…a word in due season, how good it is! (Prov. 15:23 KJV)
“Believers keep up and maintain their walk with God by secret prayer. The spirit of grace is always accompanied with the spirit of supplication. It is the very breath of the new creature, the fan of the divine life, whereby the spark of holy fire, kindled in the soul by God, is not only kept in, but raised into a flame.”
– George Whitefield
“I preached as never sure to preach again,
And as a dying man to dying men”
Richard Baxter
“Remove grace, and you have nothing whereby to be saved. Remove free will and you have nothing that could be saved”
Anselm
“One thing must be avoided at all costs. We must not let the world seep into the Church. When we let the world dilute our Gospel and water down our values, we’ll disappear from sight. Let’s keep the Church holy – and wholly committed to Scripture”
A.B. Simpson
“God would first, by this inspiration of His Spirit, have wrought in our hearts that holy love without which none can enter into glory”
– John Wesley
“According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love”
Ephesians 1:4
PART ONE
(See Part Two)
“Butter and honey shall he eat,
that he may know to refuse the evil,
and choose the good*”
Isaiah 7:15
Spiritually we are what we eat. The richness of the Word of God is revealed here as producing within the lives of His own discernment and right choices. How people walk reveals the depth and the import of their partaking of the things of God. In our day of lukewarm attitudes towards sin and conformity to the world it becomes clear that a religious gospel is not capable of producing a separated people. By and large the church is more concerned with the numbers in the pews rather than the righteousness of the people of God. The Word has been robbed of its power and purpose. Smooth things are spoken. Oratory has replaced the anointing. Programs and written resources have taken the place of the individual’s responsibility to seek God and His Will for themselves. Knowledge about God replaces the knowledge OF God. We have become as comfortable as Samson in Delilah’s lap. We have fallen asleep and know not the hour and the day that is about to break upon us. In our slumber we characterize those who cry out to the current condition of things as “legalistic” and overly religious. We have “discovered” new methods of evangelizing where we seek to appeal to the masses with a Jesus that can tweak human nature but still allow them to enjoy the world. This gospel is presented as a band aid rather than a cure; a new paint job rather than a new creation.
Unto those who feast upon the butter and honey of the word of God there is a growing ability to refuse evil and choose good. What a precious gift this is! Discernment is critical to our growth and maturity in God. Without discernment there is no ability to partake of the “strong meat of the Word”.
“But strong meat belongs
to them that are of full age,
even those
who by reason of use
have their senses exercised
to discern both good and evil”
Hebrews 5:14
Those who refuse the “butter and honey” of the Word cannot eat of the strong meat that produces men and women separated unto God. We read of Moses though raised in the very house of Pharaoh and given the opportunity of living a life of luxury…
“Choosing rather
to suffer affliction
with the people of God,
than to enjoy the
pleasures of sin for a season
Esteeming the reproach of Christ
greater riches
than the treasures in Egypt:
for he had respect
unto the recompense of the reward”
Hebrews 11:25-26
This empowerment to esteem the reproach of Christ as “greater riches” only comes by the eating of the Word through obedience and having our senses exercised to see things as they really are.
“The issue is now clear.
It is between light and darkness
and everyone must choose his side”
(The last words of GK Chesterton)
*NOTE: The prophetic word spoken here of the Son communicates to us His manner of life and His Beauty. All that is true in Him is to be true of those who are in Him.
“…because as he IS, so are we in this world”
1 John 4:17
Brian Troxel
www.aword.info
“And Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying,
Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest,
has turned My wrath away from the sons of Israel
while he was zealous for My sake among them”
Numbers 25:15
True priests of the Lord are zealous for God’s glory. They have a burning passion within for His ways, His Holiness and His Glory. They do not sit idly by while men in their insolence disregard His glory and bring dishonor to Him in His house. Those without zeal will not react to the situations before them. They may cringe a bit, they may be saddened or even give themselves to prayer, but the true priests of God act out of a heart that is “zealous for His sake” among the lukewarm people of God.
This rising up of Phinehas happened in the midst of a great judgement from God. Israel’s backsliding had brought the worldly ways of men to the very people of God!
“And Israel lived in Shittim.
And the people began to fornicate
with the daughters of Moab”
Numbers 25:1 (LITV)
While Moses and the true priests of the Lord were weeping before the Tabernacle a brazen act of adultery was happening right in their midst. Zimri* (Song of the Lord) brought into his tent a Midianite woman Cozbi* (false, deceptive, a lie); the pollution of the Song of the Lord by the joining of it to the deceptive things of the world. It is against this backdrop that Phinehas rose up from the place of weeping and took a spear and slew both the Israelite and the Midianite in His zeal for the Lord. God’s response to this act:
“Wherefore say, Behold,
I give unto him (Phineas) my covenant of peace:
And he shall have it, and his seed after him,
even the covenant of an everlasting priesthood;
because he was zealous for his God,
and made an atonement for the children of Israel”
Numbers 25:12-13
Do we not see the Song of the Lord in our day mingled with the flesh and horror of the world? Do we not see apathy in the midst of a carnal church which has been polluted with the ways and the wisdom of this ungodly world? Are there not those who will rise up in such an hour for His Glory to be restored to His Church? Where are the prophets, where are those who sigh and cry over the abominations committed in the very Name of God? The church is filled with those who break fellowship with one another, who allow His own to speak evil and perverse things and none lay it to heart. It is a day of blasphemy and disgrace for the things we allow in our midst. The true priests of the Lord will not be silent in this day. It is a day to rise up, to speak and to do concerning the mixture and pollution we see all around us. We see men who take unto themselves the money of the widows and the sincere to build up empires unto themselves and none lay it to heart! It is a day to respond to the horror of men’s ways; a day to become involved in the purifying of His house. Men and women allow God’s people to withdraw from others; they do not take seriously the ministration of the blood which binds us together with the cords of His love. No one wants to get involved. Every man attends to his own interests alone and in so doing becomes a participant in the tearing down of His house. This is happening because within the lives of many there is no zeal for God; they are content with the status quo. They hide themselves in the religious garment of prayer and do nothing. Prayers which do not lead to obedience and zeal for the Lord are the prayers of religious and vain hearts. True prayer brings us to the threshold of His Glory and in that awesome presence men rise up with the fortitude and love of God beating in their hearts to stand for Him in this day. Men who see and feel nothing DO nothing.
This new priesthood is one which contends for God’s purposes in the earth. They stand like beacons in the midst of the apathy and spiritual harlotry of today. They are grieved over the functioning of the carnal church which operates on the same premise as any worldly corporation. They cannot help but speak out to all who would hear “repent and turn from this wickedness”. God will give us a new heart to serve Him in the fervency of His Love for one another.
The call of God is going forth in this hour to those who have a zeal for His Glory in the earth; who become involved in the new wine-skin into which God will pour the New Wine. He will give a new heart to serve in the fervency of His Love to one another. Those who respond with the fervor of His Spirit have the heart of a priest unto Him.
“Blessed and holy is the one
having part in the first resurrection.
The second death has no authority over these,
but they will be priests of God and of Christ,
and will reign with Him…”
Revelation 20:6
*NOTE: Hebrew Meaning of Zimri and Cozbi
Zimri:
Jones’ Dictionary of Old Testament Proper Names defines the verb that means to sing or make music, and reads “Song Of The Lord” BTN defines Zimri – “my praise” or “my music” in Hebrew.
Cozbi: כזב
The root-verb כזב (kazab) means to lie (Numbers 23:19, Isaiah 57:11), or to disappoint or fail (Habakkuk 2:3, Isaiah 58:11). Figuratively, this verb is used to describe a brook or stream that has dried up: Job 6:15, Jeremiah 15:18, also see Isaiah 58:11 (and the opposite of a lying river is a river whose water is sure — Isaiah 33:16;
Its derivations are:
The masculine noun כזב (kazab), meaning a lie, falsehood or deception (Judges 16:10, Amos 2:4, Isaiah 28:15).
The adjective אכזב (‘akzab), meaning deceptive or disappointing (Jeremiah 15:18 and Micah 1:14 only).
The Bible considers lies the ultimate opposite of whatever God is, stands for and wishes to bring about. Since God is Truth (Deuteronomy 32:4, John 14:6), Satan is called the father of lies (John 8:44), and an idol a teacher of lies (Habakkuk 2:18).
Abiram Publications
Brian Troxel
www.aword.info
AN ACROSTIC PSALM
(*See Psalm 25 Introduction Part Two)
Another aspect of the inspired Acrostic writings of the scriptures is one where we see the very rudiments of the language of the people of God being sanctified and set apart to describe God’s Glory and His ways.
It is estimated that there are 75,000 – 80,000 meaningful words and word compositions in the Hebrew Language* (see reference). All of these are formulated out of just 22 Hebrew characters (and a few added “jots and tittles” of which Jesus upholds the sanctity of His Word; Matthew 5:18)! The Spirit of God in these Acrostic writings takes each letter to Glorify God and to make known to us the wonders of His ways. It is in such attention to detail of the very language of men that God would make Himself known to us. He ever seeks to reveal to us the importance of common things. Things, which by themselves are thought to be incomplete and insignificant, can, and do, become vehicles for revealing His thoughts and purposes.
By His grace He endeavors to bring us to the realization that in Him everything is to be Holy and filled with His wonder. His desire is to bring us to a pure language wherein every word we utter, think and sing is filled with the worship and praise of Him. A pure word can only flow from a pure heart. The grace of God is to have such access to our hearts that even the very bits and pieces of our language will be sanctified and set apart for the Master’s use. His Spirit desires to touch, purify and sanctify the very core of our being so that we can fully express and honor Him. All creation is groaning and travailing for such a people to come forth (Romans 8:19).
The Prophet Isaiah stands in the heavens surrounded by the unspeakable Glory of the Triune God, and is instantly aware of the “uncleanness of his lips” to such an extent that he is only able to utter “Woe is me”. However, in God’s economy even the very lips of man are to be purged by the burning coals from the Altar of Heaven. He has an answer for every need of the redeemed to walk in the Holy, Holy, Holy Presence of our God. A sanctified heart will result in sanctified words “for out of the abundance of the heart does the mouth speak”.
We see glimpses in the Old Testament of men in whom this truth found partial fulfillment; men who walked so close with God, that God Himself watched over the very words they spoke…
“And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him,
and did let none of his words fall to the ground.
And all Israel from Dan even to Beer–sheba knew
that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the Lord”
1 Samuel 3:19-20
The people of God desire to see the power of God revealed in our day, but men want the power without the purity, they want the signs and wonders without the Holy walk. There are many today who have no desire for righteousness, purity of heart or the cost of entering into these truths. They grow weary of men who speak of righteousness. They prefer to hear pleasant things that enable them to live in sin and be accepted by God at the same time. However, in the midst of such a generation there are those whose hearts are longing for that purity, that righteousness which is real and authentic. It is these who will walk in a salvation that has been kept for this day. God has kept the “best wine for the last” and “the glory of the latter house shall exceed the glory of the former”! Let us be encouraged to seek, pursue and admonish one another in the bonds of love and fellowship to see this come to pass!
“Who are kept by the power of God
through faith unto salvation
ready to be revealed in the last time”
1 Peter 1:5
This salvation can only be revealed in people who have been fully sanctified, fit and prepared for the Master’s use, whose very lips have been purged by the fires of the heavenly Altar. They are His in every sense of the word; the words they speak are His words and they live and walk in the Holiness of God. “Be ye Holy” is no longer a nice religious quote but rather a description of what God has accomplished within His people by the “spirit of burning”.
“When the Lord shall
have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion,
and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem
from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgment,
and by the spirit of burning”
Isaiah 4:4
While many today declare that we are to judge not and are not interested in the prophetic voice of those who call His people to righteousness, there are those who intuitively know the necessity of such a ministration. There is a cry within the hearts of those who understand the need for His Fire in our midst. Purity of heart is the vehicle or the means by which we can see God. It is in the seeing of Him that this great work of Sanctification is made real. God uses men. He uses the redeemed to minister to one another the fire and glory of His presence. Had Peter not confronted Ananias and Sapphira with God’s Glory the move of the Spirit in their day would have soon become polluted with religion and hypocrisy. Such words of power are reserved for those who walk in the fear of the Lord; those whose hearts have been purified and set apart for God’s use, not their own.
May God do such a deep and eternal work in our lives that the very words of our mouths and the meditations within the secret places of our hearts are pleasing unto God!
“Let the words of my mouth,
and the meditation of my heart,
be acceptable in thy sight,
O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer”
Psalm 19:14
Only a sanctified heart can speak the Holy Words of our God and King
“Where the word of a king is,
there is power”
(Ecclesiastes 8:4).
“But who may abide the day of his coming?
and who shall stand when he appeareth?
for he is like a refiner’s fire…”
Malachi 3:2
* Reference: “The academy of the Hebrew language estimates 45,000 words, in addition to 30,000-35,000 word compositions (school in Hebrew is book-house בית-ספר, for example), which totals the estimate in 75,000-80,000 meaningful expressions of either words or word compositions. Note that this estimate includes many biblical words still used today.”
Source: http://hebrew-academy.org.
Brian Troxel
www.aword.info
“Now when they heard this,
they were cut to the heart…”
ACTS 2:37
True and anointed Words of the Holy Spirit convict and bring men to places of decision and repentance. They are Words that are living, powerful, penetrating and convicting. They are words of truth that reveal all that is untruthful; words that bring men and women to places of CHANGE. Faith without works is dead and so is repentance without change. John the Baptist declared in his day…
“Therefore bear fruit in keeping*
(Grk congruous or of equal weight)
with repentance”
MATTHEW 3:8
The depth of our repentance is revealed by the depth of change wrought within our lives. Where there is little change there is little power in the words spoken. How accustomed we have become to powerless sermons and teachings that bring information without change. Every Sunday, all across our land, sermons are given and songs are sung in our many gatherings yet we see so little in terms of CHANGE in the lives of those that hear. If there is no conviction there is no repentance and if there is no repentance there is no change.
The disciples of Christ were of the common sort. They were fishermen, tax collectors, political zealots and such. They faltered, misinterpreted him, misunderstood him, and had very little inkling of the call that was upon them. However, after three and one half years of being with HIM, walking with HIM and waiting and seeking the promise of the comforter, on the day of Pentecost they became flaming ministrations of the HOLY SPIRIT! Let us consider the contrast of what we see in our land today.
Where are those words of life that bring conviction and change? Where are the hearts of those who would dare seek to represent HIS TRUTH in this hour? Where are the sermons that cut men to the very core of who they are? Where are those who cannot continue with a religion that has no power or reality?
We are more concerned with sympathy than conviction. We surround ourselves with those who make us feel good about ourselves. We associate with those who will not and cannot challenge us beyond the depth of our present walk. The unsaved and unbelieving are comfortable in our midst and can sit in our meetings without the slightest concern over their condition. Why and how can this be?
We speak of witnessing rather than being witnesses. We speak of truth as something that can be held in our intellect rather than being a power that produces change within ourselves and in the lives of those around us. We cannot compromise with sin in our own lives and expect to have a word that will convict others. If that Word of Life does not produce change within us, how can we give to others what we have not experienced ourselves? It is a day to consider our ways; a day to objectively consider what we have wrought in this life. Have we impacted the lives of others in terms of righteousness and truth and pointed them unto HIM who can transform into vessels of righteousness and glory?
Holy words proceed from Holy Lives
“Let us search and try our ways,
and turn again to the LORD”
LAMENTATIONS 3:40
Brian Troxel