wear the clothes I would have made for my son. Become the son I lost.” And so he did.

That day this woman was practicing Agape love because she reflected God’s love in her attitude and action toward the worst of these in her life—her son’s killer.

And this is INDEED what God has done! Do you remember Paul’s words from Romans 5:6-10 (KJV) 6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. 8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. 10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

Intercession Part 2

God has made us a royal priesthood with the privilege and the responsibility to pray for one another, which ought to drive us to ask, as did the disciples, “Lord, teach us to pray.”

 

He taught them and He will teach us.

 

Jesus answered the disciples request, first with the “Model Prayer” of:

 

Luke 11:2-4 (KJV) 2 …Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. 3 Give us day by day our daily bread. 4 And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.

 

Then Jesus gave the parable of the friend at midnight.  The parable is a powerful illustration of intercession, involving three parties.  Intercession is a triangle of prayer: one person going to another person to get bread for a third person.

 

Luke 11:5-8 (KJV) 5 And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves; 6 For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him? 7 And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee. 8 I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.

 

Intercession is bold praying.

 

Daring, bold, audacious, these are the only adjectives that rightly describe intercessory praying.

 

The situation in the story called for boldness. The hour was inconvenient, it was the night. The circumstances were inconvenient, my children are in bed with me.

 

It was common in those days for families to sleep together, not only for warmth, but also because of a lack of space. The typical one dwelling would contain one large mat on which the entire family, usually along with a few far animals.  My children are packed about me in bed. Do you remember those maddening occasions when you're trying to get your baby to sleep? You would sing and hum and rock for an hour. And finally, when the little thing falls asleep, the doorbell rings.

 

But the barely sleeping baby doesn't dissuade the midnight caller. He bangs on the door and keeps banging until lights come on in the neighbors houses and dogs start barking.

 

Daring and boldness, all the intercessors of the Bible had these qualities.

 

Listen to Abraham as he intercedes for godless Sodom:

 

Genesis 18:23-25 (KJV) 23 And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked? 24 Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein? 25 That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?

 

Every time I read that, I have an urge to remind Abraham who he’s talking to.  That’s daring praying.

 

Moses was another bold intercessor.  A drama is unfolding in Exodus 32.  While Moses has been with God on the mountain, the people have gone wild.  They have forgotten the Lord who saved them and have bowed down to worship a god made with their own hands, a golden calf.

 

When the people rose up to play, God rose up to judge.

 

Exodus 32:7 (KJV) And the LORD said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves.

 

His patience is exhausted; He is through with them.  Finished. End of story.

 

Exodus 32:10 (KJV) Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation.

 

But Moses intercedes for them.  Exodus 32:12 (KJV) Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, and say, For mischief did he bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people. Notice that God calls them Moses’ people, but Moses calls them God’s people.

 

Moses makes two bold statements.  First, he tells God that destroying His own people will ruin His reputation; the Egyptians will mock and say that God delivered them from Egypt so He could kill them in the mountains.

 

Second, if God does this, He will be breaking His promise and violating His own Word. Exodus 32:13 (KJV) Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou swarest by thine own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever.

 

The result? Exodus 32:14 (KJV) And the LORD repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.

 

Think of it…one man wielding the weapon of intercession saved an entire nation.

 

Intercession is stubborn praying.

 

The most critical part of the story in Luke 11 is Luke 11:8 (KJV) I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.

 

Evidently, Jesus considered stubbornness in praying an advantage because He emphasized it again in the parable of the widow and unjust judge.

 

The judge, with no fear of God and no regard for man, refused to aid a widow who came to him seeking justice.  How could anyone refuse to help a widow?  That’s the point.

 

Although there was no pity in the judge, there was importunity in the widow.  The judge said to himself, Luke 18:4-5 (KJV) 4 …Though I fear not God, nor regard man; 5 Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.

 

“Though” is emphasized in the Greek text.  It is the critical part of the story.  It is the widow’s continual coming, not a change of heart in the judge, that persuades him.

 

Now listen to Jesus’ application of the story: Luke 18:6-8 (KJV) 6 And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. 7 And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? 8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?

 

If an unjust judge will surrender to the persistent pleading of a widow, how much more will God honor the persistence of His people.

 

Do you recall the Old Testament story about Jacob wrestling with an angel?  Something about that has always bothered me.  This is an angel that Jacob is fighting, an angel who wants to get away, but Jacob won’t let him.  “Let me go,” the angel says.

 

And Jacob replies, “I will not let you go until you bless me.”

 

Now here’s what bothers me.  Have you ever seen an angel who couldn’t break away from a mere human if he really wanted to? Do you believe Jacob was so strong he could pin down an angel?  That fight was fixed.  I believe the angel was saying, “Let me go, but under his breath he was whispering, “but I hope you don’t. Hang on a little longer and you’ll get the blessing.”

 

I wonder how many times we have stopped short of the blessing?  Would Sodom have been saved if Abraham had not stopped at ten?  Could our church, our towns, our country see a spiritual awakening if we pray like Jacob.  “I will not let you go until you bless me?”

 

Intercession is desperate praying.

 

A cry of desperation sounds throughout this parable.  It would have been easy to convince a more practical host to wait for a more practical hour to go banging on the neighbor’s door.  Unconcern always finds an excuse, deep concern always finds a way.  Only desperate people take desperate actions and prevail.

 

Our inescapable responsibility

 

The problem is that the situation is desperate but we are not. We should be.  Our inescapable responsibility should make us desperate.

 

“A friend of mine has come to me on his journey.”  He has come to me.  Not my neighbor, not my pastor, but me.

 

There are people who, in their journey have come to us.  They live next door, they sit behind us at school, they work in the same office as us and we are the only Christians they meet.  They are our inescapable responsibility.

 

Do you think you just lucked into that particular house on that particular street? Could it be that God wanted a harvest there and you are the seed He planted?  Think about it.

 

You may say your company transferred you to this area and that is the only reason you are here.  Perhaps it is more than that. Perhaps your company is the instrument God used to disburse you.

 

Maybe God planted you where you are because He knew that a friend on his journey would pass your way, and maybe God wants you to identify with his need and in Jesus’ Name meet that need.  This person is your inescapable responsibility.

 

Our inadequate resources

 

Our inadequate resources should make us desperate.  Listen to the plaintive words of the host, “I have nothing to set before him.”  His words echo our own desperation in the face of life and death responsibilities God places within our borders.

 

Lord, my neighbor is lost and dying of cancer and I have nothing to set before him.

 

Lord, I have a teenage daughter facing severe temptation and I have nothing to set before her.

 

Lord, the man I work with…his home is breaking up and I have nothing to set before him.

 

Who is sufficient for these things?  No one…and that should drive us to the throne of grace “that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

 

If the church does not learn to knock boldly at the Father’s door, our magnificent sanctuaries will become empty breadboxes, and starving travelers, finding no bread at our doors, will turn away with empty stomachs and aching belly’s.

 

If a man gets hungry he will eat break from a garbage can.  If he walks away from church, the devil will be there ready to give him plenty of garbage can bread.

 

God’s inevitable reward

 

Which leads us to the final point in our parable. God’s inevitable reward.  Luke 11:8 (KJV) …he will rise and give him as many as he needeth. Did he get three loaves?  I don’t know, but he got as many as he needed.  No one goes away from the Father empty handed.  The promise of Christ is:

 

Matthew 7:11 (KJV) If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

 

We enter the place of intercession with our much need and leave with His much more.

 

There is only one place to get bread…from the Father.  There is only one way to get it…by asking.

 

Intercession Part 1

Prayer Changes Things-And Us

Ezekiel 22:30 (KJV) And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.

God has always sought intercessors, someone to stand in the gap before him for the sake of the land, and has a hard time finding them. In Ezekiel’s day, God looked for a man to stand in the breach that sin had made between God and Israel. He found no one. Isaiah tells us that God looked for a man, but found no one and" wondered that there was no intercessor."

Isaiah 59:16 (KJV) And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor…

John 14:12-13 (KJV) 12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. 13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

Notice that verse 13 starts with, “And.”  Never take as a complete text any verse that starts with “and” because it isn’t complete.

Instead of stopping at verse 12, we should move right into verse 13.  The greater works of verse 12 are accomplished by the praying of verse 13.  Verse 13 becomes a model verse.

The most significant phrase in that verse is “whatsoever ye shall ask in my name.” In the “upper room” chapters Jesus uses these words several times:

John 14:13 (KJV) And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

John 14:14 (KJV) If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.

John 15:16 (KJV) Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

John 16:23 (KJV) And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.

John 16:24 (KJV) Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.

John 16:26 (KJV) At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you.

With these words, in my name, Jesus signals a new stage in his redemptive work in a new dimension in his relationship with his disciples. He had promised them they would do greater works because I go to my father. Until he ascended to his father, his redemptive work was incomplete; only when he had sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high would the promise be realized. Having by himself made purification for sins, he is become the mediator, the executor of his own testament. He has taken up the reins of authority.

He sat down, a work completed and work commenced. The work of the cross, his pain, suffering and sacrifice finished. The work of the throne, intercession and mediation begun. It is through Jesus that men now come to God. No longer in the name of sacrifices, but in the name of the Sacrifice. No longer through the mediation of earthly priests, but now through our great high priest who has entered into heaven, there to appear in the presence of God for us.

To make up for his physical absence, Jesus promised the disciples three things:

1).​His Peace— John 14:27 (KJV) Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

2).​The Paraclete – John 14:16 (KJV) And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever.

3).​Prayer in His Name – John 16:23-24 (KJV) 23 And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. 24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.

To pray or to act in the name of Jesus means that we do so by His authority and with His approval. It also means that what we pray for and what we do is consistent with His character and is expressed in His name.

To pray in the name of Jesus, is to pray according to His will, with His approval, consistent with His nature, character and purpose. Therefore, it is as though Jesus Himself were making the request. That is our authority. The Father makes good the word of His Son.

At this point we could raise some difficult questions, questions like: Does God change His mind? Does prayer change God's plans? Is God's will a decree or a desire? Or both? Or neither? I'm disinclined to chase after answers to questions like that lest we bog down in speculation and never get around to praying.

Whatever our answers to these or any other questions, they must:

1).​Leave God's sovereignty intact.

2).​Leave us where we still have to trust Him. God speaks to us in a language we can understand, and God’s word to us is, He responds to our prayers. That's the way He said it and that's the way He intended us to take it.

If we wait until we understand everything about prayer, we will never pray. Vance Havner used to say, “I don't understand all about electricity, but I'm not going to sit in the dark till I do.” We don't have to understand prayer in order to pray.

The important thing is to pray. How important? Only this: there are some things God will do if we ask Him that He will not do if we do not ask Him. We carelessly say," well, whatever happens is God's will. If God wants me to have this, I will get it. If it was meant to be, it will be." That is only partially true. The words of Jesus," if you ask, I will do," carry the obvious implication that if we do not ask, Jesus will not act. James says it plainly enough: James 4:2 (KJV) …Ye have not, because ye ask not.

Praying in the name of Jesus is one of the three qualifiers of all prayer. Every petition is formed within the context of three provisions:

1).​The Will of God

2).​The Name of Jesus

3).​The Glory of God

Nothing done in the name of Jesus would be contrary to God's will or inconsistent with His glory. So it is correct to say that praying in the name of Jesus is done only when what I ask for is according to His will, and when the answer will bring glory to God.

When my motive for asking is the same as His for answering, I'm on praying ground. When I want what He wants, when we both want the same thing, we are in business.

I think God delights in prayer because when He does something by answering, there is no doubt who has done it. When God works in obvious answer to prayer, He gets both the credit and the glory.

We are nevermore like Christ than when we are praying for others.  Intercession is laying down our life for our friend; it is bearing one another’s burden; it is sharing in the sufferings of Christ.  The work of redemption, is the work of intercession.  Jesus is interceding, the Holy Spirit is interceding, we are to intercede.  Paul closes his passage on spiritual warfare with a plea for intercessory prayer:

Ephesians 6:18-19 (KJV) 18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; 19 And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel.

God has made us a royal priesthood with the privilege and the responsibility to pray for one another, which ought to drive us to ask, as did the disciples, “Lord, teach us to pray.”

Jesus did and we will look at what He taught next time.

Mother's Day 2014

Four ways, that each of us can be the child of a happy mother. May I say that, if you're the child of a happy mother, then you're going to be the happy child of a happy mother? So, be good to yourself, and honor your mother. 

I. Honor Your Parents through the Life that You Live

II. Honor Your Parents through the Load that You Lift

III. Honor Your Parents through the Lessons that You Learn

Now, this is one of my favorite Mother's Day things, and I want to share it with you. The title of this little article is called "The Meanest Mother": "I had the meanest mother in the whole world. While other kids ate candy for breakfast, I had to have cereal, eggs, or toast. When others had cokes and candy for lunch, I had to eat a sandwich. As you can guess, my supper was different than the other kids', also. But, at least, I wasn't alone in my sufferings. My sister and two brothers had the same mean mother as I did. My mother insisted upon knowing where we were at all times; you'd think we were on a chain gang. She had to know who our friends were and where we were going. She insisted, if we said we'd be gone an hour, that we be gone one hour or less—not one hour and one minute. I am nearly ashamed to admit it, but she actually struck us. Not once, but each time that we had a mind of our own and did as we pleased. That poor belt was used more on our seats than it was to hold up Daddy's pants. Can you imagine someone actually hitting a child just because he disobeyed? Now, you can begin to see how mean she really was. We had to wear clean clothes and take a bath. The other kids always wore their clothes for days. We reached the height of insults, because she made our clothes herself—just to save money. Why, oh why, did we have to have a mother who made us feel different from our friends? The worst is yet to come. We had to be in bed by nine each night and up at eight the next morning. We couldn't sleep till noon like our friends. So, while they slept, my mother actually had the nerve to break the child labor law; she made us work. We had to wash dishes, make beds, learn to cook, and all sorts of cruel things. I believe that she lay awake at night, thinking up mean things to do to us. She always insisted upon us telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, even if it killed us—and it nearly did. By the time we were teenagers, she was much wiser, and our life became even more unbearable. None of this tooting the horn of a car for us to come running. She embarrassed us to no end by making our dates and friends come to the door to get us. If I spent the night with a girlfriend—can you imagine—she checked on me to see if I was really there. I never had the chance to elope to Mexico; that is, if I'd had a boyfriend to elope with. I forgot to mention that while my friends were dating at the mature ages of 12 and 13, my old-fashioned mother refused to let me date until the ages of 15 or 16-15, that is, if you dated only to go to a school function. And, that was maybe twice a year. Through the years, things didn't improve a bit. We could not lie in bed "sick," like our friends did, and miss school. If our friends had a toe-ache, a hangnail, or a serious ailment, they could stay home from school. Our marks in school had to be up to par.

Our friends' report cards had beautiful colors on them—black for passing, red for failing. My mother, being as different as she was, would settle for nothing less than ugly black marks. As the years rolled by, first one and then the other of us were put to shame. We were graduated from high school. With our mother behind us, talking, hitting, and demanding respect, none of us was allowed the pleasure of being a dropout. My mother was a complete failure as a mother. Out of four children, a couple of us attained some higher education. None of us have ever been arrested, divorced, or has beaten his mate. Each of my brothers served his time in the service of this country. And, whom do we have to blame for the terrible way we turned out? You're right—our mean mother. Look at the things we missed. We never got to march in a protest parade, nor to take part in a riot, burn draft cards, nor a million-and-one other things that our friends did. She forced us to grow up into God-fearing, educated, honest adults. Using this as a background, I am trying to raise my three children. I stand a little taller, and I am filled with pride when my children call me "mean." Because, you see, I thank God. He gave me the meanest mother in the whole world."

IV. Honor Your Parents through the Love that You Lavish

Blood Moons Part 4

Scripture is our ultimate authority on any subject.  What does the Scriptures say about Blood Moons?

Joel 2:30-31 (KJV) 30  And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. 31  The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.

Great locust plague was for them the Day of the Lord.  Joel goes beyond that to talk about a greater army that is going to come into the land of Israel during the end times.  He uses this locust plague as a picture of a future Day of the Lord which will culminate at Armageddon.

Notice that at the same time the moon is turned into blood there is going to be blood, fire, and pillars of smoke.  I have not heard those that hold to the blood moon prophecy explain when that will take place. 

The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood.  But if the sun is dark you cannot have a lunar eclipse.  Part of the eclipse is that the light of the sun is being blocked out by the earth. 

We believe that the Day of the Lord is the coming Tribulation period.  The whole Tribulation period is called the Day of the Lord but notice it says here the “terrible” or “Awesome”  Day of the Lord and if you wanted to pick one day as set apart from the rest it would be THE day of the Second Coming Of Jesus Christ.  The moon is going to turn into blood and the sun is not going to give its light at the time of the Second Coming of Jesus. 

Joel 2:10 (KJV) ¹⁰  The earth shall quake before them; the heavens shall tremble: the sun and the moon shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their shining.  This passage is talking about the coming war of Armageddon. 

Joel 3:15 (KJV) ¹⁵  The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining.  You see the same thing.  The first right before it says: Joel 3:14 (KJV) ¹⁴  Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision. We know this is talking about Armageddon because the book of Revelation quotes this passage from Joel. 

So the setting is the Second Coming of Jesus.  2014 and 2015 cannot be the second coming of Jesus because the Second Coming is going to come after the seven year Tribulation takes place. We are not even in the Tribulation yet. 

Matthew 24:29-31 (KJV) 29  Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: 30  And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31  And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

There are several problems with using Matthew 24: 29 to support the blood moons prophecy related to 2014– 2015. First, Matthew 24: 29 appears to say that the sun being darkened and the moon not giving its light will happen at the same time. This makes sense since the moon merely reflects the light of the sun —if the sun is darkened, the moon won’t give its light. If this view is correct, then this cannot refer to the blood moons in 2014– 2015. None of these blood moons will occur at the same time as the darkening of the sun or a solar eclipse. A solar eclipse will occur on March 20, 2015, but this will not happen at the same time as any of the four blood moons.

Second, I believe the sun being darkened and the moon not giving its light in Matthew 24: 29 is a supernatural occurrence, not a predictable solar and lunar eclipse. God will darken the sun and the moon as a supernatural sign of His Son’s return.

Third, and most significantly, notice the timing of these heavenly signs. They occur “immediately after the tribulation of those days” (Matthew 24: 29). These signs occur at the end of the coming seven-year time of Tribulation. The years 2014– 2015 cannot be the time frame this passage is talking about because, we are not yet in the Tribulation. The entire seven-year Tribulation period must occur before Christ can return to earth in glory.

Fourth, Matthew 24: 29 says that at the same time the sun is darkened and the moon does not give its light, “THE STARS WILL FALL from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.” Those who hold to the four blood moons prophecy never explain clearly, that I’m aware of, how the stars falling and the shaking of the heavens relate to 2014– 2015.

Luke 21:25-28 (KJV) 25  And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; 26  Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. 27  And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28  And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.

The heavenly portents Jesus predicted will happen at the end of the time of Tribulation as immediate precursors of Christ’s return. Once again, since the time of Tribulation has not started yet, and it will last for seven years, nothing in 2014– 2015 can be the fulfillment of Jesus’ prophecy.

Acts 2:19-20 (KJV) 19  And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: 20  The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come.

This passage quotes Joel 2.  This is looking at the great and notable day.  When will there be this other signs in 2014-2015.

Revelation 6:12-14 (KJV) 12  And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; 13  And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. 14  And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.

The timing of this passage is the Great Tribulation. The moon turning to blood is just one of six cosmic signs.

You have to look at these passages in light of their context.