WE ARE ALL PIONEERS ON A WAGON TRAIN!

AN ANALOGY

Wagon Train first rolled on the air on September 18, 1957 to begin an eight year run which would eventually place the TV show in the number one spot in the Nielson ratings.Unlike other shows in the Western genre, Wagon Train attracted big name guest stars whose stories were told across the panorama of the American western expansion in the post Civil War period. Each episode was titled around the story of a passenger on "the train."
The cast was led by Western movie veteran Ward Bond playing Wagonmaster Major Seth Adams.
Robert Horton played the dashing scout, Flint McCullough.Former stuntmen Terry Wilson, as Bill Hawks and Frank McGrath as Charlie Wooster rounded out the Wagon Train's staff in the early years. Denny Miller joined the train later as Duke Shannon.
Much was made in the early years over a conflict between Bond and Horton. Perhaps it was inevitable that the elder Bond who had been playing cowboys for years would have differences with the younger, professionally trained actor who was quickly stealing the show.
But all of this is nothing more than an historical footnote as far as the viewer is concerned. Onscreen their chemistry worked very well.

In Western Theology, there are two kinds of people, two visions of life. The first sees life as a possession to be carefully guarded. They are called Settlers. The second sees life as a wild, fantastic gift. They are called

Pioneers.
These two types give rise to two kinds of theology: Settler Theology and Pioneer Theology. Settler Theology is an attempt to answer all the questions, define and housebreak some sort of Supreme Being, establish the status quo on golden tablets in cinemascope. Pioneer Theology is an attempt to talk about what it means to receive the strange gift of life. The Wild, Wild West is the setting for both theologies.
In Settler Theology, the Church convenes at the Courthouse. It is the center of town life. The old stone structure dominates the town square. Its windows are small, and this makes things dark inside. Within the courthouse walls, records are kept, taxes collected, and trials are held for the bad guys. The courthouse is the symbol of law, order, stability, and most importantly, security.
In Pioneer Theology, the Church moves in a Covered Wagon. It’s a house on wheels, always on the move. The Covered Wagon is where the pioneers eat, sleep, fight, love, live and die. It bears the marks of life and movement—it creaks, it’s scarred with arrows and bandaged with bailing wire. The Covered Wagon is where the action is. It moves toward the future, trying not to get bogged down in old ruts. The old Wagon isn’t comfortable, but the pioneers don’t seem to mind. They are more into adventure than comfort.
In Settler Theology, God is the Mayor. He is slick and fancy like a dude from back East. His office is on the top floor of the Courthouse. He looks out over the whole town, as his eagle eye ferrets out the smallest details of town life. No one actually sees him or gets close to him. He keeps his blinds drawn. But since there is order in the town, who can deny that he is really there? The Mayor is predictable and always on schedule. The Settlers fear the Mayor, but look to him to clear the payroll and keep things running. Peace and quiet are the Mayor’s main concerns, so he sends the Sheriff to check out any Pioneers who might ride into town.
In Pioneer Theology, God is the Trail Master. He is rough and rugged, full of life. The Trail Master lives, eats, sleeps, and is with his people. Their well‑being is his concern. Without him, the Wagon wouldn’t move and living free would be impossible. The Trail Master will get down in the mud with the Pioneers to help push the Wagon, which often gets stuck. He prods the Pioneers when they get soft and want to turn back. His fist is an expression of his concern.
In Settler Theology, Jesus is the Sheriff. He’s the guy who is sent by the Mayor to enforce the rules. He wears a white hat, drinks milk, outdraws the bad guys. The Sheriff decides who gets thrown in jail. There is a saying in town that goes: those who follow the rules and believe that the Sheriff is sent by the Mayor, they won’t stay in Boothill when it comes their time.
In Pioneer Theology, Jesus is the Scout. He rides out ahead of the Wagon to find out which way the Pioneers should go. The Scout faces all the dangers of the Trail and suffers every hardship. He is even attacked by the Indians. Through his words and actions he reveals the true intentions of the Trail Boss. By following the Scout, those on the Trail learn what it means to be a true Pioneer.
In Pioneer Theology, the Holy Spirit is the Buffalo Hunter. He rides along with the Covered Wagon and furnishes fresh meat for the Pioneers. They would die without it (and him). The Buffalo Hunter is a strange character—sort of a wild man. The Pioneers never can tell what he’ll do next. He scares the hell out of the Settlers. He has a big, black gun that goes off like a cannon. He rides into town on Sunday morning to shake up the Settlers. You see, every Sunday morning, the Settlers have a little ice cream party in the Courthouse. With his gun in hand, the Buffalo Hunter sneaks up to one of the Courthouse windows. Then he fires a tremendous blast that rattles the whole Courthouse. Men jump out of their skin, women scream, dogs bark. Chuckling to himself, the Buffalo Hunter rides back to the Wagon Train shooting up the town as he goes.
In Settler Theology, the Pastor (the clergyman) is the Banker. Within his vault are locked the values of the town. He is a highly respected man. He has a gun, but keeps it hidden in his desk. He feels that he and the Sheriff have a lot in common. After all, they both protect the Bank.
In Pioneer Theology, the Pastor is the Cook! He doesn’t furnish the meat. He just dishes up what the Buffalo Hunter provides. This is how he supports the movement of the wagon. He sees himself as just another Pioneer who has learned to cook. The Cook’s job is to help the Pioneers pioneer. He doesn’t confuse his job with that of the Trail Boss, the Scout, or the Buffalo Hunter.
In Settler Theology, the Christian is the Settler. He fears the open, unknown frontier. His concern is to stay on good terms with the Mayor and keep out of the Sheriff’s Way. “Safety First” is his motto and the Courthouse is his symbol of security, peace, order, and happiness. He keeps his money in the bank. The Banker is his best friend. The Settler never misses an ice cream party.
In Pioneer Theology, Christians are Pioneers. They are persons of daring, hungry for new life. They ride hard, and know how to use a gun when necessary. The Pioneer feels sad for the Settlers and tries to tell them of the joy and fulfillment of life on the Trail. They die with their boots on.
In Settler Theology, Faith is trusting in the safety of the town; obeying the Law and keeping their noses clean; and believing the Mayor is up there in the Courthouse.
In Pioneer Theology, Faith is the spirit of adventure; the readiness to move out; the willingness to risk everything on the Trail. Faith is obedience to the restless voice of the Trail Boss.
In Settler Theology, Sin is breaking one of the Town’s ordinances.
In Pioneer Theology, Sin is wanting to turn back.
In Settler Theology, Salvation lies in living close to home and going to the Courthouse.
In Pioneer Theology, Salvation rests in being more afraid of a sterile life in Town, than of death on the Trail. Pioneers find joy in the thought of another day to push on into the unknown Wilderness. They realize their Salvation by trusting the Trail Boss and following his Scout, while living on the meat provided by the Buffalo Hunter.
The Settlers and the Pioneers portray in cowboy-movie language the People of the Law and the People of the Spirit. In the time of the historical Jesus, the guardians of the ecclesiastical setup, the scribes and the Pharisees and the Sadducees, had hunkered down in the Courthouse and enslaved themselves to the Law. This not only enhanced their prestige in society, it also gave them a sense of Security. Man fears the responsibility of being free. It is often easier to let others make the decisions or to rely up the letter of the Law. Some men want to be slaves.

ELIJAH: WHEN A MAN IS LED BY THE SPIRIT!

The quintessential prophet of the Old Testament is Elijah. We can learn much from his life as an example. Here is his entry on to the stage of Biblical history:

(1 Ki 17:1-8 NIV) Now Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, "As the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word." {2} Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah: {3} "Leave here, turn eastward and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan. {4} You will drink from the brook, and I have ordered the ravens to feed you there." {5} So he did what the LORD had told him. He went to the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan, and stayed there. {6} The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook. {7} Some time later the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land. {8} Then the word of the LORD came to him:

People
There are two main characters in this story, Elijah and Ahab, the king of the northern kingdom, Israel. Much of the appeal of the story comes from the contrast of their characters, for Ahab is a man of this world, and Elijah the man of God.

Elijah
One of the most striking things about Elijah is that he has no stated ancestry. This is quite unusual in the Old Testament. The Jews were very careful to record ancestry. This has led some scholars to suggest that he might even have been a Gentile. Others draw the parallel to Melchizedek, the priest of God with no ancestry, who is believed to be the pre-incarnate Christ. One thing is certain – he came out of nowhere.
Nowhere, geographically speaking, is the town of Tishbe in Gilead (see map). When a man is referred to by geography rather than by ancestry, it is something to notice. Elijah is from the sticks. But we may note two things about his character which define the man:
He is one who serves God. The phrase in the original is that he is one who stands before God. It calls to our minds the picture of the cherubim before God, awaiting His command.
He is, as James assures us, a man of prayer. So he is a man who combines the outward life of God’s servant – a man of action who defines himself as standing before God, awaiting His pleasure – with the inner life of prayer.
In the combination of these two we see what kind of man God wants to bring to greatness.

Ahab
Ahab reminds me of no one more than Bill Clinton. I am sorry to say that, but the parallels are striking:
First, he is dominated by his wife. She’s the brains of the outfit and the power behind the throne, a woman who plays on his weak character.
He is a man – ask Naboth! – who schemes for petty gain. This is a man who, at his wife’s needling, has a man killed (by legal means) to get hold of his vineyard.
But – like Mr. Clinton – he is not beyond hope. In the end, he humbles himself before God. His wife, alas, does not. She is proud to her end.


Background
To understand the times in which Elijah lived, we need to know a few more details.

Religion
The worship of Baal and Ashterah (also Astarte, Astoreth and several other variants) is, for the most part, extinct. (I exclude those radical feminists who now find Astarte so wonderful). Since these are not common in our time, we need a little bit of explanation.
Baal – is the primary male god of the Canaanite religion, centered around Sidon (from which Jezebel came). Worship of this god included such interesting features as infant sacrifice and cannibalism. Represented by the sun, he is the primary male symbol of fertility. He (and Ashterah) give birth to 70 other gods who make up the pantheon of this worship style. The name is generic, and sometimes is applied to other, more particular gods.
Ashterah – is the primary female goddess of this religion. Her worship features temple prostitutes. She is represented by the moon. Lately, worship of this goddess has been revised by certain radical feminists, about whom more later. In her Babylonian guise, she is the root of much of the “New Age” worship. Here, we see her in a cruder form.

Interestingly, the evil nature of the worship of these two has been much softened as of late. The “Noble Savage” myth runs strong in academic circles these days, and we now see the worshipers of these gods as being those who are “at peace with each other and in harmony with their environment.” In fact, this is a religion in which infant sacrifice and sexual infidelity are considered good things, acts of worship. If you substitute abortion for infant sacrifice, I’m not so sure things haven’t changed that much. The fascinating thing is that we now have some “new thinkers” who have revived this religion. Even in our depravity we must have the justification of some form of religion.

Geography
We need to have a map to see where things are in this story:


As you can see, Tishbe is on the eastern side of the Jordan – which leads to the suspicions about Elijah’s origins. The brook, Kerith, is (according to the traditional site) a transient stream – it normally dries up in the summer.

Ravens
Ravens are clever birds; indeed, one of the most intelligent of species. But there is a lesson in here for us – for ravens are also considered an “unclean” species to the Jew. So the miraculous feeding of Elijah is very unusual in that God uses an animal which is unclean to feed his prophet. The lesson? God’s purposes may be served by angels or ravens, the great or the least. He doesn’t seem to be too fussy that way.


Prophets and Prophecy

Does God use natural disaster to punish a nation?
It’s one of those questions which has come up more frequently in these days of science and understanding. After all, these are “natural” disasters – how could you see the hand of God in them?
Do remember that this is his universe, sustained by his power. The reason that the “laws of nature” are the same today as yesterday is that HE is the same today as yesterday. The artwork reflects the artist.
Perhaps you might remember the Northridge earthquake. I recall the sermons from the next two weeks. In the first sermon, our preacher mildly reproached those who thought God would use natural disaster to punish a nation; it was just one of those trials of life. The next week he pointed out that Northridge, the epicenter of the quake, was also the city in which over 95% of the world’s hard core pornography is physically produced.
You decide.

The role of the prophet
Prophecy, especially in the Old Testament, has two functions:
The prophet is to foretell – not in the sense of predicting the stock market, but in terms of outlining the consequences God intends. Foretelling by a prophet always carries an “if” –“if you don’t repent, …”
The prophet is to forthtell – to proclaim wickedness for what it is. In this day when everything is relative and there is no absolute truth, some may think this quaint, at best. But the prophet has no choice; this is God’s work for the prophet.
The key to the character of the prophet is this: God does not hide his intentions from the prophet, but rather uses him to proclaim those intentions to the world.

Elijah’s approach
It’s instructive to see Elijah’s approach:
He did not go to the people and tell them of the impending drought. He is not to be a political rabble-rouser, or form a political party.
He went instead to the source of the problem, the king.
This sounds a lot like church discipline, doesn’t it? Elijah is doing this God’s way, in the hope of producing repentance.



Purpose and Direction
Having delivered his message, Elijah is instructed to retreat. Indeed, he is to go and hide in the wilderness! Why? The instruction is similar to Christ’s instruction to flee persecution. We might look at this and think that a man who would later call down fire from heaven to fall on his enemies would have little fear of a king like Ahab. Perhaps God knew his man; Elijah is a man who calls down fire – but just afterwards will run for his life.

The Wilderness
Why, then, did God have him flee to the wilderness? Surely there would be cities in which Elijah could be safe. I think God was preparing him for greater things:
First, in the wilderness he was safe from the temptation to intercede with God on behalf of a pleading people. This would harden him to do what needed to be done later.
He also needed to learn God’s providence. The ravens brought him no stockpile; he learned to live from one meal to the next.
I suspect he also learned the difference between necessity and desire. The prophets of Baal probably dined in higher style than Elijah. Elijah was fed as befits a servant of God, not in luxury but in necessity.

This is the real point of this story. God is shaping the man Elijah to do great things, and he is doing so by adversity. It is interesting how this part of the story ends: the brook dries up. Elijah could probably see this coming, but note that the brook dries up before God tells him what to do. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof – and one test leads to another.

THE POWER OF THE SON OF GOD!

Most of the time God's glory was revealed in more subtle ways, such as through miracles or wise teaching. Today's text from Luke involves God's glory revealed by Jesus. This text is traditionally referred to as "The Transfiguration."
The Eastern Orthodox Study Bible concisely describes the Transfiguration as, "the demonstration that Jesus is the Lord of glory despite the fact that he will later suffer and die on the cross." It is a foreshadowing of the Risen Lord. I guess you could say that the experience the apostles had on the mountain was a break from all the madness of the world. It was a brief, but important, encounter with God's glory, and God's plan for all people. The transfiguration of Jesus revealed to his closest disciples the heavenly transformation to glory that awaits all the saints of Christ. The text from 2nd Peter makToday's texts all involve the glory of God revealed to humankind in a real and powerful way. These are some of the rare times in the Bible where the tremendous glory of the Trinity was revealed es the point that the revelation of the Transfiguration proves that Christianity is more than just a novel superstition. Christianity is about the Power of the Son of God.
Perhaps we should take the time to examine the men who saw God's glory face to face. They were as human as can be. Moses, mentioned in today's OT text, while being a great man of God, and a hero to the Hebrews, wasn't even allowed to set foot in the Promised Land. Yet he still saw God face to face. Moses once told the Lord, "I have never been eloquent, neither now or in the past, for I am slow of speech and slow of tongue." This does not sound like the type of person God would choose to meet face to face. But despite Moses' failings as a human being, he experienced God's glory.
Peter, James, and John, who witnessed the transfiguration, all had their faults too. Peter denied Jesus when the going got rough. Let's face it; Peter wasn't the brightest star in the sky either. He was pretty dense. The Gospel authors seem to poke fun at Peter for his many mishaps. The truth is that any one of our names could be placed within the gospels in place of Peter's. It comes as a relief to me to find that even the future "rock" of the church was as plagued by confusion and doubt as we are, yet he was revealed God's glory.
James and John had their problems too. They woefully misunderstood the Kingdom when they asked to be Jesus' right and left hand men once the Kingdom came. They were probably just as thickheaded as poor Peter was. Yet they too saw the Glory of God in the most real way any human probably could. I guess my point is that you don't have to be perfect to experience God, just willing to follow.
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I believe there is great comfort in the story of the transfiguration. There is comfort in the future glory that the transfiguration has revealed to us. This glory is our hope. Peter probably died around 67 AD. According to church tradition he was crucified upside-down, as he was not worthy to be crucified the same way his Lord was. His life was probably neither fun nor productive by today's standards. He was poor and a member of an outcast religion. He was most likely either misunderstood or despised by the majority of people he came in contact with, both in the Jewish and Roman worlds. Yet he and many other followers of a Nazarene carpenter died for the belief they had in the Power of the Son of God. The mystical transfiguration experience probably sat in Peter's mind throughout all of the persecutions he endured; perhaps he could vividly recall it any time he wanted to. Maybe the exact details were becoming hazy, but I would bet that as he was hanging upside-down, he had a good vision of what awaited him after he took his final breath.
I don't think that anyone sitting here will see God's glory right now the way Peter did. (Though I have to add that since I believe in miracles I won't eliminate the possibility). However, through the power of the Holy Spirit, there are still many ways that we can witness and know the same Lord of glory written about in the book of Luke. We can do this through the mystery of the body and the blood, through prayer and meditation, through the weekly liturgy, through observing the church calendar, or by simply reading the Bible. I often see God's glory in nature, through his meticulous and colorful creation. Whenever I get too stressed a drive in the country helps me to get it together and remember how big the whole picture really is. A brisk hike or an intense run at the scenic State Park is a good way for me to see God's glory up close. Usually at the beginning of a run I am thanking God for the beautiful day, and at the end thanking Him I didn't collapse. I also see God's glory through other people, such as my amazing friends, family, professors, girlfriend, and church family. The great theologian C.S. Lewis suggested that we could get a glimpse of the eternal through fine music and that heart-warming feeling called "nostalgia." Many of you out there today have other ways you feel God's glory. I was just told today by a friend at Good Shepherd that she feels God's glory by praying in tongues.
I think the glory of God is all around us and available to us; I guess sometimes we just don't look for it, or maybe we've honestly forgotten how to look, or maybe we expect to see it directly as Peter did. Unfortunately we won't see it in full until we die. Until that day we can only get sneak previews, breaks from the madness of the world, much like Peter, James, and John got on a mountain over 1900 years ago.
As I end here, I want to pray that I will always live in the hope of glory that is due to God's faithful saints, and I hope that I will never cease to find previews of God's amazing glory in the strangest places.

GOD CAN USE ANYONE AND ANY SITUATION

There are many popular Old Testament Bible stories that almost every adult who ever attended a Protestant church even for a short time knows about - particularly if they ever attended Sunday School classes classes as an impressionable youngster. Who can forget "Miz Lois" (insert your own teacher's name) and her Flannelgraph presentations of David and Goliath, Daniel in the Lion's Den, The Three Hebrew Children in the Fiery Furnace, Moses in the Bulrushes, Joseph and the Coat of Many Colors?
Then again, who can remember Esther, Mordecai and Haman? I don't know about your experience, but as a child growing up in the 1950s, those folks were not on my list of Famous Bible Characters. Perhaps the Flannelgraph people just didn't produce a set of figures for the Book of Esther, so it wasn't really my Sunday School teacher's fault.
You would think that this problem would be solved for adults, since most church Pastors don't use Flannelgraphs in their sermons. So what kept them from the Book of Esther? I don't know. But I do know that for twenty years I was in churches that had a weekly worship service with a sermon, and a weekly Bible Study session on a separate day. Thus I can account for having listened to nearly 2000 - maybe more - messages and lessons based on the Bible. And I can't remember even one that had as its theme the events or characters of the Book of Esther.
Given the few female role models in the Bible, this should be somewhat surprising. Why didn't ministers take advantage of the story of Esther to inspire women, young and old, in the churches with messages that would emphasize the importance of the role of a Godly woman in the unfolding plan of God? Again, I don't know, but it seems that the church group I attended featured mostly negative examples of women in sermons or Bible Studies.
Here are some negative examples of women in the Bible that I have come across:
Eve, who was pointed out as being the cause of all the sin of the world because she seduced her husband into eating the forbidden fruit - in sermons about men being heads of their households (which seemed to gloss over any guilt that Adam may have had coming in the matter).
Sarah, who was pointed out as having called Abraham "Lord" - in sermons on husband/wife relationships.
Miriam, who was pointed out as being struck with leprosy for questioning Moses' authority - in sermons on respecting church authorities.
Bathsheba, who was blamed for David's sin of adultery because she was taking a bath while he was spying on her - in sermons about modesty.
Jezebel, who was pointed out as being evil and wearing eye-shadow - in sermons about wearing makeup.
Martha, Lazarus's sister, who was maligned for being a fuss-budget - I'm not sure the exact point of such sermons, but perhaps they were about paying attention during sermons (like Martha's sister Mary did at the feet of Jesus).
There you have it - my early memories of Biblical role models for women. And what about the men? They were regaled in sermons and Bible Studies with positive role models galore - the bravery and faith of little David against Goliath; the steadfastness of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in face of the fiery furnace; the triumph over adversity of Joseph; the fiery zeal of John the Baptist; and many, many more.
My daughter Ramona asked me about this disparity one day recently, puzzled why we had never heard any messages about Esther in church. In fact, it wasn't just in church settings that Esther has been ignored. Hollywood, where numerous epic movies and mini-series with Bible themes have been brought to movie and TV screens, has ignored her story too. This particularly puzzled Ramona, as she had recently read the Book of Esther again and noted what a dynamite plot it had. She thought how much the setting in Persia and the colorful characters would lend themselves to the kind of gorgeous historical sets and period costumes that Hollywood reveled in for a while in the 1950s-1960s, such as in the movies Ten Commandments and David and Bathsheba. Yet Hollywood totally ignored Esther too.
Only in Jewish communities is the book and the characters remembered much. The Jewish festival of Purim is celebrated in late winter each year in memory of the events of the Book of Esther, which tell of the great delivery of the Jewish people during the reign of King Xerxes of Persia in the fifth century B.C. As part of that commemoration, annual plays based on the story of Esther are staged in almost every local synagogue. Members of the audience are given noisy instruments, and encouraged to rattle, bang, toot and clatter them whenever the name of the villain of the story, Haman, is mentioned, drowning out that hated name. This is particularly exciting for the children of the congregation.
Some more-contemporary synagogues even take a few liberties with the plot - at least one I am aware of re-stages it each year to be a musical parody of famous Broadway musicals. I have seen their hilarious performances of "My Scared Lady" and "Bye Bye Haman", with the tunes from My Fair Lady and Bye Bye Birdie faithfully reproduced with new words and puns that fit the Esther story.
But back in the Christian Churches, Esther continues to be a forgotten woman. This is a shame, for there is so much to learn from her story
Starring Queen Esther
If we were to "cast" a movie about Queen Esther, what sort of actress would we get to play the part? If you think like I do, the idea of someone being a queen brings up an image of someone like Elizabeth Taylor in her role as Cleopatra in the movie by that name. I picture an elegant, mature-but-youthful actress, say 30 years old or so. There is only one problem with that picture - it doesn't fit historical reality. The reality is that, at the beginning of the Book of Esther, Esther is a young virgin. In those days, this quite likely meant not much more than 14 years old! And given the chronology of the story, she was likely less than age 20 even by the end of the story. This sheltered young woman, barely out of girlhood, was thrust into a setting where she ultimately had influence with one of the most powerful men in the world, King Xerxes of Persia. All of this was at an age when most modern young women are still concerned with such things as school proms and studying for geometry exams. What incredible qualities God must have seen in such a young woman to entrust the rescue of His People to her courage, wisdom, resourcefulness, self-control and faith.
If you have not read this exciting story recently, let's recap just the highlights of the plot:
The Jews had been in exile for many years in the land of Babylon. When power changed to the hands of the Persians, they were still there. At the beginning of the story of Esther, the King of Persia is displeased with his queen, and removes her from her royal position. Advisors suggest that all the fairest young maidens in the land be brought to the King over a period of time that he might choose a new queen from among them. (Yes, this may well be the original source of such elements in folk tales like Cinderella.)
The young Jewess Hadassah, whose Persian name is Esther, is among the young maidens brought to the palace. At the insistence of her guardian, Uncle Mordecai, she conceals her national identity. After winning the favor of the King, she becomes Queen.
Meanwhile, Uncle Mordecai runs afoul of the evil courtier Haman, who decides in revenge to trick the King into declaring a sentence of death on all Jews in the kingdom, to be carried out at a future date to be decided by lot. (The word "purim" in Hebrew means "lots", thus the name of the festival of Purim.)
Mordecai learns of the plot, and alerts Esther. She, at great personal risk, decides to accept the role of confronting the King about the plot and begging for mercy for her people. She is successful in this matter. Through a series of fortuitous events (no doubt orchestrated by God) and her wise handling of the circumstances, Haman is shown before the King to be the villain that he really is. In the end, Haman is hung on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai. And the Jews of the kingdom are saved from extinction.
The Lessons
There are many ways to focus on the contents of the Book of Esther. In spite of the fact that most pastors and teachers seem to ignore the book and the character, there have been a few books written specifically about Esther. And radio-teacher Chuck Swindoll has done a whole series of programs going through the book verse by verse.
The purpose of this article is to encourage readers to go back and read through the Book of Esther with a new perspective. Below are five specific general principles and lessons which I have gleaned from the book. It is left to the reader to contemplate how these principles might apply to us as Christians!
God has sometimes used armies and sometimes flashy miracles in order to rescue His People. But He is not limited to those strategies. He can just as easily use one obscure person - male, such as Joseph, or female, such as Esther - and manipulate the circumstances around them to allow them to be the agent of His salvation.
In our western nations, we appreciate living in basically democratic societies. And rightly so. Christians can thereby be unusually free to worship according to their consciences, and free to obey God without much fear that such obedience will run afoul of the government in most circumstances. But God never in the Bible destroys kingdoms specifically because the form of government is a dictatorship so his servants could have the kind of freedoms we enjoy. Instead He enabled His people to function right within whatever system they found themselves in. Even Paul notes this:
"Each one should remain in the situation which he was in when God called him. Were you a slave when you were called? Don't let it trouble you - although if you can gain your freedom, do so " (1Corinthians 7:20-21).
Paul is not thereby telling us to give up the freedom we have. He is indicating that God can use us, just as He used Esther, wherever we find ourselves, no matter the nature of the government.
Serving God and fulfilling the role He called you to is possible even in an environment where almost everyone around you is a heathen. And it can be done without attempting to change everyone around you. Joseph, Esther and Daniel all served totally pagan kings and won favor with them by their exemplary conduct and example. And they were thereby able to accomplish great deeds.
God can use young women, like Esther, just as easily as young warriors, like David, to accomplish His plans for His people.
It is comforting to know that God can redeem people with unpleasant pasts and use them to advance His plans for His people - witness Rahab the harlot and Paul, the persecutor of Christians. But in some cases His plans particularly call for those who have kept themselves undefiled physically and/or spiritually. Certainly in the case of Esther, it would have been impossible for her to fulfill God's plan if she had not been a chaste young woman. This brings to mind another chaste young woman, no doubt as young as Esther when she began her role in an even greater plan of salvation - Mary, the mother of Jesus. Just as noted above about Esther, what incredible qualities Mary must have exhibited even as a young woman barely out of girlhood, to be considered mature enough for the responsibility of raising the Messiah!

LETTING THE KING IN! A NEW LOOK AT PSALM 24

If you were to ask someone on the street, what they believe to be the best known chapter in the book of Psalms, they no doubt would say, Psalm 23. In fact, it might be that the 23rd chapter of Psalms is the best known chapter in the entire Bible. Well today we have read the very next chapter, little known by its content, but carrying a powerful message concerning God. If Psalm 23 reveals to us the nature of God being that of a Shepherd, Psalm 24 reveals Him as being the Almighty, the King of Glory.
The story behind this Psalm is given to us in the book of II Samuel, chapter 6 - it's the story of King David bringing the Ark of the Covenant up to the city of Jerusalem.
Ever since Moses had been instructed to make the Ark, when the children of Israel were in the wilderness, this rectangular shaped box had represented the presence of God in the midst of the people. During the wars with the Philistines, the Ark had been stolen, but then returned to Israel. According to 1 Samuel 7, the Ark had been kept for 20 years in a town called Kiriath Jearim, at the home of a man by the name of Abinadab.
But now, David had established his rule as king over all Israel, and after 7 1/2 years of ruling from the ancient town of Hebron, he had set up his headquarters in the newly captured the Jebusite town we now know as Jerusalem. At that time, David decided bring the Ark to Jerusalem, so that his city would become not only the political center, but also the religious center of the kingdom.
The story is one of trial and error - the first attempt was not successful. Abinadab had two sons, Uzzah and Ahio. Uzzah, innocently reached out to steady the Ark as it was being hauled on an ox cart, and he died. This stilled the celebration, and for three months the Ark was stored at the house of a man by the name of Obed-Edom, "and the LORD blessed him and his entire household."(verse 11)
Once again the celebration began when the second attempt was made, and the Ark was successfully brought to Jerusalem. During both of these attempts, there was great rejoicing. Verse 5 records, "David and the whole house of Israel were celebrating with all their might before the LORD, with songs and with harps, lyres, tambourines, sistrums and cymbals."
During the second attempt to bring the Ark to Jerusalem, there were sacrifices, and "David, wearing a linen ephod, danced before the LORD with all his might, while he and the entire house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouts and the sound of trumpets." (Verse 14)
I couldn't help but notice the words "with all their might". A friend sent me a list of Hymn titles as they would be if we were really honest:
Honest Hymns!
I Surrender, Some
Fill My Spoon, Lord
Oh, How I Like Jesus
I Love to Talk About Telling the Story
Take My Life and Let Me Be
Where He Leads Me, I Will Consider Following
Sit Up, Sit Up for Jesus
A Comfy Mattress Is Our God
Oh, for a Couple of Tongues to Sing
Go Tell It on the Speed Bump
My Faith Looks Around for Thee
Spirit of the Living God, Fall Somewhere Near Me
Blest Be the Tie that Doesn't Cramp My Style
For this special occasion, David wrote a hymn, Psalm 24 to be sung as the Ark, symbolizing the presence of the Lord, was brought to be set in the temporary tabernacle where it would stay until a temple would be built.
I. Within this short 10 verses, are two very important questions. The most important of the two is this one, "Who is this King of glory?" That question is answered in three different ways: He is the Owner of the Earth, He is the Judge, and He is the "LORD strong and mighty."
Who is this king of glory?
1. He is the Owner of the Earth (verse 1)
Some times we seem to get the idea that mankind has been given the earth to do with it whatever he pleases. Some might quote from the creation story the verse that says that man shall have dominion over the earth. But let's please notice, we are not the owners of the earth, we are only the tenant farmers, taking care of the land for the Owner. Whatever we do, we are like the servants who are accountable to the Master for how we treat His property.
Who is this king of glory?
2. He is the Judge (verses 4,5)
We'll get to this later, but we must not forget that God is holy, and expects us to approach Him in holiness. David is apparently preparing the Levites for their task of bringing the Ark up to the city and into the tabernacle. He learned his lesson, for evidently during the first attempt, holiness was not subscribed to - that's part of the explanation for Uzzah's death.
Who is this king of glory?
3. He is the ultimate Sovereign King of all. (verses 8-10)
At the end of this Psalm, God is described as the King of glory, "the LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle."
In the KJV, the wording is, "The LORD of hosts", whereas the NIV uses the word "almighty". The word is found 485 times, and most of the time (in the KJV) it is translated "host". It literally means "that which goes forth". It could be an army, angels, the sun, moon, and stars, or it could refer to the whole creation. In any case, God is the LORD, the One who goes forth and leads this host, and He is "strong and mighty . . . in battle."
In recent years, there's been a lot of talk among Christians concerning "Spiritual Warfare." And it's with good reason, we are engaged in a battle, and the Bible often uses warfare imagery when describing the Christian life. But we must always remember that, even as "the earth is the Lord's", so also "the battle is the Lord's." (1 Samuel 17:47)
And furthermore, participating in the Lord's battle is never for the purpose of hurting other people, even when we think they are wrong in their beliefs, or somehow against God. (There is absolutely no justification for abortion clinic bombings, threats against doctors; or even atheists who don't want mandated prayer to take place in school.)
We sometimes think, and it may be true, that some people only seem to "get the message" when it's accompanied by pain. There was a Student Minister working in our church by the name of David Herr. Dave was one of four brothers who were trained not to smoke. As each of them turned 12 years old, their father gave them a cigar and insisted that they smoke it, the whole thing. They coughed and gagged - and decided right then and there that they would never smoke anything again!
However, it's important for us to understand that it is not our role to inflict that pain. Like in a family, corporal punishment may be meted out by the parent with a young child, one who has not yet reached the age when they can understand verbal messages, but corporal punishment is never delegated to the other children in the family. Brothers and Sisters should never spank each other; yet sometimes in the church we think that is our job. Instead of taking seriously our job of "edifying" other members in the Body of Christ, we take it upon ourselves to punish them. We do this by breaking fellowship with them, saying unkind words, passing along untrue statements, or at times even by name calling. This certainly isn't what "Spiritual Warfare" should be about. Even more so, when it comes to our dealing with people outside the church, love is always required of us.
What a tragedy it is when people throughout history, even those claiming to be Christians, in the name of God, have hurt, or even killed other people.
II. But earlier I said there were two important questions asked and answered in this Psalm. The other question is, (verse 3) "Who may ascend the hill of the LORD?" In other words, who may approach the Lord?
The answer to this question is supplied: "He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false."
Only they can approach Him who are holy. What is called for here is purity in action, thought and word.
a. Clean Hands. The hands represent our actions, and more explicitly, our work. It is necessary that we do our work with integrity, as well as with industry. (Ecclesiastes 9:10 - Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.)
Most importantly, we must always refrain from dishonorable work, or from doing work in a dishonest manner.
b. Pure Heart. The heart represents our inner thoughts and motives. (Proverbs 21:27 - "The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable-- how much more so when brought with evil intent!") You see, holiness takes account of the thoughts behind the action, not just the consequences of the action. Jesus emphasized this when He said, "Your righteousness must exceed that of the Scribes and Pharisees." (Matthew 5:20)
Today the attitude often is, "It's o.k., because it's not hurting anybody." No, there are some things that are inherently wrong in God's eyes whether or not anybody else sees them, or are affected by them. For example, a student may be tempted to cheat on a test, thinking that as long as there is no victim, there's no crime. But even if the grades of classmates are not affected, it's still wrong to cheat. An employee may take company products home thinking, "They're just going to throw them away anyway." But it's still wrong, unless permission is granted.
On the other hand, there are those who say, "We must be doing something right, look at how prosperous we are." This is the old "ends justify the means" argument, and we all know it to be faulty. Not only what we do, but the thoughts behind the acts are to be cleansed. It would be well if each day the prayer quoted at the close of every one of my high school assemblies would be repeated with sincerity, "Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer." (Psalms 19:14)
c. Pure Words. There may be no false, deceitful testimony; our spoken words are to be both honest and courageous.
But, someone might ask, "Can't I come to God 'Just As I Am'"?
Jesus once told a story about a wedding reception (Matthew 22). One of the guests was found to be at the wedding feast without proper attire. Listen to what happened to him: "Then the king told the attendants, `Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'"
But what about the statement we often hear, "You don't have to clean up your act before coming to Jesus"? That's very true, if you're coming to Jesus to have Him clean up your act! We come to him in faith that because of the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, our sins are forgiven and we can come into the presence of God.
Going back to the story of the bringing of the Ark into Jerusalem, one big difference between the first attempt and the second was this: on the second attempt, sacrifices were offered at the very beginning of the trip. (I Samuel 6:13 - "When those who were carrying the ark of the LORD had taken six steps, he (David) sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf.")

In addition to the two questions, there is in this chapter an exhortation, it is given to us twice for emphasis: "Lift up your heads, O you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in." Let's look at it this way: The King wants the presence of the Lord to be brought to the temple that is your heart. Will you open the doors to let Him come in?

THE SCARLET ROBE OF CHRIST

Q. Why did Roman soldiers cast lots for Jesus' clothes while he was dying?
A. It is not commonly known, but Jesus was NOT a poor, wretched beggar. He worked with his father (step-father) Joseph in the family carpentry business, and continued that work as he grew older. He was referred to as the "carpenter's son" and the "carpenter." (Matthew 13:55; Mark 6:3)
That profession would equate today with someone who was a building contractor and therefore He would have been fairly well off financially.
As one who "did no sin", he would have kept all the laws of health perfectly, and therefore, would keep bathed and clean. His clothing would have been the best he could afford, and therefore NOT beggar's rags.
That is the reason his garments were shared among the soldiers, but for the coat they "cast lots" to see who would have it completely because they didn't want to divide such an expensive garment.
It was fit for a king. As a matter of fact it had been given to him by a king. Let's take a look at the following scriptures:
"When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked whether the man were a Galilaean. And as soon as he knew that he belonged unto Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who himself also was at Jerusalem at that time. And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad: for he was desirous to see him of a long season, because he had heard many things of him; and he hoped to have seen some miracle done by him. Then he questioned with him in many words; but he answered him nothing. And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused him. And Herod with his men of war set him at nought, and mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and sent him again to Pilate. And the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends together: for before they were at enmity between themselves.
"And Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, Said unto them, Ye have brought this man unto me, as one that perverteth the people: and, behold, I, having examined him before you, have found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him: No, nor yet Herod: for I sent you to him; and, lo, nothing worthy of death is done unto him. I will therefore chastise him, and release him. (For of necessity he must release one unto them at the feast.) And they cried out all at once, saying, Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas: (Who for a certain sedition made in the city, and for murder, was cast into prison.) "Pilate therefore, willing to release Jesus, spake again to them. But they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. And he said unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath he done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him, and let him go. And they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified. And the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed. And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required. And he released unto them him that for sedition and murder was cast into prison, whom they had desired; but he delivered Jesus to their will. " (Luke 23:6-25)
The robe had been put on him to shame him, for it's color was the color of sin. We would call it red but it was a crimson-purple color dyed with very expensive dyes of the time. The color is called 'purple' and 'scarlet' in the scriptures. Please note:
"Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him. And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe, And said, Hail, King of the Jews! and they smote him with their hands. Pilate therefore went forth again, and saith unto them, Behold, I bring him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no fault in him. Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe. And Pilate saith unto them, Behold the man! " (John 19:1-5)
"And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe. And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head. And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him." (Matthew 27:28-31)
Later, as Jesus was hanging upon the cross (or more exactly translated from the Greek word σταυρός, Stauros which means 'stake') the soldiers divided his garments, and cast lots for the magnificent coat.
"Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also his coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout. They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots. These things therefore the soldiers did." (John 19:23-24)
Yes, Jesus was totally shamed, being crucified with thieves and malefactors, beaten and spat upon, whipped with a cat-of-nine tails until he resembled a piece of hamburger meat, and then hung naked upon a "tree" just as common criminals and murderers were hanged.
The scriptures give us a prophecy of what Jesus was going to have to go through in:
"They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion. I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels. My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death. "For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet. I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me. They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture " (Psalms 22:13-18)
Yes, our Savior spent many hours of shame, degradation, pain, sorrow and then death, paying the eternal price for OUR SINS!!
Have you really considered the PRICE with which we have been bought?
How can we not be a BOND SLAVE to Jesus the Christ?

CHRIST'S SUFFERING SET OUR STANDARD!

First Peter 2:21-25 says, "You have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls."
The name Jesus Christ evokes many images in the minds of people. Some picture Him as a baby in a manger--the Christ of Christmas. Others picture Him as a child, perhaps living in the home of a carpenter or confounding the religious leaders of Jerusalem. Many picture Him as a compassionate and powerful healer who healed the sick and raised the dead. Still others picture a bold and fiery preacher speaking the Word of God to great crowds. And there are those who see Him as the consummate man--a model of goodness, kindness, sympathy, concern, care, tenderness, forgiveness, wisdom, understanding, and trust in God.
Yet the one image of Christ that surpasses all the rest is Jesus Christ on the cross. The apostle Paul said to the Corinthians, "I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified" (1 Cor. 2:2). To know Christ crucified is to know Him as the author and finisher of your faith--the truest picture of His Person and work.
Christ's suffering on the cross is the focal point of the Christian faith. That's where the deity, humanity, work, and suffering of Christ is most clearly seen. First Peter 2:21-25 shows that the suffering of Jesus had three great effects: it allowed Him to serve as our example, substitute, and shepherd.
Review
According to the previous verse, Christians have been called to suffer with patient endurance Because we are at odds with the world, we will suffer persecution at various times and in various ways. That pleases God because He knows it will mature us and perfect our ability to glorify Him in heaven (see pp. xx-xx). Beyond those realities, such suffering identifies us with our Lord Jesus Christ, for we suffer as He suffered.

I. CHRIST IS OUR EXAMPLE
"Christ . . . suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously."
The suffering of Christ sets the standard for the suffering of Christians. The greater our suffering for righteousness in this life, the greater our glory in the life to come.
Jesus was executed as a criminal on a cross. Yet He was guilty of no crime--no wrong, no trespass, no sin. He never had an evil thought or spoke an evil word. His was the most unjust execution ever perpetrated on a human being. Yet it shows us that though a person may be perfectly within the will of God--greatly loved and gifted, perfectly righteous and obedient--he may still experience unjust suffering. Like Jesus he may be misunderstood, misrepresented, hated, persecuted, and even murdered.
Are Suffering Christians Out of God's Will?
Some contemporary false teachers say that Christians who suffer are out of God's will. Such teaching reflects a shallow and ungodly interpretation of the Bible. Scripture clearly states that Christians will suffer for their faith (Matt. 5:11-12; 10:17; 24:9; Luke 21:12; John 15:20; 16:2; 2 Tim. 3:12). To say that believers who are suffering for their faith aren't "claiming their resources" is heresy. Jesus Christ was perfectly in the will of God--perfectly righteous, gifted, and loved by God--yet suffered unjustly on a cross. Those who suffer for their faith in Christ are like their Master and perfectly within God's will.
A. We're to Follow His Pattern
"Christ . . . suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps."
The Greek word translated "example" (hupogrammos) refers to a pattern that is placed under a piece of paper to be traced. Like children who learn their letters using tracing paper over a pattern, we are to trace our lives according to the pattern Jesus Christ has laid down for us.
We follow His pattern by walking "in His steps." "Steps" translates the Greek word ichnos, which refers to a track or line of footprints. We are to walk in Christ's footprints because His was a righteous walk. It was also a walk of unjust suffering, which is part of the walk of righteousness. Some suffer more than others, but all who follow after Christ experience some suffering.
B. We're to Follow His Reactions (vv. 22-23)
"[Christ] committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously."
Peter wanted his readers to look closely at the suffering of Christ. The cross was the time of maximum suffering for our Lord, and would have been prominent in Peter's mind because he personally witnessed his Lord's pain--though from afar. So verses 22-23 take us to the cross, explaining in the process the meaning of Isaiah 53--the clearest Old Testament chapter on the suffering of the Messiah.
1. He committed no sin in word or deed
Isaiah 53:9 says, "He [the Messiah] had done no violence." "Violence" is translated "lawlessness" in the Septuagint, the Greek version of the Hebrew Old Testament. The translators understood that the violence spoken of in Isaiah 53:9 is violence against God's law--or sin, which "is lawlessness" (1 John 3:4). Peter, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, understood the violence spoken of in Isaiah 53:9 in the same way. Thus 1 Peter 2:22 is saying that in spite of the unjust treatment Christ had to endure, He committed no sin. Christ was impeccable--He did not and could not sin (cf. 1 Pet. 1:19).
Isaiah 53:9 adds, "Nor was there any deceit in His mouth." That strengthens the idea that Jesus committed no sin because sin usually first makes its appearance in us by what we say. The Hebrew word translated "deceit" refers to any sin of the tongue, such as deception, innuendo, or slander.
James 3:2 says, "If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man." That's because only someone who is perfect can avoid sinning with his mouth, for what we say is but a reflection of what's in the heart (Mark 7:21). In Jesus there was no sin either externally or internally.
a)Luke 23:41--One of the thieves crucified with Jesus said to the other, "We indeed [suffer] justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds; but this man [Jesus] has done nothing wrong."
b)John 8:46--Jesus said, "Which one of you convicts Me of sin?" No one could truthfully accuse Jesus of sin.
c)2 Corinthians 5:21--Paul said of God's working in Christ, "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf."
d)Hebrews 4:15--Jesus "has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin."
e)Hebrews 7:26--Jesus, our High Priest, is "holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens."
f)1 Peter 3:18--"Christ . . . died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust."
g)1 John 3:5--"In [Jesus Christ] there is no sin."
In all the circumstances of His ministry on earth our Lord was absolutely sinless. He was the most unjustly treated person who ever lived on earth because, unlike you and me, He never did anything wrong. He is the perfect model of how we are to respond to unjust treatment because He endured far worse treatment than any person who will ever live, yet He never sinned.
2. He didn't strike back
Isaiah 53:7 says of the Messiah, "He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth; like a lamb that is led to slaughter, and like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, so He did not open His mouth." That reflects the attitude of Jesus before His tormentors: "While being reviled, He did not revile in return" (1 Pet. 2:23). Though under sustained provocation, Jesus spoke no evil because there was no sin in His heart.
However, under similar provocation our reaction would be more like that of the apostle Paul's. When Paul was on trial before the Sanhedrin, the high priest Ananias ordered that he be struck on the mouth. His immediate response to Ananias was, "God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall!" (Acts 23:3). Paul immediately had to apologize--such an exclamation was against the law (vv. 4-5; cf. Ex. 22:28). Paul wasn't perfect, and he's not the standard of righteousness. Only Christ is a perfect standard of how to handle the reviling of one's enemies.
The Greek word translated "reviled" pictures the continuous piling up of abuse on top of another. Jesus was consistent in His response to such treatment: He was silent (cf. Matt. 26:57-68; 27:11-14; Mark 14:53-65; 15:1-5; Luke 23:8-9). Christians, like their Master, are never to abuse those who abuse them.
3. He didn't make threats
Jesus "uttered no threats" in the face of incredible suffering (1 Pet. 2:23). He was spit on, His beard was pulled out, a crown of thorns was crushed onto His head, and nails were driven through His flesh to pin Him to a cross. In any other person such unjust treatment would have caused feelings of retaliation to well up and burst, but not in Christ. He was the Son of God--creator and sustainer of the universe, holy, sinless, and with the power to send His tormentors into eternal flames. Yet instead of threatening them He said, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing" (Luke 23:34). Christ died for sinners, including those who persecuted Him. He knew the glory of salvation could be reached only through the path of suffering, so He accepted His suffering without bitterness, anger, or a spirit of retaliation.
4. He entrusted Himself to God
First Peter 3:9 says Christians are not to be "returning evil for evil, or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead." That was Jesus' attitude. He was able to do that because He "kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously" (1 Pet. 2:23). The word translated "entrusting" (Gk. , paradid[ma]omi) means "to hand over for someone to keep." In every instance of suffering our Lord handed over the circumstance and Himself to God. The word "Himself," though not found in the Greek text of 1 Peter, accurately reflects the full meaning of the text.
Christ's last words on the cross show His trust in God: "Father, into Thy hands I commit My spirit" (Luke 23:46). Our Lord was confident in the righteous judgment of God and the glory that would be His. That allowed Him to calmly accept tremendous suffering. That's the way we're to respond when confronted with unjust persecution on the job or in our families or other relationships. When we retaliate we forfeit the blessing and reward that suffering is meant to bring. It shows we lack the confidence we ought to have in God's ability to make things right in His own time, which will include punishing the unjust and rewarding those who are faithful in suffering.
Bible commentator Alan Stibbs wrote, "In . . . the unique instance of our Lord's passion, when the sinless One suffered as if He were the worst of sinners, and bore the extreme penalty of sin, there is a double sense in which He may have acknowledged God as the righteous Judge. On the one hand, because voluntarily, and in fulfillment of God's will, He was taking the sinner's place and bearing sin, He did not protest at what He had to suffer. Rather He consciously recognized that it was the penalty righteously due to sin. So He handed Himself over to be punished. He recognized that in letting such shame, pain and curse fall upon Him, the righteous God was judging righteously. On the other hand, because He Himself was sinless, He also believed that in due time God, as the righteous Judge, would vindicate Him as righteous, and exalt Him from the grave, and reward Him for what He had willingly endured for others' sake by giving Him the right completely to save them from the penalty and power of their own wrongdoing" (The First Epistle General of Peter [Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1971], p. 119). When we entrust ourselves to God as the righteous judge, we are following Christ's example by looking to God for vindication, exaltation, and reward

I believe that in days to come Christians will become increasingly unpopular with secular society. Strong stands for the truth of Scripture and the gospel message may soon become intolerable. That will result in the unjust treatment of Christians.
The prospect of such treatment ought to drive us to passages like 1 Peter 2:21-25 for reassurance. Here we learn that like our Lord, we are to walk the path of suffering to attain the glory of reward and exaltation in the future. That realization surely prompted Stephen to fix his eyes on Jesus in glory and ask God to forgive his murderers (Acts 7:54-60). He entrusted Himself to God, knowing that He would vindicate him.
In May of 1555 Bishop Hugh Latimer, soon to be burned at the stake for his anti-papal, Reformed convictions, wrote, "Die once we must; how and where, we know not. . . . Here is not our home; let us therefore accordingly consider things, having always before our eyes that heavenly Jerusalem, and the way thereto in persecution" (Harold S. Darby, Hugh Latimer [London: The Epworth Press, 1953], p. 237). Later that year both Latimer and his friend Ridley were fed to the flames, but not until Latimer--astonishingly composed--said to his colleague, "Be of good comfort, master Ridley, and play the man. We shall this day light such a candle, by God's grace, in England, as I trust shall never be put out" (p. 247).
In no way did Jesus leave His "example" (1 Pet. 2:21) in vain!

1. Jesus suffered unimaginable humiliation. During His trial those present "spat in His face and beat Him with their fists; and others slapped Him, and said, 'Prophesy to us, You Christ; who is the one who hit You?'" (Matt. 26:67-68). One commentator noted, "The mockers received no reply to this question. Jesus was silent. But we may give a different turn to the inquiry, and the answer will prove consolatory. Let those who are earnestly seeking salvation, and the contrite in heart, humbly inquire, 'Who it was that smote the Lord?' and they will receive a satisfactory reply. At first, indeed, it will alarm them; for it will be, 'not those miscreants; but it is thou who hast made Me to suffer with thy sins, and wearied Me with thy iniquities. For thy transgressions was I smitten. ' And when He Himself prophesies this to you by His Spirit--how evident it will then become to you; how will you humble yourselves in the dust before Him; how the wish will then depart to lay the blame upon Caiaphas, Annas, and the spearmen; how vitally are you persuaded that they were only your representatives, and how will you hang down your heads, and learn to smite upon your breasts with the publican! How will you tremble for your souls, and earnestly seek for salvation and a Mediator!" (F. W. Krummacher, The Suffering Savior [Chicago: Moody Press, 1947], p. 184). While the example of Christ's suffering ought to hearten us in times of persecution, perhaps even more it ought make us grateful for His willingness to suffer for us sinners (cf. Rom. 5:8). Take time now to express your gratitude to our Lord for His willingness to suffer on our behalf.
2. Your speech indicates the state of your heart--either the evil that's in it or grace that dominates it. A. W. Tozer has written, "The fear that keeps us quiet when faith and love and loyalty cry out for us to speak is surely evil and must be judged as evil before the bar of eternal justice" (cited in Signposts: A Collection of Sayings from A. W. Tozer, edited by Harry Verploegh [Wheaton, Ill. : Victor Books, 1988], p. 195). Jesus' speech in His time of trial showed a heart filled with the grace of God--He spoke no evil but answered with the truth. Does your speech show the grace of God even when faced with a severe trial?

AND WE SHALL BEHOLD HIM!

Heaven is set forth in the Scriptures by many pictures of bliss awaiting God’s elect in eternity. Heaven is a place prepared for us. It is the everlasting kingdom. It is eternal glory. Heaven is our purchased inheritance. It is the city of God and of the Lamb. It is our home. Heaven is our final resting place These, and many other descriptive phrases, fill our hearts with joy and anticipation. But here is the greatest bliss of the eternal state, the consummation of glory, the very heaven of heaven - "And they shall see his face." When the Lord said to Moses, "Thou canst not see my face and live," he was speaking to a mere mortal upon the earth. Those words have no reference to those who have put on immortality and incorruption. In the coming glory-land every child of God shall see the face of our God and live. Indeed, it is this sight of Christ which shall be the essence and excellence of our life. We shall see him who is the brightness of the Father’s glory and the express image of his person face to face! That is the heaven which awaits us!

"Face to face with Christ my Savior, Face to face, what will it be;
When with rapture I behold him, Jesus Christ who died for me?"




WHAT IS THIS HEAVENLY VISION?



Some people have very carnal and unscriptural ideas about heaven. Some think of heaven only as a place where they can gratify their carnal desires. They seem to think only of the comforts and pleasures that heaven might bring to them in a natural, physical way. To them, the streets of gold, the gates of pearl, and the walls of jasper are enough.. I have even heard men talk about heaven as though it were a place that would gratify their religious pride and self-righteousness. Some religious denominations have the vain imagination that their particular brand of religion will give them a place of superiority in glory. In pride and self-righteous bigotry, they suppose that all of God’s saints will be beneath them and serve them!



Such carnal ideas of heaven must be rejected. However, there are many things in heaven that we shall see and enjoy. We will see the holy angels who have ministered to us throughout our earthly pilgrimage (Heb. 1:14). Men and women of flesh and bones will commune with cherubim and seraphim. Gabriel, and all the heavenly hosts, shall be known by us. We will see the patriarchs who served God in those early days of time. We will even know those men and women who walked with God before the flood like Abel, Enoch, and Noah. The apostles and prophets will be seen and known by us. Those martyrs, with whose blood the pages of church history are written, shall be seen. Those brethren, with whom we have enjoyed sweet fellowship upon the earth, will be seen by us. And those loved ones who fell asleep in Christ Jesus shall be seen again. Without question, in our glorified state, earthly ties will no longer divide us; but the saints in glory will know one another, just as Peter, James, and John knew Moses and Elijah when they appeared with them in the mount of transfiguration.



Yet, for all of this, the greatest joy and fullness of heaven will be the fact that we shall see Christ himself face to face. That which we desire above all else in heaven is the sight of Christ. With the Psalmist we most gladly declare, "Whom have I in heaven but thee? And there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee" (Psa. 73:25). Christ is all in all to us here, and we long for a heaven in which he shall be all in all to us forever. Here upon the earth, it was a sight of Christ which first turned our sorrow into joy. The daily renewal of communion with Christ lifts us up above the cares of this world. Even here, we say, if we have Christ we have enough. If Christ is all to us now, what shall he be in glory? The Paradise of God is a heaven of intense, eternal, spiritual fellowship with Christ. Heaven is a place where it is promised - "They shall see his face." Moses, we are told, saw his back parts. He saw the train of his majesty. But, there, we shall see his face. We shall literally see our Savior’s face. Though he is glorified, that very man who died at Calvary is upon the throne of glory. We shall see him, the God-man. What a sight that shall be for redeemed sinners. We will see our well-beloved - his hands, his feet, his side, his head, and his face. We shall literally see him who loved us and gave himself for us. Even sweeter is the fact that we shall enjoy a perfect, spiritual sight of our Redeemer. This text seems to imply a greater ability in the next world by which we shall be able to more fully see Christ. Here, upon the earth, the very best of us are only infants. Now we know in part. Now we see through a shaded glass. But in heaven, we shall see the Savior face to face. And we shall know even as we are known. We will see Christ in such a way that we shall know him. We shall know the heights, depths, lengths, and breadth of the love of Christ that passes knowledge. We shall see the Savior always. The saints in heaven shall never cease to see him. We shall never cease to embrace our Savior! It is not so now. Sometimes we are near the throne, at other times we are afar off. Sometimes we are as bright as the angels, at other times we are as dull as lead. At times we are hot with love, but at other times we are cold with indifference. But, the day will soon come, when we shall forever be in the closest possible association with Christ. Then we shall see his face without ceasing. And we shall see our Savior’s face as it is now, in the fullness of his glory (John 17:24). John gave us a little glimpse of that in chapter one verses 13-16. Read it again and rejoice in the prospect of this blessed hope.



HOW ARE WE GOING TO SEE CHRIST IN GLORY?



The word "see" in this text implies a clear, full, undimmed sight of Christ. We will see Christ clearly, because everything that hinders our sight of him here will be removed. Our sins and our carnal nature will be completely removed. All of those earthly cares that now cloud our vision will be taken out of the way. All our sorrows will be ended (Rev. 21:4). And there nothing will stand between us and our Savior. In glory there will be no rival in our hearts. We will love Christ supremely. We will see Christ personally. Now we see him by faith, but then faith will be turned to sight, and we will see Christ personally for ourselves. The language of Job is a proper confession of every believer’s future prospect (Job 19:25-27). We shall see our Savior in all the fullness of his person and work. Beholding fully his glorious person, we will see him who is God over all and blessed forever in the perfection of his glorified manhood. In that day, we will see Christ in the fullness of his covenant engagements, and in the perfection of all his mediatoral offices as our Surety: Prophet, Priest, King, Husband, Shepherd, and Substitute. In the world to come, we will see Christ in the fullness of his saving grace. Then we will know the meaning of electing love. Then we will know the price of blood atonement. Then we will know the power of his priestly intercession. Then we will know the goodness of his preserving grace. And when we see his face, our eyes shall be full of adoration for him alone. In that world of glory to come there will be no voice heard that speaks of the power of man’s free-will, or the goodness of man’s works. In that day we shall say, "Not unto us, not unto us, but unto thy name be honor, and power, and glory, and dominion forever and ever." (Psa. 115:1; Rev. 1:5-6; 5:9-10).



WHY DO WE CONSIDER THIS VISION OF CHRIST THE GREATEST BLISS AND JOY OF HEAVEN?



I have said that seeing Christ face to face is the heaven of heaven, the glory of glory. But why do we place such importance upon this one aspect of our eternal inheritance? The answer should be obvious. When we see him our salvation will be complete. Soon the resurrection day will come, and all men shall see the great God and Savior. When the wicked see his face, they will be consumed in his fierce wrath. But we shall see him and live. We will be like the burning bush, glowing with the glory of God, but not consumed. We shall stand in the presence of God in perfect salvation. Our souls shall be eradicated of every spot of sin. Our bodies shall be made immortal, uncorruptible, glorious. When we see his face we shall be conscious of his favor and have a perfect and uninterrupted fellowship with him. In glory, we shall walk with God perfectly. Not until we see his face will we fully know the meaning of being one with him.

When we see him there will be a complete transformation - "We shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is." We will see things as he sees them, think as he thinks, will what he wills, love what he loves, and hate what he hates, perfectly. When we see the face of the Son of God we will be perfectly satisfied (Psa. 17:15).



WHO ARE THEY TO WHOM THIS PROMISE IS GIVEN?



The apostle tells us that those who shall see his face are none "but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life" (Rev. 21:27). Everyone of those who are the objects of God’s eternal grace shall see his face. Every soul that was chosen of God in the council of love shall see Christ in the courts of glory (Eph. 1:4). Every one predestined to be his son shall be his son (Rom. 8:29). Every soul for whom Jesus died at Calvary shall see his face in heaven. They are accepted, pardoned, justified, sanctified, and purchased. And they shall see him (Isa. 53:10-12). Every man, woman, and child who is called by the Spirit of God and regenerated by divine power shall see his face (Eph. 1:13-14). Everyone that repents of his sin and believes on Christ shall see him (John 1:12-13). Every heart that bows in submission to King Jesus shall see the King in his beauty (Luke 14:25-33). Everyone who loves Christ shall see Christ (II Tim. 4:8). They may have been the vilest, most abominable wretches ever to walk upon the earth, but they are washed, they are justified, they are sanctified. And "they shall see his face!"



They shall all with equal clearness see the face of Christ. I read of no secondary joys in heaven. There are no back streets in the New Jerusalem! Whoever invented the doctrine of degrees in heaven knew nothing of free-grace. There is as much foundation for such a doctrine in the Scriptures as there is for the doctrine of purgatory, and no more. All the saints of God shall see the Savior’s face. What more can anyone want? The dying thief went with Christ to paradise, and so did Paul. Heaven is altogether the reward of grace, not of debt and shall be fully possessed by all the heirs of grace (Rom. 8:17). All the saved are loved by God with a perfect love. All were chosen in Christ. We all have the same blessings of grace in the covenant. We are all redeemed by the same blood. We are all accepted in the same righteousness. We are all the sons of God upon the same grounds. And we all have the same hope of glory. Heaven was earned and bought for us by the Son of God. And it shall be given to us in all its fulness. In this world of sorrow, comfort yourself with this hope. "They" who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ "shall see his face."

WE WILL SING ON REDEMPTION'S MORNING!

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart (Hebrews 12:1)
Beautiful One, when we are faced with certain difficulties or our faith is on trial, it is hard to remain focused on the victory. Especially when we are surrounded with defeat. It is not necessarily that we aren't keeping our focus on God. Sometimes we are totally focused on him, but in a fearful way. Thus we are propelled into an arduous battle where we no longer trust our situation nor the outcome to God, but we begin to trust others or ourselves.
What situation has caused your voice to be silent? What lie formed against you have you accepted as truth? And, what truth do you need to hear to help you break free?
Sometimes we need to be reminded that there is nothing new under the sun. We might feel like our troubles are unique, but oftentimes they are not, they are just unique to us. Let us take a moment and listen to the witnesses that have been right where we are at, let us listen to the songs of the redeemed......
Father let this bitter cup pass from me nevertheless, not my will, but yours be done. (Jesus) If you had been here Lord, my brother would not have perished, yet his death will be for the Glory of God. (Mary)
The Lord gives and the Lord takes away, yet HE knows the way that I take, (Job)
While my brother's were plotting and despising, I laid in a pit crying . (Joseph)
Lord not me, NO, I will never thee, yet when the hour came, I wouldn't even mention his name. (Peter)
Here is the One in whose shoes I'm not worthy to carry, but..... then again, is He the One, or should I look for another? (John the Baptist)
Trouble surrounds me on every side, But you Lord are my shield, my fortress in times of trouble. (David)
By divine might I gave the prophets of Baal a deadly swipe, yet upon hearing Jezebel's hype, I hid myself clean out of sight...(Elijah)
Deemed a man after Gods own heart, my uncontrolled lusts gave Samuel's heart a disgust. (David)
Let my people go was the order of the day, yet smashing my rod against the stone, made the Promised Land look the other way. (Moses)*
Believing God before seeing his promise cloaked me in righteousness, yet taking another woman as my wife, added numerous years filled with pain and unnecessary strife. (Abraham)
Beautiful One, can you relate? What lyrics are playing in your song? Sometimes we need to be reminded of what others before us have endured. They were no different than you and me. The only differences may be that they were in a different time and place. Since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us be mindful that none of them had access to the multitude of modern conveniences we enjoy.
But...they all made it to the other side of their hardship. They all endured and pressed on. They didn't handle everything perfectly. They had their moments of fears, tears, and doubts, but they all shared one thing in common; they believed in the impossible.
They believed GOD.
Beautiful One, the song of the redeemed is victorious at all times, but that just doesn't make sense.
Victory comes not just with the breakthrough. Victory comes when we can praise God for the problems during the battle. Yes, with tear-stained faces, on our knees, crying out in fear, doubt, and unbelief even.
The song of the redeemed is filled with laughter and shouts of joy, and with pain, sorrow, and grief. We are the redeemed and our lives sing everyday. Everyday we are strong and weak, faithful and fearful, kind and ungrateful, loving and gentle, yet harsh and unforgiving. Everyday we sing, and the victory comes, when no matter what we have succeeded at or failed in, we get back up and try again.
No matter what you are going through, no matter what you feel like or how it looks... remember the Lord your God. He shall make a way where there appears to be no path.
He will part your waters, He will defend you, He will provide for you, He will fight your battles, He will forgive your sin, He will heal your land and He will repay what the enemy has stolen. God will redeem every tear you have cried, for He has kept careful record and holds them in his vile.
God will shine light on your tomorrow and now that you know this, go ahead and smile.....
Beautiful One, just believe. You are the redeemed.

HE IS OUR VERY PRESENT HELP IN TIMES OF NEED!

God is now in complete and total charge of your life! When you make this full surrender with God, it is now God’s job to take full and complete care of you in every detail of your life - including finding the next job for you to move into!
There is not a detail in your life that God will not be willing to help you out with - no matter how small or trivial you think it may be. The Holy Spirit is called "the Helper" in the Bible. It is His job to help you in every area of your life where you will need His help.
Here is what you will really need to ground on in your own personal walk with the Lord. Now that you are walking in God’s perfect will for your life - God will now be the One to guide you into what jobs He will want you to have from here on in. The choice is no longer yours!
God now has a definite and set plan for your life - and He will now be the One to guide you every step of the way into the fulfillment of that plan!
What specific jobs you will now be taking will be very important in your own spiritual growth and development with the Lord. The jobs you will now be taking will be building blocks that will lead you into whatever His specific plan and call is for you in this life.
This now takes the burden off of you in trying to find the next right job. You obviously will still have to seek after the next job - but God will now be guiding your steps as you continue to seek after this new job - making sure that you land in the specific jobs that He will want you to have.
You are now operating on a different playing field where the rules have changed a bit for you. What this means is that if you go on a job interview and do not get the job, this means that God did not want you to have this job in the first place, and He was the One who closed the door on you getting that job so as to make sure that you did not go down a wrong path.
So when you keep getting rejected after several interviews, do not look at these rejections like you are a failure. Look at it that these were jobs that God did not want you to have in the first place, and that God was the One who ran interference so as to make sure that you did not end up taking the wrong job.
Remember this - God already has your next job all set up and planned out for you. You simply have to wait for His timing to bring it to you!
I know the waiting can really get to you, but this is how God develops the fruit of patience and faith in your personality. You simply have to have full faith, trust and belief that God now has your life completely in His hands and that He will now bring the right job to you at the right time.
And not only does God have a set plan and a set future for your life - but He also has a set timetable in which all of these plans will manifest in your life. You simply have to learn to have patience during these waiting periods. In the meantime, God will make sure and arrange that you have enough money and support coming in to help keep you afloat until this next job comes through. This is where you have to learn how to have complete faith in the Lord to do all of this for you.

The Scripture Verses

I will now give you some of the best verses from Scripture that will show you that it is now God’s responsibility to guide you every step of your way as you now embark on your new journey with Him.
Study these verses very carefully! This is where many Christians really miss the boat with God. Too many Christians are running there own lives and making their own choices on what they want to do with their lives instead of turning the reigns of their life over to God the Father for Him to handle.
Only God knows what your true potentials are in this life - and He is the only One who can arrange to have those potentials maximized and realized in this life!1. This first verse specifically tells you that God has a definite PLAN and FUTURE for your life.

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope." (Jeremiah 29:11)
Notice the words "To give you." God is going to give you, to bring to you His specific plans and future that He now has in store for your life.
2. Memorize this next verse. This one liner is extremely powerful.
"The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord ... "(Psalm 37:23)
Another way to look at this is that a step is one day in your life. What this now means is that God has each day of your life perfectly planned out for you to the day that you depart from this life. You are now on the yellow brick road.
Your job is to now live each day to its fullest - and do the best and be the best at whatever God is calling you to do for Him on that particular day. If you can keep this kind of mindset, you’ll be less likely to body slam when things don’t go the way you think they should.
3. Study this next verse very carefully as it really applies to your situation
"A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps." (Proverbs 16:9)
What this verse means is that at times you will have to plan things out, try to figure things out, start testing things out. As you are doing all of this, God then leads and direct your steps as you are walking them out and before you know it, you will have arrived at the point where God wants you to be.
This verse perfectly fits into what you are dealing with right now on your job situation. You now have to seek after this next new job, but as you are in the process of seeking after this next new job - God will make sure that He perfectly guides your steps so that you can land in the job that He will want you to have. You will thus find it as you are seeking after it.
4. Here is another powerful verse that tells us God will provide protection if we are willing to listen to Him and follow His ways.
"But whoever listens to me will dwell safely, and will be secure, without fear of evil." (Proverbs 1:33)
Notice the words "listen to me." God leads - you follow. If you do, God will then give you a safe and secure dwelling in this life and protection from evil things!
This is a very powerful promise for all believers. Many Christians find themselves in one dire circumstance after another as a result of not listening to God and doing what He wants them to do with their lives.
5. The next 5 verses will tell you that God will now be guiding your steps in this life.
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths." (Proverbs 3:5)
Thus says the Lord, Your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: "I am the Lord your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you by the way you should go." (Isaiah 48:17)
"I will instruct you and teach you in the way should go; I will guide you with My eye." (Psalm 32:8)
"For this is God, our God forever and ever; He will be our guide even to death." (Psalm 48:14)
"The Lord will guide you continually ..." (Isaiah 58:11)
Notice the specific words that God will "guide you continually, be our guide even to death, guide you with His eye, leads you by the way you should go, teaches you to profit, instructs you and directs your paths."
All of these verses make it very clear that it is God’s job to guide and direct your steps in this life. And all of this is given to you free of charge. This is why you can let go and let God.
This is why the Bible tells us that we can now cast all of our burdens and cares upon the Lord - because it is now His job to take complete care of us from the moment we fully surrender everything over to Him.
6. This next verse goes even one step further and specifically tells us that it is not our responsibility to direct our own steps in this life - that this responsibility now belongs to God and God alone!
"O Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man who walks to direct his own steps." (Jeremiah 10:23)
Put this verse together with all of the other ones listed above - and it becomes quite clear that it is God’s job to direct our steps in this life - not ours!
7.This next verse is especially for you. Notice the last sentence where it tells you to trust in God, to wait patiently for Him and that He will bring it to pass!
"Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass ... Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him." (Psalm 37:4,7)

I know it can get rather stressful and trying while waiting for God to bring this next job to you - but this is where you have to give yourself pep talks from time to time when you start to really get down, just like a professional athlete does when he starts to go into a slump. The professional athlete can either quit or talk himself back into the game until he gets his swing or shot back.
In this game with God, we have to give ourselves pep talks from time to time, telling ourselves that God has complete control of our entire situation, that the ship is not going to sink, and that your breakthrough will come at the time that God has it set up to occur.
Until that happens, do what the last part of that last verse says to do - "Rest in the Lord." Otherwise you will drive yourself crazy with all of the nervous energy that will start to eat at you and rob you of your peace and joy that you now have in the Lord.
When it is all said and done, you will look back on all of this and see that you had wasted a tremendous amount of negative energy beating yourself up and getting all stressed out for nothing, since it will have been shown to you that God finally came through for you.
Trust me - I have seen God come through time and time again without fail. There is a saying that many have heard - "God is never late, but He is never early." This means that God will come in with the breakthrough on His time schedule - not ours!
I hope all of the above will help give you some peace of mind. The Bible is truly the infallible Word of our Holy God, and you can totally and completely depend on what all of the above Scripture verses are trying to tell you.