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The last half of Acts 10, verse 33.
Now therefore are we all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God.
Great.
Ephesians, chapter one.
Verse 13.
In whom ye also trusted. After that ye heard the word of truth.
The gospel of your salvation, in whom also after that ye believed, ye were filled with the Holy Spirit of promise.
Which is the earnest of our inheritance, until the redemption of the purchased possession unto the praise of His glory. Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the Saints.
Cease not to give thanks for you making mention of you in my prayers.
That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened.
That ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power to us word, who believe according to the working of His mighty power, which he wrought in Christ when He raised him from the dead.
And set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come. And have put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the Church, which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth All in all.
I've had sonship with the Father, we've had airship with Christ with the inheritance, and now in verses 13 and 14, we have the action of the Spirit of God. That would bring us into suitability with God and also give us the ability to enjoy this vast scope of blessings that are ours, that we might have something to enjoy before God will come forth and send forth Christ to redeem the inheritance.
So it's a wonderful thing to see all three persons of the Godhead.
Are are active in this, uh, grand purpose of God?
There's three actions that I would like to point out in this 13th verse. First, he speaks about, uh, that you have heard the word of truth. Now a little further, he speaks about having believed.
The gospel be a salvation, then it says we're sealed and so and then he mentions also the earnest of the inheritance, which is another aspect of the action of the Spirit of God. My point in this is that heard, uh, implies the quickening power of the Spirit of God, his work and souls. He has the power to make men to hear.
And when they believe the gospel, their salvation, they are sealed.
Note that they're not sealed upon hearing, but upon believing the gospel of their salvation. And that's what brings us into this wonderful bond that we are in, I think, dwelled by the Spirit of God and made part of the church the body of Christ.
Perhaps with some people here that don't aren't really clear on what the term quickening means, Bruce.
Well, quickening just seems simply means to be brought to life and in this case it's the communication from God of a divine life. Why we need to be brought to life because chapter 2 and verse one tells us that we are dead in trespasses and in sins in our natural state, having gone far from God by nature and by practice. And so we need life and the Spirit of God would work in our hearts to to.
00:05:16
Create a faculty of hearing the word of God and when the Son of God speaks.
The Word of God souls will surely hear, because God is sovereign in His power, and when they believe and rest in the finished work of Christ, it is then that they are sealed.
I couldn't believe that the period of God gives them faith. Faith is a gift from God. But there is a difference then between being brought into life and having the Spirit of God dwell in our body. Yes, and that's so important to see. That's the truth of Christianity. There always was activity of the Spirit of God since man fell, but it only in Christianity.
That the Scripture says that our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, you know, as a result of the work of Christ, He can dwell in US, you know, because we are new creature in Christ. He couldn't dwell in his Sinner, you know. But we are first given life and then seal in order stamp is put upon us. That fellow belongs to me. That's what it means, you know.
And if you don't have the Holy Spirit, you're not even a Christian.
That is what makes you a Christian. You have to have life first, but then the Spirit comes and indwells you. That makes you a Christian. People who are born again in Old Testament times, but they were not sealed by the Holy Spirit. He could even come upon people and leave them again, you know. But that's never true in Christianity when it comes to indwellers. He abides with us now we can as Christians quench the Holy Spirit, not allowing Him.
To guide us, or we can grieve him by sending, but He will not leave us, you know, but how wonderful it is to be a Christian and that our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. And what a solemn fact that is to consider the faculty of spiritual hearing which we're Speaking of now is an action of the Spirit of God and quickening, as we said. And there's a verse in Romans chapter 10.
That emphasizes that here's a verse that's often quoted but.
Umm, yeah, Romans 10 and verse 17. Many of you have it, uh, committed to memory. So then faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. It's the latter half of the verse I'm thinking of hearing by the Word of God. The spiritual faculty of being able to hear divine communications comes by the Word of God. It's an action of the Spirit of God taking the Word of God and imparting life to a soul, whereby there is that faculty to receive.
And here, in a spiritual way, a person may have heard about Jesus prior to this action that we are now Speaking of.
You may have heard about the cross, but it doesn't really make much sense to them. But when God quickens his soul, all at once he hears like he's never heard before. He hears the voice of the Son of God. It makes sense. And then when the present, the gospel is presented and he believes and rests in faith in that, there is the seal of the Spirit that comes in and finishes that work in the soul. Is that right? Yeah, as he says, by giving us the Spirit, this fellow belongs to me.
So we're born again, not a corruptible seed, but incorruptible by the word of God, that liveth and abideth forever.
And just on a practical note, I'd like to say this, and that is that when we have opportunity to present the gospel to the lost, use the Word of God. Whether it's from the platform, whether it's opportunity to speak to someone you work with, someone in your neighborhood, whatever it is, always use the Word of God because it's the Word of God applied in the power of the Spirit that God uses to impart divine life to us.
Every one of us here that received divine life, new birth, it was the word of God and the power of the Spirit. My telling a story in the gospel about someone who almost drowned isn't going to save a soul. It might help to make a point, but get on with it and quote the word of God. And that's why it's important to familiarize ourselves with the word of God. You may argue a point all day, but that isn't going to save a soul if you can quote the word of God in the power of the Spirit.
00:10:16
That's what God then can use to impart divine life. So I just want to encourage you. Some young brothers here have a lot of potential in the Gospel. Familiarize yourself with the Word of God. Learn to not only read it, but quote it so that it can come back to you at a time when the Spirit of God can use it to impart divine life. Now we don't know when that life is imparted. The wind bloweth where it lists us, and thou canst not tell whence it cometh.
Or whether it goeth, so is everyone that is born of the Spirit. You've never seen the wind and I've never seen the wind, but you see the results of it. You know, I rarely ask someone if they're a believer. I wait to see some effect in their lives. And if I see some effect in their lives, some movement in their lives in that direction, then I'm I, then I have some assurance at least that there's life there. And then you can go on and continue to present the word.
That they might get a hold of that in their souls. Well, we.
Presenting the gospel to people in Munich, Germany. We were just visiting there and it was years later. I'm Speaking of years and I don't remember where there were seven years or something like that. I get a letter from the lady, she says you sowed the seed in 91.
And it didn't fall on good ground, but now it has brought fruit. I'm saved. Not only did she get saved her husband, her mother and others in the family, but it took, I think it was, if I'm not mistaken, about nine years.
But the Word did breakthrough, she couldn't forget what she had heard. So just quote the scriptures and trust the Lord that by the Spirit He will use it, you know, and He does use the scriptures.
Is there a difference between quickening and born again?
Or is that the same thing? Same thing?
Both by the Spirit and the Word of God. Is that right?
Sometimes quickening is used, but it's born again.
It's, it's an, uh, interchangeable. Thank you.
Perspective there is, uh, is that we are dead and So what a debt person needs is life quickening. But in John it's more the focus is on the family of God and how do you become a member of the family of God as being born again into that family?
And it's through the Word of God, always the word of God, isn't it? It's beautiful to see that verse that was quoted.
The dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God. Do dead people hear when the Son of God speaks? The dead here, and that through that means they are given new life.
The object is not to quicken only God wants to bring them into full suitability and have that place in the bond of the body of Christ and in union with Christ. So we have goes on and it says after you heard the gospel of your salvation that you believed and he seals the believer. And So what is sealing? Is it not that Heinz, I know you already alluded to it, but uh, sealing is.
Is an action of the Spirit of God when it comes to dwell in us that gives us to know that we belong to Him.
But then it goes on and speaks of another action of the Spirit of God when He comes to dwell on this, and that is the earnest. And the earnest is to give us to know that we have things that belong to us. Let me say that again. The seal gives us to know that we belong to Him, gives us that assurance. But the earnest gives us to know that there are things that belong to us. And God would give us the earnest that we might be able to enjoy.
The uh, the inheritance and the uh, what is coming?
And what is all ours now in Christ?
I enjoy that verse 13 verse. It's believing the gospel of your salvation. It's in the gospel that we learn that the work of Christ has satisfied God's holy demands against us as sinners and that it's completely paid for. And it's when we rest there.
00:15:14
That God can seal us. Sometimes I put it this way, I think it helps. Faith in the person of Christ gives life. Faith in the work of Christ gives peace. And when you believe that the salvation.
That the gospel of our salvation. When you believe that the price was completely paid, you accept that God says that the work of salvation, that soul is complete and he puts his seal upon it when there is that simple faith.
In the work of Christ, I think it's important, isn't it? Faith in this person gives life. Faith in his work gives peace.
And that word after, is there a time frame involved there or is it instantaneous?
It says after that she believed you were sealed.
I think it should be translated having believed you were sealed.
So the moment that a soul rests in faith on the finished work of Christ, the seal of the Spirit takes place.
But there may be a period of time between new birth and stealing, isn't there? And that's important to recognize that we have that, of course, with Cornelius as well as others, Uh, there may have been quite a period of time between the time that he was quickened or born again and the time that he was sealed.
And so we should be clear that.
New birth is not the same as salvation, is it? Salvation isn't complete until sealing is done. And in fact, it's the ceiling or the indwelling of the Spirit of God that makes me part of the church, Isn't that correct? We're really not part of the church. We are children of God. We have that new life, we belong to the family, but we are not.
Part of the Church of God until we're sealed. And so that's one question when somebody asked for their place at the Lord's Table, we wanna make sure they're sealed because they're not part of the church. Though they may be born again, they're not part of the church unless they've been sealed. Have the assurance of their salvation. No, God is their father.
The fellowship we show at the at the Lord's Supper is the fellowship of the body of Christ, and it's when the Spirit of God seals a person. We are united to the body of Christ, and that's important for a person taking their place. You wanna know that they are part of that body.
And, uh, that's the way.
They become part of the body. So for absolute clarity, because I know there's a lot of confusion in Christianity about the subject.
You are not be, be. Because you're born again does not mean you're saved. That's exactly what Brother Eric was just saying. Do you understand that? Because you're born again does not mean you're saved. Born again means you have the life, the capability to accept salvation and be sealed. But you're not saved until you're sealed, right? We wanna be careful here, don't we? Because we don't want there to be confusion. A person who's born again, we say, is safe.
I don't know if that's exactly a scriptural term, but it believes the thought is, remember speaking with Brother Piropado years ago and he said, if the Lord, uh, gave me life when I was a lost and guilty Sinner, he's not about to lose me. So if I have new life, I will be in heaven. That's true. But the distinction you're making is a Christian distinction, isn't it? And so the word salvation belongs to only those who have been sealed by the Spirit of God.
There is a sense in which your salvation still has to be completed. Brother, too, your body hasn't been saved yet. So I think we need to be clear that new birth is something that relates to salvation, but it's not exactly. We need to distinguish without separating. Don't separate it from salvation, but there is a distinction. There is a verse in Philippians, one that says he that hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ, and so when he begins to work.
He completes it, but it's like that verse that Jim quoted The wind blows where it listed and now here's the sound there, but can't not know where it comes from nor where it's going. And so is everyone that is born of the Spirit. So we can't put time frames on God's actions, but when he begins the work he finishes at.
00:20:21
Venezuela says now is our salvation nearer than we first believe? That means that He will take us out of this thing. Then our salvation is complete. You know, that's the final part of it and that's what we're looking forward to. I hope everyone in this room that knows the Lord Jesus as Savior is looking for his coming. You know, we have plans for this life on earth and we ought to be responsible.
Students in school or when we start working and so on, but don't make that the purpose of your life. Your purpose of your life is to live as a Christian and to wait for the Lord Jesus and to be exercised that when he comes and looks at your life at the judgment seat of Christ. There will be something that he can approve of. You know in all of our lives will be evaluated there as adjustment speed of price. We also have an exercise.
We will live in such a way that there be something for His glory at that time, and He will appear before Him when He will judge, not our person.
But our life, you know, we will not come into judgment, but our life will be evaluated, and whatever was of himself will be recognized and acknowledged.
Let's go on in verse 14. It is very It's nice to see here the work of preparing the inheritance so that Christ could reign over it. It needs redemption.
It has been purchased at the Cross, but there's a day coming in the future when it will be redeemed.
So verse 13 we see how God makes us ready and brings us into line with his great plan. But the inheritance Now in chapter verse 14 we see how it is made ready for this great display of the glory of Christ and that is by the power of God in redemption. This is redemption by power here and this is.
When Christ will come, it is appearing.
He's going to redeem the inheritance, the purchased possession.
We have been redeemed by blood with the inheritance will be redeemed by power.
And our, our redemption is present, isn't it? We have that. It's something that we have now. You were redeemed, were redeemed with the precious blood of Christ, as Peter brings out. But this is something that's yet future. And that's why it's important in Scripture to distinguish between being purchased and redeemed.
Because we don't all when we explain the word redeemed, we don't always give it in its full aspect. Sometimes we simply say to be redeemed. To redeem something is to buy it back. Well, that's true, but it's only part of the thought, isn't it? To redeem something really is to buy it. Not only to buy it back, but to buy it back, to set it free. Like the story we often hear of the man who went to the slave market many, many years ago.
And he bought a particular slave, and when he purchased that slave, he told him that he had bought him to set him free. He didn't just purchase him, he bought him to set him free. And so the creation is not free from the ******* of sin, yet the whole creation growneth and travaileth in pain until now, waiting for that redemption. There's a redemption coming as setting free of the purchase possession. It isn't that the possession that the inheritance hasn't been bought. The price has been paid.
It's been purchased, but it hasn't been set free. We have been set free. We have redemption. But there's a wonderful day coming when this creation is not going to feel the ******* and the effects of sin the way it does now. It's going to be set free. Why? Animals are not going to prey on one another, and in figurative language, the trees are going to clap their hands. Every level of creation is going to feel the effects of redemption.
In a Co in the coming day. So I think it's very important to see the distinction between being purchased and being redeemed to purchases to buy but to redeem is to buy to set free. We don't have the redemption of our body yet do we That's a part of that's why you got Gray hairs on your head Jim. You're not gonna have Gray hairs when you are redeemed. We we're set free. It's it's nice to see you there in the fi Ephesians one that.
00:25:29
The price is verse seven and Redemption with Power is verse 14.
When uh.
The man who found a treasure in a field.
Uh, he bought the whole field and the field is the world. He's paid the price to take the whole creation back and set it free. But those who are not saved are purchased, but they're not ever said to be redeemed, right? And by that, by that means God has the right, the Lord Jesus has the right because.
He has paid the price to come back and take this world completely back for God.
That's what you get in Revelation 5, don't you?
It's a lot for all the things.
You know we cannot walk practically with all the things, but we ought to demonstrate that we love them even when discipline is needed in the assembly. I hope that love is what prompts us to carry it out.
And when we cannot fellowship with one under discipline, we also feel bad about it that we cannot fellowship with them, because it's just like a father having to physically punish his boy. Does he enjoy doing that?
I don't think that should be done that way. Not that sometimes the flesh doesn't come out even in a father disciplining his son, but hopefully what is prompting him to do it is the love realizing that the boy needs correction and even punishment for what he has done wrong. But uh, we will not be getting carried away. But even in the year century, we have to.
Discipline evil, but hopefully that will be.
Love that prompts us to do it with the desire that the discipline leads to repentance and restoration. You know that is what we hope discipline will accomplish.
On verse 14 then, uh, do I understand it correctly that it's, uh, it's not really, although we are speaking about redemption of people, That's not really the thought here, is it in verse 14, which is the earnest of our inheritance. That's the Spirit of God is the down payment of our inheritance. We're speaking before the inheritance here is a physical thing, is it not? Not people, but it's physical. I don't disagree with what was said. It's just that as far as the context goes.
This is he's the earnest of our physical inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession. Again, it's not speaking about people, I don't think directly, but rather in the context. He's going to redeem the purchase possession until the praise of his glory. And so that's the Millennium, is it not when he sets the as a hymn writer says, the whole creation will smile and, uh, the burden of creation will be the.
The creational will be released from the curse of sin. And so it's speaking about things here, isn't it, Bruce? And verse 14, Yes, very good. The purchased possession is that inheritance purchased at the cost redeemed when he returns at the appearing, as you've mentioned. And notice also it says unto the praise of his glory. Now why does it drop off that expression that we had earlier in the passage? Remember we said it comes up three times.
But as a part of this phrase that is dropped off, notice what it says to the praise of His glory of his grace, verse six, when it's talking about us.
Of his grace is not mentioned here. Ah because he is Speaking of the material creation. It is not sinned and in need of grace redeeming grace. It it is needs power to be brought into line with God's program in the sense of being cleansed and made ready for that scene and that they have display, but the activity of God's grace and redemption is not toward it. So it's interesting to see that that's dropped off in this expression.
00:30:17
In verse and verse 14.
Well, versus 15 on to the end. Give us that prayer that we were Speaking of. The apostle passes from praise to petition. Maybe we could say from praise to prayer. As we said that the chapter is an inscription of of praise and prayer. It's a it's written in a very priestly tone. And so now he were permitted to hear the apostles prayer and what he's praying for the Saints.
And it's absolutely beautiful to see as we look at this. Bob's already mentioned this this morning, but there's three parts and three things in specifically that he's praying for, all predicated on that word. What you'll see it three times in verses 18 and 19. What is the hope of His calling? What is the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints? And what is the exceeding greatness of His power? And so on. And these things linked with the three things that we've had earlier in the chapter.
Now, why would the apostle record a prayer and have the Saints to read it? Is there something we're supposed to learn from this?
What I learned, Bruce, is that we cannot be blessed more than we already are. And when he prays for us because we can include ourselves in this, he prays not for more blessing in the sense that we have it here. What he prays for is that the eyes of our hearts would be opened to understand it and to live in the enjoyment of it. And that's what we need, brethren.
If you don't understand it, how can you enjoy it? That's why we need to get into it and we need to have our eyes opened to enjoy that often. Think of that young man in Elijah Stein when the king of Syria sent and the army of the Syrians was round about the city and the young man, the the Elisha's servant got up and he saw.
The physical army around the city and he was alarmed.
And Elijah prays and says, Lord, open his eyes that he may see. And when his eyes were opened, he saw. And it's interesting how it puts it, Chariots of horses and Chariots of fire round about. Elisha doesn't say round about the city, but there was a totally different dimension that he was not seeing. And brethren.
Physical things, material things tend to blind us as to the reality of spiritual things, and I think we need to be exhorted about it. I know I do. But go back to 2nd Corinthians 4 just for a couple of verses that I know you know this, but we're going to read it anyhow.
Verse.
17 He says the apostle Paul for our light affliction. This is Second Corinthians 417 for our light affliction, which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.
While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen, how in the world do you look at things that are not seen?
By take. For the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
So we look around this room, we see chairs and we see people sitting in the chairs, we see the lights, we see everything I've seen. This is just for a moment, just for a moment. It's that which is not seen, which is eternal, and we need to have our eyes opened in that sphere of things. It's impressed me, brother, in that, how that material things occupy.
So much of our lives just stop to think. In your life, as you live from day-to-day material things, what percent of your life does that occupy? How much time do you take to think about heavenly things?
00:35:22
We are exhorted to set our mind on things above where Christ sits at the right hand of God.
What percent of the day do we spend thinking about those things?
I'm afraid the figure is pretty small in my life.
And we need to have our eyes opened as to that. Remember taking up Ephesians one, one time in a home in Bolivia where the people who are fairly well off, fairly prosperous. And I must say I just felt at a total loss because it just seemed to me that the words I said flew right over there heads and hit the wall behind him but had no effect on them.
At all.
They were so aware of material things and material values that spiritual things had absolutely no meaning to them.
But in contrast with that, Brother Clement and I had the joy of sitting in a home of a brother is extremely poor in the Dominican Republic.
Never forget it.
House is just some sticks stuck in the ground for the walls.
And the banana leaves for a roof. When it rained, you had to be careful where you sat. You didn't get dripped on and you had only one table and some benches at the table. We had to be careful how he sat down on the benches because we didn't want to break him.
But that dear brother.
Is black face just shone with joy. She took out his Bible. He didn't have this nice house to show us. He didn't have any nice car to show us.
I'll never forget. It just came as such a challenge to me. Dear brother, in that moment, please Lord help me not be blinded by material things to enjoy the joy I see in that man's face. It was so real. The brother and I believe that in our prosperous country we have been blinded as to what real spiritual values are.
And I think that's the burden of the apostles prayer there, isn't it? Have their eyes opened.
Lord help us, brother.
The lot of money is a route of every kind of evil. Not money is the rule of evil, but the love of it. There's nothing wrong in having money, not that we should try to get out and put all our effort into getting rich. But if the Lord entrusts us with money, we ought not to set our heart on it, you know, and realize that we are sure to be faithful to us.
And that we have an exercise to use what he entrusts us with, to use among the poor, especially his own. You know, there are people in Africa that are starving to death. There was a man my age. I didn't know him very well, but he starved to death. I would have liked to know of his needs. We would have tried to help him. But.
The means of communications are not what we have here in the West. The man my age starved to death. You know, I don't think he was really in fellowship, but he would attend meetings quite regularly. But, uh, and he's not an isolated case where people are starving to death. Children are starving to death in the world. Yeah. And we are in such an abundance over here and we have to re exercise.
To use what he entrusts us with as faithful stewards. There are several recorded prayers of the Apostle Paul indifferent of the epistles, and they really give us an insight into the heart and desire of the Apostle Paul for the Saints of God. And what has been remarkable to me in reading those through those prayers and meditating on them is to see that the Apostle Paul's overhaul desire for the people of God.
00:40:01
Was not so much for their well-being in a temporal way or even a physical way, although that no doubt was on his heart. If there was a temporal or physical need there, that was a burden to him. But there was something that was even greater than that and that was the spiritual growth and well-being of the people of God. Not that they would have more blessings, but that they would enter in more to what they had.
And I've wondered in answer to Bruce's question, if at least part of it I as to why they're recorded for us by inspiration isn't as an example for you and for me in our prayers and concern for the people of God. You know, when we come to prayer meeting, brethren, and don't misunderstand me, but when we come to prayer meeting, we so often pray or limit our prayers to those who have physical needs.
Those who perhaps have temporal needs and those who perhaps have got cold in their soul, they're not going on. They, uh, maybe action has been taken by the assembly. They're not attending the meetings. And we pray for those individuals, rightly so, brethren. We ought to pray for those who have needs, uh, in that way. But the Apostle Paul, when he prayed for the Saints, as a brother said to me one time, it wasn't so much concerning the lost button.
It was more in connection with the spiritual well-being.
Of the Saints of God. And when you and I pray for the Saints of God, when we get down in our in our closet and pray for one another, what do we pray for? Do we pray just for those who have gotten different or cold or going on in a path that we feel will be a detriment to them if they follow that course and so on? Or do we pray for the Saints of God name by name, that they might go on and that they might increase in the knowledge and joy of what they have in Christ?
And that they might avail themselves of the power that's at their disposal. And that their eyes would be open.
To see the precious things that we have been enjoying in in these meetings. You know, brethren, if we prayed like that for one another, name by name, perhaps it would spare us from many things. If I prayed for my brother and or sister who's going on well for the Lord, that they would be preserved and that they would increase in those things, maybe I wouldn't have to pray for them in the context of them being cold in their souls or missing the path or getting discouraged.
Maybe if I used prayer as a preventative measure, it would spare us from we if we used it as a preventative measure, it would spare us from many things. Interesting with epiphras too. You know, epiphras in colossi was one who labored in prayer. And what did he labor in prayer for again? Was it for the health and physical things of the Saints? Well, I'm sure he did. But the Spirit of God tells us what he prayed in regard to the Saints, that they might stand perfect and complete in the will of God.
I can just picture Epipros getting down on his knees and praying for his brother, name by name and Lord, that brother is going on, but preserve him, give him a deeper sense of what he has, and so on.
Brethren, do we do that? And I wonder if that isn't perhaps one reason, a practical reason at least, as to why these prayers are recorded for us.
In the epistles that the apostle writes to the assemblies that were not going on well, there are no recorded prayers. I'm speaking now for Second Corinthians and Galatians. No recorded prayers. Why?
Only in the assembly, only to the assemblies that were going on well, does he give a recorded prayer.
Why is that?
Well, one reason at least is because the assemblies that were going on, well, the apostle Paul understood, would be a special target of the enemy. And again, he used prayer as a preventative measure there.
That I believe that's why in the PER, at least in the epistles, where they're going on well, he prays for them as a preventative measure. Why Bruce then is are they, are there no prayers in the others? I don't know. I was hoping Eric was gonna talk.
I'm sure he was praying for them in Corinthians and the Saints in Galatia. But again, I do believe he realized and brethren, when we see an assembly going on happily for the Lord, where individuals going on happily for the Lord in the enjoyment of what they have, brethren, they are a special target of the enemy. You know a brother or sister is going on indifferently isn't as special a target of the enemy because the enemy's already gained a victory.
00:45:23
That person to be turned aside or discouraged. But brethren, when we see someone going on well or an assembly going on happily, how much more they need our prayers? Well, if we don't have the answer to the question, I'd like to just remind you of something that was told us many years ago through another person that Mister Heywood said, the one that, uh, Brother Bob has quoted a couple of times already in these meetings. He said never let the things that you don't understand spoil your enjoyment of the things you do understand.
We don't have an answer to the question I had. Maybe at some time in the future the Lord will open that up to us and help us. But to speculate is not the answer is to leave it with the Lord and don't let it spoil your enjoyment of the things that you do know and do understand.
That the God of the Lord Jesus Christ in this prayer, but in the prayer in chapter 3, it's to the Father, it's addressed to the Father.
Of the Lord Jesus Christ.
This prayer is to do with power to know and to understand, uh, this great revelation. Whereas in chapter 3, the prayer is to do with capacity to appreciate and to enjoy and, uh, usually associate God with the idea of power. You'll notice that's the double relationship that the Lord Jesus has with God the Father, verse three. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He's not only the God of.
The Lord Jesus Christ He is the Father and 1St prayer is to the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the second, as you mentioned, is to the Father of our Lord Jesus. There might be a better answer than that, but.
That's what I know.
Before we pass from the thought of prayer.
I'm sure I speak for many others too, but one of the greatest challenges in our prayers is to pray for those who may have bad feelings against us, isn't it? And even though we don't get, as you say in those corrective epistles, we don't get Paul's specific prayers, we know that he prayed for those dear Saints. And I believe it's a sign of true spirituality, isn't it, that we can honestly pray for someone who has bad feelings for us and seek their good and blessing before the Lord?
In the case of Moses, when Miriam and Aaron spoke against him.
And the Lord smote Miriam with leprosy, he said. Lord, heal her now. Absolutely no indication of resentment. And brethren, we really need to deal with that question of roots of bitterness.
Let's not keep them in our souls. They will damage us. They will damage others.
Two, let's leave them at the Lord's feet. Let's pray for them. To me, it's very significant to what we read at the end of this epistle that he says we should pray for All Saints, those that don't agree with us, those that contradict us. Like you say, let's be exercised to pray in that way. The Lord turned to captivity of Job.
But when was it? Was it when he said, behold, I am vile? No. Was it when he a little later when he said, behold, I repent and dust and ashes the sackcloth? No. Well, when was it? Well, you read that 42nd chapter and you'll find it says then the Lord turned the captivity of Job when he prayed not against, but for his three friends who have made all those accusations against him.
When he could open his hands and hold a forgiving spirit toward them, God turned to captivity of Job.
And different spikes, umm I think Phil mentioned yesterday in case of Elijah's when he prayed against the people of God that God says OK go anoint Elisha to be prophet in your room. Brethren, God loves his people even when they are disobedient and stiff necked and hard headed. Whatever else you want to say about it, he loves them. We need to learn that and pray for them.
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Doesn't mean we have to be in agreement with them, but we can pray for them and give thanks for them. And that's what Paul does here, doesn't he? I've been impressed to notice in Philippians as well, he gave thanks for his brethren. Now, you can't hold bitterness in your heart towards someone or speak in a bad way about someone if you get down on your knees and truly in the presence of God, give thanks for that brother.
Or that sister, do we really thank God for our brethren for each one? And again, perhaps someone who's done something that was unjust or said something unkind, can we really get in the presence of God and pray for that one? And not just pray for them, but give thanks for them. And so Paul not only prayed for his brethren, but he gave thanks for his brethren. Brethren, let's learn to give thanks for one another. And if you and I truly esteem other better than ourselves.
We can do that.
Remember a story that, uh, maybe Bob, you can clarify this if I don't have it quite right, but is her brother Eric Smith told the story years ago about some brethren in Bolivia that were at odds. We don't have to go to Bolivia to find brethren at odds, but nonetheless, that's the illustration. And, uh, the one brother was on his deathbed finally and they had never reconciled. And so the brother of did finally come to the brother on his deathbed. And he, he, uh, he felt bad about the whole situation and he said, well, brother.
Is there anything I can do for you?
So there's just one thing I'd like you to do is to take this feather pillow and open it up and spread it out in the wind.
And he said, I'll do that for you. Be glad to do that for you. So he did. It was a good windy day. Apparently they spread over, came back and said, I've I've done what you asked me to do. He said, now just one more thing. Go and pick up all the feathers.
OK, I think the point was, brethren, there's GR grudges and bitterness we hold. And, uh, the point of course was that there's lost time, isn't there? And uh, that was a lesson there. There was lost time could never be recovered now. And we need to bear that in mind, don't we?
We have been forgiven so much.
It's really is on us then, brethren, to have that forgiving attitude.
Well, it says in verse 18 the eyes of your heart, doesn't it? That's the better translation. Being enlightened. I wonder about that. We use the illustration earlier from the Old Testament of crossing the Jordan. There's two things that come to mind there. When the children of Israel first came to the Jordan River, remember, after about less than two years in the wilderness, they came to a place named Kadesh.
And I believe this is one of the secrets to entering into the, the, uh, heavenly portion we have in this chapter, uh, and in this book, and that is, if you look it up, you'll see that Kadesh means consecration. How is it that we're going to have the eyes of our heart enlightened? One of the answers, one of the great answers is consecration. We can't really expect blessing in our lives, brethren, can we, if our hearts are not consecrated?
The word consecration simply means to fill the hand.
That were, that, uh, Christ is our portion, that he fills our hand. The other place that's so important when they cross the Jordan River just as they're entering into the land was Gilgal. And at Gilgal they were circumcised. That's the cutting off of the filth of the flesh. We've been hearing about these things that are such a hindrance to us. They cut them off. Not so much Christ's death for us, as it's often been said, but, but, uh, our death with Christ, I'm crucified with Christ, yet not I.
Who often said, I feel that's probably a good Christian motto.
Yet not I, but Christ. But we don't live that way very often, do we? But I wonder if that's not at least part of the secret here, the eyes of your heart being enlightened. Are we consecrated? Are we actively crucified with Christ? Then the eyes of our heart will be enlightened.
00:55:45
So these three things he requests like you mentioned, Brother Jim, are not material things. They're not to do with the physical health of the believers, but it is the spiritual side and rather than that's what we need to have our hearts opened to understand better.
Uh, what is the whole?
Of His calling, those vast panorama spiritual blessing that is ours. What is the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the Saints, that inheritance that is going to be ours when the Lord Jesus comes again and takes the inheritance with his Saints? And what is the exceeding greatness of His power to usward, who believe according to the working of His mighty power?
It almost seems in that verse 19 that he runs out of adjectives.
It's just so tremendously great that power and it's the power of God, not in creation. You see God's power in creation, but here is a, uh, power that works in resurrection and it's a greater power. It's really what introduces into new creation. The Lord Jesus in resurrection is the beginning of a whole new creation and so.
That power that works to us word who believe in verse 19 was displayed when he wrought incre, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion. I'd just like to think of it that when the when God reached down and raised the Lord Jesus from the dead.
You didn't quit raising him until the Lord Jesus, as a man is far above all principality and power and might and dominion. What a tremendous, uh, display of the power of God. There's a man in the highest position in the whole universe, a man, and that power that put him there is the power that works towards us.
Who believe, uh, now? And this time we're still down here.
With all things under his feet.
You know.
So that shows the elevated position that he has, you know.
That he has he explore the whole and everything else doesn't really amount to much apart from him.
So every situation that arises that affects us as members of his body, he is in full control of it. And brethren, what it it does in my own soul, and I understand this, whatever trial that takes place in our lives, to be able to look up and recognize that that trial came my way.
Because he saw the need for it and to accept it as directly as possible from his hand. I think so often we have bitterness in our hearts because we think that person or that brother spoke that against me. I suggest, brethren, if we're looking at people and circumstances, we are short sighted. We need to look above and beyond it all. There is a man.
01:00:02
At God's right hand.
That allowed that in every circumstance, brethren, absolutely everything in life. Remember when the Lord allowed a particularly trying trial in my own life? A brother pointed out.
And, uh, practical volume of Mr. Darby, he makes a statement, he says looking at anything but first causes is the basis of practical infidelity. Just to put that in simpler terms, simply means.
That everything in the believer's life comes directly from the hand of that man. In the glory of God, we are united to him here and now, and everything that happens in your life comes directly from his hand. Remember talking to a sister in Bolivia who?
Uh, she was not gathered with us, but she said to me, she said, uh, surely brother.
We should vote against the Communist Party, I said to her sister, do you know that God has used the Communist Party in Communist China to make His church grow as in no other time of the church's history? Yes, even the persecution that they suffer in China is being used to make the gospel spread as it has hardly ever spread in the history of the Church.
Tremendous. He uses every situation, and that frees us from bitterness when we realize it's not that brother. Yes, that brother may have spoken to me. Maybe he did it too sharply. I can leave that. It wasn't that brother. It was the man at God's right hand, far above all principality and power. And if he hadn't willed it so it wouldn't have come my way.
But since he did, there was some reason and I have to accept it as directly as possible as I can from him.
That's what it means to be head over all things to the church. It's not exactly head of the church, it's head over all things to the church.
And we're the fullness of him that filleth All in all. I think that's tremendous. You know, he is incomplete without us. In Colossians we're incomplete without him. He's the head of the body, and a body without a head is incomplete and non functional. But in Ephesians it's a head without a body being incomplete. He, our head in heaven, brethren, is incomplete without us. We are the fullness.
Of him that filleth All in all now if that doesn't motivate us to live for his glory now in view of what is ahead then I don't know what goes on within our hearts to think that we are the fullness of the Christ we fill up he's where the fullness of him that fill us All in all our head linked by the Spirit to the members here on earth and God says it's the Christ you can't separate it now he is going to be the head of the Jewish nation when they.
Pay, income effect. But that position is not considered to be his highest position. His highest position is that he is head of the church, His body, and we are members of that body. You know, he is our glorified head now. And what a wonderful time it's gonna be when he comes back with us and whether it will be demonstrated through the world the privilege and blessing that is ours as Christians.
We see number 56.
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Don't need to turn to the First Samuel chapter 12.
Moreover, As for me, God forbid that I should sin against the Lord and ceasing to pray for you.
So both of her.