Refreshed

I am late for this month's article, as I weighed the two prime themes almost burning in my heart to express them to you, which are the 1) “full expression of the Word of God” or 2) “fuller details on the Serpent Seed”. And as I seek the Lord in prayer as to which theme should be expressed that by way of reading my daily chapters of the bible, now in Romans 15, I came across this verse 32 with the closing blessing of verse 33:-

Rom 15:32-33

(32) That I may come unto you with joy by the will of God, and may with you be refreshed.

(33) Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.

It is the word “REFRESHED”.

Suddenly all things add up and this very word used by Paul to the saints in Rome by way of Spain means so much to us today, because it means so many things to us, most importantly it is exactly the prescription needed. It is needed because of how we seemed to have ridden roller coaster in our journey in this world with the knowledge and grace of our Lord.

Refresh, means revive, renovate, replenish, stimulate (arouse), renew and restore water. Isn't it wonderful that just one word can bring about this reminder of the promise of God, his love and mercy towards us, that no one can pluck us off His hand! We are indeed His possession and in His Word, He promised to let us have this renewing of the Holy Ghost given to us. Remember the eagle story, how that eagles have this inherited means to renew its youth! That is why God likened His believers to eagles. We also have that timeless Word-gene of God given to us to identify us to be His sons and daughters. So we have the means to renew, rejuvenate and restore our original state with God. We are epistles written for all men to read. And Peter called us lively stones. Each cut for a specific purpose. I could jump and shout now and see this wonderful expression of Paul. It is clear Paul was not just talking about his physical presence, but the presence of the Holy Spirit in ministering the Word of God to the saints in Rome. And Paul said that he may be with them be refreshed. Both the minister and those he ministered to are refreshed. Oh, send us this refreshing from above, great Holy Spirit to renovate us and make us new again.

Likewise, we are not of Cain who worshipped and when it was rejected by God, he showed his true colours, a murderer, liar, false accuser, full of envy and hatred instead of rejoicing that Abel got the revelation to worship God in spirit and in truth. Abel offered the correct sacrifice, the innocent Lamb slain for us to give us this new charge in our lives. And that blood of the innocent has the staying power so that when we are tired, fatigue, and being bounded by our own complexes, the Word of God will give us this refreshing. Did not Jesus promised the woman at the well, that if she drank from the fountain of living water which He gives, that she would  never thirst again. We are also invited to come drink! Be partakers and not hearers only. And the prophet told us we are not just professing, but we possessed.

So yes, let us be up and about. To do what, you may ask? Well, first, bring back the joy of our salvation, let this not slip away from us, because many are called but few chosen. Not because of the impartiality of God, but because God knew the many just can't receive this gospel. Did we not all hear the same gospel, the same preaching and read from the same Word of God, the bible? Can those who turned away say that God is not just because they cast themselves away by their unbelief. They turned this offer of Salvation down.
 

1Co 1:20-24
(20)  Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
(21)  For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
(22)  For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:
(23)  But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
(24)  But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.

Will their unbelief caused us to fail. Not one bit. What we received from God, that faith to believe His Word endures unto the end, which is the fulfilment of His Word, the Rapture, the Millennium and then the new heaven and new earth. Think what joy it will be for us to meet our heritage, to walk to Adam and tell him he is so special being a spoken created Word of God, that he did not come by birth of a woman, or talked to Enoch and Elijah who were translated because their walk pleased God. In fact God was so pleased with Elijah, that He uses the spirit of Elijah five times. First, in Elijah, then in Elisha, then in John the baptist, then in a gentile prophet, William Branham and lastly he will come together with Moses to call out the 144,000. Or we talked to Abraham who when he was nearly 100 years old, was renewed in his youth as was Sarah. Or of Jacob when he wrestled with the Angel of the Lord and prevailed. Finally we got to ask him to tell us how he prevailed as certainly the Angel of the Lord should be physically stronger than Jacob, because He smoke him in his thigh, and Jacob walked with this limp. What a sign to carry in his body. Did we not also have a sign to carry?

And I guess we have to wait in line to have the opportunity to talk to Moses, who forsook the powerhouse kingdom of Egypt, to become a slave and delivered his people from slavery. We learned from this that God don't need an army to fight a war with Egypt. He only needed one man fully surrendered to His Word. Well, we have all eternity to talk to Moses about this, who despised the pleasure of the world to suffer the reproach for Chirst. Oh, then we shall  enjoy our time together there. Oh, what a scene it will be then.

Or of Joshua, who spoke to the Captain of the host, who never even doubted his own word, when he proclaimed, Sun, stand still and moon, stay in the valley of Ajalom. Or of the many Judges, Maybe we would like to talk to Tamar, who was righteous and knew the Messianic line could not be broken and despised the shame to have that baby Pharez borne. Oh, there are so many more, the lines of kings of Judah, the major prophets, the friendship of Jonathan and David. Jonathan though being the son of Saul would have been king too if his father have his way, but he knew it was going to David, and he loved David with all his heart and soul. There is no one teeny weeny bit of jealousy on the part of Jonathan. Contrast that with the murderous spirit found in Cain, who slew his righteous brother Abel. And by that, he inherited all blessings promised in Leviticus. We can also meet up with Daniel facing the hungry and fierce lions in their own den, his three friends in the burning furnace, Jonah at the belly of the great fish which was prepared for that purpose. How did Jonah know which direction to turn to when he was inside that belly and his prayers were answered. He turned towards the direction of the temple by faith inside the whale's belly.

And speaking of that, what about Peter, who when he saw the Lord walking in the water, he requested that he could come upon the water and walk as well and he did. Then instead of looking at Jesus, he began to falter and looked at the waves about him, and the bible said, he sank slowly. Three miracles recorded in one scene. Jesus walking on the water, then Peter walked on the water, and he then began to sink slowly. So instead of dropping immediately into the water, he sank slowly because his faith was slowly faltering. And the fourth miracle? Jesus saved him from drowning. Don't you see, why you too can jump and shout and start to praise our God.

And we are certain to see our loved ones who had gone on before us. Our parents and those who played a part in our eventual walk with God. Particularly to me was one aunt (who had headed a church in Kluang, Johor) who took the trouble to witness to my dad and mom and memory about her was so dear to me. She eventually retired in Hong Kong and lived in the mission home for the aged until her death in the 80's. I did manage to visit her and she asked me the most important question, "Are you a believer (你信主了嗎) already"? Mine what a meeting we will have when we meet again.

But most important of all, we would like to see Jesus, the one who died for us, who conquer death and the grave, the opened door where all of us have to come through. We will not ask Him about the pain he bore, those thorns on His head, the nails biting through His palms and feet, the scourge of the whips brought down with vehement hatred culminated by one of them stabbing Him right through His chest. Oh, no we know that already, but we just want to look at Him because there is no need to ask any questions.

THE.MANIAC.OF.GADARA_ CHICAGO.IL TUESDAY_ 54-0720A

E-22 He said, "Yes, yes, boss, He did. He made me free from sin and death last night."

He said, "Then, Sambo, if Jesus Christ made you free from sin and death last night, this day I set you free from slavery (That's right.) so you can preach to your brethren."

The old man preached for many, many years. When he got ready to die as an old man, he was called in all... a lot of his white brethren come in to see him. And the old fellow had went off in a coma. And they thought that he was dead. And after while he looked around; he seen them all standing there; he greeted them all again.

And he said, "Oh, I just got inside." Said, "Why did I come back?" And said--said, "I was standing inside the door." And said, "I was standing, looking, and an Angel come up to me and said, 'Sambo, are you ready now to receive your crown and your reward?'"

He said, "Crown? Reward? Don't talk to me about crown and reward. I don't need them. Just let me stand and look at Him for a thousand years; that's my crown and reward.

That is exactly how we feel. Just look at Him for a thousand years, that's our crown and reward. Men made slaves, but God set them free because they are His children, the Royal Seed of Abraham. What colour is our skin does not matter, but it is the inside of the inside, the soul living in the heart that counts. And God see that soul before He even started His creation. The Word uncover you and it is the washing of the water of the Word that refreshes. Like the parable of the prodigal son. He was a son all along, never a slave. Praise be the Name of God.

1Co 2:9

(9) But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

Joh 14:2-3

(2) In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

(3) And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.