HOW WE HINDER GOD

HOW WE HINDER GOD 

"Far be it from me that I should sin against Jehovah in ceasing to pray for you" 1 Sam. 12:23

Let us be very careful not to misread these words of Samuel, for rightly apprehended they are most arresting and revealing. Samuel did not say: “Far be it in me that I should sin against you in ceasing to pray for you." There is a secondary sense in which he might have said that, for we do certainly sin against men when we cease to pray for them. But that is so for the very reason which is revealed in what Samuel did actually say, namely: "Far be it from me that I should sin against Jehovah in ceasing to pray for you." His thought was that if he ceased to pray for Israel he would be SINNING AGAINST GOD. What a remarkable truth is involved in that conception concerning prayer. Quite simply stated, it is that IN PRAYER WE CREATE CONDITIONS which make it possible for God to act in ways otherwise impossible to Him. WHEN WE CEASE TO PRAY WE LIMIT GOD. WHEN WE PRAY WE OPEN HIS WAY TO ACT. We may not be able to account for this philosophically. It may seem to us as though our praying could not possibly make any difference to the putting forth of the Divine power, even though it might possibly affect His will. As a matter of fact, the reverse is true. No prayer of mine can change the will of God, which is ever "good and acceptable and perfect." (Rom. 12:2) But my prayer can and does make it possible for His power to operate in ways impossible apart from it. When I cease to pray for men, I sin against God first, because I hinder Him in that I do not help Him. Therefore I GRIEVOUSLY SIN against men when I CEASE TO PRAY FOR THEM. (See 1 Cor. 1:11)

OUR PRAYERS HELP BRING DELIVERANCE'S

OUR PRAYERS HELP BRING DELIVERANCE'S 

"Ye also helping together on our behalf by your supplication" 2 Cor. 1:11

This is pre-eminently the comfort chapter of the New Testament. Writing to his children in Corinth and Achaia, Paul was recalling a dark experience through which he had passed in Asia, when he had in affliction come so near to death, that he had actually died but for the deliverance of God. In all that time of suffering he had known the comfort of God, and now knew that through such experiences of trial and of comfort, he had been prepared to COMFORT OTHERS. The deliverance of the past filled him with confidence about whatever the future might bring. He was confident that He would still deliver him. It is at this point that the words we have selected flash out upon us. Notice the surprising connection: "He will also still deliver us; ye also helping together . . . by your supplication." Our PRAYERS for our loved ones help God to work DELIVERANCE FOR THEM. That is a deep MYSTERY, but it is a fact of which it is important for us to take heed. There are things which God can do only when we pray. It was surely that conviction in the olden days which made Samuel said as he retired from his judgeship to make way for Said, "Far be it from me that I should sin against Jehovah in ceasing to pray for you." (1 Sam. 12:23) Observe carefully that he did not say that by ceasing to pray he would sin against them, but that HE WOULD SIN AGAINST JEHOVAH. When we cease to pray, WE LIMIT GOD, and wrong our friends. We may not understand this, but we ought to act upon it. By our SUPPLICATIONS, we are helping together in the DELIVERANCE'S God works for our loved ones.

HIS PATIENCE HAS LIMITS

HIS PATIENCE HAS LIMITS 

"She is empty and void and waste, and the heart melts, and the knees smite together, and anguish is in all loins, and the faces of them all are waxed pale" Nahum 2:10

These words describe the effect of the Divine vengeance, as manifested in the city and the people. The condition of the former is set forth with graphic force in three words, "empty, void, waste." There is the utmost of finality in this collocation of words. Nothing remains to be said. The proud city, of splendid architecture, of accumulated treasure, of the utmost luxury, is seen as a dreary, degraded desolation. The literal fulfillment of this Divine sentence is a matter of history. The condition of the people as the result of the vengeance is described with equal force. When the Divinely appointed scourge fell in hammer blows upon the vile nation, the heart melted, that is inward courage failed; therefore, the knees smote together, that is outward courage failed; anguish was in all loins, that is the vital forces were filled with agony; and the faces of all waxed pale, that is they paled in death. What a commentary this prediction and its historic fulfillment are on the exclamation of the writer of the letter to the Hebrews, "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." (Heb. 10:31) These aspects of the Divine government abide. He is still "slow to anger," (Neh. 9:17; Psa. 103:8; 145:8; Nahum 1:3) but when men or nations persist in wickedness in spite of His patience, then still "with an overrunning flood, He will make a full end." And again we say, this certainly gives the trusting heart comfort and courage. However proudly evil rear its head and vaunt itself, it is doomed.

COMMUNION THROUGH A BAD MARRIAGE

COMMUNION THROUGH A BAD MARRIAGE 

"The valley of Achor for a door of hope" Hosea 2:1

What a wonderful phrase that is, and perhaps more so when we translate Achor, and read: "The valley of troubling for a door of hope." We are now introduced to the tragedy in the life of the prophet. Gomer had proved UNFAITHFUL, and that in the worst way, being guilty not of ADULTERY only, but of HARLOTRY. But while his own heart was thus stricken, Hosea was still in COMMUNION WITH GOD ABOUT ISRAEL, and preparing for his ministry to the people, perhaps already exercising it. Into that COMMUNION his personal sorrow entered, and Jehovah made it the means of making the prophet UNDERSTAND WHAT THE INFIDELITY OF ISRAEL MEANT TO HIM. Thus the prophet's words pass almost at once into the language of Jehovah. The anger of Jehovah is that of WOUNDED LOVE, and His dealings with His people are to be characterized by the severity which grows out of such anger. Through stern discipline, Israel will be RESTORED; that restoration being the purpose of the discipline: "The valley of troubling for a door of hope." It is easy to understand the wonder created in the soul of Hosea by all this. SUFFERING THROUGH THE SIN OF GOMER, HE WAS TAUGHT HOW GREAT THE SIN OF ISRAEL WAS, as Jehovah interpreted His own suffering by the suffering of His servant. Having dealt with Gomer by cutting her off from himself he agreed with the rightness of the Divine judgment of Israel. Having cut her off he was to buy her back as God will do with Israel. But was not this a new revelation to him? Jehovah spoke of such discipline as a "valley of troubling for a door of hope"! How about Gomer? Is that how he had thought of the action which he had rightly taken in regard to her?

HOW TO CONTEMPLATE CAREFULLY

 CAREFULLY CONTEMPLATING 

"Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, even Jesus" Heb. 3:1

Again we have an appeal based upon what has already been written. Having dealt with the humiliation of the Son, and shown that it had not detracted from His superiority to the angels, but rather enhanced it, in that such 'humiliation' was in order to the doing of His saving, priestly work the writer urged his readers to consider Him: We may link this appeal with the previous. one. The sure way in which to "give earnest heed" to the message of the Son, and to be saved from "drifting,” is to CONSIDER HIM. That consideration is to be of Him in two ways, as Apostle and High Priest. Along these lines we are led in what follows. Jesus is "the Apostle ... of our confession." That marks the DIVINE AUTHORITY OF HIS MESSAGE. He is the Sent One of God. His preeminence in this matter is shown by comparing Hun with Moses and Joshua. Moses was faithful as a servant in the house, but Jesus as a Son over the house. Moses led the people out, but could not lead them in. Jesus leads out of bondage and into the promised possessions. Joshua led the people in, but could not give them rest. Jesus gives rest. Jesus is also "the High Priest of our confession," and that is very fully developed. The whole emphasis of this verse is upon the necessity for considering Him. The idea is that of CAREFUL CONTEMPLATION, ATTENTIVE THINKING. How sadly we often fail here. The holy exercise demands time, method, diligence, and wherever it is practiced we are saved from drifting.

PATHWAY OF OUR MARCH IS OF GOD

PATHWAY OF OUR MARCH IS OF GOD 

". . . Jehovah your God, Who went before you in the way, to seek you out a place to pitch your tents in" Deut. 1:32, 33

This Book of Deuteronomy is instructive rather than historical. Its actual history covers a very brief period, probably not many days. It consists of a collection of the final discourses of Moses. The first of these (1:6-4:43) is retrospective. In it, Moses dealt with the three stages of their wanderings—from Horeb to Kadesh-Barnea (1:6-46); from Kadesh-Barnea to Heshbon (2); and from Heshbon to Beth-Peor (3)—and then exhorted them to obedience (4:1-43). In dealing with the first stage, he reminded them of THE DIVINE CALL which caused them to leave Horeb, and recalled their REBELLION in the matter of the spies. The purpose of the review was that of setting all the facts of their experience in, the light of GOD'S GOVERNMENT. Their disturbance at Horeb was that of the DIRECT COMMAND OF GOD. The way of the wilderness was a terrible one, but they had not been left to grope their way through it alone. In this connection the words quoted above were used, and they are very full of revealing beauty. Through them we learn that in the government of God nothing is haphazard. How often life is a wilderness way! As we journey, there seems no map, no plan, no time-table. The truth is that our God is not only accompanying us ON THE MARCH; He is always going before us, selecting the places of our pausing. Wherever at night we pitch our tents, the place is CHOSEN BY GOD. That is all we need to know. See article TRIUNE MEETING BEFORE THE BEGINNING (Eph. 1:4; Rev. 17:8; Rev. 13:8; 2 Tim 1:9; 2 Thess. 2:13; Heb. 4:3; 1 Pet. 1:18-20; Prov. 8:22-23; 1 Cor. 2:7; Col. 1:16; Titus 1:2; Isa. 46:10-11; Isa. 14:26-27; Matt. 25:34).

POWERFUL CAPACITIES REALIZED

POWERFUL CAPACITIES REALIZED  

"He surnamed . . . He surnamed" Mark 3:16, 17

This is a very suggestive story. To three of His twelve Apostles He gave SURNAMES. Perhaps He did the same for all. We do not know. The action in regard to these three is illustrative. Perhaps He always does the same for His own. If so, one wonders how He is surnaming us. The idea is purely speculative, but it is speculation on a profitable level, especially in the light of these revelations.

"Simon He surnamed Rock." This Simon was impulsive, restless, inconsistent, lacking cohesion. Yet He sur­named him Rock. The name was an indication of his UNREALIZED NATURAL CAPACITIES; and of the Lord's ability to realize them. The sons of Zebedee, James and John, He surnamed "Sons of Thunder”. They were men of GENTLE, FILIAL NATURE, QUIET MEN, and CONTENT TO ABIDE AT HOME IN THE SERVICE OF THEIR FATHER. Yet He surnamed them Sons of Thunder; men of AUTHORITY AND POWER. The principle was the same. In James was the capacity to be as LOYAL TO A MASTER AND A CAUSE AS TO DIE FOR THEM. In John was the mystic power which would make him A SEER, AND AN INTERPRETER OF THE GREAT THINGS OF LIFE. The Lord was able to bring these things to realization, and to employ them for His own glory in co-operation with His service.

And so again we wonder what is He naming us? The consideration is for the hour of lonely communion with Him. In such an hour we shall discover that His surnaming is always based upon two things; 1st, OUR CAPACITIES AS THE RESULT OF OUR FIRST BIRTH; and 2nd, HIS POWER TO REALIZE THOSE CAPACITIES. We shall find, moreover, that His power becomes operative when we are wholly yielded to Him.