The inspiration for this post started on Wednesday, prior to attending the local Church’s bible study. I have a bond with my personal bible, it is considered a close friend, treasured moments are stored on its pages, in left outer margins and in top right hand lines on inside ones. Personally, I like the text of my bible, to be in black font! I don’t like the words of Jesus in red text, but fully appreciate why anyone would want them to be the focus of the eye.
I quite like thin Indian paper, and I was schooled to consider the Original King James Version as being the best. Whether that is true I don’t know, but I have always bought one and have found the old english makes you more dependent on the Spirit to speak!! I have also found it to have a poetic touch, which I believe gives it a Spirit breathed touch. My knowledge of other versions is limited, but I have always gained by reading others, for example my phone has the ‘English Standard Version’, which has often given a verse clarity.
Unfortunately, some pages of my bible have worked themselves loose, they are forgetting that they are part of a collected whole. One lady at our Church is open to persuasion to correcting this error of the individual pages, being a retired art teacher, with perhaps the time.
Prior to leaving, I grabbed my notebook and pen, and oscillated as to whether to go and get my bible, knowing that I could use one of the Church’s visitors NIV bibles! The thought of taking my own bible to show the art teacher arose! But I decided to leave my friend with its errant pages.
Upon entry to the small meeting room, one of the few remaining seats was upon entry to the room. This I gladly took, as it also allowed a bit more elbow space, having the door way to its right side! This particular seat is often occupied by another member of the Church, who I ran through my mind, was about to return to the room! Upon this jump in my imagination, I retired to the other side of the room, and obtained suitable glances, for lack of communication!
Once, I realized the jump in my thoughts, a distant voice entering, that was not the man, I considered sitting back where I had come from, also needing to exit the room to collect a Bible! I decided against this course of action, as the man I had sat next to was leading the Bible Study and I would prefer to sit facing him, and at ease with being considered an enigma!
It is quite common for the bible study to require each person to read a verse of scripture that is being studied, being small in numbers and open in format.
During the worship at the start of the meeting we sang a song by Graham Kendrick, titled ‘Only by Grace can we enter’. One of the elders of the Church followed this with a prayer affirming the truth of this song.
As he prayed my thoughts went to Noah, and him finding Grace in the eyes of the Lord. This verse of scripture has increasingly taken the impression of Noah, seeing that Grace was in the eyes of God. In this it is prophetic to the Saviour, who being full of Grace is able to lift men and women out of their sins. It is the call to the whomsoever, the Lord being in-partial.
The bible study continued with working through the book of Colossians. As a group we read from v15 to v29. Two to three people before my verse, v22, the reading got out of sync! I read “to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation. If you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel”.
This was a precious moment, as I realized God was speaking to me, with a distinct sense of his tender presence.
A new elder of the church highlighted the word ‘fullness’ in verse 19. In truth the points he was making were a bit beyond my understanding, but he is a gifted and experienced teacher. I did catch aspects of that which he was conveying. He was drawing our attention to this word, ‘fullness’, to convey the trinity of God at work in his Son! It was also used as part of an exhortation to be filled & to keep on being filled.
This I related to verse 25. That Paul’s labours were for this fullness to be outworked in their lives. Verse 9 too. Their was a fullness in Paul at work, laboring to bring other men into it.
NIV v25: I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness.
Stephen presented to Paul the fullness of Gods Word, Christ in you, not the temple made with mans hands. Stephen, was filled with Gods Spirit, and revealed to Paul Jesus Christ standing, spotless and without accusation at His Fathers right hand.
I turned to read the account of Stephen being filled! Acts Ch 6 V8: Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people (NIV).
Grace in man is an outworking of the Logos of God. Through whom all things were made. All the labours of Paul, the earnest strivings, were Gods fullness, not the labour of his hands. And it all came through another mans fullness! No wonder Paul was consistent in praying for others to come into more of God. This line of Grace, which had broken down his walls of blindness, was a commission, a dispensation given to him by a consistent God! If Paul was saved by Grace in and through Christ, it was the truth that that had also reconciled the gentiles.
Noah, a man (six), who saw the ark of salvation (8)! Stephen, a man, who saw Jesus Christ Standing.
Paul’s Conversion:
Acts Ch 9 V3 – Paul was traveling after people of the way. As he was journeying to the roots of this way, what was Paul going to find? A torn veil, a gospel with a ‘Go’ to other nations and families.
Suddenly, there shined about him a light from heaven! The Father of every good gift from above, is about to open his eyes to the faith of his father Abraham.
Stephen started with ‘Lord, lay not’! Paul ends his first intercourse with God, with Lord! His whole life up-to this date had been striving earnestly without relationship with God. Laws written on stone had covered his eyes to the man full of Grace, who had gone all the way to calvary to defeat separation, of God and man.
Once Paul knows that it is Jesus, his response is immediately brought into line, with Stephens cry! The Lords answer to Paul’s question is consistent, ‘that other men may see’!!
Verse 5. This confession of Paul’s is a deep breaking! Locked up in Jericho, not able to hear what a harlot saw. Dead, cold and unresponsive to the voice of romance, he had never known the breath of God break down his separation. He had heard Stephens final breath cry! A word from God that did not return to God void: brother.
Jesus only comes with this level of exposure due to his power made perfect in weakness. One new man, straightway preached Jesus is the Son of God. The truth of Grace, that enabled him to stand and preached and teach the rest of his life.
The title of this post comes from Isaiah Ch 55 which I was directed to read on Thursday morning.
Verse 3: Paul heard a voice speaking to Him, and it instructed him to ‘Arise’ and then gave distinct instructions concerning the opening of his eyes. A straight way to vision! To be led by the hand by another man, and to be prayed for by another man! No theology degree on this CV, I was led by the hand and prayed for, because I could not see!
Verse 6: For behold he prayeth.
Verse 7: Let the wicked forsake his way! Paul was on a wicked way when he was chasing the disciples with havoc in their way. This cosmic class of ways was brought to order when God Spoke: Genesis Ch 1 V3. Paul’s eyes were merely opened to the absolute power of Gods spoken word, removing the veil and void of darkness.
Many may flock to see the ‘Wicked’ way, paying a 100 bucks to behold a tragedy! A song and a play, that will not bring fatness to delight in for free. But as with Paul’s way, the spoken word of God transforms to harmony. God has promised an abundance of pardon to all who forsake the wicked way!
‘Our God’! Wickedness, unrighteousness! The fruits of a life separated from God is displayed in how we treat other people! Paul’s conversion, is inseparable from his relationship with people.
Verse 8: Paul’s fatness, was the thoughts of God! Other people to know the truth of Grace, Gentiles, Jews and Kings. A fullness at work in him, could only be other lives to win, and build up and edify.
Verse 3: ‘I will’! These words are spoken by the bridegroom at a marriage. It was a fullness of will that had gone through gethsemane. An everlasting covenant, the sure mercies of David. This ‘I will’, has the weight of Gods nature interwoven into it, and it incorporates all that will hear the sound of his voice! A harlot heard the sound of this voice and lived.
The garden of gethsemane would appear to have been in the Kidron Valley near route 417 (which has a Jericho road!).
On the left side is the Temple Mount! And on the right side is the Mount of Olives, from whence Jesus our Lord ascended into Heaven, to stand at the Fathers right hand. Jesus descended to a women, in John Ch 8 from this place, the place above which he longs to lift us too, ‘Arise’. It is the place peace returns with rest, the logos of Gods word having been sent forth and not returning void. The wicked do not know the return of the dove of love.
I don’t know much about the road Paul journeyed on, but he was met by God, in this garden, in this valley! The garden of the will! We will not have this man reign over us! The Good that I would I can not find the will to do! Will you go with this man! To be lead by the hand and prayed for. The garden where mans will fell to the sound of a wicked voice!
But God! But Gods Word does not return void! It cried in that Garden for you and for me!
It is a garden of original intention. It is the contents of the ark! Organic life, animals and men and women walking in purity, the hills clapping and mountains singing!
The dip in this valley is gospel truth, its the bottom of the ark, the knitted sheet! Not in Stone walls the transformation, but the sound of romance in the breeze of gethsemane! Stephen was stoned in this garden! He was not stoned for preaching about the temple!
Fathers will! Only by Grace can you enter, only by Grace can you Stand. But, by the blood of the Lamb.
Note:
Grace is denoted by the number 5! For me their is a 5 in Genesis Ch2. The two hands that formed man, above the descent of the mountains! Where Jesus is at Home. And then two feet, on which man was to walk in the garden having been placed their for a witness (x2) to all Gods goodness! First of all thanksgiving and Praise! Adams union with God, required it! Love is unconditional, but it is also a commandment that is harmonious to Gods image upon the earth. If Adam had responded to all he had been given, perhaps he would not have fallen!
The fifth, being the side from whence the bride is cleansed and sanctified, through the washing of the Word. The side from which he was pierced.
Isaiah Ch 55 is a marriage, to all that can hear the heart of love divine.
eternalrays 