We have thus far in this series reviewed the facts that our hope, if we are to have hope must be anchored upon God.  There is no anchor which can hold through the storms of this life, except Him.  These vessels of human flesh could be so easily tossed about on the sea of life here on earth, if we were not anchored by such a strong anchor firmly attached to Christ seated at the right hand of the Father.  That anchor held by the power and might of omnipotent God.  Neither are we the ones holding fast by our own gripping might to the other end of that anchor; rather, the securing chains are tightly bound about our bodies sealed by the Holy Spirit within each believer maintaining our hold. 

We have also looked at the fact that as we seek after beauty, goodness, love, righteousness, glory, and justice; we can only have these God given desires fulfilled wholly in God who is the very essence of all that we seek.  If we remember that our journey on this earth; however long it may be, is merely a pilgrimage to our final home in His presence, then we are to focus upon Christ’s Glory revealed to us ever so dimly at first drawing us out of darkness and into His light.  As we gaze upon Him then we are transformed glory by glory into whom and whose we will be.  This journey is preparing us to be able to fully comprehend and experience the magnitude of the Glory and Beauty that is God.  Without this journey, we might feel some of the joy, love, and glory which will be ours; but, God’s desire is that we are able to feel all of it’s beauty and might one day  see His full Majesty.That experience will be greater than anything that we could imagine. 

Now let us stop for a moment and look upon some of the displays of His Beauty which is a part of His Glory that we may desire to seek His Face.

Beauty of His Creation—Genesis 1:1 "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth"  Have you ever thought about the incredible intricacies of the Universe in which we live?   Gaze into the heavens and recognize that God spoke and from His very mouth all of the stars, the sun, the planets were immediately formed and aligned into place in a balance that is hardly imaginable.  Not to speak of the intricacies that are on this earth or even in each of our bodies.  Science is still attempting to discover the magic of how each and every cell functions.  The very intricacy of how an infant forms within a mother’s womb in which two cells join and from that union of cells eyes, lungs, feet, hair, and heart are formed–each unique and each with their own set of DNA as well as unique fingerprints.  Take a second to look around you; then, imagine how much greater is the beauty of God who created it all in all of it’s delicate intricacy.

Beauty of His Righteousness–Psalm 48: "10 According to thy name, O God, so is thy praise unto the ends of the earth: thy right hand is full of righteousness."  God is perfect righteousness and Christ being God came to earth to live out before man that perfect righteousness.  We search after what is right and what is true.  Yet, so often, what one day appears to be true is tomorrow found to be merely a lie here on earth.  Truth and righteousness can be found in God who is omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent.  Only He can look beyond the outward appearances and see the heart of man; knowing the motivation, the desires and the secrets hidden deep within.  He is the measure by which all righteousness is measured  Isaiah 64:^{6 “}But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. ⁷ And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee: for thou hast hid thy face from us, and hast consumed us, because of our iniquities”

Beauty of His Justice–God could not be perfect righteousness if He ignored sin and were not also the great Just Judge.  Psalm 50: 6 And the heavens shall declare his righteousness: for God is judge himself. Selah.   Jeremiah 10: 10 “But the Lord is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation.”  Justice demands a penalty be paid for our sin and rebellion.  Yet, not only is His Justice a source of comfort and hope it became a part of the beauty of His Grace as He was willing to pay the price Himself that He might bring mankind into His presence to pour out His love and His mercy.  Isaiah 53:

3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.

8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.

9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.

10 Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.

11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.”

Think of how wonderful and magnificent is His beauty.  This is just a beginning of the attributes of His beauty and we will continue in the next session to reveal more; although no description can fully display His Glory and His Beauty.  I urge you to seek after Him.  He is waiting for you to just ask and He will shine His light into your heart to display who He is and you can begin the journey toward Him.  Day by day He will reveal Himself glimpse by glimpse, glory by glory until one day you stand before Him in all His beauty, all His majesty and all His Glory. 

I hope you find solace in this song by True Worshippers called "Captivated"    My question to you "Are You Captivated By His Beauty, Glory, and His Love?"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRZCYLe_Xaw (Preview)

Have you ever noticed that we humans seek after beauty and glory?  There is a deep longing within us to see beauty, to feel exhilarated by Beauty.  We gaze at a sunset or a sunrise and awe at it’s beauty with the colors lifting our hearts with a sense of magnificence.  Some will climb to the top of a cliff to gaze across the earth feeling very small; yet, very awed by the wonder of it all.  We are overwhelmed with joy at the miracle of how two tiny cells become a living, breathing baby.  We seek after beauty and that which is glorious.  Built within our nature is that desire to see beauty; yet, few stop to realize that what we seek is the greatest display of beauty, love, joy, righteousness, justice, and Glory–which is found only in God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  The creator of all that is gloriously beautiful, the Father of glory is the fulfillment of all that our heart seeks and desires.

Ephesians 1: 17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory,

David wrote:

Psalm 27:  4 One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple.

That beauty and glory He gives us glimpses of from all of nature that surrounds us.  Although those glimpses are minute in comparison to Him.  Have you ever looked at a rainbow, a baby, or a sunset and felt a unexplained sense of majesty within your heart?

Romans 1:

20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead

Then Christ came to earth to both display the magnificent Glory of God both in His Righteousness and Justice,  while displaying the beauty of perfect grace and mercy to all who would accept His gift of salvation.  Within Christ we saw the perfection of dichotomy that many psychologists have written as being the most desirable and beautiful of features harmoniously fit into one.  " He was a man of sorrow (Isaiah 53:3; Luke 19:41); yet, He is the fullness of joy (Philippians 4:4, John 15:11, John 17:13, Hebrew 12:12, Matthew 25: 21, Hebrews 1:8). He is the lamb like lion: the Conquering Lion of Tribe of Judah who became the sacrificial lamb that was slain. (Revelations 5) He is perfect justice fulfilled who provides perfect grace and mercy. He is Supreme Sovereignty (Mark 4:41, Luke 13:31-32, John 10:17-18; Luke 22: 31-32; Luke 22: 52-53; Mark 14:61-62) who became submissive to pain, suffering, and death that He might pay the price for you and me. “* There is no greater beauty or Glory that can fill the crevices of our heart than that of Christ.  If a sunset inspires you to awe, gaze for a moment at Christ.  *(excerpt from my book Ultimate Inspiration-God’s Plan of Love)

2 Corinthians 4:6 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.

So, what does this mean for us?  Lay aside your search and desire for counterfeit joy and counterfeit beauty to seek after the only joy and beauty that can fulfill your heart. 

Jonathan Edwards wrote The Christian Pilgrim in September 1733 (which I urge you to obtain a copy of the full writings of this).  In it he better defines what I have been saying. 

"Heaven is that place alone where our highest end and highest good is to be

obtained. God hath made us for himself. “Of him, and through him, and to him are all

things.” Therefore, then do we attain to our highest end, when we are brought to God: but

that is by being brought to heaven, for that is God’s throne, the place of his special presence.

There is but a very imperfect union with God to be had in this world, a very imperfect

knowledge of him in the midst of much darkness: a very imperfect conformity to God,

mingled with abundance of estrangement. Here we can serve and glorify God, but in a very

imperfect manner: our service being mingled with sin, which dishonors God. — But when we

get to heaven (if ever that be), we shall be brought to a perfect union with God and have

more clear views of him. There we shall be fully conformed to God, without any remaining

sin: for “we shall see him as he is.” There we shall serve God perfectly and glorify him in an

exalted manner, even to the utmost of the powers and capacity of our nature. Then we shall

perfectly give up ourselves to God: our hearts will be pure and holy offerings, presented in a

flame of divine love.

God is the highest good of the reasonable creature, and the enjoyment of him is the

only happiness with which our souls can be satisfied. — To go to heaven fully to enjoy God, is

infinitely better than the most pleasant accommodations here. Fathers and mothers,

husbands, wives, children, or the company of earthly friends, are but shadows. But the

enjoyment of God is the substance. These are but scattered beams, but God is the sun.

These are but streams, but God is the fountain. These are but drops, but God is the ocean. —

Therefore it becomes us to spend this life only as a journey towards heaven, as it becomes

us to make the seeking of our highest end and proper good, the whole work of our lives, to

which we should subordinate all other concerns of life. Why should we labor for, or set our

hearts on anything else, but that which is our proper end, and true happiness?

4. Our present state, and all that belongs to it, is designed by him that made all things,

to be wholly in order to another world. — This world was made for a place of preparation for

another. Man’s mortal life was given him, that he might be prepared for his fixed state. And

all that God has here given us, is given to this purpose. The sun shines, the rain falls upon

us, and the earth yields her increase to us for this end. Civil, ecclesiastical, and family

affairs, and all our personal concerns, are designed and ordered in subordination to a future

world, by the maker and disposer of all things. To this therefore they ought to be

subordinated by us."

Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) | September 1733 | Works, Vol 2 of 2. 243-246 MANNA CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP | PRINCETON UNIVERSITY | December 2010 | www.princeton.edu/manna

2 Corinthians 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.

When we begin to see the Glory of Christ and that becomes our focus; we too become transformed into His image–step by step, glory by glory, tiny glimpses at first.  The more we seek Him, see His Glory, and revel in His love the more discontent with our own inability to love Him as we should.  We may at times become more frustrated with our own frailties and failures along this path; yet, remember this.  My whole life, even if I live to 100, is but a blink of my eye compared to the eternity that I will spend with Him.  This entire journey is preparing me to see the fullness of His magnificent Glory, His unconditional love for me, and His everlasting joy.  So, however, dim the glass image may seem at times, no matter my own frailties; my heart will be ever "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:2.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fH8bV7rUVaU (Preview)

It is my desire to begin a series called Glory to Glory which the details of which are still forming; yet, before I embark further into those details, I want to share with you the truth upon what grace it is on which we stand.  It is in the center core of that Grace that we are able to see the Glory of God as it is displayed in the Face of Jesus Christ.  There we are able to stand and to rejoice in hope of the Glory of God.  As we see the glimpses of His Glory displayed we seek after His beauty, His Glory knowing that it is the only thing that will fulfill our desires for beauty and Glory.  The name of my website came from this very search, as years ago I wanted to begin to write about my journeys through grace with the heart of my mission statement being, "Seeking and Savoring Christ that His Love and His Joy might be displayed"  By seeking and savoring Him, we must see His Glory, His beauty as our greatest treasure.  Only then do we rejoice in hope of the Glory of God filling our hearts.  I want to begin this series with a chapter from my book "A Broken and Contrite Heart".

Romans 5: ¹Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

²By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Within the recesses of this verse is the key to getting off the rollercoaster of Christian living.  It holds the power that we need to stand firm, never wavering with our roots dug deep, unshakeable no matter what the hurricane that surrounds us.  How could I possibly say that these two little verses can hold such power over sin?  Let me help you to understand by carefully dissecting this out for you.  Oh, that God give me the wisdom and the words to make this truth real to you so that it may transform your life forever.

            “Therefore being justified by faith” begins these two verses.  Wherever there is a therefore, we need to look to what has been said before since the basis of this statement comes as a direct inevitable conclusion to what has already been said.  Paul in the chapters 1 through 4 has laid out in great detail man’s dilemma as a sinner with no means of earning merit by his own works.  He demonstrates God’s absolute justice and wrath against sin.  Carefully, He lays out God’s plan of redemption by Jesus Christ receiving on Himself God’s full fury for our sins; thus, paying our penalty once and forever by His death on the cross with separation from God the Father for a time.  He then rises from the dead, victorious against Satan and all his armies to be lifted up next to the Father full of GLORY and HONOR and Dominion.  He provided a way that unrighteous man might gain His righteousness and share in His Glory through faith in Him.  Because of all this work being performed by the Creator of the entire Universe we may be justified by faith.  Imagine He who spoke all the Galaxies into being came to earth, suffered and died that we tiny flecks of dust, so unworthy and ungrateful, might share in His full Glory one day.  This is so big that it is difficult for us to even wrap our minds around such truth-it is too big for us.  Yet, because of this we are declared just and righteous before Him, not because of anything we have done, but because of everything He has done.  Our only act, is to see His Glory, to believe that He is and by faith accept this wondrous gift that He has given.  There is no room for self-pride in our adoption as His child, only awe that He would choose me with all my flaws.  “Therefore, because of all of this redemptive work completed by God we are justified (declared innocent or guiltless; absolved; acquitted) by faith in the one who paid our price for sin to the only true Just and Righteous Judge-God.

            By faith in Jesus Christ and through His power and might, we “have peace with God.”  His entire just wrath against sin has been satisfied by the atonement of His son, so that we might enjoy peaceful, joyful communion with God.  Instead of the wrath we would deserve, we now have His full blessing.  Jeremiah 29: “¹¹For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. ¹²Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you” By the justification of Jesus Christ, we are moved into the position of being sons and joint heirs with Christ of everything He has.  Romans Chapter 8 tells us “¹⁴For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. ¹⁵For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. ¹⁶The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: ¹⁷And 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.”  As part of this package of peace we have been provided with the Holy Spirit who reminds us of this promise of peace. Christ promised this peace in John 14: “²⁶But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. ²⁷Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. ²⁸Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I

Through Jesus Christ “we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand.”  Please listen very closely to this.  By faith in Jesus Christ we have access into grace which is the force that makes us stand firmly in our Christian walk and reconfirms and circles back to fill our faith which opens our eyes more fully to Grace that holds us firm in the palm of His hand.  Mercy does not give us what we deserve (death, wrath and penalty). Grace gives us what we do not deserve which is God’s unmerited favor toward us.  Grace which holds us up is based on the power and might of God; not by my power at all.  Over and over God tells us that whosoever comes to Christ will be transformed into the image of Christ.  This is found both in Romans 8: 28-29 and II Corinthians 3: 17-18.  He confirms this as His work through the Holy Spirit.  Having been saved by Jesus Christ and His power, it does not then change that I keep myself through works of my own.  Do not get me wrong here.  I am not saying then to run after sin so that God’s grace might be magnified.  There are two major problems with that idea.  First, if you are never longing after Him then I would wonder whether you had ever seen Him through the eyes of saving faith.  Second, since He has confirmed that He will complete the work; He will use however much fire and chipping needed to mold you into Christ’s image. I certainly do not want to be the child molded into obedience, kicking and screaming all the way. There is another important point to it being Grace that sustains us.  If you indeed are seeking after Christ, then stop worrying so much about yourself and your failed attempts to follow.  Again, He will complete the work and we are held by His strength, not our own.  We need to rest and relax in that promise.  He made a new covenant which Hewill not break to each and every person who accepts Christ as their Savior.

            This covenant is recorded in Hebrews 10¹⁰By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. ¹¹And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: ¹²But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; ¹³From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.  ¹⁴For by one offering he hath perfected for everthem that are sanctified. ¹⁵Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, ¹⁶This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; 17And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. ¹⁸Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin. ¹⁹Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, ²⁰By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; ²¹And having an high priest over the house of God; ²²Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. ²³Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)”  WOW!!    Christ paid the price once and for all so that we may enter in boldly to the throne of God.  He commands us to hold fast the profession of our faith not because we are faithful but God is faithful who has made this promise to us.  Our righteousness is held tight by the power of God who cannot and will not deny himself.  So what about those moments that your faith may waiver? He still holds us.  2 Timothy 2: ^13”If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.”  Guilt and shame which continues with us after we have turned it over to God is our way of saying that Christ is not enough.  Can we raise ourselves to such levels as to say I am too holy to forgive myself when God has forgiven us?   Read Romans 8: “31What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?  ³²He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? ³³Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. ³⁴Who is he that condemneth? 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.”  I do not have the right to condemn even myself once I have laid my sin at the feet of Christ. I am to confess my sin, then get up with my focus ever more fixed on my Gracious Savior and march forward with Him, “the author and the finisher of my faith” as quoted from Hebrews 12: ¹Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,  ²Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. ⁴Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.”

            Our ability to Stand Firm is based wholly upon Grace.  By that I do not wish you to imagine something soft and fragile; but rather this comes with the Mighty Power of A God who spoke the Galaxies into being with one breath.  Grace reigns through Jesus with Power, Authority and Dominion over the entire Universe.  That is the power that makes you stand and keeps you standing, and stand you will even in your weakest moments because God Himself is holding you there.  Romans 14: “⁴Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.”

            Because of all of this, “rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”  Would there be any reason left not to be joyous.  He saved me, He sealed me and He will finish the work of transforming me into the image of Christ.  I must rejoice in the hope that I will look like Christ.  Maybe not today, but I will one day look like Him in all His Glory.  That hope should be enough to keep me rejoicing through whatever trial or tribulation may come my way; knowing that God is working out my perfecting and He only has my best interest at heart.  Our faith which is anchored in Jesus Christ is not only for what He has already done but that this Sovereign, Omnipotent, Omniscient Savior is steady about the work of imparting His Glory to me.  I see glimpses of that Glory, little changes and transformations that are forever presenting themselves in me.  I, like Paul, have not yet obtained it; yet, I look more like Him today than I did 10 years ago or 20 years ago.  He will complete the work He started in me by His power and might, Hallelujah, Amen. Our Faith is anchored in Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.  His promises remain steady and sure; therefore, our faith is not grounded and supported by yesterday only; but sustained through today and creates steady hoping for tomorrow, joyfully awaiting the grace that will come in the future.  Knowing this stabilizes us and removes that rollercoaster from our Christian Walk.

The Grace in Which I Stand

Oh feeble heart, Oh fragile soul

Where is the hope on which you hold

With all the failures of your past

Where is the faith to make you bold

Where is the faith to make you bold

There was a King though blameless He

That came to pay my penalty

And in that act He set me free

To follow Him in liberty

To follow Him in liberty

It is His love that drew me out

And in His Grace I shall not doubt

That He who started this work in me

Will finish it with a Glorious Shout

Will finish it with a Glorious Shout

One day the finished work be done

That I might look then like God’s son

Sifted, shined just like pure Gold

As Glory shines forth, Glorious One

As Glory shines forth, Glorious One

And in this hope my faith conformed

I know my life will be transformed

I stand upon this future grace

So for His work my passion warmed

So for His work my passion warmed

So in this faith I firmly stand

That formed in me as God had planned

No force on earth can shake me free

My future held by God’s great hand

My future held by God’s great hand.

•    

Yesterday, so much was happening and so much I needed to accomplish; thoughts whirling through my mind as I gazed ahead at the mountains in my pathway.  There still stung within me the pain of their accusations flung deep into my heart, the sorrow of such labors forgotten, the uncertainties of the future, painful steps that must be confronted, financial uncertainties, and in the midst, one wonders–God, does any of it matter?  Have I done enough to testify of you or is it my failure that has led us here to this moment of trial?  I had been listening to Christian music all morning; but, then in the whirlwind of my mind–knowing I was going to receive an important phone call–I sat down quietly listening to God’s voice.  I listened to a song–"I Cannot Hide From You" over and over, as I remembered He knows everything about me; every time fear would grip my heart, every moment that I would doubt, and every time that I just needed to sit down and rest a moment looking into His Face of Love that I might get up, go out to do His bidding once more and face the future He has planned without any fear or doubt-knowing He knows what is best, no matter what.    

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IyaS-vy-Hs I Cannot Hide From You

The phone call came and I believe went well.  Hope rose within me; yet, my hope was not in the phone call.  My hope lay in the Creator of this Universe, who loves me and cares about every intricate detail of my life.  When I am wounded, He is there to comfort.  He never promised that we would have everything or that we would never be falsely accused; but He did promise to be with us, to guide us, to comfort us and that He would work all things together for our good.   Even Paul underwent the pain of being accused by those in Corinth that he had led to Christ and has taught.  1 Corinthians 4: 3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man’s judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self.4 For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.

5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.

Then, while going through some mail that had been tossed into a corner–I found a royalty check from books sold.  Nothing big; just a token reminder of my Father saying, "All you do for me does matter, I see it, and I love you."  I continued my work late until my body ached; but with hope.  I listened to Truth for Life’s podcast and Leading the Ways podcast while I worked.  Of course, both had sermons on exactly what I needed to hear.  I awoke with God’s joy and hope overflowing once more.  As I studied in search of message this morning I wasn’t certain what I wanted to tell you.  After reading 1 Corinthians, praying, and listening for God to speak; I then started working on a very important passage of scripture in 2 Corinthians; then I realized I needed to spend much more time in it’s development in order to proclaim its truth with clarity.  Since I still wanted to give you something, I went to my word document in search of a previously written poem.  Then I saw this poem which I don’t even know when I wrote; but, I wanted to share it with you.  Maybe you are the one I am writing for today. My prayer is that you are encouraged no matter what are the mountains you face.

A Soldier Wounded

A Soldier wounded in the fight

Oh Lord I need your strength, Your might

I need to go, a place to hide

That draws me closer to Your side

This battle lord has knocked me down

Until it’s hard to glimpse Your crown

With evil pushing all around

I dearly need Your solace found

That I might rise again to fight

With vision of the brilliant light

Of your great glory in the end

Oh  that your love I might defend

Within this world, pain doth abound

I need your word my mind surround

Until I cannot hear their voice

So I might know what is your choice

Oh Lord, I lay my sword tonight

And pray for strength tomorrow’s light

That I might stand once more for you

With Christ’s dear love my only view

So hold me tight within your arms

And keep me safe from all that harm

My tears may fall against your chest

As I recall in You I rest.

Have you ever considered the importance  the Old Testament promises of God and His covenant with Abraham have upon your Christian life?  You may say, well, it is important because Christ came to this world as an heir of Abraham.  But if you stop there you are not fully understanding the importance of all the promises found in the Old Testament.  Note verse 4 below.  "thou shalt be a father of many nations".  Are we, gentiles who believe in Christ as our Savior also heirs of the covenant promise God made to Abraham?

Genesis 17:

And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.(blameless)

2 And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.

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.

7 And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.

Let’s look at Romans 4 to help us understand this.  Faith was the key.  Abraham’s faith counted to him for righteousness; because, it was the looking forward to Christ’s payment for His sin. 

Romans 4:  What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?

2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.

3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.

4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.

5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

6 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,

7 Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.

8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.

9 Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness.

10 How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.

11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:

12 And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised.

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.

Circumcision became the outward sign of what God had already done in the life of Abraham through faith; that is, the righteousness of Christ was imputed to Abraham because of faith and faith alone.  Therefore, God’s covenant promises to Abraham became  a covenant to all His heirs by faith.  Look at verse 11, "that he might be the father of all them that believe…that righteousness might be imputed unto them also."    The law could not justify mankind.  The law brings only condemnation; because, no one can fulfill the full letter of the law.  Perfect Righteousness is only found in God Himself.  So what do we do?  Do we not hopelessly fall short of that righteousness?  Certainly, I cannot stand before Perfect Righteousness without being justly judged as condemned.  Still, God sent forth Christ to take upon Himself the full wrath of God’s judgement against us; therefore, my only hope of righteousness can be found by faith in Christ.  Then, He removes my sin and cloaks me with His Righteousness.  This is by faith and faith alone.  This is true of Abraham and this is true for each of us.  Therefore the promises found in the Old Testament are promises to all of Abraham’s heirs through faith.  It becomes our birthright.  The birthright to all who believe in Jesus Christ as our Savior. 

Deuteronomy 30: 5 And the Lord thy God will bring thee into the land which thy fathers possessed, and thou shalt possess it; and he will do thee good, and multiply thee above thy fathers.

6 And the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.

Our circumcision is a circumcision of the heart in which the flesh with all it’s selfish, self-centered desires are cut away by God so that you and I are able to "love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live".  That we may have eternal life in His presence, basking in His Glory and partakers of His fullness of love and Joy.  So, my question is do you know Christ as Your Savior, through faith?  If so, do you know what are the promises of God to you and do you see the importance of the Old Testament Promises as well?  Are you just a little more eager to read the Old Testament?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6jO7xhU_Pw