One thing I have desired of the Lord that I may dwell in the house of the Lord forever (Ps 27:4). This refers to fellowship with God and His children.
We want to be one in serving God. That’s why we sanctify ourselves and do away with anything in our lives which displeases God. We do away with everything of the world because we want the Holy God to be among us. God doesn’t change. If He had removed Adam and Eve out of the garden because of the sin of disobedience He will do the same with us today because of sin. The biggest sin is disobedience, when God speaks to us but we don’t obey Him.
Jesus said to the woman caught in adultery, “go and sin no more”. He says the same to us. Do we obey Him? If not, God cannot reveal Himself to us.
Jesus spoke to the two disciples from Emmaus, but they did not recognise Him until their eyes were opened. It’s not by education but by revelation.
We can sit under God’s Word daily but if He doesn’t reveal Himself to us we will miss the mark.
Just look at the disciples of our Lord. They sat under His message daily and walked and talked and were with Him but their eyes were blinded and their hearts hardened until Jesus was revealed to them. He rebuked them time and again for their unbelief and hardness of heart.
That is my cry that Jesus will reveal Himself to us through His Word.
We celebrated Easter. What has it done to our spiritual life?
Do you realise that the Lord Jesus gave His life for the remission of your sin. Has it been revealed to you or do you only know it as a fact? Have you seen yourself hanging on the Cross with Christ?
How can we still sin and the world still have a hold over us if we realise what the Lord Jesus has done for us? Shouldn’t we out of thankfulness totally give our life for Him. What did you do with such great love? Did you dedicate yourself anew to Him or simply treat it lightly and went out as you came in?
Is it your continual prayer to be set aside wholly for Him? On Easter Sunday we celebrated His resurrection from the dead. Have you been raised with Him to newness of life? Are you a new creation, where everything has become new?
Is your Christianity only a tradition of your family or have you experienced Him personally?
John 20
1 The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.
Luke 24
1 Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.
We see that all they were concerned about was their tradition to anoint the dead body. They weren’t concerned that He had told them time and again that He would rise from the dead. The men were filled with fear. Jesus was not yet revealed to them and they did not understand the scripture that He would rise from the dead.
If the Word is not opened to us through the Holy Spirit we do not understand.
John 20
11 But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre,
12 And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.
13 And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my LORD, and I know not where they have laid him.
How often don’t we act in just the same way?
Luke 24
37 But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.
38 And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?
39 Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.
40 And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet.
41 And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat?
42 And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb.
43 And he took it,and did eat before them.
44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.
45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,
They only saw that Jesus was dead and they had no inclination of what was really taking place in the spiritual realm.
Unless Jesus is revealed to us we are just like these disciples. We cry and are in despair and know not what to do.
When we don’t understand something we tend to become humanistic. We think as humans do, humanistically and rationally. From our earliest childhood we are taught to think realistically and we have no time to ask what Jesus wants to tell us. We go according to our reasoning and feeling what is right and wrong.
May we move into the spiritual realm to say, “Lord Your ways are above our ways and Your thoughts above our thoughts”. That’s why it’s so important to have the same Spirit as Jesus has. May we think as He thinks, live as He lives and do things as He does them. And that can only happen if we submit willingly to His leading and will, give up our rights whether we understand or not.
It’s not important what I want, but what He wants. May He teach us to obey whether we understand or not. And that we will do only if we are filled with His spirit, feel as He feels and think as He does.
That will keep you humble in that you have nothing to boast about but totally depend on the leading and guiding of God the Holy Spirit. It’s not easy, for our human nature resist that. We want to be in control and understand everything logically.
However as we walk this supernatural life we will understand that His ways are higher than ours – to be led and guided by God the Holy Spirit.
As we travel around the world there is one thing that must be preeminent, to reveal and show the beauty of Jesus. People don’t read the Bible anymore. They don’t know what Easter or Christmas is about. To them it’s only a time of drinking booze and dancing and comitting all manner of other sin. They are watching you and me to see the beauty of Jesus reflected there – that we be kind and compassionate and do good to others.
Are you a believer or an unbeliever? If you are a true Christian then you will allow the Holy Spirit to guide you into all the truth. Do you want to be under the law or under the guidance of the Holy Spirit? If you aren’t led by the Holy Spirit then you are still judged by the law. But when His Spirit guides you He will tell you what is right and what is wrong, and He can keep you to the uttermost.