Sent His Way

Sent His Way
- Acts 9:10-17 And there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias And he said, Behold, I am here , Lord.  (11)  And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth,  (12)  And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight   (13) Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem:  (14)  And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name.  (15)  But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:  (16)  For I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake   (17)  And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.   (kjv)

Ananias played a key role in the ministry of the apostle Paul.  He was used by God to effectively launch what undoubtedly the most effective, most powerful, most lasting, and most beneficial ministry after that of Jesus' the world has ever seen.  The apostle Paul was used by God to write the majority of the New Testament, start all but a few of the early churches, develop the pastoral staff of the churches and set up faith - promise missions.  Paul was used greatly by God, and Ananias was used to kick off that greatness.  Although not much is said about the man, there are some things we can learn from him.

HE DISCERNED THE VOICE OF THE LORD
Jesus came to him in a vision and simply called his name.  It did not startle Ananias.  He was not amazed by it.  The event did not confuse him at all.  His response was not as Sauls, "Who art thou, Lord?"  He knew immediately who it was that spoke his name.  He was not like young Samuel who did not yet know the Lord and thrice went to Eli mistaking the Lord's voice for that of his mentor.

How was it that Ananias was so quickly aware of who had called hm?  How was it possible for him to be so familiar with the voice of the Lord?  Practice.  He simply practiced the presence of God.  He spent time in prayer, and while he prayed he listened for the voice of the Lord to give him direction, comfort, rebuke, or what ever answer he may receive.  He listened for the voice of the Lord when he read the Scriptures and meditated on what God revealed to him.  He listened for the voice of the Lord as he went about his daily routine, daily chores, daily work, daily conversations, and daily rest.

HE DELIGHTED IN THE VOICE OF THE LORD
Ananias knew the voice of the Lord and was accustomed to immediately responding to His wonderful voice.  His response was not tempered with any reservations.  There was no delay in his response as there was with Adam's.  Ananias was not hindered by sin as was Adam.  There was no reservation in his response.  There was no doubt in his response.  There were no regrets on his response as a child who is playing with his friends responds to his mother calling him in for supper, but wishes she hadn't at just that time.

Ananias responded with willing eagerness.  "Behold," he said.  There is no exclamation point after this, but I have know doubt he was excited at the call of God.  I think about the first year Jr. High football player sitting on the bench, wishing his coach would call him up to get in the game.  I think about the many games before that went by, all the times he suited up to play, only to take the uniform off without having put it to use.  Then he heard that voice.  The one he had longed to hear call his name at game time. He's heard it many times before, but only during practice. This time was special.  "HERE I AM COACH," he yelled as loud as he could, "HERE I AM!"

Ananias was accustomed to immediately and eagerly responding to the call of God.  This time was no different.  He recognized the voice of the Lord, and ever eager to be used by God in any capacity, through any risk, he responded immediately, enthusiastically.  He did not want to be passed up.

HE DID THE VOICE OF THE LORD
Initially he questioned the directive. Initially he was not sure whether he had heard correctly.  As Mary was amazed that she would be with child having never known a man, so to was Ananias that he would be sent to answer the prayer of a man who, as of last record hated Jesus,  and was doing all he could to wipe out His church.  "Saul?  The man who is the sworn enemy of You, Lord?  This very same Saul is now praying to You?"

It is Jesus' answer that makes it clear that Ananias had no intention of being disobedient.  "Go THY way."  Ananias would obey God.  It was his habit to.  God's way was Ananias' way.  His habit was to discern the voice of the Lord.  His habit was to delight in the voice of the Lord.  His habit was to do the voice of the Lord.  This was no easy task.  It was not for the weak hearted.  This assignment was not for the doubter.  It would take a modern day Daniel to step into this lion's den and do what God had instructed.  No sir, no ship jumping Jonahs on this one.  This job would take a man who's custom it was to make his way line up with God's.

God now called this way, Ananias' way.  When God had left off speaking with him, it had indeed become Ananias' way for,  "Ananias," the Bible says, "went his way." 

We need to be in the habit of discerning His voice, delighting in His voice, and doing His voice.  The more we do, the more He will be able to use us.  Have you ever wondered why there were four hundred silent years between the end of the old testament and the beginning of the new?  The Jews no longer discerned the voice of the Lord.  They no longer delighted in the voice of the Lord.  They no longer did the voice of the Lord. 

Is God speaking to you?  He wants to. 

Pressing on,

Mark Hebert
Psalm 16:11 - R U in His presence?

Stay Put

Stay Put

- Proverbs 27:8 As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so is a man that wandereth from his place.   (kjv)

There is safety in the nest.  There is fellowship in the nest. There is love in the nest. There is peace in the nest. There is joy in the nest. There is sustenance in the nest. There is life in the nest.

There are all of these things and more when I am in my place. God is in the place He has put me. That's my place. His rewards are in the place He has put me.  That's my place. His benefits are in the place He has put me. That's my place. His love is in the place He has put me. That's my place. The abundance of joy is in the place He has put me. That's my place.

Outside of my place, as the bird outside of her best, the hardship, heartache, and hurts are sure to fill my life. Remember Houston.  -

Pressing on,

Mark Hebert
Psalm 16:11 - R U in His presence?

Continuing Education

Proverbs 24:32 Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction.   (kjv)

God is always willing to teach us.  He is always ready to teach us.  He is always teaching us.  Every circumstance, every situation, every trial, every blessing, are meant to teach us.  Here we see Solomon walking by an unkept field.

He looked upon it.  He was not blond to the condition of it.  He paid attention to it, and considered the state of it.

He looked for the instruction of it.  He looked for the lesson in it.  He did not want his fields to be in the same condition.  How can I prevent it?  What will be the end of the man whose field this is? 

He RECEIVED instruction.  It is there for us.  It is all around us.  God will give it.  The choice of whether or not you receive it is completely up to you. 

See your circumstance, look for the lesson, ingest the instruction.

Pressing on,

Mark Hebert
Psalm 16:11 - R U in His presence?

Useless Bible Reading

Useless Bible Reading - Acts 8:30 And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Isaiah, and said , Understandest thou what thou readest?   (kjv)

I have been asked on several occassions how to study the Bible.  I have been told on several occasions by one individual or another that when they read the Bible, they don't get anything from it.  I have had several people tell me that they only read the Bible because they were told that's what Christians are supposed to do.

There is no value in Bible Reading absent understanding.  How can I understand except some man show me?  The Holy Spirit is here to guide us into all truth and righteousness. 

WE MUST LISTEN.  He usually speaks in a still small voice.  Listen for His voice.   Those who are not saved can not here his voice, for He is not residing in them.  God sends a messenger to them.  The messenger is sent, like Philip was sent, by the Holy Spirit. 

Three questions:
1)  Are you saved?  You absolutely will not understand with your natural mind what the Bible says.

2)  For the saved - Are you going when you are sent?   If you are saved, you know the Spirit of all mighty God has told you to speak to someone, at some point in your life.  Are you obedient to His direction? 

3)  For the unsaved - Are you listening?  That person is standing there, begging you, in Christ's stead, in His place, as if it were Jessie Himself in front of you, be heard reconciled to God!

Eliminate all intrusions, all distractions, all obstacles, and listen for Him.

WE MUST FOLLOW HIS LEAD.  When he points something out in the Bible, that's the time to listen.  That's when the meditation must begin.  The eunuch was at a point in Scripture and the Holy Spirit, through Philip asks,  "understandeth thou what thou readest?"  He does the same with us. 

Most of the Bible studies in have done have been the result of the Holy Spirit calling my attention to a passage and giving just one small thought on that passage; something I had never seen before.  It was just a fleeting thought: small, seemingly insignificant, and like a vapor - quickly vanishing away.  I have tried to "recapture" the thought at a later point.  I was rarely successful.

The eunuch could have sent Philip packing, as many of us do with the Holy Spirit.   "Get away from me, I don't have time to listen right now."  We say it in different ways, but that's the message.  "I have to read all this Scripture, I don't have time to stop and meditate."  By the way, why is it that you have to read all of that Scripture?  If it's not so the Holy Spirit can feed you, it's worthless, and you will soon become no fan of Bible reading. 

Maybe you're not as abrupt.  "I don't have time right now, can you come back a little later?"  He's knocking now.  He's asking now.  He's offering now.  He knows the best time for you.  He only comes at the best time for you.  That time is now.  Seize the moment!

WE MUST ACT ON HIS TEACHING. 
Someone said (it may have been me), "I used to love reading the Bible.  It seemed that each time I did so, God showed me something new.  Now there's nothing.  That excitement is gone."  Well, why not start doing what He has shown you? 

In the parable of the talents (Matt 25:14-30), each servant was given a number of talents according to his ability.  We each get a number of talents according to our ability.  The good news is, as we exercise our abilities, they increase.  We take the talents, apply our ability, and increase those talents.  Our Lord sees that and increases the talents.  In this case the talents are understanding the word of God.   Why would He give us an increase in understanding of His word when we take that talent and bury it in the ground?

Jesus said in John 14:21a, "He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me."  That's a pretty self explanatory statement, but allow me to illustrate. 

I was a rebellious kid from the time my head was graced with the light of day.  I was so bad that the first thing the doctor did when I was born was spank my butt.  My mom even thanked him for it, and my dad just stood there and smiled.  I cried, but it wasn't from pain, it was an expression of rebellious anger. 

Things went from bad to worse.  My mom would try to feed me with a bottle and just to spite her, I would spit some of it back up.  Sometimes I even managed to throw it all up.  It wasn't long before I was being fed solid foods, and instead of putting it in my mouth, I smeared it all over my face, and hands, and arms, and high chair, and walls, and shirt, and diaper, and - well you get the picture.  I advanced from there to throwing the bowl or plate of food right on the floor.  I'm telling you, I was a rebel. 

My parents went back to the spanking doctor and asked him for some help.  He said he would spank me again, but would have to charge them for it.  Attempting to save some money, they decided to put ice skates on my feet, lock me in a big arena with an ice floor where people would knock me down and shoot a hard rubber puck at me.  Eventually I figured out how to out manuever the other people, and even to use their own puck against them.

Frustrated, my dad sat me down after yet another dance with the business side of a belt and said, "Son, you are going to obey me.  You will either do it because you love me, or because you fear me, but you will obey me."  I am sorry to say that speech did not stop the rebellion, but it cut deeply into me. 

To think that I was telling my dad that I did not love him when I disobeyed was frightening.  I loved him, or at least I thought I did.  To think that I demonstrated to him that I didn't was something I had difficulty coming to grips with, even though I knew it was true.  The problem, I have come to understand, is not that I did not love my dad, but that I loved me much more.  Then again, there is the truth that no man can serve two masters.  For he will love one and hate the other.

Who do you love?  Lord God, my Father; please cause me to love Thee with a pure heart that my life would leave no doubt that Thou art my love, and Thou wouldst be glorified.

It is through Holy Spirit led Bible STUDY that this happens.  This is how I may have His commandments, this is how I may keep His commandments, this is how I may love Him.

Pressing on,

Mark Hebert
Psalm 16:11 - R U in His presence?