GLORIFY GOD

Pastor Jack Davis

As we face the new year, we would be wise to purpose in our hearts to go according to God’s will. We know it would please Him. When we make such a choice, let us look to Him for wisdom, guidance, and divine enablement. He is ready, willing and able to produce in us, as yielded vessels, that which will highly, eternally glorify Him.

“What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s” – I Cor. 6:19-20.

If we would glorify God, He first asks from us a willing heart. We need to be willing to have Him make us willing, for His perfect will. When king David had gathered the material for the building of the temple, and the people had given so freely, abundantly, David rejoiced greatly for the people’s willingness. What he said in his prayer of praise touches our hearts.

I Chron. 29:11-18, “Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all. Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand… is to make great, and to give strength unto all… we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name. But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly…for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee. For we are strangers before thee, and sojourners…our days on the earth are as a shadow…O LORD our God, all this store that we have prepared…cometh of thine hand, and is all thine own. I know also, my God, that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of mine heart I have willingly offered…and now have I seen with joy thy people, which…offer willingly unto thee. O LORD God…keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people, and prepare their heart unto thee:”

IN PRAISE: To glorify God, is to ascribe honor to Him in praise, to extol, to magnify. We do this as we acknowledge His acts and His attributes. It is certainly precious reality that we can be used in our lives to reveal what He is in all His goodness, greatness and grandeur. “Call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: – Psalm 50:15,23.

WHY? Why shouldn’t we? This is part of the reason we were created and redeemed. “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created” – Rev. 4:11. The saints are heard saying in heaven with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing” – Rev. 5:12. Praise God for divine ownership. We are not our own, but are bought with a price. Oh, to realize the blessedness of belonging to God, our loving Father. The amplified version reads thus: “You are purchased with a preciousness, made His own.” Oh, what a great debt of love we owe! We were sold under sin; now we’ve been purchased out of sin’s slave market. We are now love slaves. Oh yes, we have the right, the freedom, privilege, even the responsibility to bring honour, glory and praise to His Holy name. We are free to let our lives radiate His glory, as we, by love, serve one another.

“UNTO HIMSELF:” the apostle Paul reminds us, repeatedly, all that the Lord has done to bring us unto Himself, Col. 1:20-22; Rom. 5:10. In Phil 3:21 we read of Him subduing all things unto Himself. Titus 2:14 speaks to us of Jesus purifying us unto Himself, a people for His own possession. Then in Eph. 5:27, we are made to realize that one day soon He will present to Himself a GLORIOUS CHURCH.

THIS IS OUR CALLING AS HIS VESSELS: “When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe…in that day. Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and 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 you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ” – II Thess. 1:10-12. “But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonor. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work” – II Tim. 2:20-21. “Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: and that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?” Rom. 9:21-24.

What a marvelous work God is able to perform, in taking us, who of the old creation were children of wrath, fit only for destruction, and by his mercy and grace, prepare us unto glory! “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us” – II Cor. 4:6-7.

IN GOOD WORKS: We glorify God by walking in the good works which He has ordained – Eph 2:10. “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” – Mt. 5:16. As we give living service to others through the life of Christ, by God-given ability, there is no room for boasting of the flesh, but “that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ” – I Peter 4:11. The apostle Paul admonished: “Whatso- ever ye do, do all to the glory of God” – I Cor. 10:31. Consider Col. 3:17,23-24. Lord, help us do whatsoever we do in thanksgiving to you.

IN FRUITFULNESS: “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit” – Jn. 15:5,7-8. Let us not try to conduct our lives outside the sweet will of God. As we constantly live in dependence upon our Lord, by faith in his Word, we are to go to Him with our needs and the needs of others. Thus God is glorified in His Son – Jn. 14:12-13.

IN DIVINE HEALING: In Matthew 15:30-31, we read that Jesus healed the lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others; and they glorified the God of Israel. In Acts 4:21-22, we read “…for all men glorified God for that which was done. For the man was above forty years old on whom this miracle of healing was shewed.” I fully believe that the major reason for divine healing is the glory of God. This is why I ask and expect Him to heal.

IN SPIRITUAL UNITY: “Now the God of patience and of consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God” – Rom. 15:5-7.

By obedience, from the heart, to God’s Word we are made to glorify God. This in not easy nor in harmony with the flesh, but it is necessary for us to be full overcomers. This could be translated: welcome, embrace each other in promotion of God’s glory.
Jack Davis

What does the Bible say?

QUESTION:
I have always heard that there is a woman for every man. Is this true? as I have not found a wife.

ANSWER:
I do not find any where in the Word of God where God has promised every man a wife. It is true that God instituted marriage when He joined Adam and Eve – Gen. 2:21-24. The Bible begins with that marriage and the Bible ends with the marriage of the Lamb (Christ and His bride). A marriage for His Son is the ultimate purpose of God.

Ephesians 5 says, Christ so “loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish” -Vs. 25-27. He purchased a wife when He redeemed humanity.

We read in Mt. 19:3-9 when the Pharisees came to Jesus to tempt Him with a question about the law of divorce. They did not like His answer. They concluded that it was not good for man to marry. Jesus said, “All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given. For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother’s womb” (any man lacking normal function of the testes); “and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men (such as Daniel – Dan. 1:3-4); and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake (as did the Apostle Paul). He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.”

The Apostle Paul wrote concerning marriage in I Corinthians chapter Seven. Verse 2, “Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.” He says in Verses 6-9, “But I speak this by permission, and not of commandment. For I would that all men were even as I myself. But every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that. I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I. But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.”

He adds in V. 17, “But as God hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk…”. Vs. 20, “Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called.” V. 24, “Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God.” Vs. 32-33, “But I would have you without carefulness. He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord: But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife.”

We all have to get the mind of the Lord (His will) in this matter. Marriage is sacred, yet not for everyone.
 E. J. D.

Mercy

Deal  with thy servant according unto thy mercy, and teach  me thy statutes.  Psalm 119:124
Have mercy  upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out  my transgressions.  Psalm 51:1

The simple fact of calling out for God’s mercy is proof that we are not deserving of His favor, and are not worthy. One who deserves help or favor does not call on another’s mercy. The psalmist knew what he needed, and he could only throw himself on the mercy of God.

Mercy can be defined as “not receiving what we deserve.” God, in His righteousness, should give us according to what we have earned (what we deserve). There seem to be many that want to be given what they deserve; or at least what they think they deserve. We will be eternally grateful for God’s great mercy that He did not give us what we deserve, and instead gives us what we do not deserve because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ our Lord.

But I have trusted  in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice  in thy salvation.  Psalm 13:5. We can absolutely trust in God’s mercy. In fact, it is for ever, and will never change. For I have said , Mercy shall be built up  for ever: thy faithfulness shalt thou establish  in the very heavens.  Psalm 89:2. For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.  Psalm 100:5. But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children;  Psalm 103:17.

We will never fully comprehend, this side of Glory, the amazing fullness of God’s mercy. It is far greater than we can imagine. For as the heaven is high above  the earth, so great  is his mercy toward them that fear him.  Psalm 103:11. For God to be able to demonstrate His mercy towards us, it took the life of His Son.

O give thanks  unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.  Psalm 107:1. We will be praising Him for all eternity for His mercy and His grace. Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give  glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake.  Psalm 115:1.
Not by works of righteousness which we have done , but according to his mercy he saved  us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;  Titus 3:5

Gordon Crook

RUTH

Pastor Debra Isenbletter

Springfield, Missouri

Ruth 3:18 – “Then said she, Sit still, my daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall: for the man will not be in rest, until he have finished the thing this day.”

What did Naomi tell Ruth she must do? Naomi told Ruth to Sit still: This phrase comes from “to sit down in quiet.” This is a quietness of the soul and the spirit, an inward peace! This is a quietness God gives that none can disturb – We see Him and nothing else. Job saw this quietness: “when he giveth quietness who can make trouble?” (Job 34:29). This is a quietness that gives to us strength when we realize that we have none – We see His Strength. This is quietness that comes when we have come to the end of ourselves and have utterly cast ourselves upon the grace of God to meet our needs. “…in quietness and confidence shall be your strength” (Isa 30:15). This is a quietness that comes from righteousness, not ours but our dear Savior’s – We see our Standing! “…the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever” (Isa 32:17). What tender words, what loving words, what instructive words, what important words! They are words that every child of God may lay hold of and find rest and blessing in times of uncertainty. These are words that when obeyed will cause us to sit still outwardly but our hearts will be beating with anticipation within, waiting expectantly for the fulfillment of His promises!

The implication behind the words to “sit still” is to “dwell, settle, remain, to marry.” Naomi points Ruth’s eyes to her future, to her security, to the blessings that will come from her relationship with her kinsmen-redeemer – to her marriage! To “sit still” also means “to abide, continue; endure,” Ruth doesn’t know how long she will need to sit still, and sometimes neither do we. It would be easier if Naomi had told her to sit still for a specified amount of time (an hour or two). When we know how long we are to wait it seems much easier, but this is a wait that will again test the faith of the heart of Ruth. What an example for us today. We wait for our Lord to return and like Ruth, we don’t know the hour, only that He will return, yet we are told to “Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord...be ye also patient…for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh” (James 5:7-8). Jesus is waiting patiently to come and we are waiting patiently for Him to come.

To “sit still” also means “to sit down, sit still; tarry” Ruth is to do something and do nothing! Ruth is to rest, for all her work is finished, she is to wait for Boaz to finish his work. This is obedience, the obedience of a faithful and loving heart. This is what it means “to commit” our way to the Lord and put our “trust in” Him. (Ps 37:4-5) The wonderful promise is that “he shall bring it to pass.” I believe Ruth saw this, believed this and waited for this! Jeremiah wrote about how good it was to do this, it may be hard but it is good for us because it produces hope in us. One of my favorite scriptures is from Lamentations, where Jeremiah writes: “It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord” (Lam 3:26). Hope is active, we are doing something, waiting quietly is being inactive, and yet we are not doing anything. We are occupied and not occupied but it creates a perfect balance! To “sit still” gives us strength. Just as quietness (the attitude with which we sit still) brings strength, so also sitting still brings strength. Isaiah 30:7, “Their strength is to sit still.”

Warren Wiersbe writes: “I confess that waiting is one of the most difficult things for me to do, whether it's waiting for a table at a restaurant or waiting for a delayed flight to take off. I'm an activist by nature, and I like to see things happen on time. Perhaps that's why the Lord has often arranged for me to wait. During those times, three phrases from Scripture have encouraged me: "Sit still" (Ruth 3:18), "Stand still" (Ex 14:13), and "Be still" (Ps 46:10).” So also in our lives we will find times when the Lord asks us to either “sit still;” “stand still” or “be still” and in so doing we will truly overcome and be victorious!

How long is Ruth to do this? Naomi tells her: “until thou know how the matter will fall.” Naomi is saying wait until you “learn” or until you “find out.” Ruth is to wait until she knows who it is that will redeem her, Boaz or the other kinsman. The word “matter” can mean “speech, a saying, an utterance, a word or words.” The matter is what he will say, what he will verbally present to the elders and to the other kinsman. The word “matter” also means “business, occupation, acts.” This is what Boaz will do. This matter pertains to his acts, his actions. He will make Ruth his “business!”

Ruth knows what Boaz is both going to do and going to say, but she does not know what will happen, how the “matter” will end. She doesn’t know “how the matter will fall.” Or how it will “turn out” or what will be the “result.” The word “fall” comes from “to make the lot fall” or “assign by lot.” It is like casting stones for a lot and not knowing what they will fall. Today we would say like throwing the dice and not knowing how they will land. It sounds like chance and that is how the flesh will see it, but it is all in the hands of her “kinsman redeemer” and he knows more than she does. It is in the hands of the God of Israel to whom she has given her devotion and love and He knows how the “matter will fall.” There may have been a feeling of uncertainty on their part as to what the result would be but there was also a certainty in the promise given to Ruth by Naomi. It was the promise that she would know what happens: “until thou know.” What a wonderful statement! She will “know,” she will “find out,” she will “learn,” it will “be made known” to her. Ruth must wait but the promise is that someone will tell her what has happened. I believe that the person that tells her is Boaz!

Next Naomi, after telling Ruth what she is to do; Naomi tells Ruth what Boaz will not do: “for the man will not be in rest.” We see “the man,” we see Christ! Pilate pointed all eyes to this man when he said “Behold the man!” (John 19:5). He is the Obedient man (John 8:29); He is the Son of Man (Mat 9:6); He is the Resurrected Man (1 Cor 15:20); He is the New Man (Eph 4:24; Col 3:10); He is the Mighty Man (Mat 13:54; Mat 14:2); He is the Wealthy Man (2 Cor 8:9). He is our Lord and Savior, He is our Boaz! For Ruth, Boaz will not rest until he has given to Ruth the full blessings pertaining to her redemption, just as Christ will not rest. And that word “rest” means “to be still” or “be quiet.” Boaz will not be “quiet” about the matter and he will not be “still” he will do something that day! He will do everything while Ruth does nothing. Oh, what a wonderful picture of our Lord and Savior, our Boaz. Jesus is not idle, He is not still, He is doing something, he is doing everything for us. He is preparing for us a place (John 14:2). He is preparing for Himself a Bride, a “glorious church without spot” (Eph 5:27).

When will Boaz finally rest? Naomi says when he is finished. She says “until he have finished the thing.” Until he has brought to “an end,” until he has “completed” or “accomplished;” until he has “brought it to pass.” Only He can finish this, no one else! This “thing” is something he had started the day he met Ruth. It is seen in all the “things” he did for her when he met her needs. Those things were the ways he wooed her; those things were the ways he showed his love to her; those things were the ways he revealed his wealth to her. Now Boaz will finish what he started, he will finish what he began. He will give her everything that belongs to him. Like Jesus, this shows the work of redemption has such depths and such riches and is based on such love that it overwhelms the heart! The word “thing” is the same word as “matter” used in this verse. It is his “speech; his words; his business; his occupation; his acts and actions.” The “thing” is what Boaz will say to the elders and the other kinsman. The “thing” is the “matter” they discussed the night before. It is her request and claim upon Boaz. It is his promise to her. It is his work as “kinsman redeemer.”

When will Boaz finish this work? Naomi says “this day.” By faith she sees this and knows this. It is THIS DAY, there will be NO DELAY! This is what enables us to willingly and joyfully sit still and wait patiently on the Lord to do that work in our lives and finish that work (Phil 1:6). He is preparing us and providing for us such blessings that just glimpses of them in the Word of God overwhelm the soul! May He come quickly, oh, how my heart is looking for, longing for and loving His appearing!
Continued next issue

ACTS OF THE APOSTLES

Verta Giddings

Sand Lake, Michigan

Acts chapter 5 – Ananias and Sapphira

The end of Chapter 4 (vs. 32-37) show that the early believers were of one heart and of one soul. They quit saying, “Mine,” and said instead, “Ours.” They had all things common. If they had property or things to sell, they did, and came and gave it to the Lord for the good of others. One, Barnabas, was especially mentioned, we will meet up with him later.

Chapter 5 starts with the word, “But.” Here we find a blot on the character of those in the new group, the church. All this selling and sharing was not demanded, it was optional. We can’t absolutely state that this couple (Ananias and Sapphira) were never saved. We have reason to doubt. Did they just like being a part of this new exciting group? Did they want to be thought of as being generous? We don’t know.

We do know that God could not and did not let this deception go on. God didn’t want this to spread to others. He had to judge it. (Teachers, we do have this understanding, that this time, we suppose the first 7 years after the resurrection of Jesus, was a overlapping time. Certainly they must have been under grace, but this had not yet been taught them. It was not until Paul was on the scene, that God revealed the mystery of this age. Consequently, this over lapping period is a foretaste of the Millennial Age still to come. At that time, holiness and righteousness will be in vogue.)

They sold a possession, and kept part of it. They  brought a certain part and laid it at the apostle’s feet. Peter reminded Ananias that there was no need for this deception. While it was their’s, that was okay, and even when they sold it, they could have done what they chose with it. The big problem was deception, pretending – Vs. 1-4. Ananias died on the spot. He was carried out and buried – Vs. 5-6.

Then about 3 hours later, his wife, Sapphira, came in. She said the same thing as Ananias had said, denying they had kept back part of the money – Vs. 7-8. Peter knew they had agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord – V. 8. She died also, was carried out and buried – Vs. 9-10. The result of this was that great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things.

People didn’t just join themselves to this new group – V. 13. It is never right to try to join a group of Christians. The scriptural way is to be added by new birth (receiving Jesus as Savior, 2:47) - V. 14.

The gospel work went on full force. Vs. 12-16 gives this report. Signs and wonders were wrought among the people. There was sweet one-accordness. Even the shadow of Peter brought healing to people. All this proved that Jesus was alive and still working. This was a powerful time, a blessed time. Keep in mind that sin had to be judged so that the work could go on. This reminds us of the sin of Achan in Joshua 7. When we sin, let us always come right to God for forgiveness – I John. 1:9.
Chapter 5:17-42 – next issue