Ask, seek, knock

I was not happy in the work I was doing, and was making plans for beginning my own business. I knew I could not succeed on my own, it was a step of faith and I needed God's help. I had been away from the Lord for a number of years, but he had not left me, so one February day in 1977 after making plans I decided to begin a new business and also came back to the Lord in a Bible believing church. I had been the only one in my family to go through college but I had ended up in a barren place. When I came back to Jesus I rededicated my life to him and began to grow in his truth. I was free at last. I had asked him for help, I sought him, knocked on the door of a church and began a new life and business. I also had a new wife and son, a blessed man indeed.

Luke 11:9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
Luke 11:10 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

God knows our heart, yet he wants us to ask him for our needs and desires. This is faith in action. We ask, believing he will answer. We seek, we look, to him to where the answer may be coming from. Thirdly we knock on the door of opportunity, to see if it will open to us, just as he knocks on the door of our heart seeking to come in and to be our Lord and helper. There are many applications to these three action steps but God is the supplier, the opportunity maker.

Apply these to finding work. Ask God, seek direction from job sources and then knock to see if their is an opportunity for you. God opens doors for us but we need to be actively involved as well. Passive prayer with a passive attitude does not make an opportunity.

Jas 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
Jas 1:6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
Jas 1:7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
Jas 1:8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. 

Pray by the Holy Spirit in the will of God.

Luk 13:23  Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them, 
Luk 13:24  Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. 
Luk 13:25  When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are: 

Pray in the Spirit and Jesus will be your helper and Lord giving you access to the throne of the Father. You can't get there on your own. Ask, seek and knock. I still am a blessed man because He is faithful.

Martha and Mary

Luke 10:38 As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a village where a woman named Martha welcomed them into her home.

39 Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord's feet, listening to what he taught.

40 But Martha was worrying over the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, "Lord, doesn't it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me."

41 But the Lord said to her, "My dear Martha, you are so upset over all these details!

42 There is really only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it -- and I won't take it away from her." (NLT)

We can see Martha's viewpoint, needing help preparing a big dinner. Jesus commended Mary who was sitting at his feet. Remember this when worried about details and concerned about something coming. Fix your mind on Jesus; hear him. Put your cares in his hands. His peace will be with you in the task. Give Jesus the glory.

1Pe 5:6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
1Pe 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

Do not be worried about failure. Do it as unto Jesus, he is your helper too. Take my concerns, I receive your peace. Thank you Jesus for coming along side and sharing my concerns.

Jawbone Hill

A story of Samson

Jdg 15:14 And when he came unto Lehi, the Philistines shouted against him: and the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and the cords that were upon his arms became as flax that was burnt with fire, and his bands loosed from off his hands.
Jdg 15:15 And he found a new jawbone of an ass, and put forth his hand, and took it, and slew a thousand men therewith.
Jdg 15:16 And Samson said, With the jawbone of an ass, heaps upon heaps, with the jaw of an ass have I slain a thousand men.
Jdg 15:17 And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking, that he cast away the jawbone out of his hand, and called that place Ramathlehi.

Ramathehi: Jawbone hill

A most humble weapon slew a thousand men. Let's consider this as today's news. Let's insert jawbone control in place of gun control. 

**************************************************

There is a need for universal background checks for jawbone users.

The massacre reignited national debate on ass jawbone control,

The powerful Ass Jawbone Association, however, maintains that more jawbones keep people safer and has succeeded in blocking many efforts to impose stricter controls. Several county sheriffs have vowed not to enforce the new jawbone restrictions.

Law-abiding jawbone owners were paying the price for the actions of a deranged young man, said a Judge. "I think we need to do something but I guess we should be doing something that does good, not something that just feels good," he said.

The latest on the list? the tribe of Judah. On Monday, they voted passing an ordinance that would exempt Judeans from following Philistine ass jawbone laws. Philistines who attempt to enforce them would be subject to felony charges.

***********************************************

My point is that any object could be used as a weapon. A better focus would be in anger management and mental illness checking. Samson was wild, but he was Spirit filled as an instrument of the LORD's judgement on the Philistines. A lesson we can learn from Samson is that even spirit filled believers have lusts that need to be controlled. Samson's desire for the women of the ungodly people around him resulted in his downfall. But, God would again use him in the end. No matter how far we have fallen, if we humbly submit to the LORD, he still has a purpose for us.

2Co 6:14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? 

"The jawbone of an ass is just as dangerous a weapon today as in Sampson's time." --- Richard Nixon.

Sons of thunder

Luk 9:51 And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem,
Luk 9:52 And sent messengers before his face: and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him.
Luk 9:53 And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem.
Luk 9:54 And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did?
Luk 9:55 But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.
Luk 9:56 For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them. And they went to another village.

Mar 3:17 And James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James; and he surnamed them Boanerges, which is, The sons of thunder:

The "sons of thunder" wanted to bring fire down from heaven, like Elijah did to show the power of God to the Baal worshipers. Jesus corrected them, because this was not his purpose in coming. It was the time to seek and to save the lost, not to condemn and destroy them. That destructive spirit is not of the Holy Spirit. The purpose of his coming the first time is still his purpose for us today. We are not to condemn and destroy people because they upset us with their behavior, or rejection of us. We are to give them the gospel truth and pray for them to be saved. Is this your purpose? Or are you a son of thunder? At the second coming of Jesus, those who reject him will be removed, but at this time it is still the age of grace.

What's in a name?

Jdg 10:1 And after Abimelech there arose to defend Israel Tola the son of Puah, the son of Dodo, a man of Issachar; and he dwelt in Shamir in mount Ephraim. 

Jdg 10:2 And he judged Israel twenty and three years, and died, and was buried in Shamir.

Which Abimelech is this who died? Abimelech means my father is king.

Jdg 8:30 And Gideon had threescore and ten sons of his body begotten: for he had many wives.
Jdg 8:31 And his concubine that was in Shechem, she also bare him a son, whose name he called Abimelech.

Gideon had 70 sons and Abimelech was born from his concubine. He became the seventh judge of Israel and ruled for three years. He killed his seventy brothers. He was an ungodly ambitious ruler.

Now who is Tola? Tola means worm. He was a judge after Abimelech who ruled for twenty three years.

Puah was the father of Tola. Puah means splendid, so splended was father of worm.

Puah's father was Dodo. Dodo means "his beloved". (Not what we would have expected) He was from the tribe of Issachar, a man of Bethlehem, father of Elhanan who was one of David's 30 captains.

As Christians we may be called fools and Dodos by the world, but God has a name for us "His beloved."

Tola, the worm dwelt in Shamir, meaning a point or thorn and there he was buried. The people without God are as a worm dwelling in a cursed land.

What's my point? Well lets try this? Jesus took our curses to the cross.

Psa 22:6 But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.

God the father called him "my beloved Son."

Mat 3:16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:
Mat 3:17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.


Php 2:8  And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 
Php 2:9  Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 
Php 2:10  That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 
Php 2:11  And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 

No matter what people call us, if we are in Christ Jesus we are seen as the beloved children of God. Now let us behave as his beloved as holy people, bringing honor to His name.

Put out unbelief

Luk 8:49 While he yet spake, there cometh one from the ruler of the synagogue's house, saying to him, Thy daughter is dead; trouble not the Master.
Luk 8:50 But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole.
Luk 8:51 And when he came into the house, he suffered no man to go in, save Peter, and James, and John, and the father and the mother of the maiden.
Luk 8:52 And all wept, and bewailed her: but he said, Weep not; she is not dead, but sleepeth.
Luk 8:53 And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead.
Luk 8:54 And he put them all out, and took her by the hand, and called, saying, Maid, arise.
Luk 8:55 And her spirit came again, and she arose straightway: and he commanded to give her meat.
Luk 8:56 And her parents were astonished: but he charged them that they should tell no man what was done.

Mat 9:23 And when Jesus came into the ruler's house, and saw the minstrels and the people making a noise,
Mat 9:24 He said unto them, Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn.
Mat 9:25 But when the people were put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand, and the maid arose.

Jesus is master even of death. He would raise Lazarus from the grave after four days and he would raise up the ruler's daughter. First he had to remove the unbelievers who scorned him. There are people who have little faith and there are those who scorn, mock and ridicule the moving of God. Scornful behavior should be put away from us. When we witness, often we hear scornful words. Jesus told us not to cast our pearls before swine.

Mat 7:6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.

There were the loud wailing voices and the hired musicians. These were those who scorned Jesus in unbelief. Have we not met people who would rather glory in the bad news instead of the good news? Jesus was bringing hope and good news and life to the young maiden. He took her by the hand, and the maid arose.

Spiritual Authority

Jesus had the power to cast out devils, for they had to submit to his authority. They knew that he was the son of God.

Mat 8:29 And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?

Luk 8:1 And it came to pass afterward, that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him,
Luk 8:2 And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils,

Jesus had cast out seven spirits from Mary Magdalene who became perhaps his most faithful follower. I suppose that Mary had tried to be free from demon possession by self effort or religion, maybe even by a medical doctor, like many try today to be free from "mental illness." It appears that she only got worse until Jesus came and made her free. I am not saying that all mental illness is demonic, but a lot is. Drug use invites demonic spirits into a user. Our nation is filled with drug users for recreation or from prescriptions to hide the symptoms. Jesus heals, we should go to him.

Mat 12:43 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.
Mat 12:44 Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.
Mat 12:45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.

Jesus must come into the empty house of the soul. Where is Jesus today to help us? He is in the Spirit filled Christians. They have been given his authority to use his name for the power of God.

Mat 10:7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Mat 10:8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.

We are to pray for the sick, anointing them with oil. Remember this, unless a person receives Jesus as their savior and his Spirit fills their emptiness, more spirits could return. The greatest healing is a born again, spirit filled heart.

John 3:1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: 

John 3:2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

The world needs loving Spirit filled believers and satan tries to keep them quiet. Stand up for Jesus and be the power of God in a nation of drugs and devils.

John 8:36  If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.