Because of my delay in doing another post I will do a short recap of grounds already covered by way of refreshing of a few passages. These taken from me e-Sword digital study Bible and what Pastor Hoekstra has covered from Jeremiah 17 and then Isaiah 57.
Thus says the LORD: "Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength . . . Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose hope is the LORD. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; For her leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit. (Jeremiah 17:5, 7-8)
When we consider Jeremiah's contrasting the two options on trust. As we note, that there are only two choices: man or GOD. When man is the object of our hope, the result is the curse of spiritual barrenness. "Cursed is the man who trusts in man." Contrariwise, when GOD is the object of our dependence, the result is great blessing. "Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose hope is the LORD."
The spiritual blessing comes from trusting in the LORD Jesus is likened to a tree that is growing by the continual flow of a river. "For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters." The riverside is the ideal location for developing a flourishing tree. Trusting in the LORD is the only setting in which a flourishing spiritual life can be developed. A tree that is located by the river sends out its roots to take in more and more life-giving water: "which spreads out its roots by the river." The Christian who is hoping in the Lord finds the life his inner man cherishes, and he reaches out for more of that life for which he yearns.
When the heat of drought comes, it is a dreadful threat to plant-life (unless the plant is located beside a sufficient river). When the heat of battle or impossible circumstances arise, they can pose a fearful threat. Even a child of GOD is tempted to be anxious. However, if the LORD is our hope, we "will not fear when heat comes . . . and will not be anxious in the year of drought." Instead, we will continue in growth and spiritual fruitfulness. "Her leaf will be green, and will not . . . cease from yielding fruit."
What radically different results come from trusting in GOD (instead of hoping in man). We receive spiritual blessing (instead of a cursing). Our spiritual life is like a luxuriant tree beside a river (instead of like a shrub in the desert). We experience the grace resources of God (instead of the flesh resources of man).
GOD resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble . . . through whom also we have access by His faith into this grace in which we stand. (James 4:6 and Romans 5:2)
Our growing in the grace of GOD, we have examined various areas of biblical truth: such as, the Old Covenant of law, the New Covenant of grace, GOD'S sufficiency for godly living, living by the promises of GOD, and Old Testament saints who lived by GOD'S grace. Now, we turn to an extended consideration of how we avail ourselves of the glorious riches of GOD'S Grace. As noted in our studies, God's grace is accessed through humility and our trusting His faithfulness.
If we desire to live by GOD'S Grace, we must be willing to renounce pride and to walk in humility, this silently stipulated in our bearing up our cross on a daily bases as requested by Jesus and repeated by Paul in Romans 12:1-3 where we also find the renewal of our mind found. "GOD resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble." The Lord is opposed to the path of self-sufficiency, the trusting in the arm of flesh. When we pridefully assume that we can produce the kind of life GOD calls us to live, spiritual progress is prevented. Humility involves agreeing with GOD'S pronouncements concerning our inadequacies. "Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves" (2Corinthians 3:5). The person who is willing to walk humbly before the LORD has an accurate understanding of our comprehensive need for the LORD to work in and through our lives. "Without Me you can do nothing" (John 15:5).
Along with humility regarding ourselves, GOD wants us to walk in His faith regarding Him. The LORD wants to work in our lives by His incomparable grace. Faith accesses grace: "through Whom [Jesus] also we have access by His faith into this grace in which we stand." The LORD is pleased by the path of "Christ-dependency."
"'For thus says the High and Lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: "I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones; For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth: for the spirit should fail before Me, and the souls which I have made.....I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts to him and to his mourners. I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the LORD; and I will heal him.'" (Isaiah 57:15-16, 18-19)
GOD delights in pouring out His grace (The Holy Spirit) into humble hearts. "GOD . . . gives grace to the humble" (James 4:6). What a remarkable arrangement this involves. The GOD Who dwells on high in heaven above wants to also indwell those of the humble and contrite heart here on earth below.
Our great GOD, the true and living GOD, is high and lofty. "For thus says the High and Lofty One." He is exalted. "For You, LORD, are most high above all the earth; You are exalted far above all gods" (Psalm 97:9). He rules far above, and completely over, every valid authority and every false god. Also, eternity is His rightful habitation: "Who inhabits eternity." Furthermore, Holiness is His essential character: "Whose name is Holy." Among all professed powers or spiritual usurpers, none is like our Holy LORD. "Who is like You, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like You, glorious in Holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?" (Exodus 15:11).
In light of His Holy and eternal character, it follows that He would make this proclamation: "I dwell in the high and holy place." Beyond the atmospheric heavens, beyond the stellar heavens, the LORD God dwells in the heaven of heavens. In this spiritual dimension beyond time and space, the fullness of the LORD'S presence is known. Yet, He is even greater than this "third heaven" itself. "Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool . . . Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You" (Isaiah 66:1 and 1Kings 8:27).
The LORD Jesus is high, lofty, holy, and eternal. These truths impact us with awe and reverence. Yet, there is a corollary truth that brings us encouragement and hope (even though it seems almost contradictory). "I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit." God essentially dwells on high, but He also desires to indwell man here below. Who is the person that experiences the LORD'S dwelling with them? Such communion with GOD is for the contrite and humble. The LORD wants to make Himself known in contrite and meek / humble hearts in order to bring them spiritual revitalization: "to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones."
This is now our bases for further examination of what is to flow the LORD Willing, in .010.5.
No comments:
Post a Comment