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Those who feared the Lord spoke with one another. The Lord paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the Lord and esteemed his name

Then those who feared the Lord spoke with one another. The Lord paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the Lord and esteemed his name.

While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them.—“For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”—My fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thanksgiving in your hearts to God.—But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.

“I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”—Behold, it is written before me.

Mal. 3:16;  Luke 24:15;  Matt. 18:20;  Phil 4:3;.  Col. 3:16;  Heb. 3:13;  Matt. 12:36,37;  Isa. 65:6;

Obedience to the Heavenly Vision

The law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law. (Galatians 3:25 NIV)

Sometimes revelation will bring to us the fact that things have been but tentative, provisional.... As Paul puts it: "a schoolmaster," to bring us to Christ, to lead us to Christ. The test for Saul of Tarsus is as to whether he will adjust to the light of the fact that, while he has been right, up to a point, that was only intended to lead him to something else. The Lord, in His sovereignty, allows us to come into something which is only tentative, but not in His final and full thought. That should lead us to a certain point, and at that given point something else is coming in. At that point a revelation will be given us which will make us say, "Well, that has served its purpose, but it has come to an end now, unto the greater fullness." It depends upon whether we cling to the thing that we say the Lord led us to and make it the final thing, when the Lord only meant that to lead us to another thing. So often in looking back upon a thing that has been used of God, and perhaps blessed of God, people say, "Well, if that is the case then we should cling to that way, should stay with that, or in that." Not necessarily. For Paul the challenge was whether now, with the fuller revelation in the light of which he saw that this first thing while not wrong was only provisional, he was prepared to leave that and come on into the fullness and adjust to the fuller revelation.

In all these connections you see that it is a matter of obedience to the heavenly vision, because this obedience to the heavenly vision is marked by cost. There is a price attached. In every case mentioned we see there was a cost. It meant that a price had to be paid, or, in other words, it meant that difficulties had to be faced. There would be a great deal of misunderstanding, a great deal of having to go on alone. Others who had not seen would not be able to follow on. There would be loneliness, misunderstanding, and in many other ways difficulties would arise in relation to obedience to the heavenly vision.

The trees of the Lord are full of sap.

I will be like the dew to Israel; he shall grow like the lily, and lengthen his roots like Lebanon. His branches shall spread; his beauty shall be like an olive tree, and his fragrance like Lebanon. §  Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit.

I, the Lord, have brought down the high tree and exalted the low tree, dried up the green tree and made the dry tree flourish.

The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree, he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those who are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bear fruit in old age; they shall be fresh and flourishing.

Ps. 104:16;  Hos. 14:5,6;  Jer. 17:7,8;  Ezek. 17:24;  Ps. 92:12,13;  Ps. 92:14

Profit

Heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ - sharing His inheritance with Him; only we must share His suffering if we are to share His glory" (Rom. 8:17, Amp.).

The term "profit and loss" is reversed in the Christian life to "loss and profit." The principle never varies: our losses are all in the realm of the old, never the new. Every loss in the life of self brings greater gain and profit in the new - our life in Christ. And, conversely, every gain for the self-life is loss for our growth and His glory. "But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ" (Phil. 3:7).

"It is not the design of God to deprive His children of happiness, but only to pour the cup of bitterness into the happiness which the believer has in anything outside of Christ." -F.F.

"Everything that tries us, that is a check upon us, that causes exercise of heart, and makes us sensible of weakness in ourselves, is of the nature of chastisement (child-training). It may come in the way of difficulties in the path of faith; or in the shape of such trials and sorrows as are common to all men - loss of property, loss of health, or bereavement; or it may be as the governmental consequences of sin; but in one way or other all have it. It is for our profit, that we might be partakers of His holiness' (Heb. 12:10). That is, it serves to break down that which is not of God in us, that the life of the Lord Jesus might be made manifest." -C.A.C.

"When He hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold" (Job 23:10).

Have you REALLY Considered… Job (JOB-study 21)

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