The
Spirit of the Word
"The words that
I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life." Jesus
"The letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life." Paul
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by Ray and Doris
Prinzing
No. 6
DESTINED TO FLY
"And I saw another angel (messenger) FLY in the midst
of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the
earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a
loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is
come: and worship Him..." (Rev.14:6 7).
A
messenger with a message - a message based upon revelation and experience which
produces a relationship with our Lord. The usual approach is emphasis upon
what we get out of the relationship - what God can do for us. And, it is
true, we can rightly say with the Psalmist, "The Lord is the portion of MINE
inheritance and of MY CUP: You maintain MY LOT." (Ps. 16:5).
Mine inheritance, my cup, my lot ─
spirit, soul, and body, every need to be met by His bountiful grace. As goes
the chorus of a beautiful hymn:
"All that I
want is in Jesus, He satisfies, joy He supplies,
Life would be worthless without Him, all things
in Jesus I find."
But the Word also bears out another point, and that is, "The LORD'S PORTION is
His people; Jacob is the lot of HIS INHERITANCE." (Deut. 32:9). Yes, we have an
inheritance in the Lord, but He also has one in us. No wonder Paul asked in his
prayer, that "The eyes of your understanding being enlightened that you may know
what is the hope of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of HIS
INHERITANCE IN THE SAINTS." (Eph.1:18).
The hope of His calling relates to us, and it is a high, holy, heavenly calling
that He has given to us. But then there is HIS PART ─
The Lord has a PORTION, a PEOPLE, an INHERITANCE. And somehow, viewing a people
of God, Paul takes the words, "the riches of the glory" and connects them to
"HIS INHERITANCE IN THE SAINTS." His glory expanded in a people, this is an
awesome thing. To say "riches of the glory" and connect it to what we have in
Christ would be understandable, for RICHES AND GLORY abound in Him. But to say
"riches of the glory" and connect it to a people, something that He has in us,
is quite another matter. Yet there are riches that redound to His praise, in a
people who have BECOME His inheritance. And we do read, "This people have I
formed for Myself; they shall show forth My praise." (Isa. 43:21). God has a
vital interest in a people - personally chosen and prepared to show forth HIS
praise. In order for God to have this PORTION, He must needs create, form,
process - He must BE THE AUTHOR as well as the FINISHER. Yet it shall be said,
"Your people also shall be all righteous: ... the work of MY HANDS, that I may
be glorified." (Isa. 60:21).
So God goes looking for a people-- "True worshippers shall worship the Father in
spirit and in truth: FOR THE FATHER SEEKS such to worship Him." (John 4:23).
Certainly He knows exactly where we are, not a sparrow falls to the ground
without His knowing and participation. But God has a DESIRE for true
worshippers, and He seeks out those whom He can transform into a people after
His own heart. And He knows exactly where to look!
"HE FOUND him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; HE LED him
about, HE INSTRUCTED him, HE KEPT him as the apple of His eye." (Deut. 32:10).
FOUND... LED... INSTRUCTED ... KEPT... His ways do not change. Man always wants
the END/VICTORY without all the processing to get there. But there is no
escaping His ways and inworkings, though they certainly do not need to be feared
- for His love governs every step. Bless His name!
HE FOUND US! To be found is an acknowledgment that we were LOST. Wandered off
in the pursuits of self-will, we lost our way, and knew not where nor how to
find our Shepherd again. But "the Son of man is come to seek and to save that
which was lost." (Luke 19:10). Praise God, HE FINDS US!
Yet often we think in terms of finding Him. We say with Job, "Oh that I knew
where I might find Him! That I might come even to His seat. Behold, I go
forward, but He is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive Him: On the
left hand, where He does work, but I cannot behold Him: He hides Himself on the
right hand, that I cannot see Him: But He knows the way that I take: when He has
tried me, I shall come forth as gold." (Job 23:3,8-10). Job could not find God,
but God was not lost. He had simply withdrawn a consciousness of His presence,
and Job knew not which way to turn to find Him, hence the need to just settle
down and let God accomplish what He wills through it all. Yet Job was persuaded
that God knew right where he was at - and once he had been fully tried (tested),
he would come forth as gold. It is unique that God can continue HIS HANDIWORK
IN US even though we are not aware of His being there, and suddenly, when our
eyes are opened to see, we know He has been there all the time. How marvelous!
"By night on my bed I sought Him whom my soul loves: I sought Him, but I found
Him not. (So she got up, and said) I will rise now, and go about the city in the
streets, and in the broad ways I will seek Him whom my soul loves: I sought Him,
but I found Him not." (Song of Solomon 3:1-2). Then she met up with the
watchmen, so she asked them, "Have you seen Him whom my soul loves?" But they
had no answers for her. It was when she had gotten past the watchmen, that we
read, "It was but a little that I passed from them, but I found Him whom my soul
loves: I held Him, and would not let Him go." But the processing was far from
over and a couple of chapters later in the record, she was out looking for Him
again. "I sought Him, but I could not find Him; I called Him, but He gave me no
answer. The watchmen that went about the city found me, they smote me, they
wounded me; the keepers of the walls took away my veil from me." (chapter 5,
verses 6-7).
Watchmen have often prefigured "the clergy," and I dare say, many watchmen have
been found smiting and wounding - yet God has often used this smiting to cause
people to flee from religious Babylon, and alone in the wilderness they seek
after God. It happens so often, we will not try to illustrate or give
examples. But here is one out searching for her Beloved. She was not satisfied
to be a part of a harem of man's religious system, but she sought for that One
her heart responded to. She had been awakened, and now she could sleep no
longer, but filled with such longing and desire, she went out to look for Him.
Yet when the watchmen found her, they supposed she was but another "street woman
of the night," and so they smote her, totally misunderstood why she was out
there. And rather than covering her from public exposure, they ripped off her
veil, putting her to open shame and chagrin. They heard not the deep cry within
her as she would yearn for the reality of her true Lover. She could not find
Him, but HE would find her.
Yes, they will smite you! Why don't you belong to some church? Why are you not
under some man's covering? The allegations are hurled, and you are labeled a
rebel, undisciplined, unsubmissive, etc. They will accuse you of being one of
the unclean "street walkers." You tell them you are seeking for reality. You
are not a church tramp-- indeed, you are not a tramp at all, but you are in the
throes of the dark night of the soul, seeking Him who alone can be your Help.
And the watchmen have no satisfying answer─ they cannot tell you where to find
Him. BUT HE IS NOT LOST, He has but hidden Himself from you for a season, while
the fire of desire burns its purifying flame-- and all the debris of self is
purged out, so that your union with Him might be pure.
Paul told the Athenians─GOD
"determined the times before appointed, the bounds of their habitation, that
they should seek the Lord, IF HAPLY they might feel after Him, and find Him,
though He be not far from every one of us: for IN HIM we live, and move, and
have our being." (Acts 17:26-28). To find Him, when He is not lost, it means
that we are at His mercy to reveal Himself as He wills. But it WORKS IN US to
seek after Him. Thus the Word declares, "You shall seek Me, and find Me, when
you have searched for me with all your heart. And I will be found of you, says
the Lord." (Jer.29:13-14)
This is a very interesting qualifying phrase: "search with all your heart." This
is an INWORKING indeed. For it means that all the debris of self must be rooted
out, confessed, repented of, and little by little, line upon line, there is an
inner cleansing, until it can be said that we desire Him WITH ALL OUR HEART.
And then HE will be found of us─dwelling
within us!
Well did the prophet state, "I AM FOUND of them that sought Me not: I said,
Behold Me, unto a nation that was not called by My name." (Isa. 65:1). And Paul
picks it up, "Esaias is very bold, and says, I WAS FOUND OF THEM THAT SOUGHT ME
NOT; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after Me." (Rom. 10:20). This
is truly divine grace in action.
Yes, we need to "Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He
is near." (Isa. 55:6). When you feel an inner stirring, then give yourself to
seeking Him, let it be a "season of refreshing" of the presence of the Lord.
You can long for Him, as the hart pants after the water brook, but you cannot
force His manifestation. However, you can keep your heart open and prepared for
Him when He draws you to Himself. "No man can come to Me, except the Father
which has sent Me draw him." (John 6:44)
HE FINDS US, He causes us to become conscious of His presence. And with the
Psalmist we pray, "CAUSE me to hear Your loving kindness in the morning, for in
You do I trust: CAUSE me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my
soul unto You." (Ps. 143:8). HE is truly the First Cause of all causes, and it
is a sovereign act of His grace that He causes us to draw nigh unto Him, while
HE draws nigh unto us─
yes, while HE FINDS US.
Having FOUND us, He then begins to LEAD us, and this is a process indeed, for it
is difficult to lead men, they naturally despise leadership, to go their own
way. Sometimes He must let us run our own way for a time, until we "see that it
is an evil thing and bitter, that you have forsaken the Lord your God..." (Jer.
2:19). But through it all, we shall discover that "HE LED HIM ABOUT." Literally─
to TURN or bring round about, to convert. This is a process, not an
instantaneous happening. But He says to Israel, "You shall remember all the way
the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, to humble
you, to prove you, to know what was in your heart." (Deut. 8:2). HIS LEADING is
not without purpose, for He takes us through situations which reveal us to
ourselves, to know what is in our heart, and to purge and cleanse until all
redounds to His praise.
Nor is it an easy route, verse
15 says, "Who led you through that great
and terrible wilderness, fiery serpents,
scorpions, and drought." All the
difficulties, obstacles, adversaries to deal
with, have been arranged by
Divine purpose, to prove us, as He gradually
transforms us into His image.
Again, in another place, He says to His people, "I will bring the blind by a way
that they knew not; I will lead them in paths they have not known: I will make
darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do
unto them, and not forsake them." (Isa. 42:16). How often have we heard people
quote Joshua 3:4, "You have not passed this way heretofore." And this is very
true─for
it is a route determined by God Himself, a way we know not, in paths that are
newly marked out. Often we would like to escape from the wilderness, and from
the dark. Yet we note that before we have the miracle of darkness turned to
light, there has to be a time of darkness, when reality of His life/light is
hidden from us. Nor is there any indication of how long the darkness prevails.
Likewise, it does not elaborate on how crooked the path may be, nor how long it
remains crooked. While this is true for all of us, yet HE WALKS WITH US TO
BRING US ROUND ABOUT, and His purpose in us shall be fulfilled. We will not
concentrate on the darkness, nor how crooked things are─
negatives that they be─
but we will focus our eyes upon Him who is with us, and wait for the infusion of
His light, and the crooked to be made straight, bless His name.
It is also said of His people, "So the Lord alone did lead him, and there was no
strange god with him." (Deut. 32:12). What strange gods we have lugged around
through the years. No doubt this is why He needed to lead us via crooked paths,
so that some of the strange gods get scraped off as we go around corners, some
are disposed of as we squeeze through tight places. Others are cast aside when
we find they are a burden, and no help. But when HE has finished─there
will be no strange gods among us. Even Peter needed a bit of help along this
line, when on the mount of transfiguration, as he saw Moses and Elijah appear,
he was ready to build three tabernacles, and God had to speak, "This is My
beloved Son: hear Him. And suddenly, when they had looked round about, they saw
no man any more, save Jesus only with themselves." (Mark 9:7-8). Even "saints"
are not to be given prominence when Christ alone is to be seen. THE LORD ALONE
IS LEADING US─follow
Him.
Not only is it GOD ALONE, no other gods included, but also it is ALONE WITH GOD,
because it is an INTERNAL LEADING. Were there any outward attractions, a pillar
of fire to be seen for miles around, we'd have a crowd right soon, with fun,
food, and fellowship to celebrate this togetherness with a pillar of fire. But
because it is so personal, so intimate─with
Christ dwelling in you, there is an aloneness, even though you are a member of
His precious CORPORATE BODY. He is working out the same principles, speaking
the same truths in each of us, but doing it, ALTOGETHER, one at a time.
More and more we find the prayer of the Psalmist echoed in our own prayer, "LEAD
me in Your truth." (Ps. 25:5). "LEAD ME in a plain path." (Ps. 27:11). Led in
truth─this
goes far beyond the commandments of men, with all their doubts and fantasies.
But in the simplicity of the Gospel, we surrender to our Lord, and daily find
that HE leads. A plain path─
literally, a level place. The heights and depths are all in Christ, and He can
set us "upon my high places." (Ps. 18:33). But the promise is also given,
"Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low;
and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth;
and all flesh shall see the salvation of God" (Luke 3:5-6). A plain path speaks
of excellent visibility─no
obstacles to distort the vision, every flesh-built kingdom removed, the exalted
will of man dealt with by Hi cross, and the rough ways made smooth. Surely this
fulfills the word of the prophet, "And a highway shall be there, and a way, and
it shall be called The Holy Way; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it
shall be for the redeemed; the wayfaring men, yes, the simple ones and fools,
shall not err in it and lose their way." (Isa. 35:8, Amplified).
Rotherham translation includes the statement, "But He Himself shall be one of
them, traveling the road." "For the Lord will go before you; and the God of
Israel will be your rearward." (Isa. 52:12). The margin gives, "He will gather
you up." What leading! When we become weary with the way, He not only goes
before us, but He comes behind us to gather us up and help us with our going.
And it is written, "He will gather together in one all things in Christ." (Eph.
1:10). When He leads there are no loose ends dragging around─
HE GATHERS UP ALL THE FRAGMENTS. (see Mark 8:19-20).
He found us, He leads us, HE INSTRUCTS US! The Hebrew word is "bin" and means:
to cause to understand.
Understanding─the
Hebrew sense of the word bespeaks of comprehension and agreement, resulting in
harmony of purpose.
"I will instruct you and teach the in the way which you shall go." (Psalm
32:8). Here the word for "instruct" is "sakal" and means: to cause to act
wisely. How we need HIS INSTRUCTION until we are able to understand His ways
and workings, and can act wisely in our going.
"Be not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth
must be held in with bit and bridle." (Ps.32:9). A horse requires bit and
bridle, because, while it has intelligence, it does not have understanding─here
we are going, why we are going, what the time frame is, what speed is required
to get there, etc. So we have to constantly give signals to keep the horse on
course.
Hence Paul's prayer, "The eyes of your understanding being enlightened..." How
desperately we need TO UNDERSTAND. "He made known His ways unto Moses," (Ps.
103:7). That is more than just passing along the information that we are taking
such and such a route, but it includes the intricate details of where to go,
what to do, and how to respond to all the happenings along the way. We want
more than just to see His acts─
manifestations ─but
we want to know the power behind the explosion, the purpose and plan, and where
we fit into that glorious plan. Instruction makes clear GOD'S WAY, and it
requires a submissive hearkening─a
yielding to His will and way. "Take fast hold on instruction; let her not go:
keep her; for she is your life." (Prov. 4:14). Thank God, "It is written in the
prophets, And they shall all be taught of God." (John 6:45). DIVINE INSTRUCTION
that leads into life!
Herein is another expression of His grace─
"For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, TEACHING US
that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly,
righteously, and godly, in this present world." (Titus 2:11-12). I dare say,
what grace will teach will be far different than what is learned from the
traditions of men. It is a standard of perfection and holiness that far exceeds
anything man can prescribe─
but in the INSTRUCTION comes the enablement. And so we find, as already noted
in Isaiah 35:8, that it shall be called THE WAY OF HOLINESS. Who can walk it?
The holy ones! Everyone that is taught by God, led by God, and yes, who are
KEPT BY GOD to be "holy; for I am holy." (1 Pet. 1:16). HE WALKS THE HOLY WAY
with all His travelers!
Found─led─instructed─AND KEPT. The Hebrew word is "natsar" meaning: to keep,
watch, reserve, preserve. Truly, we are "KEPT by the power of God through faith
unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." (1 Pet. 1:5). Not only
does GRACE TEACH US, but GRACE ALSO KEEPS US until the day of full redemption
and change. Indeed, "He is able to KEEP you from falling, and to present you
faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy." (Jude 24). And
we can say with assurance, "The Lord is your Keeper." (Ps. 121:5)
Why this four-fold process─found,
led, instructed, and kept? Because our God is preparing us to be able to carry
the everlasting gospel─ to declare it IN PURITY. A pure messenger with a pure
message!
Then comes an interesting analogy. For after it is stated that, "He kept him as
the apple of His eye." (Deut. 32:10), then there is inserted this very
illustrative verse─
"As an eagle stirs up her nest, flutters over her young, spreads abroad her
wings, takes them, bearing them on her wings: so the Lord did lead..." (verse
11-12).
Consider the eagle's nest─sticks
and thorns are the basic material; then it is covered with dry grass and down.
It is a solid, comfortable place for the new eaglets. But when they have grown
and it is time to learn to fly, changes are in order. As with the parent eagle,
so also GOD STIRS UP THE NEST. Little do we know what forms our own nest till
He begins to pull out the padding of our comfort zone. You were born to fly,
not just to remain snuggled in a nest. The parent eagle would flutter its
wings, creating a wind to cause the down and grass to be blown away─and
the eaglet sits on sticks and thorns. The eagle spreads her wings, and the
eaglet says "that looks better than the sticks," and climbs aboard. As it was
growing, how often did the eaglet stand on the edge of the nest and flap its
little wings, proud of its growth, and the appearance of its feathers. But
little does the eaglet know what now lies ahead, for the parent begins to fly,
and the eaglet hangs on for dear life. Suddenly the eagle does a maneuver that
causes the eaglet to be shaken loose, and out there in the vast sky it begins to
fall─and
begins to flap its own wings, desperately trying to keep from being dashed on
the rocks below. In mercy the parent swoops down and comes under the eaglet,
and once more it is safe on the eagle. Mounting high, again the eaglet is
shaken loose, the whole process is repeated, while the bird learns to fly. It
has to learn to fly, that is it's destiny.
"The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms."
(Deut. 33:27). How often, when we felt we were free─falling
to a certain destruction, have we suddenly found His strong arm underneath to
bear us up. "They shall mount up with wings as eagles." (Isa. 40:31). And in
due time we will FLY WITH A MESSAGE, not repeated by rote as a parrot, but out
of a state of being, that which we have experienced IN HIM, we share truth.
Back to our opening text verse─we
declare, "FEAR GOD." He finds us, and we would give Him reverence. Give glory,
respect, honor, for HE IS LEADING ON. The HOUR OF JUDGMENT is come─it
is INSTRUCTION time, with all of the necessary corrections, as men learn to walk
His way. And they all will be KEPT, to become His worshippers. Thus we find a
parallel between our own time of processing and development, and the message
that we will declare to all mankind. Experiencing Him, and receiving divine
revelation, there shall be an outworking of His purpose which shall redound to
His praise.
What a contrast between messengers that fly through the midst of heaven, and
these earth-self-centered ministries that abound around us. Man wants to be
seen, but GOD'S MESSENGERS will continually cry out, "FEAR GOD, give glory to
Him." With all of our heart we would exalt Him, for as HE is lifted up, He will
draw all men unto Himself. (see John 12:32). And we will recognize that the
hour of judgment is instruction time, positive and purposeful, "When His
judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will LEARN
righteousness." (Isa. 26:9). And then shall we all, fro the depths of our
being, WORSHIP God─kept, sustained by His
eternal life.
_________________________________________________
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Prinzing, Ray and Doris "Letters of Truth"
Boise, Idaho 83705, P.O. Box 5822
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