Entering in. Part II.
“Entering in” in the intellectual, is almost identical to entering in to the spiritual. With very little difference.
In Matthew 7:21 we find those who were busy about the lord’s work. But while the victories they won in starting empires and programs, may have been many, it leaves us to wonder why did they not have the same victory over sin in their hearts? In verse 23, Jesus said to them, depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Professing to all the world the Gospel of peace, while there was no peace inside! Victory over obstacles, but no victory over sin? Victory over sin was the reason Jesus came to earth in the first place.
They placed their self-importance over Gods purity. Pride led them to wave the flag of success, success in money, in image, in manipulation, position, in pride, but they were beggars and paupers when it comes to the eternal, they will burn with all the other Esau’s and Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence, they rationalized the scriptures and justified their evils, they ignored the promptings of the Holy spirit and played fast and loose with God. Embracing the temporal values of this world, and hardened their hearts and mind.
Abraham searched for a city whose builder and maker was God. (Spiritual/eternal) But Lot sought the well watered plains of Jordan and positions in Gomorra. (Physical/temporal)
In Genesis, we find where Adam and Eve traded the eternal for the temporal. They wanted knowledge more than God, and power more than they wanted purity! They forfeited their confidence in God and trusted in themselves. It’s a sad story of them” entering in” to evil and darkness. Yes, they “entered” into something, but it was darkness!
In the sad story of the Garden of Eden and in the defeated modern church builders, they chose personal image, control and worldly knowledge over wisdom and holiness.
In the “entering in” to the things of God, we find something of unfathomable beauty and hope.
we must reject the substitutes this world offers, and enter in to the things of God, it is there we find the cornerstone and turning point of our lives!
God himself provided a way back home! Back to himself! Back to the warm sunshine of his acceptance and the beautiful wonders of his presence! But all the promises of Gods word, require that we “enter in” to them. Knowing about them, quoting them, understanding them, teaching them, wanting them, professing them, all become disillusionments until we enter in! these “entering in” are spiritual. They are not physical or intellectual. They are spiritual and we must enter into them by the spiritual. or be left without!
Joh 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
So, how do we go about entering into them? Remember how the young boy esteemed his dad? How he believed in his dads’ character? How he had no confidence in himself? That is exactly how we must approach the father!
We can’t do any self-spiritual evaluation to see if we measure up, because we will never measure up! Even if we did many wonderful works! We must be as the blind beggar that cried out for Jesus! The blind beggar had nothing to offer, nothing to lean on, no one to intercede for him, no religious standings,
no” glamour shots” to show Jesus, no wealth, no possession, no titles, no accomplishments, no excuses, no blames, no justifications, no disclaimers, no small prints, no knowledge to explain to Jesus, no family connections, no wardrobes, no spotlights, no fame, no homes, cars, quads, bikes, trucks, no social brags, no military honors, no pride, no selfishness, no arrogance, no cap and gowns, no hidden sins, no hope of ever getting anything: except rejection and ridicule. He had nothing!
With all the multitudes crowding around Jesus, the religious leaders, the church spies, the hypocrites, the prostitutes, the lepers, the thieves, the con men, the proud, the arrogant, the lame. They all had needs that were eternal and devastating. But to whom did he call? Jesus stopped the procession, silenced the crowd, and listened to the cry of this broken humble man. Yelling his lungs out JESUS! JESUS! JESUS! Thou son of David! Have mercy on meeee! Jesus was his hope and trust.
When you can impress the son of Glory, you have really done something amazing! What was it that grabbed the ear and heart of the Savior? The blind Beggar in his humility, Believed in the character of Jesus!
There were many caps and gowns who know more, church leaders who had done more, wheelers and dealers who had more money, people “net workers” who had gained more, smooth-Sayers who had persuaded more, fashion people who had dressed better, actors and empty professors who had deceived more, leaders that had accomplished more, many had more to offer! They were smarter, bigger, wiser, better dressed, had life size portraits of their glamor shots! Money bags and titles. Many wonderful works! But it was all in their heads, and their selfish vanity had dripped its poison down, until it filled their hearts. They were full of self!
In lessons from a blind beggar, we find there was no pride or even self-esteem. Only brokenness and humility. His complete and only hope was in Jesus! Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of his faith!
Like the boy, his confidence was in his heavenly father! The beggars knowledge may have been little, but his confidence was running high! And God stopped making worlds to call his name!
It would be a fair question to ask” what was the difference between the boys confidence in his dad, and the blind beggars confidence in Jesus?” the answer: very little!
The blind beggars hope and expectations was whole heartedly tied up in his trusting in the Saviors character.
The blind man had heard what Jesus could do, and placed all of his hope upon the man he could not see!
With the blind beggar bringing absolutely nothing to surrender. Nothing to offer. Nothing to give back.
There was no:
- Jesus didn’t pat him on the back and say I think you can do it!
- He never put his arm around him.
- He never said I will be with thee.
- He never said I love thee
- He never gave him anything.
- There was no bonding of family between them
- No previous communication
- No laid-out expectations
- No history to bring up.
- No seminars or self-help groups.
- No voting powers.
- No showmanship or bragging themselves up.
The beggar needed a miracle from God and got it! Because of his humility, trust and obedience!
Its that simple!
Its here we see the glory of God! Gods love, his willingness, his desire, his mercy, his power, his wisdom and his long suffering. And its here we see the unchangeableness of God! God not only worked a miracle for the blind man, based entirely upon the Character of Jesus! and he wants to work a miracle for you!
That’s the unwavering character of God!
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