July 4 , 2008 My People Are Destroyed For Lack of Knowledge Kathleen Maples

2Pe 3:17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being
led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness.

2Pe 3:18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To
him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

Beloved, have you ever considered what the Lord means when He calls you Beloved? In the
Greek, it is the word "Agapetos" and it means favorite, worthy of love, clearly and well
loved and much loved, dear to the heart. May we pause a minute and meditate quietly in
our hearts on that? In the New Testament this word is used to describe divine and
Christian love toward each other and from God toward us. He is telling us something very
important here, and I pray the Spirit of God will give us hearing ears to understand this. If
you read all of Chapter 3 in 2 Peter, you understand that Peter has just described how the
judgment of God will consume this earth with fire that will melt even the atmosphere and
the planets.

He's described the unbelief that grips people's hearts, deceiving them into believing God
will not judge their sin. This is the error of the wicked-they simply do not grasp or believe
that God will judge them for their sin. This applies to us, as Christians as well. When I saw
this, it was because HE showed it to me. I had to repent, too. People sit in churches for
years, they amen the preacher, they sing the songs of praise, they lift their hands, they
read their Bibles some, they pray some, they hear the Word of God taught, and that is the
extent of their Christian experience. They are satisfied with that. Occasionally they will get
convicted by a Word, weep and cry some at an altar for about 4 or 5 minutes, feel better
about themselves, and are satisfied things are ok, and they would tell you if asked, that
they keep the commandments of God as best they can. They would say they know it is
wrong to disobey God and do not do so. But have we considered carefully and examined
ourselves as we are exhorted to do? We aren't as obedient as we think we are.
God has been dealing with me about these things, and has sent me a solid confirmation of
these things, through several messages preached by BH Clendennen. What I write here is
the result of God dealing with me, personally. But I see the need in the church, as well. HE
said in Luke 24:49 "Tarry until you be endued (clothed, infused with, covered with, filled
with) power from on High." Acts 1:8 says we will receive power when the Holy Ghost
comes upon us to be witnesses to Him throughout the world. Witnesses. That word means
someone who sees and knows something firsthand. They get their revelation from the Lord
Himself, they do not depend on the preacher. They seek the Lord. They know Him, or they
are learning to know Him, for there is so much to know about HIM we could never know it
all. In the Greek this word for witnesses is "martus" and it means martyr. It is one who has
given their life up for Him, literally or figuratively. They have exchanged their old life for
His new one. They do not live for self-but have yielded themselves for Him, to Him, to live
through them. How can we represent Him accurately if we don't know Him? I know I
sound like a broken record. These are not suggestions, but commands. If this is not our
walk, and our life with Him, we are not being obedient. We don't have the strength to
reject ourselves and crucify ourselves, that's why we must have the Holy Ghost. God
knows that, but we need to know it. Saying it is one thing, recognizing the need is another.
But when will "Get around to it"? I have been guilty of this-knowing my lack, knowing my
need, just struggling along, knowing that almost mythical "someday" God will get me
there. But there comes a time, when He is dealing with us, we need to stop and consider
carefully the consequences if we don't walk in the light He is shining-the only alternative is
to be overtaken by darkness. We can't hem and haw and make excuses and expect Him to
just wait on us forever to get our act together. We can't get it together without HIM.
The church world has come to re-define some of the terminology of the Bible, for we've
come to believe the word "witness" means to share the Gospel with someone-but by
definition, you can not accurately share what you do not personally know to be true-in
this case, Jesus Christ. That requires a sacrifice of our time, alone with Him in the prayer
closet, in His Word, learning Him, feeding on Him, being filled with His Spirit and THEN
we can be true witnesses of Him. We've come to think of conviction as a bad feeling for
having done something wrong. In reality, to be convicted is to be found guilty of violating
God's law. Without repentance, there is only judgment left. Ephesians 5:18 says "Be filled
with the Spirit" and the word implies a continual filling, not a one time thing. Stay filled
with the Spirit is what He is telling us. If we are not tarrying, waiting, seeking and
praying, and learning Him, and being filled with His Spirit, baptized by the Holy Ghost
and fire, we are disobedient and unqualified witnesses.

Peter has reminded us how the Lord doesn't want anyone to perish but these things are
coming and we see the signs of their approach happening all around us. The scoffers are
scoffing, the ignorant are willfully ignorant, refusing to consider the truth, but the Word
of the Lord is still forever settled in heaven and cannot change. Toward the end of chapter
3, Peter, knowing by the power of the Spirit that such thoughts and such knowledge of
what will happen will be a tool of the enemy to incite fear in the heart of the believer, he
reminds them to be alert, and remember they are beloved of God, and must grow in grace
and follow on to know the Lord for themselves. It's in knowing HIM that we find this peace
and security. To mature we need to eat the Word and pray for understanding. If we do not
understand how this Word of God applies to us, we cannot profit from it as God intends. As
we do this on a regular basis, we grow, we mature. The more we see and learn of HIM the
more we will hunger for Him. As John said, I must decrease, and He must increase. Before
there can be an increase of His life in me, I must empty myself of self-and to do that I need
the help of the Holy Ghost. I cannot do this myself. It is vitally necessary that we KNOW
HIM for ourselves.

“The blood of Jesus took care of my sin problem but I need the power of the Holy Ghost to
take care of the self problem”-and that is a quote from the much beloved Pastor BH
Clendennen.

Isa 5:1 Now will I sing to my well beloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My well
beloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill:
Isa 5:2 And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest
vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that
it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes.
Isa 5:3 And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me
and my vineyard.
Isa 5:4 What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore,
when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?
Isa 5:5 And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge
thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down:

Jesus said the Father is the Husbandman, the One who planted the vineyard. Jesus said He
is the true vine (Joh_15:1 ). He would never have planted a vineyard in a hard, dry and
rocky place, but in a fertile, well prepared place. Israel is also called the vineyard of God,
and we as believers are also called the planting of the Lord. (Isa_61:3)

I read up a little on vineyards because I don't know anything about them, and what I
found was very interesting. It takes time, effort and a lots of planning to grow a vineyard.
The first year, the vine is carefully tended, and not meant to produce fruit because its roots
are not established enough to support making or sustaining fruit. Any clusters that grow
on the vine during the first year are removed by the husbandmen to prevent the vine from
bearing fruit. It is key the vine be allowed to establish a strong root system first. To
achieve this, the grape grower must water the vines, control pests and weeds and build a
store of nutrients by applying the right kind and amount of fertilizer. The vine is not
allowed to produce fruit the first year so it won't use up the nutrients needed to establish
the roots trying to sustain fruit for it is not mature enough to do so. Some vines may be
ready to produce fruit the 2nd year, others may not.

To plant and tend a vineyard requires a lot of patience and knowledge of when the vine's
root system has established deep enough in the soil to sustain fruit. Then it will be ready to
do so. In general, they allow two years of growth before they allow clusters to mature into
grapes. This gives the root system time to establish itself and grow strong before they can
begin producing fruit. That should be an encouragement to new Christians and young
Christians. After 2 years, the vine is pruned so that when it does produce fruit, it will
produce well.

Watering the vines is key, as well. This has a powerful (at least to my heart) spiritual
application. The roots must be allowed to dry out between watering because this causes
the roots to grow and dig deeper in the soil trying to find water. Deep, and infrequent
applications of water are best for the vine to provoke it to dig its roots deeper in the soil
searching for moisture. If you water them too much, with a hose or sprayer that is rigged
to hang over the vine, it will cause the roots to be shallow (lazy) and balled up near the
surface of the soil. The vine will not be strong.

It has been my experience when I felt the driest, I would run back to the Word seeking
nourishment, encouragement, direction and more of God. Hallelujah! Do you see it? How
many times I have felt so spiritually dry and barren, and fretted and worried. I have
watched my husband carefully tend his beloved garden, and how he is so careful to work it
and check for the vegetables. It never occurred to me he didn't get angry when they
weren't producing right, he would just solve the problem with fertilizer, water, miracle
grow, or weed control-whatever was needed. This is how God works with us.

Weed control is critical in the vine's early years before the root system is established. Once
the vineyard is established, weeds are not as important. The weeds will soak up the
nutrients and moisture in the soil and the vine will suffer and have a harder time
establishing a good, deep root system. Pests which can destroy the vine are a threat. Many
work under the ground, eating at the roots, which kills the vine.

The Scripture says He fenced it in, dug about it, He gathered out the rocks that would
hinder the tender shoots from springing up through the soil, and planted the choicest vine-
and Jesus certainly was the best Heaven had to offer. He built a tower in the midst of the
vineyard. The Scripture says in Prov 18:10 the Name of the Lord is a strong tower, the
righteous run into it and are safe. He also made a winepress. This is a device used to
extract the juice from crushed grapes. Wild grapes in the original Hebrew means "poison
or worthless stink berries."

The Lord plants this vine, this life of Christ in us and then He gives us time to grow, He
encourages us by the power of His Spirit, He draws us to hunger for His Word, and He
moves on us by the power of His Spirit and feeds us His living Word. He helps us
understand truth as we seek Him. When we begin to be rooted in the Word, there are
afflictions and problems He allows to come our way that squeeze us. We learn to draw
strength from Him, for HE sheds the light on us that causes us to want to dig in deeper for
an ever increasing revelation of His truth. Think about it-when you plant seeds of any kind
what causes them to grow? They are watered, and fertilized. But it's the exposure to the
LIGHT that causes them to grow and be green and healthy. It's the light that causes the
plants to spring up out of the earth and stretch skyward and lean toward the light,
without which they would die.

If we were left to our own devices, without being squeezed, we would consume the life of
Christ inside us for ourselves, and it would be all about what God would do for us. How
could we learn to serve others and have compassion for the hurts and needs of others if we
never hurt? The Son of God took on Himself the flesh of man so He could know and taste
what it is like to walk in flesh and battle what we battle and be tempted by what we are.
Christ in us is the hope of glory for our loved ones, for ourselves, and for the world around
us.

He made all this provision for His people but they did not produce the fruit He was
expecting and waiting patiently to grow.

Isa 5:5 And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge
thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down:
Isa 5:6 And I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up briers
and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it.
Isa 5:7 For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his
pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but
behold a cry.

His "pleasant plant". They were God's delight, His pleasure. He enjoyed His people,
blessing them, nourishing them, bringing them up, and then they turned away from Him
to their own ways, to do what was right in their own eyes, and follow after the ways of the
world. He patiently waited for them to keep His divine law, which He had clearly given
them. He sent them His prophets and priests to teach them but they stopped up their ears
and would no longer hear. That word "oppression" in the Hebrew it is the word "mispach"
and it means bloodshed, or an outpouring of blood..a slaughter as well as oppression.
Pressed down. He looked for justice, among the people, and instead there was the cry of
the spoiled child, refusing what was right, demanding what was wrong. The very
foundation of truth in the family home had been compromised and an ungodly influence
saturated this society, to the point there was no place they could be separated unto God.
Everything was polluted and defiled by their rejection of truth and embracing of self. This
included everything from the priesthood, to the education system, to the government. The
business district-everything. This was a pleasure mad society now, pursuing those very
things that would destroy them. He says in verses 11-12 they are chasing the things that
intoxicate and inflame their senses, feasting and feeding the desires of their flesh and
consider not the work of the Lord-nor that they are His. So He removes the wall and they
will be trodden down, He says. That made me think of what Jesus said:

Mat 5:13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be
salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of
men.

I was very surprised when I dug into this. If you look this up in the Greek, it is G3471 and I
encourage you to grab your Strong's Concordance and check this out for yourself, the
word for savor here is "moraino". It means to act foolish, become a fool. To make
something flat and tasteless, and it subsequently loses its strength and flavor. I'm almost
sure that is where we get our word "moron" from. It's the root word. When He says it will
be trodden under foot, this means treated and rejected with contemptuous disdain. I have
heard people who call themselves Christians but talk and act like those around them and
they have no credibility. They aren't taken seriously-by sinners or by powers of darkness.
Too many have deceived themselves that because they hear the Word of God and say they
believe it, they are saved. Wrong. The Bible says it is not the hearer that is justified but the
doer. Faith is what you do about what you know is true. Truth demands action of some
kind. If you know the house is on fire, you GET OUT. If you KNOW Jesus is coming, and it
will take the HOLY SPIRIT to quicken and change your mortal body, how can you expect
to go if you are not filled with that same Holy Spirit?

Isa 5:13 Therefore my people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge: and their
honorable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst.
Isa 5:14 Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure: and their
glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it.

There are things that bind God's people, and it is not His will that this be so.
God's people are uncovered, vulnerable, and they are stripped of power and wisdom. This
can only happen because they do not know God, they are ignorant of His ways and Word,
so they lack discernment, and understanding. This is willful ignorance because the Truth
and His Spirit is available to us. His Spirit wants us to know these things but we have to
give Him set aside time and set aside place and a heart willing to receive the truth.
Therefore, what , in reality has no dominion over them can bind them because they do not
know the Word of God and FAITH comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of GOD.
They have the authority to resist these things, if only they would walk in obedience to God.
Because they do not know Him, they are blind to what is happening. Psalms 138:8 says He
magnified His Word above His name, so should His Word not have the pre-eminence in the
church service, and in our everyday lives? Col 2:10 says we are complete in HIM but it also
says in Col 1:

Col 1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from
the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
Col 1:19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;

This is God talking to us. We must remember this as we read what is written in this Holy
Bible. And GOD says HE, His SON, Jesus Christ is the Head-He is the primary, first and
foremost, Master, Intelligence, Source of Life, The One who is above all, the One who is to
be honored and obeyed. Without the Head there is no body, which is the church. In ALL
things He is ordained of God to have the pre-eminence-the prominence, the honor. In short,
everything revolves around HIM. It must be CHRIST centered. He requires first place.
That's what pre-eminence means. He's central, the primary focus of our Christian life and
service. It's all about HIM. Not us. He doesn't need us but we need Him.

There are two ways to look at this and I want to take a moment to consider both. First,
publicly: in the church service...there should be prayer, and the access to the Throne is in
the Name of Jesus, through the blood. He is key. Without Him we have no access to the
Father. Without the Holy Spirit, to quicken and inspire us, and lead us, our prayers are
dull and lifeless. Second, there is to be worship. Not routine, but out of hearts that love
Him and want to worship our beautiful and lovely CHRIST..

I love the songs which adore Him and praise His blood, His sacrifice, His loveliness, His
victory at the cross, His goodness! It's CHRIST that I want to see, and the world needs to
see, and everything else, including heaven, pales in comparison for HE alone is the LIGHT
of that city. It would not be heaven without HIM. We have no chance to be there without
HIM. The focus will be on HIM! Hallelujah! He is worthy!

Thirdly, the preaching of the Word is vital. I have heard Pastor Bert Clendennen say and it
bears repeating, the pulpit is in the center of the church, and by its presence there testifies
the Word of God is the central and most important thing in that service. AMEN!!!! If the
Bread of Life is not broken and fed to the sheep how can they live? How can they worship?
It is not men's words or opinions of GOD's WORD that has spirit or life but it is the WORD
of GOD delivered under the leadership of the HOLY SPIRIT that brings life and
deliverance. Only God knows the hearts and needs of the congregation. That preacher
must have been praying and digging into this Word, making Himself available freely to
God and must be letting God make him the message before he can preach it. Too many
times, the preacher, knowing the Scriptures, technically, gets up and follows the sight of
his eyes, and out of the frustrations of his heart, begins to preach at the people. This is
flesh, or self, using the Word of God, trying to help people, but wounding them instead
because the letter of the law kills-they know what they are supposed to be but they can't do
it in themselves! It's the Spirit who anoints that which He births and governs. Not self. It is
the Spirit that makes the Word come alive and feed and strengthen the people. God wants
to give us His Word. But we must recognize He is the Source, and we can't privately
interpret it but instead pray for divine revelation of how it applies to us. A preacher can
get up and read divine truth and it not accomplish anything. If he can't put self out of the
way when he's bringing forth the Word, then it's a dead letter. All his frustrations, unmet
expectations and concerns can interfere with the Word God's Spirit wants to anoint if we
don't pray and ask Him to help us get out of the way and hide behind the cross-dead to self.
I don't understand how that works exactly I just know it has to be that way. I just know
that man or woman in the pulpit must come there humbly, totally trusting and dependent
on GOD to feed these people what they need and use his mouth to speak. It's the power of
the Spirit flowing through the congregation, touching hearts, comforting, convicting, and
man can't do that with words. This is why so many churches have so many empty seats
and why people feel they won't miss a thing if they stay home. When Christ is lifted up and
His Word is central, and the anointing is there, HE WILL DRAW all men to Himself.

Then, we look at Christ having the pre-eminence in ourselves, our homes, our lives, our
thoughts, our hearts, our words, in everything that pertains to us as part of this BODY of
Christ. Does He have the pre-eminence in us or does self rule? The preacher can only do so
much. It's up to the individual to come to Christ, to the Word, to the prayer closet, and feed
on Him, else we'll never be like Him.

God says HE is to have the pre-eminence. HIS WORD only accomplishes when HE sends it.
If that preacher gets up in church and reads a verse or two and then talks for 2 hours
about what he thinks about it, it's useless. It's what he thinks. But if he's been praying,
communing with the Lord, and the Lord has revealed to him what Word is needful to the
people, then the Spirit of God will quicken and carry that Word right into the hearts of all
who will be open to receive it, and it will convict and challenge and comfort and teach and
strengthen the people. They can pull up to the table of the Lord and eat His Word. We can't
expect God to bless what He doesn't direct. By the end of the service, people should be
wondering in gratitude, GOD helped me this morning, or evening, He met me here! They
should never leave being able to say "oh, what a good preacher." It's the Message, not the
messenger.

Jer 8:7 Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle and the crane
and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the judgment of the
LORD.
God's people are blind here, they can't see and don't recognize or consider the judgment of
the Lord. They don't understand and it will take them unawares. His judgment is His
instruction, His declaration of what is truth, what is right, and what He will do when His
Word is disregarded. For so long, God has been preached as a merciful, good God, that
people have grown careless, convinced because God loves them He won't judge their sin.
He understands and after all, they'll get around to repentance. He knows they mean well.
Oh, Lord have mercy. Again I'm reminded the Word says this:

Jas 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

He has pronounced a verdict on ungodliness and unbelief and sin and He is a just God with
no respect of persons who will not go back on what He has had written in His Word. It's
forever settled in heaven. It can't be changed. It's His right to judge us. He has passed
sentence on sin, and on righteousness. So which judgment will we receive? The one
preserved for those who do His Will because they have heard His Word and have not
deceived themselves into thinking hearing is enough? Or are we doing what is right in our
own eyes? Hear the indictment of God on this:

Hos 4:1 Hear the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the LORD hath a controversy with
the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the
land.
Hos 4:2 By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break
out, and blood toucheth blood.
Hos 4:3 Therefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish, with
the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven; yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken
away.
Hos 4:4 Yet let no man strive, nor reprove another: for thy people are as they that strive with the
priest.
Hos 4:5 Therefore shalt thou fall in the day, and the prophet also shall fall with thee in the night,
and I will destroy thy mother.

He says in verse 4-don't blame anyone else for what you are doing. When we know what is
right and are more influenced by the sin around us than the Spirit of God in us, we need to
get back to the altar because when He's in there He will hold us up and make us to stand. If
that is not how it is with us, then we don't have enough if any of His Spirit in there. He
made Noah stand in a day where there was no church, no pastor, no Bible Software or
computers, no choirs, or gospel singers, no evangelists, no church. He was the church. Him
and God. The Scripture says Noah found grace in God's eyes-didn't say his family did.
Though I believe because Noah walked with God it had a profound effect on his family. You
can't walk with God and be unlike Him.

Hos 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I
will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy
God, I will also forget thy children.
Hos 4:7 As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will I change their glory
into shame.

In verse one He says He has a controversy with the people-He has a charge against them, a
legal case against them --and remember He is the Judge of the whole earth and we will all
stand in His court one day-either at the Judgment seat of Christ or the great white throne
judgment. His Word is law whether we realize it or not. How blind many of God's people
are to the help and love that is available to them and they neglect Him days on end
pursuing self interest. This is what He has found Israel guilty of doing. When you neglect
the HOLY you will become gripped by what is UN-holy. I read this in the New Living
Translation and I want to share it with you (highlights mine, for emphasis):

My people are being destroyed

because they don’t know me.
Since you priests refuse to know me,
I refuse to recognize you as my priests.
Since you have forgotten the laws of your God,
I will forget to bless your children.

He says My people fail, they perish and are undone, with NOTHING to say in their own
defense, silent before their judgment because they rejected knowledge-knowledge of GOD,
the chance to know Him for themselves. Fellowship with Him. If you don't seek HIM you
are telling Him you don't NEED HIM. And you DO need Him! If you don't get in this Book,
and talk to Him, and seek understanding of this Word of God by your very neglect of Him
you are saying I don't need You! You'll stand before Him without excuse. These will be cut
off from life... If you have a spouse, and you do not take time to communicate with them,
and you don't spend time with them, pretty soon, you won't have a spouse. Your neglect
will leave them feeling rejected, hated, and cast away. This is how our neglect of God's
provision for us, His Word, His Spirit, and prayer, is viewed in His eyes. He says if we
treat Him this way, He will also respond toward us this same way-reject us.

He says as they were increased, blessed, and made gain they sinned against Him. They
turned from the Source of their increase, in arrogance, or ignorance, thinking they could
manage their lives themselves. They forgot where it all came from and Who was the
Source. They gave Him no glory, they gloried in their own personal wisdom and human
strength. When you look to flesh (which is self-any other self but HIM) and not God, you
are in rebellion against Him. Flesh will lead you far from Him. It might lead you to
religion, but it will lead you far from God.

Pro 29:18 Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.

Where people have no understanding or divine revelation of God, they cast off restraint,
they lose their fear of God, their convictions, their sense of dependence on Him, and begin
to walk after human wisdom and do what is right in their own eyes. They will be lost if
they don't recover the vision, the understanding of HIM and who He is.

Pro 9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is
understanding.

To be aware of the holy is safety. Consider it, please. To be aware of The Holy. What does
that mean? To understand what is and where is the Holy Place, the Holy God, the Holy
Word, the Holy time. That word “Knowledge” here means to perceive, or understand.
Simply put, I'm saying when you are in the presence of something or Someone HOLY,
whether it is God or one of His saints, or when you are in a holy place, such as the
Sanctuary or the prayer closet, or in the pages of His Word, such knowledge will create a
reverence in the heart that will keep the feet, the heart and the mouth from sin.
Mal 2:7 For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth:
for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.
Mal 2:8 But ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble at the law; ye have
corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the LORD of hosts.

This applies to the messenger, the pastor, teacher, preacher, the saint, for we are all made
priests, according to John in Revelation 1:5, and Peter in his writing, unto God. This is
GOD speaking to a rebellious nation and telling them their ministers are to guard and
attend to the Word, to be very careful to preserve, observe and take heed to the Word of
God. They are to seek HIM for the bread the sheep need. They are to have fellowship and
follow on to know HIM for themselves else they can't lead the sheep in pastures they have
not themselves fed in. They can only lead the sheep as far as they go themselves.

When they neglect to do this, and act in their own flesh, and follow after what they think is
right, they cause the sheep to fall away, to become weak and sickly, without the strength
and nourishment they need to stand in the evil day we live in. Man's word does not
produce life. Only God's Word does that, by the power of His Spirit. It takes eating the
Word of God, and sharing it with the Body of Christ to be strong. That in itself is a type of
the communion the Lord commanded. Take, eat My Word-the Bread of Life, share it
among you, drink of the wine, the Holy Spirit, else you have no life in you. You pray “Lord
strengthen them” but He cannot if they do not partake of the provision He has already laid
out. You can talk about food, but if you do not eat it you will die. Same with the Word of
God. So, would you like to come to Him and eat at His table? He has a table prepared in the
heavenlies for His saints. Anyone who comes honestly and sincerely, He will not send
away empty (Joh_6:37).

Isa 28:9 Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine?
them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.
Isa 28:10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon
line; here a little, and there a little:

Who is the one He will instruct and point things out to? Who is He going to give
discernment to? Who is He is going to give the ability to understand His commandments
and Word and apply it to their life? There are those He knows will consider what His Word
says, search His Word with a hunger they sought and received from HIM, to know HIM.
These will be attentive and diligently consider what He says, and shows them. It will mean
something to them. They will be willing to yield to Him. His Word will fall on good ground.
He will give them insight to His character, His Word, and the spiritual application it has
for their lives and those around them. Those who have drank the milk of His Word, and
have matured and are no longer satisfied with the milk anymore, they want the meat.
They want HIM. Their eyes are not on self, or things of this world, but on HIM. Their desire
is toward HIM not self. They do not look any longer as many do to God for what He can
give them. They do not look for the blessings. They are so hungry for HIM, they are willing
to reject their own selves, their own thoughts and will and ways and wants to know Him.
They want to be joined completely, irrevocably to Him. They are willing to suffer the loss
of everything they have and are to be completely HIS.

If you are not there yet, don't be condemned. I'm not either. But He's taking me there. He
wants to take us all there- to that special place of death where we and what we are is
replaced with who and what His Son is. Then we can say, as He is in the world, so are we.
He leads gently, encouraging, giving us enough of Himself to make us want more of Him.
Only God can bring us to the death of ourselves. Only God can deliver us from the fear of
that death to self. He's already delivered us, we just need His help understanding this and
walking in this truth. Just as parents teach babies how to walk, the precious Holy Spirit
will teach us how to walk in the Spirit. We MUST! He plainly tells us NO flesh will glory in
my presence, no flesh is accepted by Him. It's only as we abide or stay in our position in
Christ that we enter into fellowship with Him.

Pro 4:7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get
understanding.

Wisdom is good sense. Understanding is being able to know what it means. Knowing what
you know and knowing how it effects you and applies to you. Ignorance is inexcusable
because He sent us His Holy Spirit to teach us. If we don't give Him time and space-if we
don't deliberately prepare ourselves and set aside time for Him, we lose. We lose
everything. If you feel Him drawing you, bring Him your fears, your unbelief, your self
doubt, your temptations, your weakness, your failures, your sins, and lay them before
Him. You bring them to Him by faith, and just acknowledge them, and ask Him to do away
with them, to forgive you and cleanse you, and believe He will. He alone can take these
things out of our heart that hinder us from moving on with Him. There is an ever
encroaching darkness out there, people. The Scripture says "GROSS darkness will cover
the land". And it is spreading like wildfire, but hallelujah there is a LIGHT out there that
will not be put out-no, it will be taken out of here when He comes for His Bride. Mat_4:16
says people were sitting in a dead place with no light-and He shone the light in and
showed them truth. Luk_1:79 says He was given to light our path and guide us to the way
of peace.

Joh 12:34 The people answered him, We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever:
and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? who is this Son of man?
Joh 12:35 Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have
the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he
goeth.
Joh 12:36 While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light.

God has been showing me that just as He is constantly moving us forward, and that we
must follow Him, we can't stop and linger too long because as the light of truth is moving
forward, so also is the darkness and if we don't move on with God, if we refuse to follow
Him, and listen to Him, we will be overtaken by darkness in the land of sloth, inactivity,
and being stuck in one place, refusing to go forward. That word for "darkness" here is
akotia. It means a lack of light-a lack of understanding divine truth and when you don't
have that, wickedness doesn't look all that bad, does it? When you don't understand divine
truth, and His judgment against wickedness, and how it grieves His heart when people so
abuse themselves and one another, you begin to drift dangerously back. The darkness will
lay hold of you and make you its own. You will become spiritually dead, blind to truth, and
end up in hell.

2Co 4:3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
2Co 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest
the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
2Co 4:5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for
Jesus' sake.
2Co 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts,
to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

The devil is always seeking to blind people's minds to the truth. That is why neglect of God
and His Word and prayer is so dangerous. God loves us and He has made provision for us.
But He won't force it down our throat. We have to come to Him, depend on Him, and not
neglect Him. He will meet us and He will change us. He will make us like His Son, if we let
Him and that will be His delight. We will be His delight. We are His delight when we are
yielded to Him. But as with any parent, if we sull up and rebel we bring grief to His heart.
The Glory of God is Jesus Christ and Christ in us is the hope of glory for ourselves and
those around us. Oh, let us love and adore Him, church. He alone is worthy. Let us seek
Him as never before. We will not be disappointed.

He will show us the path of life for in His presence is fullness of joy and at His right hand
there are pleasures forevermore. (Psalms 16:11)