Month: May 2019

Treasury of Light and Truth

On By francesrogersIn GOD'S GLORY, GOD'S GRACE, GOD'S WORD, TRUTH2 Comments

Keeping our last post within reading limits, I left out an important under-truth, thinking someone would read and add to what was posted. Here is the part we posted.

“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.”
2 Corinthians 4:6

Paul had mentioned in vs. 2-4 ~ though by manifestation of the truth the gospel may be hid from the lost…

“...the god of this world hath blinded
the minds of them which believe not,
lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ,
who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”

Now, here is the dynamic part.

“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels,
that the excellency of the power may be of God,
and not of us.”
2 Corinthians 4:7

It is the Father’s LIGHT and TRUTH in and through His Son given to us to believe. There is nothing in our darkness to bring the light into our hearts. By His Word and Spirit, He alone has the power to open our minds and make Christ known in these jars of clay ~ it is the excellency of His power only that does this spiritual work in us.

Dear Father, how precious is your light of truth in Christ. How can we see Him except you shine the light of the gospel in our hearts? Have mercy upon our blindness and save us from the god of this world. In Jesus’ name, I pray and praise you. Amen.
Fran

Abiding in Light and Truth

On By francesrogersIn Beyond a Mere Christianity, GOD'S GLORY, GOD'S GRACE, GOD'S WORD, TRUTH5 Comments

This post could fit as a chapter in Beyond a Mere Christianity or in Filled with Grace and Wrapped in Glory, still in progress. 

Light and Truth are the walls of the Christian faith that house the Life that is ours in the Lord Jesus Christ. Without them, any structure in which we live will fall and crumble (Matthew 7:24-25). Christ is the sure foundation of a living and indestructable faith.

Light and truth are the work of the Holy Spirit in us and the spiritual encompassing of our heavenly Father.

Light enables us to see physically and spiritually.

In the beginning, God, in the middle of darkness, said, “Let there be light.”

“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.”
2 Corinthians 4:6

Who has done what?

God shined THE LIGHT in our hearts

 Of the knowledge

Of His glory

In Jesus Christ

What is in THE LIGHT?

Knowledge

Knowledge of what?

The glory of God

Where is the glory of God revealed? In whom is this light given?

In His Son, Jesus Christ

What is the purpose of light and truth?

“In Him was life; and his life was the light of men.”
1 John 1:4

“Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying,
I am the light of the world:
he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness,
but shall have the light of life.”
John 8:12

“he that hath seen me hath seen the Father;”  (John 14:9).

If we have this light and knowledge in us, we see Him and the Father.

THE LIGHT draws us to Christ and keeps us in Him.
If we live in THE LIGHT, we live in Christ.

THE LIGHT reveals THE TRUTH that is in Christ.

“I am the way, the truth, and the life.” John 14:4

Jesus was speaking of eternal life, the LIFE that He came to give.
THE WAY of eternal LIFE is revealed in Christ

He is THE WAY to eternal TRUTH that leads to true LIFE.

 Abiding in Light and Truth is living in Christ and Christ in us by the power of His Holy Spirit. This is a spiritual truth known only to God’s children, children of the heavenly Father. It is a heavenly, spiritual, divine reality beyond any earthly knowledge. Light and truth do their work reflecting His grace and glory in us.

It is the truth in Christ by which we are sanctified (John 17:19), transformed (Romans 12:2) and conformed to His image (Romans 8:28-29). God’s written Word reveals Christ as the living Word.

“In the beginning was the Word….with God,
and the Word was God.” John 1:1

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us
……full of mercy and truth.   |
……grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.”
John 1:14, 17

“Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.”
John 17:17

 “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you,
ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.”
John 15:7

“He that abideth in me, and I in him,
the same bringeth forth much fruit:
for without me ye can do nothing.”
John 15:5

Holy and Righteous Father, again I am in awe of the knowledge of your glory that is revealed in Jesus Christ. We thank you for your Holy Spirit who continually shines this light into our hearts. We praise you that nothing and no one can keep your light from us. Keep us abiding in Christ and your Word. Shine your light and truth through us into the darkness of this world. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
Fran

(To discern both physical and spiritual things wisely, we need the proper light. What the Holy Bible says About LIGHT.)

What Do You Seek?

On By francesrogersIn GOD'S GLORY, GOD'S GRACE, GOD'S WORD8 Comments

Our granddaughter, Olivia graduated from high school last week. She is the fourth of our six grandchildren to reach this goal. She expressed that she was “overwhelmed.”

I am taken back sixty-two years knowing that at that time, I had no idea of who I was or where I was going. A Sheep’s View reveals the immaturity of my aspirations that changed several times over the decades.

This season of the year unloads into the world millions of young hearts that are unaware of what life is meant to be. The best wishes most will get is “Follow your heart” or “Follow your dreams.”

If most understand this, they will be looking for the next step toward personal success or finding a job that will enable them to be independent.

<<<<<>>>>>

At this time, I am in daily meditation on Jesus’ words in John’s gospel.

John, the Baptist, after baptizing and while speaking of the coming Messiah, sees and identifies Jesus.

“Behold! The Lamb of God
who takes away the sin of the world!
Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples.
And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said,
“Behold the Lamb of God!”
John 1:28; 35-36

Then the two disciples who were with John (one of them was Andrew) followed Jesus. Jesus knew what they were seeking (John 2:24-45). Perhaps they were following out of curiosity or sheer excitement. John’s identification is with exclamation ~ the word behold was imperative ~ for them to see what he saw.

“Then Jesus turned, and seeing them following,
said to them, “What do you seek?”
John 1:37

John’s disciples had been taught by him. Though they were unaware, John, as the voice crying in the wilderness, was preparing the way for them to follow Jesus.  

“He must increase, but I must decrease.”
John 3:30

They asked, “Where are you staying?” He said, “Come and see.” They followed Jesus. They stayed with Him that day, then Andrew brought his brother, Simon Peter to Jesus (John 1:41). And we know the rest of the story.

Jesus asks us the same question, today. “What do you seek?”   Do we see what John the Baptist saw? Why are we interested in Jesus? Is it because we have heard about Him? Are we just curious?

Has someone else pointed us to Him? What is it about Jesus that keeps us seeking Him? Do we know Him personally? Are we excited enough to ask and know where He is staying and spend time with Him?

What does Jesus teach us about seeking? As our teacher, He brings us as a graduate from student to disciple, to friend. More than this ~ He becomes our brother and our Life.

Now that would be another book: but just for now, what should be the main emphasis for life at all ages?

What should we wish for the new graduate in this generation?

~ the same thing Jesus wished for His disciples.

“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or
‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘
What shall we wear?’
For after all these things the Gentiles seek.
For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness,
and all these things shall be added to you.
Matthew 6:31-33

See and Seek ~ Seek and See
His kingdom, His righteousness and eternal life in Jesus Christ.

Dear Father in heaven, you created us knowing our hearts and our needs. As you are preparing us for eternity with you, continue to teach us through your Word and the power of your Holy Spirit to see and to seek, knowing that we will find your kingdom and your righteousness in your Son, our Lord, and Savior Jesus Christ, to whom be glory, forever. In His holy name, I pray and praise you. Amen.
Fran

Suggested Reading: First Things That Last Forever
GOD is Our Goal

Lo, He Comes with Clouds Descending

On By francesrogersIn GOD'S GLORY, GOD'S GRACE, GOD'S WORD, MUSIC, THE LORD'S DAY (SABBATH)3 Comments

This hymn was unknown to me until a few years ago when I purchased an album by the Cambridge Singers under the direction of John Rutter. This rendition sounds like the prelude to Jesus’ triumphant return in His great glory. The second is a quieter, more personal expression.

Between the two are the lyrics to this hymn written by John Cennick, Collection of Sacred Hymns 1752, republished & altered by Charles Wesley, 1758. The tune Helmsley is usually attributed to Thomas Olivers, a Welsh Methodist preacher and hymn-writer but this hymn is sung to other tunes, also. This has been my favorite and seems to fit the text better than others. (The first rendition uses first, second, and last verses.)

“Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him.
Rev. 1:7 

Lo! he comes, with clouds descending,
Once for favored sinners slain;
Thousand, thousand saints attending
Swell the triumph of his train:
Alleluia! alleluia! alleluia!
Christ the Lord appears on earth to reign.

Every eye shall now behold him,
Robed in dreadful majesty;
Those who set at nought and sold him,
Pierced, and nailed him to the tree,
Deeply wailing, deeply wailing, deeply wailing,
Shall the true Messiah see.

Every island, sea, and mountain,
Heav’n and earth, shall flee away;
All who hate him must, confounded
Hear the trump proclaim the day;
Come to judgment! Come to judgment!
Come, to judgment, come away!

Now redemption, long expected,
See in solemn pomp appear;
All his saints, by man rejected,
Now shall meet him in the air:
Alleluia! alleluia! alleluia!
See the day of God appear!

The dear tokens of His passion
Still His dazzling body bears;
Cause of endless exultation
To His ransomed worshippers;
With what rapture, with what rapture, with what rapture
Gaze we on those glorious scars!

Yea, amen! let all adore thee,
High on thine eternal throne;
Savior, take the power and glory;
Claim the kingdom for thine own:
O come quickly, O come quickly;
Alleluia! come, Lord, come.

John Cannick 1752
Republished and altered by Charles Wesley in 1758           Tune: Helmsly

“This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven,
shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.”
Acts 1:11

Copy of music score for Lo, He Comes with Clouds Descending

Words of Life ~ Babe(s)

On By francesrogersIn GOD'S GLORY, GOD'S GRACE, GOD'S WORD, QUOTES, Words of Life A-Z9 Comments

What a blessing it has been since July of last year to be searching the Scriptures for Words of Life ~ A to Z ~ the Ordinary Vocabulary of a Christian.

How wonderful that our last word AWAKE is a springboard ~ A to B ~ onto our next word BABE. Let us think of waking from the dead in trespasses and sin to new life as babes in the heavenly kingdom.

There are three different words for babe in the Old Testament and two in the New Testament.

From the Old Testament, we find the babe Moses in a basket in the river (Exodus 2:6), and in the New Testament we see Jesus, the babe in a manger (Luke 2:12; Luke 2:16).

Old Testament
H5288 as in Exodus 2:6 (babeMoses)
A masculine noun na`ar nah’·ar meansa; boy, lad, servant, youth, retainer

H5768`owlel ō·lāl’; child, boy
from H5763; a suckling:—babe, (young) child, infant, little one.

“Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings
hast thou ordained strength
because of thine enemies,
that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.” 
Psalm 8:2

 Early church history records many amazing instances of the testimony of children for the truth of God, but perhaps more modern instances will be the most interesting.

Fox tells us, in the Book of Martyrs, that when Mr. Lawrence was burnt in Colchester, he was carried to the fire in a chair, because through the cruelty of the Papists, he could not stand upright, several young children came about the fire, and cried as well as they could speak, “Lord, strengthen thy servant, and keep thy promise.” God answered their prayer, for Mr. Lawrence died as firmly and calmly as anyone could wish to breathe his last.

One more instance is still nearer to our time. In a postscript to one of his letters, in which he details his persecution when first preaching in Moorfields, Whitfield says, “I cannot help adding that several little boys and girls, who were fond of sitting round me on the pulpit while I preached, and handed to me people’s notes–though they were often pelted with eggs, dirt, &c., thrown at me–never once gave way; but on the contrary, every time I was struck, turned up their little weeping eyes, and seemed to wish they could receive the blows for me.

He who delights in the songs of angels is pleased to honour himself in the eyes of his enemies by the praises of little children. What a contrast between the glory above the heavens, and the mouths of babes and sucklings! yet by both the name of God is made excellent. Spurgeon

Psalm 17:14 speaks of men of the world, which have their portion in this life, and who leave the rest of their substance to their babes.

H8586 ta`aluwl tah·al·ül’; wantonness, caprice, vexation
From H5953; caprice (as a fit coming on), i.e. vexation; concretely a tyrant:—babe, delusion.to act severely, deal with severely, make a fool of someone

In their rebellion, Israel would experience fulfillment of the Lord’s promise,

“And I will give children to be their princes, and babes shall rule over them.” Isaiah 3:4

New Testament
G3516 nēpios nā’-pē-os; an infant, little child;  a minor, not of age, metaphorically, childish, untaught, unskilled.

Jesus quotes Psalm 8:2 when the people are shouting “Hosanna.”

“And (the Pharisees) said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?” Matthew 21:16

Paul speaks in Romans 2:20 of one who is an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law.

Paul and the writer of Hebrews speak of immature Christians

“And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.” 1 Corinthians 3:1

“For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.” Hebrews 5:13

“At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father,
Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things
from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.”
Matthew 11:25 and Luke 10:21

How blessed are those who come in humility to learn of Christ and the things of His kingdom ~ things not revealed to the wise and prudent of this world.  These words Jesus spoke before His invitation, “Come to me.”

G1025 brephos bre’-fos;an unborn child, embryo, a foetus

The same word is used for infants and children, but especially of the unborn child in Luke 1:41 when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe (John) leaped  in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:

“For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation
sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.”
Luke 1:44

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

Dear Father in heaven, whose glory outshines the brightest star, we thank you. For new Life in Christ that satisfies more than any earthly joy, we praise you. How can we express appreciation for your Word and Spirit that enables us to grow in grace and knowledge of you? Work it in us, I pray. In Jesus’ precious and Holy name. Amen.
Fran

Jesus ~ Wrapped for our Glory

On By francesrogersIn GOD'S GLORY, GOD'S GRACE, GOD'S WORD, QUOTES3 Comments

Still, in the wonderful process of searching the truths of God’s Word for Filled with Grace and Wrapped in Glory, I am finding more to do with the Lord’s work around us than within us ~ at least a hundred references.~ much of which we are probably not aware.

It is the gleaning of His Word and His promises that bring us to understand His total and complete work on our behalf while we live in this wilderness. His Word reveals His constant presence with us but because we are so inundated by the thoughts, words, and behavior of the multitudes, we have not known and practiced these precious truths of the kingdom.

I had not understood why the term Wrapped in Glory was given in this title. Now, I am delighting in what He is showing me. The first pertains to being Wrapped. (We will share thoughts on His Glory later.) There are three references in the New Testament to Jesus’ being wrapped.

  1. “And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger;” Luke 2:7

Jesus came from His glory into this world, was wrapped in human garb so that He could wrap us in the swaddling clothes of His glory.

How low the King of glory stoops, and how gloriously he uplifts the lowly to share his glory! Charles Spurgeon

  1. “And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,” Matthew 27:59

Jesus was wrapped twice in His human helplessness ~ first, as a baby and last, as the sacrificial Lamb.

  1. “And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself.” John 20:7

They were lying there in their regular folds as if the body of Jesus had simply evaporated out of them. Matthew Henry

Plainly the effect of thought, care, and composure; and clearly showed, that the body was not taken away in a hurry, or by thieves, since everything lay in such order and decency; and which was done, either by our Lord himself, or by the angels. John Gill

His resurrection reveals His finished work. The last of His earthly wrappings set aside, He would prove His resurrection to His disciples, then ascend to be robed in His heavenly glory.

From the right hand of His Father, He sent His Holy Spirit, as He promised to His disciples before His death (John 14 -16; Acts 1) The Holy Spirit is now revealing and fulfilling all the promises for His people. Even as we are now learning what it means that we are made to sit in heavenly places in Christ, He will finish His work in and through us, in preparation to bring us home to the glory of the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ.

 “Therefore if any man be in Christ,
he is a new creature: old things are passed away;
behold, all things are become new.”
2 Corinthians 5:17

Gracious Father, how are we to understand these things, except you give us your Holy Spirit to work them in us ~ to bring us by your power into the arms of our Lord and wrap us in your glory. Thank you for the promises that are ours in Christ as revealed in your Word. In Jesus’ name, I praise you. Amen.

Overwhelmed

On By francesrogersIn GOD'S GLORY, GOD'S GRACE, GOD'S WORD, TRUTH3 Comments

As I continue to talk about our newest project ~ Filled with Grace and Wrapped in Glory ~ responses are varied. From those who never heard of Christ living in us, to not understanding the power of the Holy Spirit in human life, I sense the great need for this work and ask you to please pray for the wisdom to assimilate the great store of God’s Word that speaks to the truths of our relationship to God the Father through His Son and our Lord Jesus Christ, in the power of His Word and His Holy Spirit.

“And hope does not put us to shame,
because God’s love has been poured into our hearts
through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”  
Romans 5:5

God the Father is the main source of Life, giving us His Life through His Son Jesus Christ, by the power of His Holy Spirit. The power to think spiritually was lost in the beginning with our first parent’s disobedience to His Word. The spiritual (supernatural) Life our Creator intended for His creatures was rejected. Except for a few who were given faith to believe the promise of a Messiah, the world lived in rebellion. In the Father’s timing, Jesus came to earth, conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit to be born of a virgin and live in full obedience to the will of the Father. In so doing, we are given the same power of the Holy Spirit for Christ to be born in us.

Christ in you ~ Filled with Grace ~and you in Christ ~ Wrapped in Glory~ is the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit, the mystery of the heavenly Life working in the physical lives of God’s children. It requires a change in our way of thinking ~ from a fleshly, earthly mindset to a transformed, heavenly, spiritual Life of words, thoughts, and actions. Such a Life in God’s children brings Light into the darkness of this world ~ proves the difference in good and evil, truth and deception, and draws others to Him and His kingdom. Truth has been buried for centuries. The world would rather keep Jesus buried but He lives victoriously at the right hand of the Father with the power of the Holy Spirit directing all things according to His will. It is time for truth and goodness to descend and penetrate the wilderness in which we live. We must pray for the Holy Spirit’s work in our own lives and the lives of our families and churches. In faith, we must anticipate the power of His Life consuming us by His grace as we have never before experienced. He wants to overwhelm us with His Word, His Spirit, and His glory.

Dear Father, from whom all creation receives its true name and true life, hear our prayer for you to descend in power. By your Holy Spirit bring the two-edged sword to our own hearts, divide asunder between heaven and earth, between the spiritual and the flesh. Make new in your image new creatures in Christ for your glory and our joy. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
Fran

Image: Pixabay

Soul Food for Sunday

On By francesrogersIn CONTENTMENT, GOD'S GLORY, GOD'S GRACE, GOD'S WORD, THE LORD'S DAY (SABBATH)4 Comments

“My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord:
my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God.”
Psalm 84:2

 I am addicted to the Word of God.  In it is the power of the life of Jesus Christ, our Lord. The power of the gospel to save (Romans 1:16) is the same power that raised Christ from the death, so that His life would be a continual flow of power in and through His people.  Feeding on His word daily is coupled with the Lord’s Day proclamation in the preaching of His word.  His word goes forth in power to those whose hearts and souls feed on Him.  How can we fast on the Lord’s Day when He has prepared a feast for us from His word?

Sword-Word-God-118735“For the word of God is quick, and powerful,
and sharper than any twoedged sword,
piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit,
and of the joints and marrow,
and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
Hebrews 4:12

By His Word and Spirit, He searches and knows my heart; He tries me and knows my thoughts, sees any wicked way in me; and leads me in the paths of righteousness (Psalm 138:23-24; 23:3).

 “Man shall not live by bread alone,
but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”
Matthew 4:4

I need His word ~ the same word that penetrated my being ~ to permeate, and perpetuate the life of Christ in and through me; for His sanctification by the “washing of the water by the word” (Ephesians 5:26).

It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing:
the words that I speak unto you,
they are spirit, and they are life.”
 John 6:63

Through His Word are all God’s promises made and fulfilled in Christ, the living Word.

“For he satisfieth the longing soul,
and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.”
 Psalm 107:9

“I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.”
Psalm 130:5

“Whom have I in heaven but thee?
and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.
My flesh and my heart faileth:
but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.”
 Psalm 73:25:26

sarasota-tropical-garden-design“And the Lord shall guide thee continually,
and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones:
and thou shalt be like a watered garden,
and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.
Isaiah 58:11

Dear Father, as you bring us this day into your gates with thanksgiving and your courts with praise, open our hearts to your word, that our souls may be fed, nourished, and receiving the bread of life in Christ, your Son, and your Spirit, knowing the abundance of His life within us. Let us this week, in the obedience of faith, be about our Father’s business of life, doing all your will ~ to your glory and our joy.  In Jesus’ name, I pray.  Amen.
Fran

Images: Google

Words of Life ~ AWAKE

On By francesrogersIn GOD'S GLORY, GOD'S GRACE, GOD'S WORD, Words of Life A-Z6 Comments

God’s Word teaches us that we are dead in trespasses and sin until we are by His grace quickened (made alive) together in Christ (Ephesians 2:1-6) by His resurrection (1 Peter 1:3).

It is fitting that our last word beginning with the letter A in our Words of Life A to Z ~ the Ordinary Vocabulary of a Christian has to do with new life ~ awaking to the light of Christ, whose life is the light of men. (John 1:4).

Old Testament
H5782 AWAKE;`uwr ür (rather identical with through the idea of opening the eyes); to wake(literally or figuratively):—(a-) wake(-n, up), lift up (self), to rouse oneself; incite; to be excited
The same word is used for stir up and lift up

The following relate to the request for the Lord to awake.

Psalm 7:6
“Arise, O Lord, in thine anger, lift up thyself because of the rage of mine enemies: and awake for me to the judgment that thou hast commanded.”

Psalm 59:4
“They run and prepare themselves without my fault: awake to help me, and behold.”

Isaiah 51:9
“Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord; awake, as in the ancient days, in the generations of old. Art thou not it that hath cut Rahab, and wounded the dragon?”

From Isaiah, we find the call for Jerusalem to awake.

Isaiah 51:17
“Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, which hast drunk at the hand of the Lord the cup of his fury; thou hast drunken the dregs of the cup of trembling, and wrung them out.”

 Isaiah 52:1
“Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean.

Psalm 108:2
“Awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early.”

H3364  yaqats yä·kats’ to awake, awaken, become active
The same word is used for awoke and awaked.

Psalm 78:65
“Then the Lord awaked as one out of sleep, and like a mighty man that shouteth by reason of wine.”

H6974 Quwts küts;  through the idea of abruptness in starting up from sleep (compare H3364)); to awake (literally or figuratively):—arise, (be) (a-) wake, watch.

Psalm 3:5
“I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the Lord sustained me.”

Jeremiah 31:26
“Upon this I awaked, and beheld; and my sleep was sweet unto me.”

“As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.” Psalm 17:15

Proverbs 6:22 speaks of wisdom.

“When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee.”

Isaiah 26:19
“Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.”

Daniel 12:2|
“And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.”

New Testament
There are three Greek references in the New Testament, each a different word.

 G1326 AWAKE; iegeirōdē-e-gā’-rō to wake up, awaken, arouse(from sleep) of the sea, which begins to be agitated, to rise
the same word is used for raised, arose, to stir

Mark 4:38
“And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?”

The word iegeirō relates to Jesus’ waking and also to the arousing of the sea. From His calmness in sleeping, He arose and calmed the sea.

G1594 eknēphō ek-nā’-fō from G1537 and G3525; (figuratively) to rouse (oneself) out of stupor:—awake.


“Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.” 1 Corinthians 15:34

G1453 egeírō, eg-i’-ro probably akin to the base of G58 (through the idea of collecting one’s faculties); to waken (transitively or intransitively), i.e. rouse (literally, from sleep, from sitting or lying, from disease, from death; or figuratively, from obscurity, inactivity, ruins, nonexistence)
to arouse from the sleep of death, to recall the dead to life; to raise up i.e. cause to be born

We would benefit from meditation on this meaning as it applies to new birth ~ to awake from death, from obscurity, ruins, nonexistence.

Ephesians 5:14
“Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.”

Dear Father in heaven, awake as in the ancient days to the needs of your people. Let us awake to your voice for service in your kingdom. Let us by your Spirit awake to life in Christ who gives us light ~ that you may by His light through us waken others to life in Him ~ for your glory. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
Fran

Images: Google

Passion and Compassion

On By francesrogersIn GOD'S GLORY, GOD'S GRACE, GOD'S WORD15 Comments

 

Sharing another thought in the process of our newest book Filled with Grace ~ Wrapped in Glory.

What is the result of “Christ in you ~ the hope of glory?” Colossians 1:27

When we understand the dynamics of a supernatural relationship with Jesus Christ, we live with a passion for Him. That heavenly, spiritual relationship has an effect on our earthly relationships with others.

His passion for us and our passion for Him ~ Filled with His Grace ~ causes an overflow. Passion turns to compassion for others. It is all initiated by the Lord ~ from our head to our heart and through our hands, others know of Him.

It is the power of His Spirit and Word through us that draws others to HIm.

“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts:
and be ready always to give an answer to every man
that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you
with meekness and fear:”
1 Peter 3:15

“As every man hath received the gift,
even so minister the same one to another,
as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” 
1 Peter 4:10

Dear Father, whose name is to be hallowed, whose kingdom is continually coming and your will being done in us as your children ~ pour out the Spirit of Christ upon your people; draw us to Him through your Word and speak to others through us. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
Fran

Image: Depositphotos