“How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?”   Hebrews 9:14  (KJV)

What is the meaning of that great word eternal? Too often it is employed as though it were synonymous with everlasting. But the two words stand for two very different things. Everlasting conveys the idea of the duration of time; whereas eternal stands for the quality and character of the existence referred to which is absolutely timeless.  The eternal is that which is not measured by duration, which has I no succession of years, which cannot be described as past or future. It is the dateless present, and can only be used, therefore, of God, the I AM, because He lives in the eternal now. He never was and never will be anything that He is not at this present moment, and only that which partakes of His Being can be termed eternal.  

 When, therefore, we are told that our Lord offered Himself to God through the Eternal Spirit, we must believe that in the Cross there was this element of Timelessness. Our Lord was the Lamb slain from before the foundation of the world (Rev. 13:8). The Cross of Christ has been contemporaneous with all the generations of mankind, and it is this attribute of Timelessness which gives the Cross its perennial power. There is a sense in which Christ is always being wounded by our transgressions, bruised by our iniquities, chastised for our peace, and bearing the stripes that procure our healing.

The Cross of Christ stands with open arms to welcome every sinful soul. The nails are not rusted or blunted by the years that have passed since they were driven into the flesh of Christ our Lord. And as we humble ourselves, and submit our proud and selfish soul-life to be nailed with Him to the Cross, in the power of the Eternal Spirit, out of suffering comes life to those to whom we minister, as we serve the Living God, and we can say with the Apostle: “Death worketh in us, but life in you.” (2 Cor. 4:10-12).

 PRAYER:  We bless Thee, Lord Jesus, that Thou didst not withhold Thyself from the Cross. Enable us by the Eternal Spirit to surrender our life to Calvary, that Thy risen life may become manifest in our mortal flesh.

If you’re like me, there are certain books of the Bible which hold a fond spot in your heart. In the New Testament, my favorites are Romans, Hebrew, and both letters to the church at Corinth.  I like these books because they communicate God’s indescribable love for sinful man and our desperate need for His grace.  In the Old Testament, my favorites are Isaiah and the Psalms.  Both books bestow comfort and reassurance to my spirit.  The Psalms, which I call the “Songbook of the Soul”, provide spiritual context for my daily activities.  God “meets me” in the Psalms.   Here are a few of our “favorite meeting places.”  

Psalm 4:8             “I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; For You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.”  Dangers and perils are ever present in our community; when I pray “deliver me from evil” I can safely rest knowing He is with me.  I am never alone.  His eye is continuallyon me—He is my peace. 

Psalms 42:1         “As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God.”   When my life becomes hectic and crazy with the events of living, I thirst for the Lord.  He is my release and my relief.  He provides the basics of life—He is my living water.

Psalm 62:1          “Truly my soul silently waits for God; From Him comes my salvation.”  To silently wait is a personal challenge for me.   My flesh wants what it wants right now.  God is teaching me to depend on Him for all my needs—He is faithful and dependable.

Psalm 66:2b        “Make His praise glorious.”  All things are created by Him and there is no other like Him.  My praise to Him acknowledges His universal Lordship.  He deserves praise and honor for His goodness and His greatness—He alone is worthy of my total loyalty and all my praise.    

Psalm 107:1        “Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good!  For His mercy endures forever.”  If I lived a lifetime, there would not be sufficient time to thank God for all He has done, is doing, and will do for me How do I say thanks?  By living for Him daily—He is my God both now and through eternity.   

Where do you meet God?      

Jeremiah was called to be the moral voice for a nation that didn’t care about right and wrong.  His heart was torn between his love for his nation and his love for God—a love which demanded obedience.  This internal conflict is why he is called the “Weeping Prophet.”  His weeping, however, was not a sign of personal weakness, but of his great compassion and love for his people.

Christ displayed similar traits of compassion and love as He conducted His earthly ministry. (Mat. 15:32; Mark 1:41)  Oh that we would have a heart like Jeremiah and Christ; that we would be a “balm in Gilead”—a living salve to soothe and heal those bruised by the ills of this world.

  

Our health as a nation, as a church, as a family, as individuals will not progress until we visit the Great Physician, Jesus Christ. (Mark 2:17)  Yes, there is a balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole…there is a balm in Gilead to heal the sin sick soul.

Popular adage:  “When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot in it?”

My view of the adage:  “When you come to the end of your rope,

ask yourself how you got there?”

In 2010, I was determined to move our ministry forward in reaching its teaching goals.  My perception was that I needed “traction.” Traction would include better planning, more involvement in the community, and better networking with other Christian ministries.  I was needing and expecting “breakthrough.”                 

I decided to seek God’s face (again, I thought) but this time I would show my seriousness by fasting and serious praying.  What He revealed to me was that my view from the rope was inaccurate and distorted.  What I called “traction” was really the need for “supernatural power” which I didn’t have. (at that time)  I was trying to accomplish through my efforts what only God could do—give increase.  What was needed instead of “breakthrough” was a restored relationship with the Person Christ gave me to accomplish His ministry—that Person was the Holy Spirit.

What are you in need of?  How will you get your breakthrough?  Greater effort?  Longer hours? Better business contacts?  Learn from my view at the end of the rope.  Tap into the greatest resource in the universe.  Not the “fully actualized” part of your “spiritual” essence but he “supernatural” infilling of the Holy Spirit.  He is available to you 7×24, if you are a Christian.

In 2011, I’ve decided to trust in God and be available for the work which the Holy Spirit places in my stewardship.  I’ve decided to let go of the rope!