My Friend

Saturday, February 02, 2013, 8:42 a.m. – the Lord Jesus woke me with this song:

What a Friend We Have in Jesus / Joseph M. Scriven / Charles C. Converse

What a friend we have in Jesus,

all our sins and griefs to bear!

What a privilege to carry

everything to God in prayer!

O what peace we often forfeit,

O what needless pain we bear,

all because we do not carry

everything to God in prayer.

Have we trials and temptations?

Is there trouble anywhere?

We should never be discouraged;

take it to the Lord in prayer.

Can we find a friend so faithful

who will all our sorrows share?

Jesus knows our every weakness;

take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy laden,

cumbered with a load of care?

Precious Savior, still our refuge;

take it to the Lord in prayer.

Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?

Take it to the Lord in prayer!

In his arms he'll take and shield thee;

thou wilt find a solace there.

Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening. I read Isaiah 41 (quoting vv. 8-14 in the NIV 1984)

“But you, O Israel, my servant,

    Jacob, whom I have chosen,

    you descendants of Abraham my friend,

I took you from the ends of the earth,

    from its farthest corners I called you.

I said, ‘You are my servant’;

    I have chosen you and have not rejected you.

So do not fear, for I am with you;

    do not be dismayed, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you and help you;

    I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

“All who rage against you

    will surely be ashamed and disgraced;

those who oppose you

    will be as nothing and perish.

Though you search for your enemies,

    you will not find them.

Those who wage war against you

    will be as nothing at all.

For I am the Lord, your God,

    who takes hold of your right hand

and says to you, Do not fear;

    I will help you.

Do not be afraid, O worm Jacob,

    O little Israel,

for I myself will help you,” declares the Lord,

    your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.

O Israel

When Isaiah wrote these words, the people of God consisted of the nation of Israel. They were God’s chosen people at that time. Yet, since Jesus Christ died for our sins, was resurrected from the grave, and ascended into heaven, true believers in and followers of Jesus Christ, the promised Messiah, have become the people of God. Those Jews who trusted in Jesus Christ as their Lord, Messiah and Savior are still the people of God, yet the nation of Israel is no longer God’s chosen people or nation, because they rejected Jesus Christ as their God, Lord, Savior and Messiah.

The city of Jerusalem also is no longer the Holy City, for it is now, as is Israel, of Hagar, the slave woman (see Gal. 4), which means the Jews, as physical descendants of Abraham, are not all Abraham’s children, i.e. they are not all the children of promise (see Ro. 9) unless they believe in Jesus Christ as Messiah, Lord and Savior (God). As well, a true “Jew” is one who has been circumcised of the heart by the Spirit of God, which can only come through faith in Jesus Christ (see Ro. 2). So, basically Jews who do not believe in Jesus Christ are the same as any other non-believer, which means they are numbered among the Gentiles.

So, the only ones today who can apply these words in Isaiah to their lives are those who have made a genuine decision to trust Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of their lives. We are true Israel. We are God’s chosen people. We are the temple of the Holy Spirit, and within us now dwells the Holy of Holies. We are the Jerusalem that is from above, and we are God’s chosen nation and people. We are the Holy City. God’s chosen nation is no longer a physical nation but it is a spiritual entity, just like the church is not a physical temple, but is a spiritual entity (building of God), and we, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house (see 1 Pet. 2:5). Mt. Zion is now Jesus Christ, the gospel of Christ, the cross of Christ, i.e. the kingdom of God, including the people of God, the body of Christ.

As well, the true church of Jesus Christ is not a physical building, it is not a corporation underneath the federal government, and it is not a social club, a denomination, or a business. The sanctuary of God is not a room inside a building often called a church, and when we walk inside a building called a church, we are not entering into the presence of God nor are we in his house, because his house is within our hearts. Since the true church consists of followers of Jesus Christ, and is a spiritual house, it can meet anywhere at any time. The early church met daily from house to house and in the temple courts. I liken places where Christians gather together in the name of the Lord on the internet for purposes of fellowship, teaching, giving testimony for Christ and his gospel, and for prayer, as similar to the early Christians gathering together in the temple courts. The true church is not limited by time and space. It is like a city without walls.

The Lord’s Servant

The Lord has called us to be his servants. The word servant, with regard to the relationship between God’s people and himself, is often translated slave or bondservant. A bondservant is one who follows his master’s commands, and his will, without regard for his or her own will. When we are crucified with Christ, we no longer live, i.e. our fleshly will and desires die with Christ, and now it is Christ, and his will and desires, which are now living within us. The new life we now live, we live by faith in Jesus Christ, who loved us and gave himself up for us (see Gal. 2:20-21).

Jesus said that if anyone would come after him, he must deny (disallow) himself, take up his cross daily (die daily to self and sin) and follow (obey) Jesus. This is what it means to be a bondservant of the Lord, and the name Lord means master (boss). As well, the way we come to know Christ is by forsaking (dying to; putting off) our old lives of sin, by being transformed (like the process of metamorphosis) in heart and mind (the working of the Holy Spirit), and by putting on our new selves, “created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (see Eph. 4:17-24). We are no longer our own. We were bought with a price; therefore we should honor God with our lives, following him and not men (See 1 Co. 6-7).

Our Friend

I love how God describes his relationship with his chosen people. He has a warm affection for us and a tender heart toward us. He calls us his friend, and he is our friend. Yet, he is not a casual social buddy who just comes to hang out with us each day, participating in whatever activities we decide to involve ourselves in. Truly he is with us always if we are truly his, but the friendship between us is a deep caring friendship – the kind that will speak the truth in love to us, correct us when we need it, strongly exhort us when necessary, warn us against what is wrong, and will encourage us toward what is good and is right. He carries our sorrows, sympathizes with our weaknesses, knows from personal experience what it is like to be tempted, yet without sin, and has felt pain and sorrow in his heart, so he was able to become not only our Lord and Savior, but our merciful and compassionate high priest.

Our Lord Jesus is with us always, so we never need to fear physical enemies, or the forces of evil in the heavenly realms, and/or our circumstances. We should never worry, fret, and/or have our confidence shaken, for God is with us. He will never leave us or forsake us. He will give us all we need to live in this world for his glory, to fight off the enemy’s attacks against our minds and/or emotions, to love and obey him, and to share our testimony of his saving grace and the true gospel message. We just have to listen to what he says and do it, i.e. we have to appropriate to our lives what he did for us on the cross, and we have to appropriate to our lives all that he has supplied for walking in his truth day-to-day.

Jesus told his disciples that they would be hated as he was hated and that they would be persecuted and perhaps even put to death for their faith and testimony for Jesus Christ. Few of us have had to face such severe persecution for our faith in the U.S.A., but that day is coming. Yet, we don’t have to fear what man will do to us, because they can kill the body, but they can’t kill our souls. They may be able to cause great havoc in our lives and even take us to the valley of tribulation, but they can’t separate us from Christ’s love for us, and they can’t take our Lord away or our confidence in Him.

When he was getting ready to leave the earth, Jesus told his disciples he would not leave them as orphans, but he would send his Spirit to indwell his followers – to give comfort, guidance, wisdom, direction, and counsel, and to teach us all the things of Christ Jesus. So, if we are in need, or we are lacking wisdom, or we need help with anything, we just need to seek God’s face and inquire of our Lord, because he is there to give us all that we need for godly living. We just need to take everything to our Lord Jesus, our friend, in prayer.

Oh, to Be Like Thee, Blessed Redeemer / Thomas O. Chisholm / W. J. Kirkpatrick

Oh, to be like Thee! blessèd Redeemer,

This is my constant longing and prayer;

Gladly I’ll forfeit all of earth’s treasures,

Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear.

Oh, to be like Thee! full of compassion,

Loving, forgiving, tender and kind,

Helping the helpless, cheering the fainting,

Seeking the wandering sinner to find.

O to be like Thee! lowly in spirit,

Holy and harmless, patient and brave;

Meekly enduring cruel reproaches,

Willing to suffer others to save.

O to be like Thee! while I am pleading,

Pour out Thy Spirit, fill with Thy love;

Make me a temple meet for Thy dwelling,

Fit me for life and Heaven above.

Oh, to be like Thee! Oh, to be like Thee,

Blessèd Redeemer, pure as Thou art;

Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;

Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.