Restore

Below is but a small measure of revelation that my father had received from the Lord. I hope this will be a blessing to you. All that is written below are the words of my father.

Restore 

In loving memory of my father
Robert Louis (Bob) Padgett
July 28, 1931-May 22, 2023

In our previous message we shared some thoughts about the difference, as we see it, between revival and restoration. 

Let us hear what the Word of God says about "restore."

And He said, It is a light thing that Thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give Thee for a light to the Gentiles, that Thou mayest be My salvation unto the end of the earth.
Isaiah 49:6

In that verse, the Father is speaking to the Son. Who can raise up the tribes of Jacob or restore the preserved of Israel except for the Son? "Raise up the tribes of Jacob" refers to bringing the yet unsaved into the flock. "Restore the preserved of Israel" refers to those believers who have strayed.

Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. Daniel 9:25

Some may say that the above verse is the historic prophecy relating from the time of Ezra and Nehemiah, when natural Jerusalem was rebuilt, until the first coming of Christ to earth. Others may say that it refers to the first coming of Jesus, some 2000 years ago. We would not argue with that. HOWEVER, if that be true then there is a second and far greater fulfillment. The verse is ALSO prophetic of the end times and speaks of the time before the second coming of Jesus Christ. Has the commandment gone forth once more to restore? We believe so! Without any question we live in troublous times.

Another verse in the Bible which contains the word "restore" is found in the Book of Joel. The following verse is familiar to almost everyone.

And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpillar, and the palmerworm, My great army which I sent among you. 

Joel 2:25

Please note that the four increasing stages of destruction were sent by the Lord Himself! He calls them "MY great army!" Also note that the Lord restores ONLY after we repent! The book of Joel is very clear about that fact. The key word in the Book of Joel is the little word "then" in Joel 2:18. The primary actions on our part are repentance and intercession. Much more on that later. The primary action on God's part, after we repent, is restoration. We will have more to say about that fact later.

We are aware of a few believers who for many long years have been praying that the Lord would send forth a revival on earth. Of course many Evangelical churches have man's version of a revival several times a year. But let us always remember ... no preparation, no restoration. Many of those in positional leadership in the church today speak of prosperity, blessings, and love. In other words they omit the word "then" in Joel 2:18.


10 And His disciples asked Him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come?

11 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things.

12 But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them.

13 Then the disciples understood that He spake unto them of John the Baptist.

Matthew 17:10-13

The Elijah spoken of in Verse 12, above, was John the Baptist. But he was rejected and his head cut off. Now I ask you, Have all things already been restored? I think not! Therefore there awaits a further fulfillment of those verses.

Let us consider what has always been, and still is, in the heart of God with respect to His chosen people. The Lord said to His chosen people during the Exodus from Egypt,


5 Now therefore, if ye will obey My voice indeed, and keep My covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto Me above all people: for all the earth is Mine.

6 And ye shall be unto Me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel. Exodus 19:5-6

Note that the people of God were (are) to be a kingdom of priests, with the Lord Jesus Christ as our great High Priest. This kingdom of priests will NOT consist of Levitical priests or the Aaronic priesthood, but priests after the order of Melchisedec. In the kingdom of God there is no such thing as a Catholic priest, or an Episcopal priest, or a Baptist priest or ...
Please note what Peter said to the Church many long years later:

4 To Whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious.

5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His glorious light. 1 Peter 2:4-5, 9

We are lively stones who derive our life from Christ, who is the first living Stone to whom we have come ... the life-giving Spirit. We are lively and we are alive in Christ, both now and forevermore!

Note also in 1 Peter 2:5, that we are built up a spiritual house, not a natural house. That house is formed and indwelt by the Spirit of God. Every stone in the house has been made alive by the Holy Spirit, sent by the exalted living Stone, Jesus Christ. Believers are living stones that make up a spiritual temple in which, as a holy priesthood, we offer up spiritual sacrifices. The New Testament speaks of a variety of such sacrifices: (1) our bodies are to be presented as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1); (2) offerings of money and material goods (Philippians 4:18); (3) sacrifices of doing good and communicating (Hebrews 13:16); and (4) sacrifices of praise unto God (Hebrews 13:15).

The word "peculiar" in verse 9 is a peculiar word. The word actually means that we are an acquired or purchased possession. It carries the same significance as the word "ye are bought with a price" in 1 Corinthians 6:20.

So the mind of God always was and still is to have a kingdom of priests ... a holy priesthood ... a royal priesthood. This high calling was originally offered to the Jewish nation, but they rejected (and continue to reject) that call and crucified the Lord of glory. Therefore the chosen generation is no longer the natural Jewish nation but spiritual Israel ... the Church which is His body. Many Christians, primarily fundamentalists, somewhat mockingly describe that as "replacement theology" and try to debunk that last statement. Actually, "replacement theology" is a very good choice of words. But it is God who replaces, not man. Every time that man tries to "improve" on what God does, the Lord replaces man's version with His own version. That principle is all throughout the Book of Hebrews, Jeremiah 18 and 19, and other places in Scripture. Jeremiah 18 speaks of the northern 10 tribes of Israel.

1 The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,

2 Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words.

3 Then I went down to the potter's house, and, behold, He wrought a work on the wheels.

4 And the vessel that He made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so He made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it. 

Jeremiah 18:1-4

The "another" vessel is the Church. All of the original 12 apostles, except for Judas, came from the north. It was also from those 10 northern tribes that the gospel of the kingdom of God went forth to all the world. Then we read from Jeremiah 19 about the two southern tribes, particularly Judah, which included Jerusalem.

10 Then shalt thou break the bottle in the sight of the men that go with thee,

11 And shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Even so will I break this people and this city, as one breaketh a potter's vessel, that cannot be made whole again: and they shall bury them in Tophet, till there be no place to bury.

12 Thus will I do unto this place, saith the LORD, and to the inhabitants thereof, and even make this city as Tophet:

13 And the houses of Jerusalem, and the houses of the kings of Judah, shall be defiled as the place of Tophet, because of all the houses upon whose roofs they have burned incense unto all the host of heaven, and have poured out drink offerings unto other gods.

14 Then came Jeremiah from Tophet, whither the LORD had sent him to prophesy; and he stood in the court of the LORD'S house; and said to all the people,

15 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring upon this city and upon all her towns all the evil that I have pronounced against it, because they have hardened their necks, that they might not hear my words. 

Jeremiah 19:10-15

Tophet was a location in Jerusalem where worshipers influenced by the ancient Canaanite religion engaged in the human sacrifice of children to the gods Moloch and Baal by burning them alive. Tophet became a synonym for Hell within Christendom. Baal was considered the fertility god ... fertility not simply with agricultural crops, but we believe also in the sense of procreation of children. Therefore Tophet is definitely a characteristic which dominates in the United States today in the sense of all kinds of immoral sexual activity and the production of babies but also the abortion or killing of millions of babies. But God will not be mocked.

Does spiritual Israel include some Jews? Of course! perhaps too many to count. But we respectfully disagree that ALL Jews will be saved.

The chosen generation is not a natural generation but consists of ALL believers over all of time who accept and confess Jesus Christ as Lord. "For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel" (Romans 9:6). This is the "missing" generation in Matthew, Chapter 1.

So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations.

Matthew 1:17

If we go back and count the number of generations listed in Matthew 1:12-16 from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ, we count only thirteen. The fourteenth generation consists of all born-again believers over all time.

Let us look at the function of priests, as first recorded in Scripture.

At that time the Lord separated the tribe of Levi, to bear the ark of the covenant of the Lord, to stand before Him to minister unto Him, and to bless in His name, unto this day. Deuteronomy 10:8

The above verse is the prophetical prototype of the Melchisedec priesthood that we have been called to in the spiritual realm. "Unto this day" still holds true for us today! The whole body of believers, as priests, are to (1) reflect the holiness of God and that of our High Priest, the Lord Jesus Christ (bear the ark of the covenant of the Lord); (2) offer spiritual sacrifices (stand before Him to minister unto Him); (3) intercede for man before God; and (4) represent God before men. (Functions (3) and (4) constitute "bless in His name.")

It may be worthwhile to reflect upon the contrast between the old covenant and the new covenant. Under the old covenant there were natural priests, a natural temple, and natural sacrifices. But under the new covenant, all of these things are spiritual! The author of the Book of Hebrews has much to say about this truth. In addition,

1 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; He hath sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;

2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord. 

6 But ye shall be named the Priests of the Lord: men shall call you the Ministers of our God. Isaiah 61:1-2, 6

Jesus quoted those first two verses in a synagogue in Nazareth (Luke 4:18-19). He also said that "this day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears" (Luke 4:21). So those verses in Isaiah 61 were (are) prophetic of the Lord Jesus Christ. But since we are IN Christ, they also apply to us! Those were the same verses that the Holy Spirit quickened to me personally, shortly after He baptized me with the Holy Ghost. It was also a fulfillment of my grandmother's petition when I was born. She wrote in her Bible, the day I was born, "Lord make him your minister." She never got to see the fulfillment of her prayer with her natural eyes, but she received her answer by faith.

Returning to the original proclamation of God concerning His chosen people,


7 And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the Lord commanded him.

8 And all the people answered together, and said, All that the Lord hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the Lord.

Exodus 19:7-8

But the people did not keep their vow as stated in Verse 8.

18 And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed and stood afar off.

19 And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die. Exodus 20:18-19

Just as before, after the covenants were given the second time to Moses:

And Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord, and all the judgments; and all the people answered with one voice, and said, All the words which the Lord hath said will we do. Exodus 24:3

Neither did the people keep their vow that time. Ecclesiastes 5:4-5, "When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for He hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay."

The people of God refused to hear the voice of the Lord for themselves and demanded to hear the Lord through a man. It was the same throughout the Old Testament. It is the same today. It is clear, however, that God's original purpose was for each man to hear the voice of the Lord for himself. It was never God's plan to have to use an intermediary, such as Moses. This is confirmed in the New Testament.

For there is one God, and one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus. 1 Timothy 2:5

But the anointing which ye have received of Him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in Him.

1 John 2:27

God used Martin Luther to restore the truth of justification by faith. He used the Anabaptists to restore the truth about water baptism. John Wesley taught about sanctification and holiness. A.B. Simpson reintroduced the true healing ministry. The early Pentecostals, such as Charles Parham, brought back the baptism of the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues. Then in 1906 the Holy Ghost began to move in many new ways in Azusa Street in Los Angeles. Next, in 1948, came the outpouring of the Spirit (called "latter rain" by some) in North Battleford, Saskatchewan, Canada. That move of God saw a restoration of the gifts of the Spirit, the fivefold ministries, deliverance ministry, singing praise and spiritual songs, and the truth of the body of Christ.

However, that event was not the "latter rain" that the Bible speaks about in seven different verses, six of which are in the Old Testament and one in the New Testament in James 5:7,

"Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain."

The early rain and the latter rain have nothing to do with natural rain. From that verse in James, the early rain consisted of the saints in the early church shortly after the Day of Pentecost. The real "latter rain" will consist of the final group of overcomers, the manifestation of the sons of God, who will be revealed soon, just prior to the second coming of the Lord. Those overcomers are being prepared in the wilderness even now.

Man's Greatest Need

Below is but a small measure of revelation that my father had received from the Lord. I hope this will be a blessing to you. All that is written below are the words of my father.

Man's Greatest Need 

In loving memory of my father
Robert Louis (Bob) Padgett
July 28, 1931-May 22, 2023

Any decent psychology textbook will probably say that man's greatest physical-level needs are water, food, clothing, and shelter. To that we might add oxygen as a basic need because without sufficient oxygen we cannot breathe and will die very quickly. Perhaps the reason why few psychology texts mention oxygen as a basic human need is because we take that for granted.

Matthew 6:25-34

25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

[Note from that Verse that Jesus speaks of 3 of those 4 greatest needs of man.]

26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

[The lilies of the field show forth a greater glory than Solomon in all of his glory. Why? because the lilies never became corrupted from their environment. Have you ever noticed that when newly planted grass first comes forth, it is always the greenest it will ever be?]

30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall He not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

Our flesh responds to that word by saying that does not make any sense. Common sense tells us that we have to prepare for the future. Jesus must not have meant what He said there. We buy into the lies that the ways of God are not as pleasing or enjoyable or practical as our own ways, or else we believe that our ways are the Lord's ways. The deceitful, wicked human heart is the reason we believe such thoughts (Jeremiah 17:9). The human heart is more deceptive or crooked than anything else; it is desperately corrupt and humanly speaking, incurable. Jesus said that all evil thoughts and actions proceed out of the heart (Matthew 15:19). Although believers have trusted God for initial salvation, the sinful tendencies of the flesh still remain in us; thus we continue to vacillate between the desires of the flesh and those of the Lord Jesus. Within this battle we need to understand that we will never be satisfied until the Lord is satisfied with us. What a profound truth! David said,

As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness. Psalm 17:15

I also found a blog on the internet that lists what claims to be man's greatest emotional or soulish needs: (1) certainty (including safety, security, comfort, order, consistency, and control; (2) variety; (3) significance (meaning in life); (4) love and connection; and (5) growth.

Solomon, the son of David, was given wisdom like no other. He accumulated more wealth than perhaps any other human being in the history of the world; he had almost unlimited power as king; he had the best food available; and he had 1000 wives and concubines. His fame spread throughout all nations round about. He wrote 1005 songs and spoke 3000 proverbs. Solomon is generally acknowledged as the author of the Book of Ecclesiastes in what men call the Old Testament. But when he became older, he said, "Vanity of vanities; all is vanity" (Ecclesiastes 1:2).

The basic theme of the Book of Ecclesiastes is that all of life and all human striving is meaningless, useless, hollow, futile, and vain if it is not rightly related to God. Only when based on God and His word is life worthwhile. The phrase "under the sun" is a key expression in the Book of Ecclesiastes, occurring 29 times; it refers to the vanity of this present world and the limits of what it offers. Many things appear to be new simply because the past is easily and quickly forgotten. The old ways of man recycle over the years and reappear in new guises. Therefore we need our eyes and ears circumcised to see and hear what the Lord has always required and still requires in these last days!

Human nature has never changed. Man throughout all of time always searches for happiness ... for that which satisfies him ... for meaning in life.

9 The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.

10 Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? It hath been already of old time, which was before us. Ecclesiastes 1:9-10

Unfortunately, all too often man looks to things that will never satisfy. Perhaps at the top of the list of things that man pursues is money or material wealth, with which he can buy anything he desires. How much is enough money? Just a little bit more.


6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.

7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.

8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.

10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

1 Timothy 6:6-10

I grew up in a Protestant Church-based home. My maternal grandmother and grandfather lived with us from before I was born until well after I finished college. My father, mother, and grandfather all had full-time jobs. Even with 3 incomes my parents almost lost their home in 1930 during the days of the Great Depression. For the first 21 years of my life I enjoyed a number of worldly successes. In addition to going to church every Sunday, I received very good grades thru high school. In 1949 I won the North Carolina State High School individual golf championship. I received a full tuition scholarship my first year (1949) at Duke University. I graduated from Duke University, magna cum laude, in 3 years, majoring in Mathematics. Then I received a full tuition scholarship at the Duke Graduate School. At that point, my life seemed to start unraveling. What followed was a series of worldly failures. I never had any real direction in my life and I do not recall anyone who tried to help point me in the proper direction.

I basically flunked out of graduate school because I stopped going to classes. After doing essentially nothing for the next 3 years I decided to enlist in the Aviation Cadet program of the Air Force. I almost resigned from that after about 6 months. In August 1957 I met a young woman named Linda at Nags Head, NC. We went out one night and only one night. Then I had to fly to Germany for my Air Force assignment as a navigator on an RB-66 aircraft. I still had no direction whatsoever in my life. So I decided that I would get married ... maybe that was my answer. So I called Linda from Germany and asked her to marry me. In December 1958 we were married. That did not solve my problem of lack of direction in my life. Instead, we had 9 years of a "bad" marriage. So I decided that having children might be the solution to my lack of direction. We had 2 children, but that was not my answer either. During those 9 years of a bad marriage I never did anything that would be called evil. I was just doing my own thing ... selfishly. I played golf every weekend and played duplicate bridge at night during the week. I left Linda at home with our 2 children. From Linda's perspective we (I should say, "I") just did not communicate. In 1964 we were transferred by the Air Force to the Northern Virginia area. My new job was in the computer field. But our marriage never got any better. At that time we were attending a Methodist church nearby, although that meant nothing to me. That was just something that "good" people were supposed to do. And I still had no real direction in my life. In the spring of 1967 Linda said she was going to divorce me. I asked her to let me first go and talk with the pastor of that Methodist church. She agreed. So I made an appointment with that pastor for the following night. I remember exactly what I said to him. I said, "I feel like my life is wasting away. Can you help me?' His response was, "No. Why don't you go talk with Jim Williams," who was also a member of that church. I knew Jim Williams by sight, but that was the extent of my knowledge of Jim. So I did nothing at the time.

About 2 weeks later one of my uncles, who lived in North Carolina, died and we went to his memorial service. It was held on August 25, 1967, in a huge Methodist Church that today would cost 150 million dollars to build. Almost 1000 people were there. At some point during that memorial service the Lord just sovereignly touched me. I cannot explain it. All I knew was that something had happened to me and I knew it was good, but I did not know at the time that it was the Lord Jesus. Neither did I tell anyone my experience at that time.

The following Sunday I drove back to our home in Northern Virginia because I had to go to work on Monday. I left my wife, Linda, and our 2 children in North Carolina because her family lived in Charlotte and my family lived in High Point, NC. All alone in our house, I remember saying to myself, "Surely this is the peace that passes all understanding." Three days later, on Wednesday, I said "I have to tell someone about this." So I called Jim Williams, who I really did not know. I must have called around the evening meal time and I could hear in the background that he and his family obviously had dinner guests. I told Jim that something good had happened to me but I did not know what it was. I asked him if he could come over to our house. He said he would be there in 10 minutes. Sure enough, in 10 minutes he knocked at our door. The two of us sat on our living room sofa. I did not know what to say except that something good had happened to me but I did not know what it was. Jim said, "I can tell you what has happened to you. You have met the reality of the Lord Jesus Christ in your life. I have been praying for you every day for a year."

From that day and continuing thru this day, the Lord has chosen to deal with me sovereignly in every respect. I have found out, experientially, that the Lord can save people all by Himself. He can heal people all by Himself, He can deliver people all by Himself, and He can reveal the true meaning of scripture all by Himself. How do I know? Because He did all those things for me within the first 6 months after He sovereignly "saved" me. I have learned from my personal experience, from the Bible, and from testimonies of literally hundreds of other believers in Christ that man's greatest need is not physical and not emotional ... it is spiritual in nature. Hindsight, I now understand that when I told that Methodist pastor that I felt like my life was wasting away, the Lord heard my cry. Now, what the Lord has done for me, He will also do for you. How do I know? because the Word of God says that God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34).

The most certain thing pertaining to us humans is that the Lord will always respond to a heartfelt cry to Him for help. It is true that if we sincerely cry out to the Lord, He will save us.

18 The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon Him, to all that call upon Him in truth.

19 He will fulfil the desire of them that fear Him: He also will hear their cry, and will save them. Psalm 145:18-19

But that should never be a one-and-done event. The most mature Christian on earth as well as the unsaved person needs to always cry out to the Lord. David said,

Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto thee daily. Psalm 86:3

Hindsight, I am eternally grateful for all of my failures prior to the Lord touching my life, because the Lord used those failures to help bring me to a place where I had to cry out to Him. It is also interesting that after the Lord Jesus Christ apprehended me, the Lord completely restored all of my major failures and to a greater degree than I thought possible.

Forty-some years ago, the New Testament church of which we were a part would sometimes sing the following spiritual song:

Like the woman at the well I was seeking for things that could not satisfy;

And then I heard my Savior speaking: "Draw from My well that never shall run dry"

Fill my cup Lord, I lift it up, Lord! Come and quench this thirsting of my soul;

Bread of heaven, Feed me till I want no more--Fill my cup, fill it up and make me whole!

There are millions in this world who are craving the pleasures earthly things afford;

But none can match the wondrous treasure that I find in Jesus Christ my Lord.

Chorus

So, my brother, if the things this world gave you leave hungers that won't pass away, 

My blessed Lord will come & save you, If you kneel to Him & humbly pray:

Now, if you have not yet experienced the reality of the Lord Jesus Christ, you do NOT have to wait until some crisis situation arises in your life. If you see a need for the Lord, then just cry out, "Help, Lord!" If you have been walking with the Lord for 40 or 50 years, just cry out, "Help, Lord!" The Apostle Paul, who wrote about 40% of the New Testament, after 30 years of ministry prayed, "that I might know Him" (Philippians 3:10). There is no greater joy, no greater pleasure, no greater achievement, no greater purpose in life than to know the risen Lord Jesus and to walk with Him every day. As it says in Philippians 3:14, may each one of us press toward the mark [goal] for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. What is that prize? the Person of the Lord Himself ... Christ in you, the hope of glory.

My maternal grandmother was a wise woman whose wisdom came from the Lord, not from books. After she departed this earth I read many of the words of wisdom she had written in her Bible. One of those words was: "Lord, let me create hunger in their hearts for until they hunger they cannot be fed." How true! If we are not hungry for natural food we will probably not eat anything. Likewise, if we are not hungry for spiritual food, we will probably be content with our status quo.

I recently read that the world is facing a hunger crisis unlike anything it has seen in more than 50 years. It is estimated that 925 million people are physically hungry. Since the world population is now about 7.6 billion, that means about 1 out of every 8 people are hungry or suffer from malnutrition. Every day, almost 16,000 children die from hunger-related causes. That is a tragedy! An even more important question is, "How many people in the world are spiritually hungry? ... hungry for the bread of life?" We may never know, but I am sure it is a huge multitude. Jesus said, in John 6

32 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.

33 For the bread of God is He which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.

34 Then said they unto Him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.

35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to Me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on Me shall never thirst.

Are you hungry for the Bread of Life? If so, just acknowledge your need to the Lord and ask Him to fill your cup to overflowing. He is faithful!

Led By the Spirit of God

Below is but a small measure of revelation that my father had received from the Lord. I hope this will be a blessing to you. All that is written below are the words of my father.

Led By the Spirit of God 

In loving memory of my father
Robert Louis (Bob) Padgett
July 28, 1931-May 22, 2023

13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 

Romans 8:13-14

Perhaps most true believers are familiar with Verse 14, above, where the word "sons" is the Greek huios, which means a more mature son. Everything that we do or say must be led by the Spirit of God. There is no other fixed rule or procedure that we can use that will avoid wood, hay, and stubble. Note from Verse 13, above, that the natural man cannot mortify the deeds of the body; that too must be done through or by the Spirit. It also goes without saying that it is not sufficient to be able to quote the above Verses ... the word must become flesh. (May we say that the Word must replace flesh?)

Undoubtedly, many charismatic/Spirit-filled believers, particularly those in leadership positions, would declare that they are led by the Holy Spirt. Most of those would also state that their church is led by the Spirit. That may be true doctrinally, but in practice? Many pastors would say that they always ask the Lord what they should teach/preach the next Sunday. Many music leaders may also say they ask the Lord what songs to sing at the next gathering. But that pre-conceives that in every meeting we must sing some songs and someone must teach or preach. Even Moses, the man of the law, said,


25 And Moses said, Thou must give us also sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice unto the LORD our God.

26 Our cattle also shall go with us; there shall not an hoof be left behind; for thereof must we take to serve the LORD our God; and we know not with what we must serve the LORD, until we come thither. Exodus 10:25-26

Does that Verse no longer have any application for us because it is in the Old Testament? How can any church be led by the Spirit when the same routine is followed religiously every Sunday? Many years ago a good brother said that he stopped having meetings in his home every week because the same people came every week, they sat in the same chairs, they sang the same songs, followed the same pattern, and nothing was happening. So he said, Why have the meeting? We have longed for 50 years to see a church where the gatherings did not follow any fixed pattern but where there was spontaneity and a freedom for the Holy Spirit to move as He wills. That of course must be balanced by, "If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God" (1 Peter 4:11).

24 And He [Jesus] said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country.

25 But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias [Elijah], when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land;

26 But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow.

27 And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus [Elisha] the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian.

28 And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath,

29 And rose up, and thrust Him out of the city, and led Him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast Him down headlong.

30 But He passing through the midst of them went His way, Luke 4:24-30

There is much of significance in the above verses (for another word) but one immediate truth is clear ... Even Elijah and Elisha of Old Testament times were led by the Spirit.

Few believers would disagree that Jesus should be our example. And no believer would deny that Jesus was always led by the Spirit. Now some may say, "But brother, I am not Jesus." True, neither am I. But do you and I have the same Spirit that Jesus had when He walked the face of the earth? Jesus said,

But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given Me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of Me, that the Father hath sent Me. John 5:36

28 Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father hath taught Me, I speak these things.

38 I speak that which I have seen with My Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father. John 8:28, 38

So Jesus never did anything of Himself. He only did and said that which He saw and heard from the Father.

The first, specific miracle effected through the early apostles is recorded in Acts, Chapter 3. Everyone is familiar with the essence of what is recorded about that specific healing of the lame man. Most likely, when some (perhaps most) believers read those verses, the reaction is, "That is wonderful! Peter and John healed a lame man! Great!" And that is the end of those verses, as if it were only an historical event that occurred. However the verses about Peter and John healing the lame man are loaded with spiritual truth for us today (which we will not here go into). Further, the Lord almost always has something greater in mind than a physical healing. Scripture is clear that Peter and John were led by the Spirit to heal that lame man.

What follows in Acts 3 is Peter's second message to the people, the first being on the day of Pentecost. The immediate result was that about five thousand men believed the truth about Jesus as spoken by Peter (Acts 4:4). Therefore, because Peter and John, through their obedience, healed one lame man of his natural inability to walk, five thousand men (males) were healed spiritually. And through the spiritual healing of those 5,000 males, all of their families were also saved. Talk about evangelism! Peter and John did not have to "beat the bushes" to make new converts! The Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved! And all because Peter and John were obedient to the leading of the Holy Ghost with respect to one lame man! Do you think that same prescription might work for us today? Or should we just pray for everyone and hope the Lord heals one or two? (I have actually heard two different Spirit-filled believers say just that!)

But perhaps the most significant truth about the healing of the lame man is something that is NOT recorded in black and white in the Bible. Jesus, of course, was brought up as a Jew. We know that He perfectly fulfilled the law. One of the requirements of the law was that Jewish males were to appear three times each year in Jerusalem at the feast days. We do not know how many days Jesus was in Jerusalem in His life on earth. But we can be certain that He must have been in Jerusalem at least two dozen or more days in His three and one half years on earth. Therefore Jesus must have passed by that same lame man many times as He entered the temple. I doubt, for several reasons, that Jesus gave that lame man some money. But the significant question is, Why did not Jesus Himself heal that lame man, who was laid daily at the gate of the temple that is called Beautiful? The answer must be obvious ... that was not a work given to Him by the Father. Out of compassion, Jesus had many occasions to have healed the lame man, but He only did that which He saw the Father doing. He was led by the Spirit. The Father had reserved the healing of the lame man by Peter and John for a later time. And look what happened! The greatest salvation of souls from any event recorded in the Bible!

O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out! Romans 11:33

The very first principle of the doctrine of Christ is repentance from dead works (Hebrews 6:1). Dead works are works of the flesh ... works that are not led by the Spirit. Until that part of the foundation is laid within us, we can never go on to perfection. Lord, may each of us be more sensitive to the leading of Your Holy Spirit! Amen!

Righteousness and Holiness

Below is but a small measure of revelation that my father had received from the Lord. I hope this will be a blessing to you. All that is written below are the words of my father.

Righteousness 

In loving memory of my father
Robert Louis (Bob) Padgett
July 28, 1931-May 22, 2023

By definition, righteousness is the state of being right with God or just. The man who is righteous is the man who is in a right relationship with God and whose life shows it. The Jews had sought to solve the problem of righteousness by strict obedience to the law. Paul had tried that way himself, and it had resulted in frustration and defeat, because no man on earth can ever fully obey the law. The law lays down what man must do; the gospel lays down what God has done. The trouble with law has always been that it can diagnose the trouble but it cannot affect a cure. Law shows man where he has gone wrong but does not help him to AVOID going wrong. Once more we see that man's attempt to attain to righteousness is completely inadequate.

All of our righteousnesses are as filthy rags. Isaiah 64:6

As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: Romans 3:10

The supreme problem of life is,"How can a man get into a right relationship with God?" Here we see the simplicity of the gospel ... the simplicity that is in Christ. For the Lord Himself is our righteousness. Only the Lord Jesus Christ is righteous in the eyes of the Father. The important thing is NOT what we can do for God, but what God has done for us and is doing for us.

5 Behold the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.

6 In His days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is the name whereby He shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.

Jeremiah 23:5-6

This word is confirmed by Paul in the New Testament.

But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption. 1 Corinthians 1:30

We enter into the righteousness of Christ when we accept by faith Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. In other words the ONLY basis for our righteousness is that we are in Christ.


21 But now, the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets.

22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.

24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

26 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

26 To declare, I say, at this time His righteousness: that He might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. Romans 3:21-26

For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.

Romans 10:4

For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Corinthians 5:21

For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Romans 10:10



8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

9 And be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God through faith. Philippians 3:8-9

Please note that we are righteous through the faith of Christ, through HIS faith. If we are in Christ, we are righteous because of HIS faith, not because of our faith.

Righteousness is a characteristic which results from our obedience to the faith. The first occurrence of righteousness in scripture is in Genesis, with respect to Noah.

22 Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he.

1 And the Lord said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation. Genesis 6:22-7:1

The second occurrence of righteousness relates to Abraham.

And he [Abram] believed in the Lord, and He counted it to him for righteousness.

Genesis 15:6

Here again, if we read the context of what has preceded, Abram had likewise been obedient to the faith. It was much more than just a mental assent. The real Jew is the man who has made the same decision of complete, unconditional yieldedness to God in loving faith which Abraham made. Another scripture which relates obedience to righteousness is,

O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea. Isaiah 48:18

Righteousness is directly related to our Sure Foundation.

As the whirlwind passeth, so is the wicked no more: but the righteous is an everlasting foundation. Proverbs 10:25

Righteousness is a quality of the nature of God that should be greatly desired.

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Matthew 5:6

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Matthew 6:33

Now what is the result or the effect of righteousness?

And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance forever. Isaiah 32:17

He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward. Matthew 10:41

What is a righteous man's reward? and what is a prophet's reward? To answer that question let us look at a scripture in Romans.

For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. Romans 14:17

As we have just seen in Isaiah 32:17, the reward of a righteous man is peace. The reward of a prophet is joy in the Holy Ghost. The Lord told Moses,

The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto Him ye shall hearken. Deuteronomy 18:15

All of the priests and Levites knew about this prophecy given to Moses. They knew that a great prophet was to arise. They asked John the Baptist who he was, saying,

And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No. John 1:21

Jesus Christ, of course, was, and is, that Great Prophet and the ultimate Prophet. He was also characterized by great joy. We also know that

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 is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2

Finally, righteousness is not only for the present, but also for the future, provided we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end (Hebrews 3:6). Paul told Timothy,

7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:

8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing. 2 Timothy 4:7-8

Holiness

Scripture is quite clear of the relationship of righteousness to holiness.

I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.

Romans 6:19

But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. Romans 6:22

True holiness consists in conformity to the nature and will of God. Note that only God is Holy, whence the name Holy Spirit. The word "holy" is applied in scripture to God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, who is infinitely holy above all creatures. God is the fountain of all holiness and purity. "Holy" means sacred, blameless, consecrated, and pure.

Whenever a word or phrase is repeated two times in the same verse we best pay attention. Whenever a word or phrase is repeated three times in the same verse it is of utmost importance. Only five times in all the Bible do we find a word or phrase repeated three times in the same verse. "I will overturn, overturn, overturn it" in Ezekiel 21:27; "the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord" in Jeremiah 7:4; "O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the Lord" in Jeremiah 22:29; "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts" in Isaiah 6:3; and "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come" in Revelation 4:8. Note that the only three-peat in both the Old and New Testaments is "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord." That clearly emphasizes the great importance of the holiness of the Lord, which is the essence of His character and nature. God is the absolutely Holy One, in His purity, majesty, and glory.

Numerous scriptures, mostly in the Old Testament, speak of the Holy One of Israel.

Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion: for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee. Isaiah 12:6

So will I make My holy name known in the midst of My people Israel; and I will not let them pollute My name any more: and the heathen shall know that I am the Lord, the Holy One of Israel. Ezekiel 39:7

Even the unclean spirits know about the holiness of Jesus.


23 And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out,

24 Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of Israel.

Mark 1:23-24

We as Christians are called to this same holiness ... the holiness of God. All true believers are called, by His grace, to experience fellowship with God in His holiness. The word, "holy," fundamentally signifies separated from sin and therefore consecrated to God, or sacred. Indeed, under the old covenant, God called on man to be holy. We are called to be sanctified, set apart, saints.

Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the Lord am Holy. Leviticus 19:2

Note that this is a commandment under the old covenant (law) to which no man could attain. But under the new covenant (grace) this word becomes a promise. It is by the holiness of Jesus Christ, and we being found in Him and He in us, that we can be reckoned as being holy.

For God hath not called us to uncleanness, but unto holiness. 1 Thessalonians 4:7 

Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

2 Corinthians 7:1

The result of "perfecting holiness in the fear of God" is that we may be found "unblameable in holiness" in the coming of Christ.

To the end He may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.

1 Thessalonians 3:13

Our holiness is not of ourselves.

And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk? Acts 3:12

Man still has free will. So the Christian must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Jesus. We must CHOOSE to deny our will and say, as did Jesus, "not my will but Thy will be done, oh Lord." Just in case we stray a little bit from time to time, the Lord has provided ways for us to get back into His will.


9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the father of spirits, and live?

10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but He for our profit, that we might be partakers of His holiness. Hebrews 12:9-10

Therefore,

Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.

Hebrews 12:14

The word "see" in Verse 14 is the Greek optanomai, which means "to gaze with wide-open eyes, as something remarkable." Indeed, the Lord is Remarkable!

Why did God create man?

Below is but a small measure of revelation that my father had received from the Lord. I hope this will be a blessing to you. All that is written below are the words of my father.

In loving memory of my father
Robert Louis (Bob) Padgett
July 28, 1931-May 22, 2023

I am sure that many people, including some Christians, have grappled with the question of, "Why did God create man?" Scripture answers that question, as we will see. 

26 And God said, Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

27 So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them. Genesis 1:26-27

We need to understand the difference between Verse 26 ("Let Us make man in Our image") and Verse 27 ("So God created man in His own image"). The word "make" is a totally different word from the word "created." Those two words (create and make) represent two different processes in God's plan and purpose for man. Scripture indicates a specific process involved in the "making" of man into that which God has designed. Both the creating and the making are all of Him ... He creates and He makes, provided we cooperate with His Spirit and allow Him to make us. It is like what men call the parable of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15. After we are born from above, by His grace, we must repent and ask Father to "make" us into that which He desires.

Who [God] hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, 2 Timothy 1:9

The calling of God is according to His own purpose and grace. It is no accident that His purpose comes before His grace, so unless we understand and cooperate with His purpose for creating man, then we will always interpret God's work as it benefits and relates to us. God knew from the very beginning that Adam would fall into sin (disobedience). So God's ultimate purpose is not simply redemptive in nature. Note that His purpose was given to us in Christ Jesus before the world began.

The LORD of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand: Isaiah 14:24

The Father will have what He wants, with or without you and with or without me.


10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in Him:

11 In Whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of Him who worketh all things after the counsel of His own will:

12 That we should be to the praise of His glory, Who first trusted in Christ.

Ephesians 1:10-12

If we desire to be firmly rooted and grounded in our Sure Foundation, we need to understand something about the plan and purpose of God. Many of us Christians seem to have a selfish outlook on life. We want to interpret the Bible as it relates to US ... salvation for us, blessings for us, healing for us, deliverance for us, gifts for us, ministry for us, safety for us now, and a ticket to heaven for us in the "sweet by and by." This approach gives us a distorted view of the Bible, of life, and its meaning. This approach will also lead to doctrinal errors. Man wants to begin everything with himself, but the Bible begins with God: "In the beginning God ..." We need to see everything as it relates to God and His purposes.

Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created. Revelation 4:11 

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28

Does that Verse still apply if we respond to His call but only for MY purpose? If you had one son in whom you found unspeakable delight, would it not be normal as a father to want many more? So it is with Abba, Father, Who by His nature and choice has desired and purposed to have a vast family of human-divine sons who are made in the image of His only begotten Son. Christ in you, the hope of glory.

It was the Father's original intention that man was first to be a created son, enjoying all that God by creation could give him. His intention has never changed and will never change. God then designed before the foundation of the world for man to become a mature son ... to enter into a living union and enjoy sonship by a relationship with Christ ... to be IN Christ. God has planned for man to share many things from Himself as the son by faith appropriates them in his life. Further, we were designed to become heirs and joint heirs of God provided that we choose to suffer with Him.

For it became Him, for Whom are all things, and by Whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the Captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. Hebrews 2:10

God our Father wants a family of children who will grow up to be mature sons, co-heirs with Christ, and joint-reigners with Him in the government of the universe. He WILL have such!!!

It is also VERY important to see that God's eternal purposes, existed BEFORE He created anything! Ephesians 1:4, as well as other verses, verifies that truth. In order to appropriate our Sure Foundation, we need to start with God and who He IS. In most churches the emphasis is placed on the works of God rather than on His person. That was the major battle when Jesus walked the face of the earth. Human nature has never changed so that is still the major battle today. Although many could accept His works, the religious elite of the day refused to accept who He was!

The Father's purpose is to give to the Son a glorious Body in which to express His very life, and a family of brothers with whom He might enjoy fellowship. The Father also has declared that in all things the Son shall have pre-eminence.

We have attempted thus far to describe the general purpose that God has always desired for man. But God also created each one of us for a specific purpose. We need to be careful, however, that our specific purpose does not overshadow our general purpose.

Man tries to copy everything; man copies books, houses, cars, food stuffs, computers, cell phones, and much more. Man has even learned how to clone some animals. Some copies are good, some not so good. Man copies Bibles; man even copies sermons. But God copies nothing. No two snowflakes are identical; no two grains of sand are identical; no two human beings are identical. There is no such thing as an identical twin. It is somewhat mind-boggling to think that of all of the billions and billions of people who have ever lived on earth, no two are identical and no two have ever had identical, specific callings.

We are all equal in terms of God's general purpose for us. But it is NOT true that we all have the same ministry or gifts. Not everyone in the body is a hand, not everyone is a mouth, not everyone is an ear, not everyone is an eye. 1 Corinthians 12 speaks of some of the various specific purposes.

The early apostles recognized that truth. Peter was a mouth; John was a heart. In Acts, Chapters 1-8, Peter and John were always together ... they were constant companions. But in the Book of Acts not one verse records that John ever said anything. Do you think John was jealous of Peter because Peter was always the spokesman? Do you think that John ever asked Peter, "Hey, Peter, why don't you let me say something sometime?"

The eye sees much better than the hand; the ear hears much better than the nose; Why? simply because God has ordained it so. So I need to know the specific calling, not only in my life but also in the lives of other members of the Body of Christ. That is where the true operation of submission enters in. John, a heart, submitted to Peter, a mouth, because he recognized both of their specific callings. The same must be true of each believer. To try to function in a place where we have never been called is to invite disaster. Fortunately, the Lord is gracious and full of mercy.

The specific high calling for the Apostle Paul was to write much of the New Testament. God's plan and purpose for Esther was to intercede for the Jewish people. Even the little maid (2 Kings 5:2) had a high calling to introduce Naaman, the leprous captain of the host of the king of Syria to Elisha, so that Naaman might be healed of his leprosy for the glory of God. John said,

"For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil" (1 John 3:8). 

As long as we fulfill the purpose for which we were created, we will all receive the same reward, whether we are the greatest apostle who ever lived or we are a little maid who cleans the house.

What is the reason why God has foreordained His purpose for each one of us? That in all things, God might be glorified! What an honor and privilege it is to know, understand, and fulfill our specific calling on earth! How can we know, understand, and fulfill our specific purpose? only by the power of the indwelling Holy Spitit.

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Matthew 5:16

19 What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

How do we glorify God? By our life! By fulfilling the purpose for which we have been called. By walking in the works that God has prepared for us before the foundation of the world. For on the seventh day, God rested from all of His works. Jesus said,

I have glorified Thee on the earth: I have finished the work which Thou gavest Me to do. John 17:4

We must always remember that the number of natural years we are allowed to live on earth does not enter the picture as to whether or not we glorify God by fulfilling His purpose for our lives. The prime example of that is Jesus Himself, who was crucified at the age of thirty-three.

Why must we know weakness, impotence, worthlessness, nothingness, on the side of our natural life? Emphatically, that His strength may be "made perfect in weakness." And what is His strength? "The exceeding greatness of His power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead" (Ephesians 1:19-20).

A true revelation of the worthlessness of the natural man in God's sight has always been a necessary prelude to anointing for service. The "I cannot" of Moses, the "Woe is me" of Isaiah, the "I am but a child" of Jeremiah, the "I am a sinful man" of Peter, the "In me ... dwelleth no good thing" of Paul, are typical of all who have been the called of God, and these expressions are the result of the application of the true meaning of the Cross. As long as we "know how to do something" or "know what to say" we are no earthly good.

May each one of us press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus, such that one day we will hear the Lord say, "Well done thou good and faithful servant. Enter thou into the joy of Thy Lord."