And there will no longer be any curse, and the throne of God and the Lamb will be in the city. His servants will worship him, and they will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. — Rev 22:3-4 NET
C.H. Spurgeon: Three choice blessings will be ours in the gloryland.
“His servants shall serve him.”
No other lords shall oppress us, no other service shall distress us. We shall serve Jesus always, perfectly, without weariness, and without error. This is heaven to a saint: in all things to serve the Lord Christ and to be owned by Him as His servant is our soul’s high ambition for eternity.
“And they shall see his face.”
This makes the service delightful: indeed, it is the present reward of service. We shall know our Lord, for we shall see Him as He is. To see the face of Jesus is the utmost favor that the most faithful servant of the Lord can ask. What more could Moses ask than “Let me see thy face?”
“And his name shall be in their foreheads.”
They gaze upon their Lord till His name is photographed upon their brows. They are acknowledged by Him, and they acknowledge Him. The secret mark of inward grace develops into the public sign-manual of confessed relationship.
O Lord, give us these three things in their beginnings here that we may possess them in their fullness in Thine own abode of bliss!
Selah.
THE VALUE OF THE REFINER'S FIRE
He will act like a refiner and purifier of silver and will cleanse the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then they will offer the Lord a proper offering. — Mal 3:3 NET
A.T. Pierson
Our Father, who seeks to perfect His saints in holiness, knows the value of the refiner’s fire. It is with the most precious metals that the assayer takes the most pains, and subjects them to the hot fire, because such fires melt the metal, and only the molten mass releases its alloy or takes perfectly its new form in the mould.
The old refiner never leaves his crucible, but sits down by it, lest there should be one excessive degree of heat to mar the metal. But as soon as he skims from the surface the last of the dross, and sees his own face reflected, he puts out the fire.
Selah.
6 comments:
Hello again,
It's interesting to me that you should post this right now. The Holy Spirit must have been speaking to you of me.
I have a question:
Many of my brethren have spoken of profound experiences, i.e. visions, visitations, and actually witnessing the physical manifestation of the Most High, Lord Jesus Christ. I have not experienced any of these in my spiritual quest as of yet.
Am i doing something wrong? Am i non-deserving? I mean, we are ALL non deserving as all fall short of the Glory Of God, but,
I study everyday 'to show myself approved', I seek only His divine Guidance and Will every day.
I pray to do His will every morning during devotionals, keep my thoughts on Him throughout the day, and Thank Him every night, for the opportunity to Serve Him.
I wonder though, without any of these profound experiences, described by my fellows am I missing something? Should I begin to pray for Jesus to show himself to me? I feel sometimes that that would be arrogance made manifest.
Jesus said that "blessed are those that believe without seeing me", so don't let doubt ruin your faith in God and Jesus Christ.
John 20:24-0
Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord!" But he said to them, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it." A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!"7 Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe." Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!" Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
I am curious to know your thoughts on this, as it is a point of confusion for me. I do not have to be like Thomas and touch the wounds of Christ to believe. My instructor says "You are as blessed in your times of doubt, as much or even more-so then in your times of belief"
I believe that with my Whole Heart.
I am just wondering about these profundities that others speak about.Am I lesser for non having experienced these?
I pray that I've been able to relay my dilemma cogently.
Peace be with you my brother, and my thanks to you for being such a giving instrument.
On the exorcism that will be aired tonight:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/a-live-exorcism-will-be-performed-on-tv-friday-heres-what-to-expect/2015/10/29/e49b8d3a-7dad-11e5-b575-d8dcfedb4ea1_story.html
My order will be cloistered in prayer during this event. My instructor says Satan is the "Prince of the Air" and that in today's society, he is using modern music, tv shows and other public sources to ensnare, enslave and usurp more souls then ever. He says that this event is nothing more then casting spells.(as is the lyrics of modern songs, the subject matter of all these horror movies, etc.) He says the dark one can and will use events like these to come upon unsuspecting people. That one doesn't need to be physically present with a dark entity for that entity to hurt someone.
We live in scary times, for sure.
My brother, I understand your dilemma, and would tell you NOT to seek extra manifestations of our Lord. Seek Him where He said He would be found: In His Word, and in obedience to it. "Seek first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness..." and all other needed things will be added to you as well.
Many people have been led astray by seeking extra-biblical gifts of God. The human heart is so deceptive, so consumed by pride, and the insatiable desire to KNOW, and control, the divine walk. God no sooner gives an answer one week, and we are seeking two such answers the next -- very seldom satisfied with the gracious gifts He gives, and easily seduced into using those gifts in ways that feed our personal pride, position (status), and power.
I learned of one man who was given a remarkable gift of divine revelation, which was a legit experience, and very wonderful. However, he soon began to place the gift above the ordained means of grace, valuing it more than the word of God and obedience in the Body of Christ, for worship and witness to the world. Because he began to value this experience out of order, he eventually felt that he was not truly "in relation" with God unless he could experience such things regularly. So he sought these things out of divine will, and was led astray by deceiving spirits. I have hope for his soul, but his life is a wreck right now.
How much more pure, and simple, to accept the milk and meat of the Word, and accept the gift of the Holy Spirit, who Christ promised to be with us and in us, leading us in all truth! How much more lauded in heaven, the humble follower of Christ who performs his or her duties in silence and faithfulness, worshiping in gladness of heart without dramatic manifestation (or with compounded, apparently unanswered personal prayers?). Jesus taught us that if we would come after Him, it would be to a life of service -- service in Word and Spirit and sacrificial life for the lambs of God, and lost sheep of the world, worshiping for those who will not worship. But we, in our pride, want to make this spiritual life serve us, and our insatiable desires...
I would humbly submit that there is more of the Spirit of Christ in humble obedience, soaking up the word, faithful prayers WITHOUT dramatic manifestation, than in life WITH dramatic manifestation. You have already been given the Holy Spirit of Christ. He is your counselor, your comforter, the Spirit of Truth. Let Him dwell richly in you, as you gaze upon Christ and His holy Word: Word written, Word made flesh. Anything else you need will be given to you.
And a caution: If, in gazing upon Christ and His Word, some special experience is given you, do not be quick to speak of it, nor ever place it above the daily drink and meat of Word and obedience, in Spirit and Truth, in worship and practice.
Speaking of the experience can puff one up. It can also lead brothers astray, as we foolishly "compare ourselves among ourselves." We are not wise in such things. We are such creatures of pride!
One thing about a life dedicated to prayer and service (that you are probably very aware of) is the higher temptations of spirit: and spiritual sins are far more insidious and far worse than sins of the flesh.
Super-manifestations easily feed the sins of the spirit: spiritual pride, ego wrapped in faith language, usage of spiritual gifts for personal aggrandizement, etc. These things are so much worse than sins of the flesh, for they masquerade in the inner man as things of light.
Such things can be spoken of humbly, and quietly (privately) with your spiritual instructor, but not noised abroad (unless in personal conversation, on direct order from Christ, to help another person -- and only Christ can direct this, and He can make it clear).
You will find that Christ will manifest himself to you in obedience to even little things, that some might call 'non-spiritual,' as in the spiritual exercises. I think it is His way of telling us that He wants ALL of our life, and that He is Lord -- even of the feelings. Jonathan and Sarah Edwards, as leaders of the Great Awakening, both experienced amazing revelations and manifestations, yet of these neither would speak. Christ, who had given these things, also shut their lips. Like the Apostle, it was not lawful to speak of such things, rather to emphasize the life of Word and Spirit -- which LED to such things, only in the will of the Father, and inner need of the moment. Signs and wonders are such easily deceptive things, sought by prideful hearts. "A wicked and perverse generation seeks a sign, but there will be no sign given except the sign of Jonah. For as Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh, so will the Son of Man be to this generation." As Jonah was three days and nights in darkness, that he might be a sign of repentance for a city, so the Son of Man was three days and nights in darkness, that He might be the Sign of repentance for the world (indeed, the cosmos). And for those for whom the sacrifice and life of the Son is not enough, lesser signs must be sought -- yet in seeking those lesser signs, they unwittingly devalue the eternal Sign that will save their souls.
God has given us the ultimate Gift. May we ever subsume our quest for lesser gifts within this Gift, and let it be enough. Not seeking extra manifestations, not seeking even sign gifts or lesser goods, but only Him: obedience in Word and Spirit, in the Body of Christ, that we might worship and witness to the world of saving grace. Along this path of seeking first His kingdom and righteousness, all other needed things will be added to us as well.
He's already with you, brother. His Spirit is in you. Let Him dwell richly, speaking in songs, hymns and spiritual songs, in the utter Joy of being chosen as a Son, in an age where darkness runs rampant! Find the joy of His presence in His word, letting Him be Lord even of your feelings, your emotions, your doubts and desires for more. He will sing over you, and smile upon you, and laugh with you, in your dawning joy! Truly, blessed is he who has not seen, yet believes. Eventually, that became enough for Thomas (taking the gospel to India, and giving his life), and it will be enough for us, to take the gospel to inner life, and outer duty.
Alleluia!
p.s. I meant to add that Jonathan and Sarah Edwards, even upon great manifestations, talked of the worth of something as simple as being faithful in household duties, or paying the bills, or waiting upon the sick, or some other deeds of mercy -- that Christ manifested the beauty of himself in these outward acts of faithfulness, as in the inner chamber of prayer and exaltation. One led to the other, and one flowed out the meaning given in the secret place. ALL was life in His lordship.
And p.s. 2 -- your instructor is right, so right, about the Prince of the Power of the Air, and the use of such things to snare minds. And this exorcism -- at least it is NO of a person. Rather a house. But it is spiritual charlatanism. And yes, it can snare people (I talked to one such man who had been snared by such thing, and delivered by Christ on the very brink of destruction.)
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