Friday, January 1, 2016

TASTE – TEST – TRUST

Psalm 34:8




“O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.”

Someone has seen in this verse, a challenge to experiment. Well, we do have here the expression of fact that is to be realized in experiences of trust. This verse does set before us the fact that “God is good” in the first part, and in the second part that we are blessed in finding out.

Ps 34:1-7,9 – “I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together. I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed. This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them…O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him.”

We can tell from the context of our text that David knew what he was talking about. He had come to know by experience the “goodness of the Lord.” He was stirred to say, “O magnify the Lord with me.” From this expression, “O,” we sense his being charged with excitement, and coming to us with an inspired urgency that demands our attention. He is saying far more than, ‘Try it, you will like it.’ It seems to be more like, ‘oh, you have to give the Lord the full trial of your complete trust’! When we get a real taste of our God’s great goodness we can’t stop with just one.

It is so very important to insist on sound doctrine. I appreciate that fact more and more all the time. But I also pray, Lord help us avoid an ‘imbalance.’ It seems that we can get so occupied with being accurate, dotting every “I” and crossing every “T,” and becoming so intellectual with the letter of scripture, that we miss the spirit of the message.

I enjoy being analytical with portions of scripture, word studies, looking into the meanings of names and numbers. Yet, I am reminded to never neglect or refuse to realize the great importance of experience, wherein we come to know God’s goodness in heart reality. We sometimes seem prone to try to make doctrine fit our experience, but if we will yield to the Holy Spirit, submit to the Word, walk in the light, not just by feeling or by sight, the Lord in His great goodness will bring our experience into harmony with the rightly divided Word of Truth. What a blessing!

I have heard testimonies of several who said they experienced something real in their heart, and knew with full assurance that it was true, before they actually saw it in the Scripture. Then great joy followed when they found scriptural basis. We realize that God is not to be hindered in the illiteracy nor the intelligence of man in making know His goodness.

WHO WILL TASTE? A man who sat at Jesus’ table once said, “Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God.” Then Jesus answered, “A certain man made a great supper and bade many: And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready. And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have brought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. Now, when the servant reported this, the master of the house told him to go out and bring in the poor, maimed, the halt, and the blind” (Lk. 14:15-21). This and many other scriptures indicate, and illustrate that it is those with a real sense of need who will taste of the rich supply of our God’s great goodness.

Oh, what a rich and enriching, abundant, and satisfying feast God has spread out for mankind, of his immeasurable goodness. It is sad to see so many who choose to refuse, and are making excuse after excuse.

“Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou are that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doeth the same things. But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things. And thinkest this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? Or despisest thou the riches of His goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?” Rom. 2:1-4.

Oh yes, there are those today who are esteeming lightly, or disregarding the riches of God’s goodness, which He has sent to turn us around. How kindly He would turn us from the destruction of our way. We cannot ignore the fact, the purpose, for the dispersing of our God’s great goodness.

When Paul and Barnabas preached the gospel to Lystra,  and by faith healed the man that was lame from birth,  the people were ready to worship them, making them Grecian idols. Paul said to them; “Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein: Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways. Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness” – Acts 14:15-17.

TASTE AND TELL: I am so glad that even down to today God has always had a witness here on earth of this marvelous characteristic, even in the darkest of times. Mankind is still exclaiming from experience; “Our God is so good”! We are challenged to know it by experience and share it with others. Peter urges those who have tested of the Lord’s graciousness to desire the milk of the Word to grow thereby. Then Paul encourages us to assimilate the meat of the Word for practical use. The Holy spirit is sent to make the Word we take in a part of us so that we grow into a deeper, richer, fuller appreciation, and appropriation of our Lord’s gracious goodness. Then he says, “Let your speech by always with grace, seasoned with salt.” Paul prayed that the “Lord fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power: That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in us, and we in him…”. So our receptiveness to His working will indeed result in glory.
J. D.

What does the Bible say?




Who are the seven Spirits of God in Rev. 4:5 & 5:6?

The seven Spirits express the seven-fold fulness of the Holy Spirit in whatever capacity He may act as God’s agent, performing all God’s operations. We read in scripture that He spoke, commanded, reproved hindered, drove, led, and taught. A distinct Personality of the God-head.

Rev. 4:5 – “And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.” The seven lamps of fire burning suggest the indignation of the Holy Spirit against the wicked, for it speaks of the time of judgment that is to come (the lightnings and thunderings proceeding out of the throne).

Rev. 5:6 – “And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts (living creatures), and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.” The Lamb’s seven horns indicates His sufficiency of power (by the Spirit). The seven eyes tell of His perfection of penetration (by the Spirit).

“The seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth,” tells us that the Holy Spirit is the executive Agent of the Godhead, accomplishing God’s purposes. Executing the will of the Father and the Son, whether dispensing mercy or Judgment.

Isaiah gives a description of the seven-fold Spirit with which our Lord was anointed for His earthly ministry when He was baptized by John. Isa. 11:1-3 – “And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD; And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:”

Also the Lampstand in the Tabernacle (symbol of Christ as the light of the world) was a seven branched candlestick (He was empowered by the seven-fold Spirit of God).
E. J. D.

THE LAST DAYS


Anita Clark



“Woe to them that call evil good, and good  evil; they put darkness for light, and light for darkness, that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!”  Isaiah 5:20

There are recorded six “woes’ in this text written by Isaiah, but inspired and spoken by Jehovah God. He removed the Northern tribes of Israel before Judah, who were taken away by Assyria into captivity.  Several years later Judah, the two tribes were allowed to go into captivity to Babylon.  These deportations out of the promised land manifest the anger of God against these tribes of Israel, who became vile and sinful and would not listen to God and His Word.  When Judah was taken away to Babylon, Gentile Times began.  Israel was scattered all over the world, and to this day they are not the head nation, but the tail.  Soon they will return and come to repentance to their God.  He does not allow His “good to be called evil,” or His “light to become darkness,” or His “sweet to be classed as bitter.”

The world of the Gentiles is more and more trying to transpose these opposite things, that cannot mix.. “Good,” (Christians yielding to God) is called radicalism, Darkness of the world, sin that was once recognized as just that, “SIN.” is now looked upon as “light,” the acceptable way to conduct one’s life. That which is “sweet” innocent, sweet as Jesus Christ to us, is looked upon as “bitter,” unacceptable and foolish and ignorant.  God will judge the world for this wicked evaluation of His ways and His people.

MUCH STRESS IN THIS OLD WORLD FOR THE CHRISTIAN – Luke 21:34 records Jesus’ words, “And take no heed to your selves, lest at anytime your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting...”  “Overcharged” speaks of “to be burdened, depressed, or weighted down.”  The word “surfeiting” means - “headache as from drunkenness, effects of intoxication- giddiness and nausea of self indulgence.”  These are meanings of the Greek word from the Strong’s Concordance.  Jesus continued to say, “...or cares of life, so that day come upon you unawares.”  The “cares of life” speaks of “worldly worries, cares pertaining to the business of life.” The phrase “upon you unawares” means “like a trap or a noose.”

Have you ever felt that way? Are you ever overwhelmed with all the evil that goes on in the world.  The drug addition, the terrorism, the killings and the wars and the natural catastrophes, which are increasing.  Yes, one could certainly be “overcharged” and distressed.  But, we have the Lord.  What a difference that makes?  If you haven’t tried resting on the Lord and letting Him handle all the stress, I would recommend it.

In verse 36, Jesus tells us, “Watch ye therefore and pray always, that you may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.”
This probably is speaking to the Jews during the Great Tribulation, however, the admonition is the right one for our day also.  Times are so hard and trials just keep coming!  However, we have our mighty Lord, Who hears our prayers.  We have the Word of God which is such an encouragement.  Some of these powerful encouraging Scriptures are: “All things work together for our good. (Romans 8:28),” and “I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me. (Phil. 4:13)” or “Now, thanks be unto God, which always causes us to triumph in Christ... (II Cor. 2:14) “or “Nay, in all these things we are more that conquerors through Him that loved us. (Romans 8:37)” or another one of my favorites, “”For it is God which worketh in you to will and to do of His good pleasure. (Phil. 3:13)” or “Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.”  How blessed we are to have been given such words of victory!

I Peter 1:5-6 tells us, “Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.  Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations. That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ. Whom having not seen, ye love; in Whom though now ye see Him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.”
How precious that the Scriptures encourage us to keep trusting on.  We do not know how dark the way may get before the Beloved Lord comes, but we know that He will be with us through all adversity, trouble or loss. Look up! Our Redemptions draws near!

How Then Shall We Live?


“Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?” 2 Peter 3:11-12

As we observe the world around us, we cannot help but notice the continual worsening of the condition of this world. The signs are all around us that Jesus is coming again soon. I know that some will say that we have been making this claim for a long time now. It is true, but that does not make it wrong, only closer.

Since we have so much in God’s Word about the return of our Lord, and we know that He is only showing long suffering desiring that none should perish, then what manner of life should we live? Peter encourages us to consider our lives and what others will see in our lives in light of the soon coming of Jesus. We know that all of this world will be done away, but does our life show this?

Are we pointing others to Jesus by the manner in which we treat the things of this world? Are we looking for the greater gain here, or are we looking for that great day; the coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ?

I don’t mean to imply that we should just give everything away and move to the wilderness somewhere, but, what is our attitude towards this world and the things of this world? If we tell others that we are looking for and hasting unto the coming of our Lord, do they believe us because they see that we are not attached to the things here? Or do they think we are lying to them because we seem to be overly concerned with what we can gain from this world?

“If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.” Colossians 3:1-2

Affection is our care and concern. As we come to understand that we are risen with Christ, we will come to realize that we care and concern is for the heavenly things, because that is where we intend to live with Him.

I, for one, am very grateful for God’s many blessings, including the material blessings, but I am constantly reminded by God’s Word that the material blessings are temporal, while the spiritual blessings are eternal. What God blesses us with here materially, are intended for us to use to His glory. We must remember that everything we have comes from our Father, and we cannot take credit for any of it.

How gracious our Lord to constantly remind us of His great love and His blessings, and remind us that He is coming soon. How important that we live in such a manner that others realize the reality and urgency of knowing Jesus?
Gordon Crook

RUTH



Debra Isenbletter


Ruth 3:5 & 6

Ruth 3:5 – “And she said unto her, All that thou sayest unto me I will do.”

What a wonderful attitude of obedience Ruth reveals with these words to Naomi! This little word “all” shows a full obedience. Ruth holds back nothing and gives everything. She heard all that was said: “All that thou sayest…” and she agreed to do it all: “All … I will do.” This is the obedience of our Lord who obeyed in all things, for He said, “Lo, I come to do thy will O God” (Heb 10:7); “I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.” (Jn 5:30) and “I do always those things that please him” (Jn 8:28). Ruth’s obedient testimony is a picture of that same obedience that Christ showed, it is the obedient testimony of Christ in us, the Christ life fully surrendered to the will of God and the Word of God. Ruth “obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered” (Ro 6:17) to her. This is heart obedience, it is an inward obedience that is shown forth in an outward obedience.

Ruth’s obedience is a picture of the Bride’s obedience, a Full Obedience. Full obedience lets love energize faith and in the end “believeth all things, hopeth all things” (1 Cor 13:7). Full obedience is one that is a “doer of the word and not hearer only” (James 1:22). Full obedience is the “obedience of faith” (Ro 16:26). Full obedience holds nothing back, and is a heart obedience “do it heartily” (with all your heart) (Col 3:23). The real test of true obedience, heart obedience is seen when that obedience is given even when we don’t fully understand why or what we are asked to do. Look at Samuel when he was a child and his obedience to Eli, the priest, though he didn’t fully understand. Eli had told Samuel that the next time he heard the voice calling his name to say, “Speak Lord; for thy servant heareth” (1 Sam 3:9-10). Little Samuel didn’t fully understand what that meant but without question he obeyed and when he did, the Lord spoke to him and revealed His will. Then we have Saul, who saw Jesus on the road to Damascus and his obedience to the words of Jesus in answer to his question, “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?” (Acts 9:6-9). He was told to do nothing but wait until he was told what to do. He wasn’t told how long it would be or what it would be but he did what was asked of him. He obeyed.

Ruth’s response showed and obedient spirit, a teachable spirit, she was willing to be instructed. Growth and blessing flow from this attitude! Job said: “that which I see not teach thou me” (Job 34:32) and David said: “…teach me thy paths. Lead me in thy truth, teach me” (Psa 25:4-5). Let us say this and when we do our obedience will bring a greater revelation and blessing!

[Mary Bodie]: “And this yielded attitude {all that thou sayest unto me I will do} of which Ruth sets us the example, is the only place in all the earth to find rest. Here we rest from toil and labor; here we rest from all responsibility. We put all our care for spirit, soul and body, on Him, roll everything over on the shoulders of our Boaz, our Strong One, and leave it there. We let Him stand up to our help, fight our battles and undertake for us in every respect. And here, in this utter abandonment of our own way and will, we find the rest that Jesus gives. It is that “good part” (Lk. 10:42) which Mary found and which Jesus said no one could take away from her.”

Ruth 3:6 – “And she went down unto the floor, and did according to all that her mother in law bade her.”

In this verse we see what Ruth did to show her obedience, to fulfill those words, “I will do” that she spoke to Naomi. Ruth “went down unto the floor,” the threshing floor. She went down to the place Naomi told her to go. She did what she was told to do, she “did according to all that her mother in law bade her.” The word “bade” means “to give a charge,” it means “to send with a command,” it means “to send a messenger.” Ruth’s actions acknowledge Naomi’s authority and wisdom for her life. He had been “charged” by Naomi with a great responsibility and she had been commanded” by Naomi to go to Boaz and she was “a messenger” from Naomi to Boaz. Naomi is asking Boaz through Ruth to be their “kinsman-redeemer.”

What Ruth said was both a promise to Naomi and a solemn vow to God. Her promise is given to Naomi “All that thou sayest” (3:5) and her promise “I will do” was a voluntary vow to both Naomi and to God. Ruth made a vow, she swore an oath, and she “bound her soul with a bond” (Num 30:2) to do what she was told to do. Making a vow was a series matter, it was not done lightly, whether it was made to another person or to God.

 “A vow was a solemn promise or pledge that binds a person to perform a specified act or behave in a certain manner. Vowing was voluntary. But after a vow was made, it had to be performed. Vows, therefore, were to be made only after careful consideration.” (Nelson’s Bible Dictionary)

Now we see Ruth fulfilling that promise and vow, and the care she took to do this. She kept and guarded the words given to her by Naomi, she didn’t alter or add to what Naomi told her to do. This is the testimony of the overcomer, they don’t compromise or change the Word. Like Paul she “kept (guarded) the faith” (2 Tim 4:7). and like the Philadelphia saints she “kept (guarded) my word” (Rev 3:8). Ruth gave the words (given to her by Naomi) to Boaz in perfect obedience. She did what she was told to do, she obeyed in every way. Her actions show two things, first that she acknowledged the authority and wisdom of Naomi to give her those words, and the power and right of Boaz to fulfill those words.

This is what we do every day, we trust in the words given to us by Paul, we trust in Jesus to fulfill those words, those promises. We do as Ruth, we do “according to all” we have been told and wait for the blessing!
To be Continued

A GOOD REPORT



The faith of the Mustard Seed

Matthew 17:20-21 – “And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.”

On December 19, 2012, I was told while going 75 mph on I-135. that I had 3 masses growing on both of my lungs. That is a day I will never forget so long as I live. There were CT scans and PET scans to follow and 2 biopsies to see what kind of cancer had invaded my lungs and spread to my lymphs. It was squamous non small cell lung cancer. Survival rate for stage 3B cancer of this kind is grim at best. When the doctor told me I would live 18 months with treatment, I said to him, this business does not know where it landed or the God I serve. I went to K. U. medical center in Kansas City, Missouri and God again blessed me with wonderful family, very good insurance, and an awesome oncology and radiation doctor. On February 11, 2013 I started the first of 33 rounds of radiation and 6 months of chemotherapy. I had almost none of the side effects of either treatments. I only needed pain meds 2 times, gained 25 pounds. I could’ve very well went to work during my treatments. As I looked around the treatment rooms and the waiting rooms I felt like I was the healthiest cancer patient anybody had ever seen. If I hadn’t of lost my hair you would’ve never known I was even sick. God has blessed me with thicker and curlier hair that is almost as long as it was when we shaved my head after the first round made my hair fall out by the handfuls. Bald really is beautiful. As I was going through all this I never once lost my faith in God because I know that with God all things are possible. I always have and always will have all my faith and all my trust in God. He always has and always will take care of me and provide my each and every need.

So you see all you need is the faith of a mustard seed and you can move mountains and even beat squamous non small cell lung cancer stage 3B and inoperable.

I praise God every day that He spared my life and I know He has some purpose for me and is not done molding my clay. Someday I will find out my purpose is hope. As for now I’m just very thankful to tell you just how truly blessed we are to have such an amazing creator who loves us unconditionally. August, 2016 I am a 3 year survivor. Pretty good considering I was given an 18 month time line.

    May God bless you one and all
    Your sister in Christ
    Jacqueline Baxter
    The most blessed person you will ever meet.

MISSIONARY NEWS


The Clouds

Dear Friends,
I greet you all in the name of Jesus. I greatly thank and appreciate everyone for your financial help for the Gospel and for your love and support during David’s illness.

This year hasn’t all been a bed of roses, but we have a lot to thank God for. First in May, David began to have trouble with vertigo. It got so bad at one time they thought he was having a stroke and he went to the emergency room. But after many tests they said everything was normal and sent him home. It seemed to effect his eyes so they sent him for an eye test which turned out perfect 20/20 vision and no need for glasses. Pretty good for an 84 year old man no?

But that didn’t slow him down! He was working on a chorus book for the church. That he finished and also several other small books and pamphlets in Spanish. Those he finished besides trying to mow every yard that needed it (his sons had bought him a new riding lawn mower).

The last of June we received food to be distributed to the Mexican pastors and to be given to the poor. After working several days getting the food distributed he had a massive stroke (July the 1st).

Now today, Oct. 23, he is still in therapy due to not being able to have full use of his right side and for speech. Since Rachel has had back surgery and me with my bad leg we can’t lift him so we can’t bring him home yet.

The 8th of Dec. Is the candy roll give away which we have every year. David and Bro. Johnson started it years ago with a few hundred candy rolls. Today it is a mammoth project with many thousands of candy rolls given away. This year David won’t be able to help and has made him very despondent.

The people of our church in Cavazos, Mexico are still going on faithfully. There is still trouble along the border. Some missionaries still go over, others have had so many problems they don’t go.

We have still been able to supply Bro. Lopez, pastor of a church in Rio Bravo in Mexico with food and literature.

Dec. 8th we had a good turnout for the candy rolls. Thousands of candy rolls were given away.

Bro. Lopez will be making another trip by the house to pick up food, Christmas decorations, material for the women to sew and Spanish tracks.

Again we thank you for all your remembrance of us. Now continue to pray for David. We are believing God to raise him up! The 10th he celebrated his 85th birthday at the nursing home with cake and balloons. Last month the 22nd we celebrated our 62nd Wedding Anniversary. We thank God for His mercies to us!

    Christian Love, David, Jo Ann and Rachel Cloud
    P. O. Box 181, Pharr, TX 78577-0181

LOOK UP




The closer we come to our heavenly home (either by translation or our home-gong time) the battles become more severe. I Corinthians 10:1-15 gives Israel’s experiences as an example to believers in this Church Age. V. 6 – “to the intent we should not lust after evil things,” as they did. Vs. 9 & 10 – “neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted and were destroyed of serpents. Neither murmur ye as some of them also murmured.”

This takes us back to the account found in Numbers 21. Israel had many blessings and victories along their journey to their promised land – Vs. 1-3. We read the Lord hearkened to their voice and delivered up their enemy. But they became discouraged and impatient because of the hard way and began to murmur against God and Moses – Vs. 4-5.

They even began to loath the manna that the Lord provided to sustain them. Christ is the living bread from heaven that we can partake of every day if we will. The Lord allows some rough experiences on our journey also. But when we seek Him in our day of trouble, He is merciful to us. They are simply opportunities to learn to trust Him that we might grow more spiritually.

The Lord judged them for their murmuring, sending fiery deadly serpents that bit the people and many died – V. 6. Those fiery deadly serpents speak of the bite of sin. The whole human race was bitten by the Serpent, Satan. His venom was infused into all. What is the remedy?

The people were frightened and confessed that they had sinned against the Lord. They looked to Moses to pray to God for them– Vs. 7. Praise God! We have One that prays for us. “It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us” – Rom. 8:34. “Wherefore he is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them.” – Heb. 7:25.

Vs. 8-9, God set up a condition for the people of Israel for their deliverance. The individual bitten had to look up to the brazen serpent on the pole that God had Moses to make. The Hebrew word “pole” means a sign, a banner, a cross. It was a visible sign to the people. The object itself was not to be worshiped. Some have made the cross an idol. We sing a song – its not the cross of the Christ, but the Christ of the cross.

This is a picture of Christ “lifted up” from the earth, being made a curse for us. Jesus words in Jn. 3:14-15, “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.” This is one of the “musts” of Scripture. Christ had to be lifted up, because everyone of us had been snake bit and had to be redeemed.

II Cor. 5:21 – “for he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” He had to take upon Himself our judgment (brass speaks of judgment). Our judgment was put over on Him.

We take note that it was an individual matter. The individual was to look up and live. Jesus said in John 12:32, “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.”

When Adam fell, a curse fell on all the human race, but Christ was “made a curse for us” – Gal. 3:13. Vs. 10 and 11 say, “For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, the just shall live by faith.” Rom. 10:4 – “Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.”

Israel’s march to Canaan would have ended there, if it had not been for the grace of God. He was going to take them on into Canaan, not in their own strength, but in His. They did enter their promised land and conquered it by faith. Let us not be discouraged nor murmur along the way knowing we have in heaven a better and an enduring substance. “Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. For ye have need of patience, that after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.” (Heb. 10:33-37).

E. J. D.