◄ ►

Waiting God’s Time

When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son. (Galatians 4:4 ESV)

When the fullness of time came! It is not difficult for us to see in the case of Abraham how his faith was brought into relation to God's time. The time factor with Abraham was a very real one and was perhaps one of the keenest and most acute factors for his faith....

Again and again we come upon a test of Abraham's faith along the line of the timing of God. Indeed, from one standpoint, we may summarize the whole of his life and say that it headed up at last to the triumph of faith upon that particular factor. In the full Divine sense he never received the promises in his lifetime. At the end of his life he was still looking for the fulfillment of the promise. If his faith had given way he would naturally have taken the attitude that, since the thing had not been fulfilled in so long a time and in his lifetime, it all represented perhaps a big mistake on his part, a false expectation, some misguidance, and so on. But right at the end, if the letter to the Hebrews is to be taken as revealing the actual position, he still believed. He believed, therefore, that God had His time for fulfilling His purpose... and that, although it might not come in his own lifetime, it nevertheless would come. But during his lifetime within the compass of the whole range of Divine purpose there were instances of testing on the time factor; and, having been tested on that factor, the promise was fulfilled.

The fellowship of His sufferings.

It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master.

He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. § In the world you will have tribulation. § Because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

I looked for someone to take pity, but there was none. § At my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me.

Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head. § Here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come.

Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Phil. 3:10;  Matt. 10:25;  Isa. 53:3;  John 16:33;   John 15:19;  Ps. 69:20;  2 Tim. 4:16;  Matt. 8:20;  Heb. 13:14;   Heb. 12:1,2

They overcame . . . by the blood of the Lamb.

Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died. § The blood … makes atonement for the soul. § I am the Lord… The blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you.

There is . . . no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.

Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from? . . . These are the ones who came out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Rev. 12:11;  Rom. 8:33,34;  Lev. 17:11;  Ex. 12:12,13;  Rom. 8:1;  Rev. 7:13,14;  Rev. 1:5,6

Full Provision

Let him ask in faith and have no doubts; for he who has doubts is like the surge of the sea, driven by the wind and tossed into spray. A person of that sort must not expect to receive anything from the Lord - such a one is a man of two minds, undecided in every step he takes" (James 1:6,8, Wey.).

First, we are to rest in the fact that our Father has made full provision for all our needs; positionally, we are complete in the Lord Jesus Christ. Then it is that we can trust Him daily for His "exceeding abundantly above." "But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus" (Phil. 4:19)

"It is true that all God requires of us we lack; but it is also true that all we need He supplies. The believer can give thanks that God has supplied all his need as to standing, and He engages to supply all his need as to walk. But while we see our Father's requirement, and recognize His provision, let us not overlook our responsibility.

"When we fail it is to this our failure may be traced. It is not because the provision has been insufficient, or unavailable, or afar off - but because the channel has been obstructed, the avenues of the soul have been closed, so that the need has remained unsupplied. Our responsibility lies in the exercise of faith." -E.H.

"I will not think of the infinities of my need, except to lead me to the divine simplicity of the infinity of His supply." -H.C.G.M.

"And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask any thing according to His will, He heareth us; and if we know that He hear us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him" (1 John 5:14, 15).

Sanctifying Grace - Man’s Nature and Destiny (6)

The Scarlet Thread