This article is to give some insight as to what I have come to see and understand concerning the “fear of The LORD”  and how we, as God’s people, must begin to live in it and by it.

There are many scriptures that use the phrase “fear of the LORD.” I will use only a few of them. At this time I am not trying to do a complete study of the subject.

• Job 28:28 And to man He said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to depart from evil is understanding.”
• Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction.

 If someone asked if you want to be wise and have knowledge in your life most, if not all, would say certainly. We see here in at least two verses that to have wisdom you must operate in the fear of the LORD.

• Deuteronomy 31:12 Gather the people together, men, and women, and children, and thy stranger that is within thy gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear the LORD your God, and observe to do all the words of this law
• Psalms 34:11 Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD.

 In the above two scriptures we see that the “fear of the LORD” is learned. If the “fear of the LORD” is learned behavior how do I learn it?

We see in these two verses that you have to hear and listen. Now I think that the hearing and listening is done on purpose. It is not just letting sound go in our head, but on purpose hearing and listening to what our Father God is saying.

If I am wise I will choose on purpose to hear and listen. Look at these verses:

• Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction.
• Proverbs 1:29 Because they hated knowledge And did not choose the fear of the LORD, ³⁰They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof. ³¹Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.
• Proverbs 8:13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverse mouth I hate

If I don’t like what I am experiencing as far as how my life is going I may not have heard and listened to the counsel of the LORD.

Once again I will say hearing and listening is not just letting sound go in our head but on purpose hearing and listening to what our Father God is saying and then prove I heard and listened by doing what HE said. 

Next I want to give you a definition of the “fear of the LORD.” I believe that the “fear of the LORD” is manifested in our lives in the following ways:

• I love God greatly.
• I respect God greatly.
• I hate what HE hates.
• I love what HE loves.

 If I love God and if I respect God I will begin to imitate HIM in

1. my thoughts
2. my words
3. my deeds
4. my attitudes and
5. what I allow to motivate me.

I could say it this way:  I will begin to, on purpose, take on HIS nature and character. Now I realize that the preliminary step to all of this is the new birth. However, being born again is not necessarily proof that you are walking or living in the fear of the LORD. I will deal with this a little later

First I must find what God Himself says about His nature and character if I want to imitate HIM. If we go to the Old Testament we will find a clear description given by the LORD Himself of:

1. who He is
2. what HE is like
3.  what HE does and
4. why HE does it or
5. what His character and nature is.

 Moses was talking to the LORD and said:

Exodus 33:18 And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory. To say that in our terms he asked the LORD what HE was like, what HE did and why HE did it.

The LORD said back to Moses:

Exodus 33:19 And he said, “I will make all the light of my being come before you, and will make clear to you what I am;”—Bible in Basic English

Then the LORD enlarged on this in:

Exodus 34:6 And the LORD passed before him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, ⁷“keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin,

From these verses the LORD Himself tells us that HE is “merciful (Hebrew, compassionate), gracious (full of grace), longsuffering (slow to anger), full of goodness and truth, keeping mercy (Hebrew, lovingkindness, covenant keeping) and one who forgives.

Our statement that we are to imitate Him if we love and respect HIM is valid because we see Jesus Himself doing this.

• John 5:19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.
  
• John 5:30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.
• John 8:26 I have many things to say and to judge of you: but he that sent me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of (from) him.
  
• John 8:29 And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.

In these four verses we see Jesus, in effect, saying:

I only do what I see my Father do and say what I hear my Father say.

He loves and respects His Father so much that He imitates Him in all that He does.  We have instructions from the Apostle Paul as follows:

• 1Corinthians 11:1 Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.
• Ephesians 5:1 Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. ²And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.

 So, clearly, if we will set our hearts to learn the Word, Will and Way of our Father imitating Him in our everyday life, we will be living in the “fear of the LORD.”

Apostle Paul gives us further instructions:

Ephesians 4:21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: ²² that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, ²³ and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, ²⁴ and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.

No longer allow the old Adamic nature to rule your life “PUT OFF” the old man. He says “PUT ON” 

1. The new man
2. The new creation
3. The hidden man of the heart

 On purpose begin to imitate Jesus and act on the Word of God. Let His love and His very nature and character be made manifest in your life by presenting to HIM your body for HIM to live HIS life through. 

Now to go back and deal with the statement I made earlier:  ”being born again is not necessarily proof that you are walking or living in the fear of the LORD.”

We see evidence of this in the scripture when Paul told the Romans: 

Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. ²And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

If the Romans were really loving God, respecting God and imitating Him then Paul would not have told them to “be not conformed to this world.” Obviously they were being conformed to this world or not imitating God because they were not living in the “fear of the LORD.”

We see a similar situation in:

Ephesians 4:17  This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, ¹⁸ Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:

The Ephesians were walking as other Gentiles (unbelievers), so Paul is instructed them to live as those who are born again and imitate God. He even says in:

Ephesians 5:1 Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. ² And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.

He is telling them to “imitate Christ” who 

• loved HIS Father
• respected HIS Father and
• presented HIS body

 to HIS Father as a sacrifice that was “a sweet-smelling aroma” to HIS Father.

Joshua 6:1 Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in.  ²And the LORD said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour. ³And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days.

Here we read that the LORD told Joshua to “See” that He (God) had already given the city to Joshua.

The LORD was telling him to see it as a done deal, that the battle was already won.

The fact is that this is the way it was as far as God was concerned. But it was Joshua and Israel that had to get their seeing in line with what the LORD had already said and done. They had only to act on the word of God or obey.

They had been in this type of circumstance before in Numbers 13. Let’s read and learn.

Numbers 13:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

²Send thou men, that they may search the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel: of every tribe of their fathers shall ye send a man, everyone a ruler among them.

Here the LORD is saying that HE had already given the land to them. Their responsibility was to walk through the land to see the goodness of the land and to see that it was already theirs.

The problem here, though, was that they did walk through the land and did see the goodness of the land but they did not see it as given to them and being theirs. What they did see, observe and speak of were the problems and not the promises of the LORD.

They allowed their imagination to work against them instead of for them.

When we see what the LORD is saying or use our imagination to see the process through, and then act on the word in whatever way is needed, then we get the fruit of the promise in our lives.

The ten spies allowed their imaginations of the walled cities and the giants to overrule and to override the power of the promises of the LORD.

Where we set our imaginations and what imaginations we act on is what we are going to receive.

This is why the Psalmist prayed the following:

Psalms 19:14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.

The ten spies came back with an evil report: The walled cities are more than we can conquer and an even worse meditation; they saw themselves as grasshoppers.

It is important that we make our words the words of the LORD or be quiet. Then see to it that our meditations are on the promise and not the problem.

Your words, meditations and actions affect not only you but those around you; even the generations to come.

The result of the words and the meditations of the ten spies was another thirty eight years in the wilderness for the rest of the nation; most of whom never saw the Promised Land but died in the wilderness.

Let’s go back to Joshua and Israel at Jericho.

The LORD gave instructions on what to do so as to take what HE said was already theirs.

Joshua 6:3 And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days. ⁴And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams’ horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the seven priests shall blow with the trumpets.

If you read Joshua 6:1-11 we find that there were armed men going before the priests with the ark and blowing trumpets. Then there were armed men following behind the priests. The armed men and the people were to remain silent; they were not to speak at all until Joshua told them to.

For six days they marched around the city once each day in the prescribed procession totally silent except for the seven priests blowing the trumpet.

Then on the seventh day this was the scene:

Joshua 6:15 And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they rose early about the dawning of the day, and compassed the city after the same manner seven times: only on that day they compassed the city seven times. ¹⁶ And it came to pass at the seventh time, when the priests blew with the trumpets, Joshua said unto the people, Shout: for the LORD hath given you the city.

For six days they walked around the city looking at the walls, but being quiet. By not talking they had opportunity to meditate on what it was that they saw: a walled city too big for them. Or they could meditate on what the LORD had said.

The sound of the trumpets, the ram’s horn, was for them the voice of the LORD, saying “I have given you the city.” For six days this is all that was heard. For six days they meditated on this sound of the LORD going before them.

When the seventh day came they marched to the sound of the trumpets, the voice of the LORD, for seven times around the city. This time Israel did obey the word of the LORD and received the promise. Jericho was taken.

Their words and their meditations were pleasing in the sight of the LORD. Ours can be as well.

When we meditate on what the LORD has said and obey HIS voice, we, like Israel at Jericho, will win the battle and occupy the Land of Promise

Matthew 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me

Vs 25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

Luke 14:26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.

Vs 27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

Vs 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Many want to be saved; to have Jesus as Savior, but have yet to receive Him as LORD or King.

They are saved, born again, but have not yet come under His Lordship. Another way to say this would be that they have not yet “denied themselves, taken up the cross and followed HIM.”

They are still king over their kingdom; they have not yet abandoned the throne of their lives to Him.

They have yet to “present their bodies a living sacrifice” to the LORD so that their minds can be renewed and they become transformed by this change of mindset or renewing of the mind.

Let’s listen to a great Brother in the LORD and see what he has to say about this!

December 9 – Oswald Chambers

(My Utmost for His Highest)

“And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh

with the affections and lusts.” Galatians 5:24

The natural life is not sinful; we must be apostatized from sin, have nothing to do with sin in any shape or form. Sin belongs to hell and the devil; I, as a child of God, belong to heaven and God. It is not a question of giving up sin, but of giving up my right to myself, my natural independence and self-assertiveness, and this is where the battle has to be fought.

It is the things that are right and noble and good from the natural stand point that keep us back from God’s best. To discern that natural virtues antagonize surrender to God, is to bring our soul into the centre of its greatest battle. Very few of us debate with the sordid and evil and wrong, but we do debate with the good. It is the good that hates the best, and the higher up you get in the scale of the natural virtues, the more intense is the opposition to Jesus Christ. “They that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh” – it is going to cost the natural in you everything, not something.

Jesus said – “If any man will be My disciple, let him deny himself,” i.e., his right to himself, and a man has to realize Who Jesus Christ is before he will do it. Beware of refusing to go to the funeral of your own independence.

The natural life is not spiritual, and it can only be made spiritual by sacrifice. If we do not resolutely sacrifice the natural, the supernatural can never become natural in us. There is no royal road there; each of us has it entirely in his own hands. It is not a question of praying, but of performing.”

December 10 – Oswald Chambers

For it is written that Abraham had two sons,one by the slave woman and one by the free woman; Galatians 4:22

Paul is not dealing with sin in this chapter of Galatians, but with the relation of the natural to the spiritual. The natural must be turned into the spiritual by sacrifice, otherwise a tremendous divorce will be produced in the actual life.

Why should God ordain the natural to be sacrificed?

God did not. It is not God’s order, but His permissive will. God’s order was that the natural should be transformed into the spiritual by obedience; it is sin that made it necessary for the natural to be sacrificed. 

Abraham had to offer up Ishmael before he offered up Isaac. Some of us are trying to offer up spiritual sacrifices to God before we have sacrificed the natural. The only way in which we can offer a spiritual sacrifice to God is by presenting our bodies a living sacrifice.

Sanctification means more than deliverance from sin. It means the deliberate commitment of myself whom God has saved to God, and that I do not care what it costs.  If we do not sacrifice the natural to the spiritual, the natural life will mock at the life of the Son of God in us and produce a continual swither.

This is always the result of an undisciplined spiritual nature. We go wrong because we stubbornly refuse to discipline ourselves, physically, morally or mentally. “I wasn’t disciplined when I was a child.”

You must discipline yourself now. If you do not, you will ruin the whole of your personal life for God.  God is not with our natural life while we pamper it; but when we put it out in the desert and resolutely keep it under, then God will be with it; and He will open up wells and oases, and fulfill all His promises for the natural. “     

This thing of

•  
  • taking up your cross
  • denying yourself
  • presenting your body to the Lord as a living sacrifice

 is not to be saved but to manifest the Kingdom of God in our lives in this earth today as it is in heaven.

2 Corinthians 4:10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.

In the following three verses if we look at the words in bold type we see what Moses asked the LORD to show him.

• Exodus 34:5 And the LORD descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD.
• Vs 6 And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,
• Vs 7 Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.

 Moses asked the LORD to show him HIS Glory. The LORD passed before Moses and declared HIS name, HIS nature and character,

•  who HE is,
•  what HE is like,
•  what HE does and
•  why HE does it.

 Now we come to those of us who have received Jesus as LORD and we hear the Apostle Peter say:

•  2 Peter 1:2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
•  Vs 3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
•  Vs 4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

We have received Jesus as LORD but have also received all things that pertain to life and godliness.

We have received all that it takes to live in this earth in a way that demonstrates the abundant life and the godliness of our Father. We have HIS DNA in us but we have not fully seen how it is to be brought to the forefront of our lives.

We truly are partakers of HIS divine nature; our problems come in demonstrating that in our daily lives.

2Corinthian 3:18 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.

2Corinthian 4:6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the “glory of God” in the face of Jesus Christ.

 Just as God Almighty created the heavens and the earth and said, “let there be Light” or caused “Light to shine out of darkness” so has HE done this in our lives when we received Jesus as LORD and were born again.

When we look into the written word which is the “mirror” we should see that the LORD has shone in our hearts to allow us to see the glory of God in ourselves.

If we don’t believe it and see it why should anyone else?

What is this Glory? It is what we read in Ex.34:6-7; HIS DNA, his nature and character.

It is in us in seed form and has to grow and become all that Father intends to be in our lives.

John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

We have believed and received but now we must become. The seed of the Word is us but we must allow what is in us to be worked out in our daily lives.

Colossians 1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

We have the hope of glory in us. Not just the hope of going to heaven but the hope of our Fathers DNA being worked out in our daily lives; demonstrated in our words, deeds, attitudes and what we allow to motivate us.

What we need to understand now is:

What is it that will bring about a release of this “glory” or the DNA, the nature of our Father in us?

Could it be holding fast during the trials, the enduring of tribulations with the sure knowledge that HE is conforming us to the Image of Christ?

• 2Corinthian 4:17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,
• Vs 18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

 If what Apostle Paul says in the above verses means anything then I believe that in the pressures of life, the problems and circumstances that we find ourselves in, are what the LORD works in to bring about the conforming of our lives to the image of Jesus.

He is also saying to us to not focus on what we see or feel is the pressure or the problem. The pressures are a temporary thing; it is seen or felt. What we should focus on is that which is eternal and unseen; the DNA; the nature and character of our Father and HIS glory that is in us but not seen yet.

Through the tests, trials and troubles HIS glory comes forth in our lives as Light.

Romans 8:29 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.

FATHER is intent on having many sons and they are all to be conformed to the image of the First-Born.

Hebrews 2:10  For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

• Hebrews 5:7 who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear,
• Vs 8 though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered.
• Vs 9 And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him,

If we will, with an open heart, read the above verses in the epistle to the Hebrews we see that our LORD, HIMSELF was made perfect (complete or mature) by the things that he suffered.

Let’s look at the word suffer to see the full meaning of it according to Strong’s Concordance:

Strong’s #3804, path’-ay-mah ; something undergone, i.e. hardship or pain; subjectively, an emotion or influence:– affection, affliction, motion, suffering.

The suffering is not sickness or having a broken leg. It is the circumstances of life in a fallen world; the pressures, disappointments, problems, misuse or hurts that we face and endure.

If Jesus was made complete and learned obedience through the things that HE suffered then why would we think that the divine nature of our Father could be worked out in us in any other way?

Is the scripture telling us that Jesus was not obedient or that HE was not the mature Son of God?

I think that the answer is this:

The Eternal Son who came from heaven into the womb of Mary was perfect; mature in HIS Divine nature. When HE came into a body which HE had never had before HIS body had to learn obedience; HIS body had to be made mature or complete by being exposed to the tests, trials and troubles of this present evil world.

These were some things that HE had never faced before.

Hebrews 10:5 Therefore, when He came into the world, He said: “Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, But a body You have prepared for Me.

Psalms 40:8 I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.

If Jesus was matured or brought to completion through suffering how much more would it be that way with us.

• Romans 8:16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
• Vs 17 and if children, then heirs–heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.
• Vs 18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

The suffering is not about going to heaven.  It is about becoming in this present evil world; in this time a son conformed to the image of our LORD.

The glory revealed in us is the nature and character of our Father. It is being like HIM in the circumstance and situations that we find ourselves in.

Jesus, along with Apostles Paul and Peter, did tell them (and us) that we would suffer tribulation:

John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

• 2Corinthian 1:5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ. 
• Vs 6 Now if we are afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effective for enduring the same sufferings which we also suffer. Or if we are comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.
• Vs 7 ¶ And our hope for you is steadfast, because we know that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so also you will partake of the consolation, so our consolation also abounds through Christ.

o 1Thessalonian 3:3 that no one should be shaken by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we are appointed to this.

o Vs 4 For, in fact, we told you before when we were with you that we would suffer tribulation, just as it happened, and you know.

Acts 14:22 strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, “We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God

• Romans 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
• Vs 17 ¶ And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

 2Corinthians 6:4 But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God: in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses,

• 2Thessalonian 1:3 We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other,
• Vs 4 so that we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure,
• Vs 5 ¶ which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer;

 2Timothy 2:12 If we endure (suffer), We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us.

 2Timothy 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

 1Peter 2:21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps

 1Peter 4:1 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;

• 1Peter 4:12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
• Vs 13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

1Peter 5:10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

The bottom line is that the LORD will make us perfect (mature complete), establish us, strengthen us and settle us in HIS image that we might cause men to see God in our lives.

The verse and explanation that follows will help us to understand what the suffering is all about and why.

Hebrews 12:14 Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord:

We have been told that verse means if we are not holy we will not see the LORD or go to heaven.

The above statement is a religious interpretation of the verse.

Let’s look at it this way and see if maybe it would fit. If we are conformed to the image of our Father so that HIS holiness or godliness is manifested in our life, then men can see God.

The natural man cannot see God.  He can see what HE does in me and in you.

• Romans 5:3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
• Vs 4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope:

o James 1:2 ¶ My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;

o Vs 3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

o Vs 4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

Now we understand why Apostle Paul, James and Peter could rejoice and glory in tribulations counting it all joy in temptations.

It was because the glory of our Father, HIS DNA, HIS nature and character was being worked into and shining out of their lives.

So it is with us that the suffering of the heat, the enduring of the pressure, the tests and trials of this life are what our FATHER works in to reveal HIS glory in us and through us.

This is what James is speaking of in the following verses. It seems to me that when James speaks of the crown of life that he could be speaking of the Life of God being made manifest in us here and now.

James 1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

Definition of temptation according to Strong’s Concordance:

3986 peirasmos; a putting to proof (by experiment (of good), experience (of evil), discipline or provocation); by implication, adversity:–temptation, X try.

The LORD’s purpose is for us to be conformed to the image of Jesus so that HE might be the first born among many brethren. Why, then, would HE want that to be done in heaven and not here on this earth?

It seems to me that the crown of life is the glory of God being made manifest in the earth today through HIS many sons.

^{John 1:10} He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. ¹¹ He came unto his own, and his own received him not. ¹² But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

Reading the above verses gives us some insight into what the LORD has provided for us when we “believe on” or believe into HIS name. We are according to; ^{1Co 12:13} For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body–whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free–and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.

We are baptized by the Spirit of God into the “Body” of Christ when we believe on HIM.

In this we are born-again and are “babes in Christ” Read the following:

^{1Peter 2:2} As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

^{Galatians 3:26} For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

Let’s think a little more on John 1:12:

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

The Greek word that is translated “become” is a very interesting word. While we know that we are becoming “sons of God” getting to that point is not an instantaneous thing, I believe it is a process and it is necessary for us all.

However there is another aspect of the word that could be translated “behave”. We not only are to “become” sons but we are to become full grown sons of God that behave as mature or complete sons.

^{Matthew 5:48} Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

We must understand what the word “perfect” really means “complete” or we will be led off in a wrong direction.

5046. tel’-i-os  complete (in various applications of labor, growth, mental and moral character,; completeness:–of full age, man, perfect.

The word means to be mature or complete. We can get a better understanding of the word from the following:

^{Ephesians 4:11} And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; ¹² For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: ¹³ Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ:

In verse 13 above the word “perfect” is the same word “telios” that we have been dealing with. The LORD is saying that we are to become full grown mature sons and to behave as Jesus did.

Now read the following verses and let’s move a little further into understanding what it means to behave as sons of our Father:

^{2Peter 1:2} Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, ³ According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

 ⁴ Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

There are two main things in these verses that I want us to see:

(1) “his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness.”

We have been given all that we need to live the life that we are called to live in Christ and we have been given all that we need to live a life of “godliness” or to live in this earth being like God or being like our Father. We have HIS DNA in us.

(2) We have been made partakers of HIS “divine nature.”

We can live in HIS kingdom in this earth today with HIS nature and character working in us.

The verses below are a revelation given to Moses of the very nature, character or glory of God.

^{Exodus 34:6} And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, ⁷ Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.

We see that the LORD our Father is:

• merciful (compassionate)
• gracious
• longsuffering (or slow to anger)
• full of goodness and truth
• merciful (loving kindness) and
• He is forgiving.

These are attributes of God that I believe that have been given to us according to what we read in 2Peter 1:2-4 where we are told that we have been given “all things” that pertain to life and godliness and that we have been made a partaker of HIS divine nature.

As we continue this study if we look at what Jesus said in the following verses we will see that HE is telling in these that we are to do these things so that we “behave” as children of our Father in heaven.

^{Matthew 5:38} Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: ³⁹ But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. ⁴⁰ And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also. ⁴¹ And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. ⁴² Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. ⁴³ Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. ⁴⁴ But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; ⁴⁵ “That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven”: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

The instructions that Jesus is giving us here is not for the millennium but is for us here and now in HIS kingdom, which is at hand or in our midst. This is for us now.

^{Romans 5:1}  Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ² through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. ³ And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; ⁴ and perseverance, character; and character, hope. ⁵ Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Because we have received Jesus as LORD we do have peace with God, we do have access to our Father and HIS grace or enabling power. We can expect the Glory of God or HIS DNA, the character and nature of our Father

to be made manifest in our lives.

We as well can rejoice and boast in our LORD in tribulations because we know that in the tribulations the fruit of perseverance is being produced as well as the character of our Father coming forth in our lives.

Now let’s look a few verses in Romans chapter 8;

^{Romans 8:14} For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. ¹⁵ For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” ¹⁶ The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, ¹⁷ and if children, then heirs–heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. ¹⁸ For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. ¹⁹ For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. ²⁰ For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; ²¹ because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

Walking in this earth as sons of God will be accompanied with sufferings that are part and parcel of being a son of God.

^{Hebrews 5:8} Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;

The whole creation is waiting for the sons of God to begin to behave as sons of God. This is not just in doing miracles and demonstrating the power of God, but also in manifesting HIS Agape Love in word, deed, attitudes and what we allow to motivate us.

^{Matthew 7:21}  “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. ²² “Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ ²³ “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

Prophesying, casting out demons and working miracles according to these above verses are not as important as “knowing” HIM. We must be in an intimate relationship and fellowship with the LORD; in other words learning HIS ways and allowing HIM to order our lives, partaking of HIS sufferings so as to be conformed to HIS image. See Romans 8:29

It is not to say that prophesying, casting out demons and working miracles is not part of what the LORD is doing in HIS people today. It seems to me it takes both and there may be priorities that the LORD is dealing with.

Mt 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

 14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

We are told that there are two ways or two paths that we can travel.

One leads to life and the other leads to destruction. What the church world has told us that this is the path to heaven or hell.

In the teachings and messages of Jesus we find that HE came preaching, teaching and demonstrating the “Kingdom of God”.

Mt 9:35 ¶ And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.

He spoke of heaven and hell but heaven and hell was not His message.

Heaven and hell are real places but this is not the message Jesus brought; the message is “seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you”.

Let’s look at this and discover what He was really speaking of.

When Jesus called His disciples He did not talk to them about heaven or hell.

Mt 4:18 ¶ And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.

 19 And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.

 20 And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.

He told them that if they would follow Him He would make them to become something. He would make them to be more than they were.

What were they? They were fishermen and they were sons of the covenant or we could say sons of Abraham.

Joh 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave He power to become sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

They could become sons of God and also fishers of men.

Becoming a son of God is predicated on receiving Him and believing on Him or better said “into Him”.

Becoming a “fisher of men” was predicated on the invitation to “follow me”

I believe the invitation to “follow Him” was the invitation to discipleship not to heaven.

Mt 16:24 ¶ Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

Here in the above verse the LORD is not talking about denying yourself so as to get to go to heaven but to become a disciple and how to become a “fisher of men”.

If He was speaking of heaven then the following verses are not for us today.

Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

The reason being that “denying yourself” is works and it is not by works that we are saved.

If for a moment we look back at the first two verses we can find the understanding of the “Two Ways to Live”.

Mt 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

 14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

I believe that the “strait gate” or “narrow gate” is the “way of discipleship”; this leads to the “life of God” being made manifest in our daily lives. This puts us on the pathway for the purpose of God to be demonstrated in us and through us here in this time.

The “broad way that leads to destruction” is simply not submitting to being discipled. This does not mean that you are not saved but that the purpose, desire and plan of God for our lives here is first hindered and finally destroyed if there are not steps made to be discipled.

The religious system or church culture that we live in does not really promote discipleship.

The following verse shows this; Mt 9:37 Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few.

There is a harvest that is even now plentiful but it is still as Jesus said “the laborers are few”

The Greek word that is translated few does not just mean few in number but also few in degree or extent or “puny”, of little value or of little duration.

I believe that the reason the laborers are puny is because we lead a man to the LORD and then try to make a laborer out of him. I believe that the church has skipped the step of making disciples.

It does not mean that this person is not saved but that he has never been discipled. Being discipled is what qualifies and equips this person.

The church has not heard and obeyed what Jesus said; Mt 28:18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.

 19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

 20 “teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

To be discipled is a process and is not a quick thing; we have been in a hurry to “win the world for Jesus”. We have put mass evangelism before discipleship and have led people down the “broad way that leads to destruction”.

Unless and until we will follow Jesus clear command to preach, teach and demonstrate the kingdom of God and make disciples we will continue in the same insanity that the church has been in for the last fifteen hundred years.

Adam and Eve were clothed with the glory but it was not in them as they had not eaten of the tree of life.

They needed a covering after the fall so the LORD gave them skins’ to cover their nakedness.

This was a picture of the LAMB that was slain for them before the foundation—-Rev. 13:8

We also see that Adam didn’t know the LORD as Father, never called HIM Father.

Lu 3:38 the son of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.

In the gospels 55 times Jesus speaks of HIS Father and about 30 times Jesus refers to the One Who sent ME, so at least 85 times Jesus refers to HIS Father.

I believe that Adam didn’t understand or know that the LORD GOD was his Father and this is the main reason he failed in the garden or why he sinned and missed the mark that was intended.

He did not fellowship with the LORD every evening in the cool of the day as he could have. Gen. 3:8.

We have been told that the LORD came every evening but that is not what the scripture says. It is one of those things that have been said by men but the scripture doesn’t say it.

Would the LORD have fellowshipped with Adam every day? Yes, but the precept is as follows; Jas 4:8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.

Would it not have been the same for Adam?

Because Adam did not know who he was, did not know what he possessed and did not know what he could do in the relationship with the LORD he was destroyed and lost the dominion and the glory that he had been given by God his Father.

Had he fellowshipped with the LORD I believe he could have found out the above things that he did not know!

What you don’t know will hurt you and keep you from possessing what is intended to be yours.

Pr 2:1 ¶ My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;

 2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;

 3 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;

 4 If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;

 5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.

 6 For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.

Pr 4:20 ¶ My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.

 21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.

 22 For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.

These truths have always been so. It would seem “if” Adam had fellowshipped with the LORD every day he would have gained the “fear of the LORD, understanding, knowledge and the life that comes from the Word?

At least it seems this way to me, what do you think?

OUR KINGDOM INHERITANCE

The following is some scripture and some thoughts that I have had concerning these scripture.

The Bible says much about “the inheritance” that we have in Christ. 

It seems to me that the “church world’ has taught that heaven is the inheritance and I would like to look at it a little differently.

So take a little journey with me and let us see what the Word says!

Ac 26:16 But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;

 17 Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,

 18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and “inheritance” among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

Eph 1:11 In whom also we have obtained an “inheritance”, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

Eph 1:18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

Col 1:12 ¶ Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the “inheritance” of the saints in light:

We see from the verses above that we have an inheritance but there may some question as to what the inheritance is. We have mostly had it implied to us that “heaven” is the in heritance but I would like for us to think about it in a little different way.

I believe the “inheritance” is what Adam had in the Garden, that which Almighty God our Father gave to him in the beginning, that which he lost when he disobeyed the Word given to him; “dominion”.

Ge 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

 28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

07287. radah, a primitive root; to tread down, i.e. subjugate; specifically, to crumble off:–(come to, make to) have dominion, prevail against, reign, (bear, make to) rule,(-r, over), take.

The LORD God gave man dominion, made him the king and ruler in the Garden of Eden. This is a manifestation of the kingdom of God on earth. It was Father’s will that Adam rule here, HE gave him the dominion. The problem came that Adam did not seek Fathers righteousness by heeding and obeying the instructions that were given. Neither did he draw near to Father “to find out” that he was God’s son or in other words to obtain his identity.

If he had done: Jas 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you— things would have been different.

Adam lost the dominion or we could say the kingdom after he ate from the “tree of the knowledge of good and evil” but the LORD gave him a covering for his sin.

Ge 3:21 ¶ Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.

Ge 3:22 ¶ And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever:

 23 Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.

 24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.

We can skip forward to Abram and begin to see Father beginning to restore the Kingdom to man.

Ge 17:3 And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying,

 4 ¶ As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations.

 5 Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.

6 And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.

From Abraham on we see the workings of the LORD to restore man to the dominion that was given in the beginning!!!

Then we must remember the promise in— Ge 3:14 ¶ And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:

 15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

The fulfillment of this promise is brought about by the birth, life, ministry, death and resurrection of the LAST ADAM.

Look at what HE said; Mt 6:9 ¶ After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

 10 Thy kingdom (dominion) come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Jesus is speaking about the kingdom being manifested in the earth with man exercising the “dominion” that Adam lost.

Mt 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

Mt 25:34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

Lu 12:32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

932. basileia: properly, royalty, i.e. (abstractly) rule, or (concretely) a realm (literally or figuratively):–kingdom, + reign.  

THE WORD FOR KINGDOM USED IN ABOVE THREE VERSES—KINGDOM IS RESTORED TO MAN IN CHRIST—-       IT IS OUR INHERITANCE from the beginning!!!!   Acts 26:18 Eph. 1:11, 14; Col 1:12; col. 3:24

Ac 26:16 But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;

 17 Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,

 18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me

Eph 1:11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

Col 1:12 ¶ Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:

Col 3:23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;

 24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.

The inheritance is the reward, the restoration of “kingdom dominion” to man in the earth. This is “the will of our Father in heaven” that is restored to man in Christ.

Genesis 22:1-3  And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of. And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him.

The test was not to see if Abraham had faith, he had already proved that several times. (See Genesis 12; 14; 15; 17)

Rather this was about who he loved and trusted! The Lord or what the Lord had given to him.

He did not confer with flesh and blood, Sarah or even Melchizedek. He did not delay and pray to see if he had heard from the Lord he just obeyed.

He loved and trusted this God who had called him. He started on the journey to Moriah without hesitation.

My question is, on this three day journey did Abraham have opportunity to question or doubt?

Was there an opportunity to waver and get into unbelief and disobedience?

The thing that was happening here was momentous. Actually on the same level as Jesus in Gethsemane.

The scripture does not tell us of Abraham questioning or doubting but surely “the enemy” was around to do his work just as he did in Gen. 3 and what happened in Matthew 4.

We could speculate as to what the questions and doubts that Abraham had were and might come up with some good ones. This would give us no further illumination or so it seems to me.

What we do see though is that Abraham did go to Moriah regardless of the doubts or questions that came to him as fiery darts from the wicked one. We can see that he overcame the same way that we do;

1 John 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

Abraham had a word from the LORD:

Genesis 22:2 And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.

Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

It would seem that when Abraham left to go to Moriah that Sarah did not know the full intention that he had because no where is she mentioned in this chapter. Neither Isaac nor the servants knew anything other than;

Genesis 22:5 And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.

Only Abraham and the LORD knew of the full intention of this journey to Moriah.

Sarah had long ago settled in her heart that Abraham was God’s man and she was God’s woman and each had learned to trust the God who was leading the both of them.

Isaac had been with his father Abraham on other occasions to worship and was well acquainted with what was being done.

Genesis 22:7 And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?

What Isaac didn’t know yet was what the LORD had told his father.

It would seem though that Isaac had enough experience to know that the LORD and his father were on speaking terms and he trusted that. Here is why I believe this to be so;

Genesis 22:8-9 And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together. And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood.

Abraham did not have to force Isaac in any way to allow him to bind him. Isaac could have outrun the old man but he submitted to his father. I believe that Isaac heard his father’s voice as the voice of God, he trusted his father fully.

Abraham went to Moriah full of faith, that at the place the LORD had designated, and as the name Moriah states

“seen of Jah” that the LORD would see and that “He would be seen” to move in Abraham’s behalf.

Just as the temptation, test, trial at Gethsemane was important so was the test at Moriah. As Abraham held back

nothing from the LORD neither did Jesus hold back anything from HIS FATHER at Gethsemane.

It could be said that the “journey to Moriah” was a precursor to the “night in Gethsemane.”

The next question is:  do we each have to make the journey to Moriah or to Gethsemane? It would seem so as each of us have to come to the place of abandonment to God.

We, as Abram, have to leave and go to the land that HE will show us:  the kingdom of God.

Jesus told the disciples to “follow me.”  They had something to leave and so do we.

Then there comes the time that the LORD asks for our Isaac. It can be a business, a ministry, a home or whatever our heart may be set on.

Abraham’s heart was set on his son Isaac and to fully follow the LORD it had to be set on the LORD alone.

What is my heart or your heart set on?  Are we willing to go to Moriah and fully set our love on the LORD?

The following is a poem written by Prophetess Jeanie Olinger during the service while this lesson was being taught.

Moriah

You can’t expect

People to understand

When you go to Moriah

And there you stand;

Looking at the sacrifice

With a knife in your hand.

You took the journey

To the top of the hill

You’re standing there ready

For the promise to kill;

Ready to lay it down

And follow His will.

Then God’s provision meets you there

And says, “Just be still.”

Hold on to God tighter

Than the promises He gave;

For there is a ram in the thicket

And God is here to save

Jehovah Shammah!

The Lord is near!

He will provide;

Hold on to Him.  He is here!

Grab hold of God’s faith

And don’t let Him go.

God sees you on the altar

Don’t’ think He doesn’t know –

Don’t think He doesn’t see

A willing heart; full of faith

Because He saw you

Here yesterday.

Trust Him and believe Him

And let go of all you know.

Hold on to Him with all your might!

Trust Him and never let Him go!

© Prophetess Jeanie Olinger – June 1, 2008

4/21/2008

As we continue to journey with Abram in his walk of faith we will look at the events in Genesis 14.

Just to make it short there were what seemed to be five city-states that were in the area of Sodom and Gomorrah. These city-states were each ruled by a king. 

It seems that there were four other kings who banded together to attack the first five kings.

There was a battle in the Valley of Siddim and the four kings defeated the armies of the five kings and then they sacked the cities of the five kings. See Genesis 14:8-12

The four kings also carried off captive the inhabitants of the five cities.

This is where Abram comes in because his nephew Lot and family were among those carried off captive.

We are told in verses 13-14 that Abram was informed of the fate of his nephew. He immediately armed his 318 “trained servants” who were “born in his own house” and pursued them as far as Dan.

We see in verse 15 that Abram did not make a single thrust against the armies of these four kings but he divided his men and attacked at night. It would seem that he attacked them from at least two and maybe three different points at night.

The armies of the four kings were probably having a drunken party and were distracted enough that Abram, with his 318 servants and seemingly some men that he was friendly with, accompanied him in the effort. (See vs. 24)

Genesis 14:16 And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people.

We might at this point question how it was that this man who was not known as a warrior or a general could accomplish this feat of overcoming the armies of four kings with such a small group of soldiers.

Let’s look back a little and we can, I think, find an answer.

Genesis 13:14 ¶ And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: ¹⁵ For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever. ¹⁶ And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered.

I believe Abram was able to accomplish this feat because he fully took to heart what the LORD had said to him. Where Lot lived was part of the land that Abram could see. He believed it belonged to him and to his seed because of what the LORD had said to him.

So he went out to drive out the attackers and in the process rescued Lot and family.

What the LORD said to Abram was no different than what HE said to Adam, that he (Adam) had dominion.

Adam did not use his authority or dominion in the garden. If he had he would have said to the serpent, “Be quiet and leave this garden, it is ours, you have no place or voice here.”

 I believe that Abram heard and believed what Father said and so acted in faith, defeated and drove out the invading kings. I don’t see these kings mentioned as a force again in all of the Old Testament.

 Abram used the authority that the LORD had given him and was in this able to gain a great victory.

 We see in verse 17 that even the king of Sodom took note of the victory that Abram gained by believing the LORD.

Genesis 14:18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. ¹⁹ And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: ²⁰ And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.

This verse is one of the most interesting verses in this chapter. Melchizedek, who is king of Salem (peace), and his name means king of righteousness, came out to eat a covenant meal with Abram. The scripture tells us that Melchizedek was the priest of “God most High. “

It says “the priest of God Most High” there were not any others.

This is interesting to me because in chapter 15 we see the LORD HIMSELF making covenant with Abram.

Melchizedek blessed Abram and called him “possesser of heaven and earth” (See Genesis 14:19)

Now some will say that this is talking about God and I understand why you might think this but let me speak on a little. Look at the following verse and see if you can understand why I think Melchizedek is speaking about Abram.

Romans 4:13 For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.

I know that the scripture says that “the earth is the LORDS and the fullness thereof.” However the LORD, by HIS right of ownership and by the fact that HE created the heavens and the earth, also said the following;

Psalm 8:4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? ⁵ For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. ⁶ Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:

Melchizedek was speaking the mind of the LORD over Abram and reiterating what HE had said to Adam.

Let’s stop here and we will meditate on these things and move on later.