Spiritual Rest

Trevor S. Ferguson


August 23, 2010
Matthew 11:16-19 (KJV)
¹⁶ But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows,
¹⁷ And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented.
¹⁸ For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil.
¹⁹ The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.
Matthew 11:28-30 (KJV)
²⁸ Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
²⁹ Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
³⁰ For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.


INTRODUCTION
Rest is a vital part of human life. The proper functioning of our body depends on adequate rest. Most of us will remember popular sayings which seeks to underscore the importance of rest to a successful life, such as "Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy wealthy and wise". The bible also underscores the importance of rest: After God completed his creative work he rested; God later enshrined the principle of rest in Sabbath command.

The world today however scoffs at the principle of rest. Numerous industries now offer 24-hour, 7-days per week work schedule. People are often forced to work overtime and on weekends or risk losing their jobs. The entertainment industry has no ends of late night parties and events, while at home we have 24 hour television with hundreds of channels. People therefore find themselves pulled by this incessant activity and end up sleep deprived, stressed, weary and heavy laden. In addition to physical stress and weariness many people find themselves spiritually malnourished as they can find no time for the things of God. The stress of sin beats up on them leaving them spiritually worn and weary while spiritual weariness often leads to hopelessness, depression and even suicide.


While the world is still trying to recover from the effects of the worldwide economic recession, many nations are trying to deal with the ravages of crime, terrorism, political turmoil and natural disasters. People are becoming increasingly hopeless! The passage read today however brings a word of hope to those who are worn, weary and heavy laden. In this passage that Jesus extends an offer for rest to the weary. Let's take a closer look at this passage to discover how we can find spiritual rest.

EXPOSITION
Matthew 11 begins with the story of John the Baptist being in prison and sending his disciples to ask of Jesus if he was the Messiah or if they should look for another. Jesus responds to them by healing several persons and then instructed them to tell John what they had seen and heard as evidence that he was indeed the Messiah. Jesus went on to pay a tribute to John the Baptist, describing him as being more than a prophet, as being among the greatest of humanity and that he was the promised Elijah which was to come. Jesus then went on to describe the unbelief of the generation of his time.

"How can I describe the people who are living now? They are like children who sit in the marketplaces and shout to other children, 'We played music for you, but you didn't dance. We sang a funeral song, but you didn't show any sadness.' "John came neither eating nor drinking, and people say, 'There's a demon in him!' The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and people say, 'Look at him! He's a glutton and a drunk, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' "Yet, wisdom is proved right by its actions." Matthew 11:16-19 (GW)

People today are still very much like those in the days when Jesus spoke. In a similar way we can say unto many today – What will it take to convince you to surrender to Jesus? Some of our fathers came preaching brimstone and fire – they were accused of using fear tactics! Many today preach the love and mercy of God - we are often accused of being ineffective and powerless. I would however like to remind us that that it is foolish to believe that we can ignore God and get away with it. God will bring every work into judgment! It is better for you if you were never born or never heard the message of salvation than for you to repeatedly hear the word and reject God!

The focus today however is on the opportunity to find spiritual rest. Despite the fact that the people of Jesus' day repeatedly rejected the word of God, Jesus was willing to offer them another chance. The door of mercy still remained open. He saw that many were weary and worn out by sin. Many were being held captive against their will by the power of Satan. In loving kindness and tender mercies he reached out to them again: Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light!


The rest Jesus offers here is not physical rest but spiritual rest. Notice he quotes from Jeremiah 6:16 as he declares – you shall find rest for your souls. This is a spiritual rest; it is a rest from sin and a refreshing in the Holy Ghost. It has a present component and a future component. In Isaiah 28:11-12 we are told – "For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people …this is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest and this is the refreshing: yet they will not hear. Note that Paul ascribes this prophecy to speaking in tongues in 1^st Cor. 14:21, further supporting the fact that the baptism of the Holy Ghost brings us into a present spiritual rest. Spiritual rest however is not only for the present time. Hebrews 4 tells us of a future rest, this is an eternal rest: "There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief." Hebrews 4:9-11 (KJV).


Let us look at some of the features of this eternal rest as described by John in Revelation 21:
Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.
And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away." Revelation 21:2-4 (NKJV)


Application & Conclusion
We have seen how many today are worn weary and stressed by the cares of this life. The devil desires to use us, abuse us and then discard us. Jesus however offers us an opportunity to enter into His rest.

Today God invites you to lay your burdens at His feet and receive rest for your soul. He promises that his yoke will be easy and his burden light. Don't let the devil wear you out. Surrender your all to Jesus today and find his eternal rest. He will give you peace in your soul, joy in your heart and strength to make it though life's difficult paths. Embrace this opportunity, find spiritual rest today.

An Open Door

Trevor S. Ferguson
August 11, 2010

Revelation 3:7-10 (KJV)
7 And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth; 8 I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name. 9 Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. 10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.

John 10:1-10 (KJV)
1 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. 2 But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. 4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. 5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers. 6 This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them. 7 Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. 9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. 10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.


INTRODUCTION
The word door in its literal sense refers to a swinging or sliding barrier by which an entry to a building, room or cupboard etc is opened or closed; indicating the means by which access is granted or access is denied. The New Testament scriptures has several figurative references to the DOOR. The chief reference is to Jesus Christ as the door to the kingdom of God – the means by which man can obtain salvation. Another reference is to the door of opportunity, as illustrated in the passage from Revelation. A third, and important reference, is to the closed door as seen in St. Matthew 25:10.
Today I want us to reflect on Jesus’ teaching on the door from St. John 10 and also from Revelation 3. I will focus on three aspects:
(1) The Door of Opportunity / Door to Abundance
(2) The Door of Salvation
(3) The Door to Eternity

EXPOSITION
(1)The Door of Opportunity
The word to the church of Philadelphia was that Christ had set before them an opened door (read vs. 8). Note however the reason for the open door – they had kept His word and had not denied His name. There is great benefit to keeping the word of God and acknowledging His name. Deuteronomy 28: 1-4 tells us about the blessings of obedience:

1 And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: 2 And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God. 3 Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field. 4 Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep.

Note also the consequences of disobedience vs. 15:

But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee: Cursed shalt thou be in the city, and cursed shalt thou be in the field.

St. John 10:10 tells us that Jesus came that we might have abundant life – he came to give us a door of opportunity. The lot of the Christian is not one of suffering and shame but a lifestyle of abundance, adequacy and opportunity. We acknowledge some will suffer, some will have lack, but God is reminding us today that Jesus came to give us opportunities. He has set before us an open door. No man can shut it!

What do you do when you see an open door? – Walk right through it!!

Sometimes we see open doors but fail to take up the opportunity because of fear. Let us walk by faith. If we walk in God’s will he will not lead us into a dangerous path. Make sure you are living by His word. Walk through the open door!!

(2)The Door of Salvation

St. John 14:6 - I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
St. John 10:9 – I am the door by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved

The discourse in St John 10 also highlights the importance of Jesus as the door to salvation. Jesus uses the imagery of the sheepfold and the caring shepherd.

The sheep fold in bible times was a stone or mud-brick structure with only one entrance. After allowing the sheep to enter one by one the shepherd would lie down at the door of the sheepfold. No one ( animal or beast) could enter the sheepfold without the knowledge of the shepherd.

No one can come to God but through Jesus Christ – He is the only way to salvation. If one tries to access salvation though some other way, Jesus likens them to a thief or robber. The bible standard for salvation is through repentance, water baptism and the infilling of the Holy Ghost. Today God has set an open door to salvation for someone. You may have tried some other ways and came upon closed doors or false entrances, but God has set an open door before you today. Walk through that door and receive Jesus as Lord and Saviour. Repent, ask for baptism in Jesus name, believe on Him to receive the Holy Ghost

(3)The Door to Eternity
This life is only a temporary phase of existence. We all must live forever somewhere. Eternity has just two doors – a door to heaven and a door to hell. A door to joy and peace with Christ our Saviour, or a door of separation and suffering with the devil and his angels. The door to heaven requires first that we accept salvation as described above, but it also requires that we live a life of holiness until he comes. Let us be careful, because heaven requires more than just a conversion experience but also a continuing life of holiness. Failure to walk in holiness leads to a closed door

CONCLUSION
God has set before you an open door. Walk through the door of salvation, walk through the door opportunity and make sure you are prepared for the door of eternity!

When God opens doors for you, no man can shut it!!

Shalom.

Four Steps to Reconciliation

Trevor S. Ferguson
August 1, 2010

2nd Corinthians 5:17-20 (KJV)
17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.

2nd Chronicles 7:12-14 (KJV)
12 And the LORD appeared to Solomon by night, and said unto him, I have heard thy prayer, and have chosen this place to myself for an house of sacrifice.
13 If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people;
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

INTRODUCTION
Broken relationships have become exceedingly common in today’s society. Many people are at odds with just about everyone. Many marital relationships are “just existing”; there may be too many social ties – children, houses, etc – for them to separate, but there is no joy in the marriage. In many families parents and children only tolerate each other because they cannot reverse the genetic linkages. Some are ready to disown or disregard family members, others seek to alienate themselves. Sadly, for many of us our relationship with God is not any better than the broken relationships we just mentioned. We attend church services, participate in church activities, even lead in many activities but still we do not have a genuine or deep relationship with God. As Christians who are seeking to go to heaven however, we must seek to mend our relationship with God and also our family relationships. Today I would like to outline some basic principles which will help us reconcile our relationship with God and others and thus bring healing and harmony to our lives.

EXPOSITION
Reconciliation refers to an alteration or change in a relationship; specifically the restoration of harmonious relationships. Persons who were at odds with each other are brought back into harmonious relationship; persons who were at odds with God are brought back in harmony with God.

All of us were in conflict with God, but though the death of Christ the door to harmonious relationship with God is reopened. Paul tells us in 2nd Corinthians 5:17 “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature, old things are past away, behold all things are become new”. This is achieved through Jesus Christ. Verse 20 suggests that although we have received reconciliation with God at salvation, there is need for continuing reconciliation – Paul now pleads with the Corinthians – "... we pray you in Christ stead, be ye reconciled to God". In 1st John 2:1, John reminds us that if for any reason we find ourselves at odds with God we have an advocate who will seek to ensure we are reconciled to God - My little children these things write I unto you, that you sin not. And if any man sin we have an advocate with the father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

How does the Christian obtain reconciliation?
A simple formula for reconciliation is found in 2nd Chronicles 7 - "If my people, who are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways; the will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land". I find it useful to look at this as four steps: 1) Humble yourself; 2) Pray; 3) Seek God’s face; 4)Turn from our wicked ways.

Note that this was a promise God made to Solomon after his prayer at the dedication of the temple. This promise was contextualized as follows: "If I shut up heaven…, command locust to devour …, send pestilence …". One may therefore ask - Why would God do such things? The reasons are given in Chapter 6:24-30 – all related to Israel sinning against God! Similarly today broken relationships are the result of sin! Bruce Wilkinson in his book Secrets of the Vine suggests that often when we face adverse circumstances in our lives, it is God's way of bringing us to the awareness that we are drifting from where he wants us to be.

Today God wants to bring healing and restoration to His people; healing and reconciliation to broken relationships – relationships with family, relationships with friends, relationships in the church, relationships with God himself!!

How do we accomplish this?
We can find reconciliation by following this 4-step plan:
1. HUMBLE YOURSELF – admit that you are wrong, admit that there is a problem, accept that you need God’s help
2. PRAY – Prayer is the basic means of communication with God. Although God already knows our situation and knows our problems we must still come to him in prayer!
3. SEEK GOD’S FACE – desire real deep relationship with God, seek to know God him, not just know about him
4. TURN FROM OUR WICKED WAYS – true reconciliation requires a change of behaviour; if behaviour does not change then the relationship will be headed for disharmony again!! If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature …

CONCLUSION
As we reflect on the various relationships in our lives today, let us evaluate which relationships need reconciliation and apply these principles in order to restore harmony. Remember that it is God’s desire to be in a harmonious relationship with us and that we be in harmonious relationships with others.

Only Believe - Learning from 'Doubting' Thomas

Trevor S. Ferguson
July 25, 2010

John 20:19-28
19 Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. 20 And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. 21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: 23 Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained. 24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. 26 And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. 27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. 28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.


INTRODUCTION
The resurrection of Jesus Christ is a cornerstone of the Christian faith. If there was no resurrection the story of Jesus Christ would have ended with His death and he would have gone down in history as just another religious leader who tried to change humanity but failed. Worse yet he would have been proven a false prophet, for then much of his sayings would not have come to pass. However we can rejoice in His resurrection, knowing that because He lives we have a hope of eternal life. The sad thing though is that many people today still fail to believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, or fail to apply the power of His resurrection to their lives. The gravity of this failure is magnified when we realize that the only way to receive the promise of eternal life is through faith in Jesus Christ, and the consequences of this failure is eternal condemnation. Today I want to help persons move from a place of doubt to a place of faith, by examining the life of Thomas, one of Jesus’ disciples, who was known for his doubtful / pessimistic tendencies but whose story ended with a great confession of faith

EXPOSITION
The name Thomas is the Aramaic equivalent to the Greek ‘Didymus’ meaning “the twin”. He is only mentioned once by name in each of the three synoptic gospels, listed as being among the 12 chosen in Matthew 10:3, Mark 3:18 and Luke 6:15. John however reports 5 encounters, through which we have a picture of his character. John first mentions him in chapter 11. When Jesus declares that he is going to Bethany after hearing of the death of Lazarus, Thomas says to the other disciples “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” Note that this was not just a fatalistic statement but probably represented his commitment to Jesus and his willingness to suffer with Him. By that time Jesus had become unpopular and the Jews wanted to kill Him, but Thomas was so committed that despite the threat of death he was willing to go with Jesus to see Lazarus’ family.

Thomas is next mentioned in chapter John 14. Jesus had just declared that soon they would no longer see him (13:33), then went on to say they knew where he was going and they also knew the way. But Thomas, willing to expose his uncertainties, said Lord, we do not know where you are going and how can we know the way? Jesus’ response was one of the great “I am” declarations – “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the father but by me.”

The next mention of Thomas in St. John 20 which is our main text today and concerns the post-resurrection appearance of Jesus to his disciples. John records four post resurrection appearances of Jesus. First Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene who went and told the disciples that she had seen Jesus. That same evening He appears to the disciples in Jerusalem but Thomas was not with them. The other disciples reported to him how they had seen Jesus, but Thomas doubted. He stated that unless he saw Jesus for himself, put his finger in the print of the nails, and thrust his finger in his side he would not believe. Eight days later Jesus again appears to the disciples, but this time Thomas is there. Jesus therefore says to Thomas “Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.” What follows next is a lesson to us all: Confronted with the evidence, hearing Jesus voice, seeing His face, removed all doubt from the mind of Thomas as he declares “My Lord and my God”. If he was passionate in his expression of doubt he is more forthright in his declaration of faith. This was not just a passive OK, now I believe, but a transformation from ardent doubter to firm believer. Thomas saw not only resurrected humanity he saw divinity, recognizing him as the great God of creation in the midst of them. Jesus response is a challenge to us today – Blessed are they which have not seen but believed.

APPLICATION
The account of Thomas’ transformation is a lesson to us all. Many person today have not yet applied the resurrection of Jesus to their personal lives. You might have heard the message of salvation. You might have heard of water baptism in Jesus name and the infilling of the Holy Ghost but like Thomas you have lingering doubts and questions that have prevented you from acting on the word of God. Unlike Thomas however, you don’t have to wait another week for Jesus to show up. He is ready to reveal himself to you today. Through the eyes of faith you too can see the print of the nails in His hands as he reaches out to you. You can see wound in his side, out of which the blood that covers all your sins still flows. You can reach out and place you hand in His hand. You can reach out and touch His side. You can declare like Thomas – My Lord and my God. A great blessing awaits you!!

Fruitful in Famine: God will make room for you!

Trevor S. Ferguson
July 15, 2010

Genesis 26:1-4
1 And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines unto Gerar.
2 And the Lord appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of:
3 Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father;
4 And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;

(See verses 12-22 below)

EXPOSITION
Today’s reading relates a story of how Isaac (Abraham’s son) sowed in a time of famine and reaped one-hundred-fold in the same year. This is somewhat paradoxical as we would expect that the yield from the land would be poor in the time of famine. However, from this story we learn that when we put our trust in God and follow his principles we can achieve that which seems insurmountable and receive that which seems impossible.

A close study of this text reveals five principles that will help us to be fruitful even in times of famine (scarcity) and shows how God can make room and open doors for his people. The five principles are outlined below:

1. Dwell in the Land of Promise - verses 2- 4
God told Isaac that he should not go down into Egypt but that he should dwell in the land that he would instruct him. Often, when faced with difficulties or scarcity our first thought is to move to a place of perceived prosperity. This however may result in our moving out of the place that God has designed for us and moving out of God’s will. In Old Testament typology Egypt represents the “world system”. We should therefore ensure that we are not quick to move into or adopt a world based philosophy when face with difficulties. Let us stay in the place that God has designed for us.

2. Sow in the Land – verse 12
We note that while Isaac dwelt in the land he did not remain passive and wait for “manna” to “drop from heaven". Despite the famine Isaac still sowed and we are told that he received in the same year a hundred fold. Our God is not limited by the situations of our time. There is no situation that He cannot make fruitful. Whatever abilities God has given you, begin to use those abilities and God will bless you. God does not support laziness, so we can’t expect a blessing if we are not willing to work. We can be assured however that when we put our shoulder to the wheels. God will be there to bless.

3. Dig some wells – verses 18-19
Isaac also shows us that we need to use some creativity to facilitate our success. If there is no water from above find another source of supply. In the famine there might have been no rain and rivers might have dried up, but Isaac did not consider this the death of his dreams. He decided to seek alternate sources of water. He dug wells. Similarly, if we come up on situations that are not working out or not possible in our present setting, we need to find alternative sources of supply. Do not limit your efforts to one way of doing things. Broaden your options. If one method fails, use another. Dig your wells.

4. Don’t let the enemy stop your progress – verses 20-22
Note however that people will try to block your blessing. After Isaac dug his wells the Philistines began to make claims on his efforts. This still did not stop Isaac, he just moved to another location and dug again, eventually they had to leave him alone. Ultimately God will make room for you.

5. Back up your efforts with worship – verses 25
In all our efforts we must ensure that we keep a spirit of worship and take time to honour God. Isaac built an altar and called upon the name of the Lord. We must ensure that we spend time in prayer and in worship. If we seek to be blessed by God we must seek to be in right standing with him. We can’t expect God to bless us if we are walking contrary to his will. Worship must therefore be a central part of our lives.

CONCLUSION
Despite the current scarcity of resources you can still flourish. God will make room for you. His desire is for you to have enough and to spare. Philippians 4:19 tells us that “God shall supply all your needs…” Trust him today!

Genesis 26:12-22
12 Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year an hundredfold: and the Lord blessed him.
13 And the man waxed great, and went forward, and grew until he became very great:
14 For he had possession of flocks, and possession of herds, and great store of servants: and the Philistines envied him.
15 For all the wells which his father's servants had digged in the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines had stopped them, and filled them with earth.
16 And Abimelech said unto Isaac, Go from us; for thou art much mightier than we.
17 And Isaac departed thence, and pitched his tent in the valley of Gerar, and dwelt there.
18 And Isaac digged again the wells of water, which they had digged in the days of Abraham his father; for the Philistines had stopped them after the death of Abraham: and he called their names after the names by which his father had called them.
19 And Isaac's servants digged in the valley, and found there a well of springing water.
20 And the herdmen of Gerar did strive with Isaac's herdmen, saying, The water is ours: and he called the name of the well Esek; because they strove with him.
21 And they digged another well, and strove for that also: and he called the name of it Sitnah.
22 And he removed from thence, and digged another well; and for that they strove not: and he called the name of it Rehoboth; and he said, For now the Lord hath made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.

Prepare For Your Increase

Trevor S. Ferguson
July 8, 2010

Isaiah 54:1-5 (KJV)
1 Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the Lord. 2 Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes; 3 For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited. 4 Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed: neither be thou confounded; for thou shalt not be put to shame: for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more. 5 For thy Maker is thine husband; the Lord of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called.


Barrenness: The ancient curse
Barrenness in Hebrew culture was among the worst curses that could befall a woman. It was thought to symbolize a curse from God because of sin. A woman who was barren often faces severe inner turmoil, distress and is often characterized by weeping and sometimes rash outburst. This is seen for example in Rachel’s statement in Genesis 30:1, “Give me children, or else I die”. In 1st Samuel chapter 1 we see that Hannah was willing to give up her child after birth just to be relieved of this curse of barrenness. It would therefore be unexpected to find a barren woman in a state of joyous singing or shouting for joy.

Isaiah’s Challenge to the Barren
In today’s text however we see Isaiah issuing a paradoxical challenge to the barren, “Sing O barren … break forth in singing, shout for joy”. The second clause of verse 1 also contains another paradox, “… for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife”. A flashback to Isaiah 53 will help us to understand the context in which Isaiah gave this prophecy. We recall that Isaiah 53 reports the great vision of the Messiah as the suffering servant who would ultimately redeem Israel. As Isaiah sees the triumph of the Messiah he caught a vision of a new age. An age characterized by a restoration of Israel to her former glory; an age when the sufferings of the past are replaced by great blessings; an age when the barren bears children and the desolate wife is reunited with her husband. Isaiah therefore challenges all Israel to sing and shout for joy.

The Prophesy of Increase
What was it that Isaiah saw that led him to make these declarations? As we read on it becomes clearer why Isaiah sees such opportunity despite the negative situations. In verse 3 he declares: You shall break forth on the right hand and on the left! Your seed will inherit the Gentiles; your desolate cities shall be inhabited again. Isaiah had seen a vision of INCREASE! Despite the negative and desolate situation better days were coming. The vision of a brighter day was therefore the basis for Isaiah’s paradoxical challenge. Today, I want to issue a similar challenge to persons who are in desolate situations. YOUR INCREASE IN COMING! Despite the desperation of the times, look for something bigger, look for something better, look for something greater. This is the time of God’s favour, this is the time for your increase.

Note that this word is not focused only on material increase. Material increase will come, but more importantly let us look for increase in spiritual growth and productivity. Many have struggled under the oppression of the devil, but today we apply Isaiah 53 to our lives and our situation. Jesus was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed. The devil therefore has no dominion over us. We are no longer under bondage, but we are free through the blood of Jesus Christ. We now have access the throne room of God and Jesus stands as our Advocate. God is willing ready and able to forgive. With this forgiveness will come, restoration, blessing and INCREASE!!

Instructions – How to prepare for the Increase
Now that we are expecting a great increase what should we do? We need to make preparation! Verse 2 highlights 4 things to do in preparation for the increase: Enlarge the place of the tent; Stretch forth the curtains; lengthen thy cords; strengthen thy stakes. What does this mean? A few points are outlined below:
1. Enlarge the place of your tent: Make your tent larger; Create extra space – mental and physical; remove the limits off your concept of God’s blessing
2. Stretch your curtains: make the new space habitable and comfortable
3. Lengthen thy cords: ensure your support systems can handle the increased capacity though additional training and positive social and spiritual connections
4. Strengthen thy stakes: get deeper in God – shallow stakes can’t support a big tent so we will need to get closer to God – more prayer, more fasting more study of the word

With adequate preparation we will be able to sustain the increase rather than see it come and slip right out of our hands

APPLICATION
Today God has sent us word of restoration and blessing. We can expect to receive increase at the hand of the Lord despite the challenges of our time. We can only expect this however if we are in right standing with God. We can’t expect God to bless us if we walk in sin or walk contrary to his will. Let us therefore resolve to live according to God’s word as we prepare for our increase.

Reasons to Serve the LORD

Trevor S. Ferguson
July 1, 2010

Joshua 24:14-15 (KJV)
14 Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD.
15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

In today’s text Joshua issues a challenge to Israel to serve the LORD, i.e. the Jehovah, the one God of the Old Testament. Some may ask however, why should we serve the Lord? A careful examination of Joshua’s address to Israel shows that Joshua deliberately presented an account of God’s dealings with the nation of Israel as a premise on which to issue his challenge. As I read the account in Joshua 24:1-15 (see below); I identified three factors that Joshua offers as reasons to serve the LORD. Let’s look briefly at each factor:

1. God’s ability to save
In verses 4-7 of chapter 24 Joshua recounts how God saved Israel, and brought them out of Egypt. While in Egypt the Israelites were slaves to Pharaoh and could not save themselves, but God sent Moses and brought them out of Egypt. Today the world we live in is a type of Egypt. In the world men are slaves to sin and under the control of the devil. But God has sent Jesus Christ who died for our sins, so that we can be saved. As the angel told Mary in Matthew 1:21 “… you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins”. Jesus himself affirms this when he says in Luke 19:10 “… for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost". God’s ability to save is therefore a prime reason for us to serve the LORD.

2. God’s ability to deliver
In verses 8-12 Joshua recounts how God delivered Israel from the Amorites, Moabites and other Canaanites. No opposition could stand before Israel as long as God was with them. Today, Jesus is our deliverer. We may face many challenges, obstacles and problems, but none of these can triumph over us when we put our trust in God. As the writer says: Tell me who can stand before us when we go in Jesus’ name … In the name of Jesus, we have the victory. God’s ability to deliver is another key reason to serve the LORD

3. God’s ability to bless
In verse 13 Joshua reminds Israel how God gave them land, cities, vineyards and olive yards for they had not labored. God had fulfilled his promises to Israel and blessed them abundantly so that by the end of Joshua’s leadership Israel was probably the most prosperous and respected nation in the region. One characteristic of God is that he loves to bless his people. In St. John chapter 10 we are told that Jesus came that we might have life and have life more abundantly. God’s desire is for his people to prosper. John states in 3rd John 1:2 “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth”. God has the ability to bless and desires to bless us. This is indeed a good reason to serve the LORD.

Application
God is mighty to save, mighty to deliver and ready to bless. If you have not yet started to serve him or if you have not yet known him in his fullness today is an excellent day to start. As you reflect on the challenge issued by Joshua, make him your choice today!!

Joshua 24:1-15 (KJV)
1 And Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and called for the elders of Israel, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers; and they presented themselves before God. 2 And Joshua said unto all the people, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood in old time, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nachor: and they served other gods. 3 And I took your father Abraham from the other side of the flood, and led him throughout all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his seed, and gave him Isaac. 4 And I gave unto Isaac Jacob and Esau: and I gave unto Esau mount Seir, to possess it; but Jacob and his children went down into Egypt. 5 I sent Moses also and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt, according to that which I did among them: and afterward I brought you out. 6 And I brought your fathers out of Egypt: and ye came unto the sea; and the Egyptians pursued after your fathers with chariots and horsemen unto the Red sea. 7 And when they cried unto the Lord, he put darkness between you and the Egyptians, and brought the sea upon them, and covered them; and your eyes have seen what I have done in Egypt: and ye dwelt in the wilderness a long season. 8 And I brought you into the land of the Amorites, which dwelt on the other side Jordan; and they fought with you: and I gave them into your hand, that ye might possess their land; and I destroyed them from before you. 9 Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and warred against Israel, and sent and called Balaam the son of Beor to curse you: 10 But I would not hearken unto Balaam; therefore he blessed you still: so I delivered you out of his hand. 11 And ye went over Jordan, and came unto Jericho: and the men of Jericho fought against you, the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; and I delivered them into your hand. 12 And I sent the hornet before you, which drave them out from before you, even the two kings of the Amorites; but not with thy sword, nor with thy bow. 13 And I have given you a land for which ye did not labour, and cities which ye built not, and ye dwell in them; of the vineyards and oliveyards which ye planted not do ye eat. 14 Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD. 15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.