DRAW NEAR
Thursday – March 1, 2018
Amos 3:3 (KJV)
3 Can two walk together, except they be agreed?
The answer of course to the question God poses above is a resounding, no. The featured picture depicts Christ Jesus in His earthly ministry proclaiming the good news. Notice how the people have drawn physically near and are intent upon hearing all He had to say about the Kingdom of God. Have we made the decision to draw spiritually close to Jesus? As we prepare to dive deeply into the Word of God today let us set our hearts to be like His and to build our faith a little stronger today to be more and more like Him. Now let’s review, read aloud, our primary text in the Book of Hebrews.
Hebrews 10:18-22 (KJV)
18 Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.
19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,
20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
21 And having an high priest over the house of God;
22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
Let us once again put our focus on verse twenty-two and the phrase “Let us draw near”. This is not talking about us physically drawing near. After all that would require our death and resurrection with a glorified body or the Catching Away with our new transfigured (glorified) body. Remember our spirit man is seated in the Heavenly place in Christ Jesus and in the earth within our physical body. The presence of God is in Heaven as well as throughout the earth (and everywhere else) and dwells within our spirit man in our physical body. When Scripture speak of us drawing near, it is speaking to our becoming more and more like Him. Thinking like Him in some places is referred to as having a heart after God. It is talking about us talking like Him and walking (not our gait) in His ways. The only way to do this is with diligent study and a receiving the Word as the most valuable thing that exists. We then must think it, speak it, thereby increasing our faith in that Word until we achieve the manifestation. The manifestation comes by our faith and His Power.
Let us think for a moment what a “true heart” might be. The word “true” here in verse twenty-two means what you likely think it does which is to be truthful having nothing concealed. This is a higher bar than it might seem on the surface. Have you ever found yourself telling a story absent a few things? The few things left out made the story or account incomplete and when knowingly done constitute deception or a lie. Have you ever listened to an account of something and just knew within yourself that it was not the whole story, something was being left out? In this same phrase the word “heart” is the Greek word transliterated to English as “kardia”. According to Strong’s Talking Greek & Hebrew Dictionary this word is defined as the heart, the thoughts or feelings (mind), or the middle. The way I view this word, translated to English in the King James Version, is as the decider, in effect the middle man. The part of our soul which first receives the idea presented, compares it against its data base, then rejects or receives the idea/information. Of course, for the Christian this is also heard/seen by the Holy Spirit who resides in our spirit man and guides us if we are listening. Sometimes we choose not to listen due to our own lusts of the flesh, the eye, or pride of life. Full assurance in this verse has to do with full confidence. We are told to draw near with full confidence in our faith, what we believe. Anything less than a “true heart” will not accommodate our full confidence of faith. The faith discussed is the faith of God or our faith in God. Ignorance in our thinking is one thing but the willful covering of certain thoughts is a corrupt heart. Wrong thoughts even in ignorance do not bring the fullness of the redemption into this physical realm but if we are diligent God will not allow our ignorance to persist.
As we come near to finishing for today let’s all consider the phrase; “having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.” The word “hearts” here is the same word, the same part of our soul as discussed above. I believe this part of our soul is the door keeper. The decision is made right here to accept or decline what is being heard or seen. The Word of God nourishes and strengthens both soul and spirit. In addition, the Word of God is medicine to all our flesh. Idle words, words of the world, words of Satan are death to our soul, our spirit, and our bodies. Lord willing, I will pick up right here tomorrow.
Until our next publication, I speak blessing into your life right now, receive it in the name of Jesus, confess it, and walk it out with thanksgiving.
Numbers 6:24-26 (AMP)
24 The Lord bless you and watch, guard, and keep you;
25 The Lord make His face to shine upon and enlighten you and be gracious (kind, merciful, and giving favor) to you;
26 The Lord lift up His [approving] countenance upon you and give you peace (tranquility of heart and life continually).
By: Dr. David Wood, Author, Bible Teacher, and Prophetic Voice
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