By a Friend and Forest R. Steenfott

            I’m going to speak to a statement I received from a friend. I had spoken to my friend of my studies in terns of Christian ministries today.

“We never stop serving until we stop breathing...that is, if our hearts are one with the Chief Servant. Titles don't mean much to me, either. I get pressured sometimes to go on with my doctorate. I keep asking myself what I would do differently if I had one and two things come to mind: teach college and get arrogant. I have not had much support from my husband on the first item and already have plenty of struggles with the second item!!”…

 

Some ways I see myself in you. You may be shocked at what I’m going to say. I have to keep reminding myself about this day after day. There is one thing that is better than serving the Master. Don’t get excited.

There is a family in the New Testament that Jesus loved, they were two sisters and a brother. I have written about this family and even taught my Bible study groups on it. John 11: 5 “Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.” Now to prove my statement “There is one thing that is better than serving the Master.” Luke 10: 38 – 42 “39 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word.” As you know, Martha objected, and she told the Master so. “41 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: 42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” Go to John and read John 11: 1 – 45 and 12: 1 – 7. Observe the positions both women take in respect to Jesus. The Lord Jesus greatly desires our intimate love for Him. This is more important than our family, our work and our Christian ministry.

I was given a book for Christmas that says the same thing, “Drawing Near—A Life of Intimacy with God.” It was written by John Bevere. It rocked my boat to a place where I had to reanalyzes my own life before God. The author builds his case on James 4: 8 “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.” The only problem I have, he took it out context, but still it is true, we must draw near to God on an intimate basis not just familiarity. As James points out in his book that the church are in fights and worldliness. To me this means the church (people) is only familiar with Jesus Christ, no fear. What gets me is that little phrase, “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you” is tucked into what you see of the church in James four, which is not a very pretty picture. It is like Jesus standing at the door in Revelation 3: 20 “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” Oh, my God let me open the door to you. This is not an evangelistic term. Christ is directly talking to His church.

God used this Scripture with me during my wife’s illness. Hebrews 12: 2 “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.” We must, I mean MUST keep our eyes on Jesus, not on our circumstances.

There is a phrase in this verse I ask folks a question about it. What was the joy that was set before Him to endured the cross of pain and death, despising the shame? His joy was you!!! He loves you and me, and we do not deserve His love. Should we not love Him in return intimately? Read Psalm 139. I have done this with others. Put your name into the Psalm’s I and me. The Psalm points that God is intimate with each of us, but are we intimate with God? I need this instruction myself.

 

Our God is very intimate with each one of us as given in Psalm 139: “O

Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways.” We turn out being strangers of Him. His knowledge of us goes beyond knowing some facts about us, “For we do not have a high Priest who cannot sympathize with our weakness.”

 

"For the Word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do. Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high Priest who cannot sympathize with our weakness, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help in time of need."

 

The Scriptures tells us, “That nothing shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

 

Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yea, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Just as it is written, “For thy sake we are being put to death all day long; we were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” But in all these we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

 

It is obviously true from the Scriptures that Jesus had a dying love for all mankind. It was love of the incarnate eternal God that made Him become flesh to lay down His Life a ransom for many.

It is also true that he loved his disciples who are also His apostles. Jesus had a special place in His heart for this family, John 11: 5 “Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus”, but Lazarus was not an apostle. He never spoke a recorded word. He spoke volumes by returning from the dead. Martha was a hard working lady over her household. She would picture the lady of Proverbs 31. Mary had a particular love for Jesus. He created me in my mother’s womb. He poured out His life’s blood for my sin. He took me by the hand and brought me into the Father’s Kingdom. What more can Mary or I do, but to fall at His feet in worship of Him.

 

Now Jesus Loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus. John 11: 5

Martha had a good heart and loved the Lord, but her relationship to Him was based on familiarity. These two are as different as night and day in respect to the believer’s attitude toward the Lord Jesus. We will see the difference of intimacy and familiarity as we go through the story of Martha and Mary.

 

“Now as they were traveling along, He (Jesus) entered a certain village; and a woman named Martha welcome Him into her home. And she had a sister called Mary, who moreover was listening to the Lord’s word, seated at His feet. But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him, and said, ‘Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me.’ (Notice this was a face to face encounter with Jesus.) But the Lord answered and said to her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about many things; but only a few things are necessary, really only one, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”

 

Consider Martha’s attitude toward the Lord. She was not to loving or patient toward her sister, but demanding of the Lord. I have heard some demanding God to heal, careful! We don’t demand our sovereign God to obey us. The Lord was not a stranger to her, so she could speak her mind. This is being familiar with the Lord. We will see this very clearly as we continue the story.

 

 

“Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. And it was the Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment, and wipe His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. The sisters therefore sent to Him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.” But when Jesus heard it, He said, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified by it.”

 

I have reason to believe that Martha composed this letter. There are to ways to ask for help. She laid a guilt trip on the Lord by saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.” The right way would be to ask the, “Lord, if You could come, Lazarus is sick.”

“Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.” Even in spite of Martha’s attitude, the Lord still loved her.

 

“When therefore He heard that he was sick, He stayed then two days longer in the place where he was. Then after this He said to the disciples, ‘Let us go to Judea again.’ The disciples said to Him, ‘Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone You, and are You going there again?’ Jesus answered, ‘Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he see the light of this world. But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.’ This He said, and after that He said to them, ‘Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go, that I may awaken him out of sleep.’ The disciples therefore said to Him, ‘Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.’ Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that He was speaking of literal sleep. Then Jesus therefore said to them plainly, ‘Lazarus is dead, and I am for your sakes that I was not there, so that you may believe; but let us go to him.’

Thomas therefore, who is called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, ‘Let us also go that we may die with Him.’

 

Listen carefully to this conversation between Martha and the Lord. She meets the Lord face to face, eye to eye with a very critical attitude. She is putting the blame of her brothers’ death on the Lord. The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob responded in gentleness and kindness. The Lord gave her a Scripture lesson of His resurrection then asked her if she believed in Him. She was theologically correct, an evangelical in every sense of the word, but what an attitude. I’m putting my statement before the text so you can see what I am taking about.

 

“Martha therefore, when she heard that Jesus was coming, went to meet Him; but Mary still sat in the house. Martha therefore said to Jesus, ‘Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. Even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Your brother shall rise again.’ Martha said to Him, ‘I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.’ Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me shall live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?’ She said to Him, ‘Yes, Lord; I have believed that You are the Christ, the Son of God, even He who comes into the world.’”

 

“And when she had said this, she went away, and called Mary her sister, saying secretly, ‘The Teacher is here, and is calling for you.’ And when she heard it, she arose quickly, and was coming to Him. Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha met Him.”

 

“The Jews then who were with her in the house, and consoling her, when they saw the Mary rose up quickly and went out, followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there. Therefore, when Mary came where Jesus was, she saw Him, and fell at His feet, saying to Him, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” I prepared this article some years ago. Just by reading this right now, tears are coming to my eyes.

 

Did you hear what Mary said when she fell at the Lord’s feet, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died?” Martha said the very same thing, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” Martha was mad at the Lord, while Mary came to the Lord with genuine grief. Her repose was in the act of submission to her master.

 

“When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her, also weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit, and was troubled, and said, “Where have you laid him? They said to Him, ‘Lord, come and see.’ Jesus wept. And so the Jews were saying, ‘Behold how He loved him!’ But some of them said, ‘Could not this man, who opened the eyes of him who was blind, have kept this man from dying?’”

 

“He was deeply moved in spirit, and was troubled, and said, ‘Where have you laid him?’ They said to Him, ‘Lord, come and see.’ Jesus wept.” This has been one passage of Scripture that has kept me going, “The Lord Jesus was deeply moved in spirit, and was trouble, and Jesus wept. This all came about with Mary’s approach of grief to the Lord.

 

“Jesus therefore again being deeply moved within, came to the tomb. Now it was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. Jesus said, ‘Remove the stone.’ Martha, the sister of the deceased, said to Him, ‘Lord, by this time there will be a stench, for he has been dead four days.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Did I not say to you, if you believe, you will see the glory of God.’”

 

Here comes Martha again. She does not see the light. “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about many things.”

 

“And so they removed the stone. And Jesus raised His eyes, and said, “Father, I thank Thee that Thou heardest Me. And I know that Thou hearest Me always; but because of the people standing around I said it, that they may believe that Thou didst send Me.” And when He had said these things, He cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth.”

 

“He who had died came forth, bound hand and foot with wrappings; and his face was wrapped around with cloth. Jesus said to them, ‘Unbind him, and let him go.’ Many therefore of the Jews, who had come to Mary and behold what He had done, believe in Him.”

 

“Jesus, therefore, six days before the Passover, came to Bethany where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. So they made Him a supper there, and Martha was serving; but Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with him.

 

Martha was a faithful woman and truly a servant of the most High God.

 

“Mary therefore took a pound of very costly perfume of pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume…Jesus therefore said, “Let her alone, in order that she may keep it for the day of My burial.”

 

Mary demonstrated in her love for the Lord Jesus an intimacy of worship. Her love produced fragrance, in the company of believers and one unbeliever, who rejected it. I believe that today we are very familiar with the Lord, we know our theology, but we are not intimate with the Lord. Hebrews 13: 12 – 16 encourages us to worship God in sacrifice in the world about us, “Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate. Therefore let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing His reproach. For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come. Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.”

By Forest R. Steenfott

 

Familiarity or Intimacy with God our Father, Savior and Holy Spirit, which one is to be our attitude toward our blessed God? The dictionary almost makes these two words synonymous with the other, but in respect to our God this can not be.

I hear many sing and speak about their love for Jesus, but do they really know Him. HE IS LORD! ALMIGHTY GOD! CREATOR OF THE HEAVENS AND EARTH! Oswald Chambers makes a comparison of the grace of God and our love of the Lord Jesus, “The surest sign that God has done a work of grace in my heart is that I love Jesus Christ best, not weakly and faintly, not intellectually, but passionately, personally and devotedly, overwhelming every other love of my life.” Here is a definition of the grace of God that make my love for Jesus so vital a part of my life and experience. Given by Dr. H. O. Van Gilder, “Grace is the favor of God bestowed on those who desires His wrath and judgment.” It was the grace of God that provided the plan of man’s salvation through the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus. This very thought should draw us to intimacy with the Lord Jesus.

Chambers uses three words for our mindset toward our God; the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. They are for us to be passionately, personally and devotedly to our God.

 

I was asked to speak at a church’s prayer meeting. My subject was “Jesus, the awesome God we worship.”

Isaiah in a vision saw, “the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up” Then he heard the Seraphim calling out, “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts, The whole earth is full of His glory” (Isaiah 6: 1-30, Do we hear in the sphere of life that audible cry, “HOLY, HOLY, HOLY, IS THE LORD (JEHOVAH) OF HOST,” in the morning, noon, evening, and night? We also should hear it at church in our singing and the Pastor’s sermon. I believe that the noise of the world drowns it out. Paul gives us some advice about just this very thing, “If then you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.” (Colossians 3: 1 – 4).

 

 

What was Isaiah’s response to seeing the Holy God Almighty and hearing what the angels said? Did he stand up and shouted and sang praise to God? NO! “Then I said, ‘Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips’” (Isaiah 8:5). Just think about his response.

Apostle John, the beloved had a similar vision. He was the person that leaned on Jesus breast during the Last Supper in the upper room. He had the most intimate relationship with the Lord Jesus. Let us look at his vision from Revelation 1: 10 – 17 “I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet, saying, ‘Write in a book what you see, and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.’ And I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands; and in the middle of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and girded across His breast with a golden girdle. And His head and His hair were white like white wool, like snow; and His eyes were like a flame of fire; and His feet were like burnished bronze, when it has been caused to glow in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of many waters. And in His right hand He held seven stars; and out of His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword; and His face was like the sun shining in its strength. And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as a dead man.” What was John’s response to seeing the Holy God Almighty and hearing what the Lord said? Did he stand up and shouted and sang praise to God? NO! “He fell at His feet as a dead man.” Just think about his response.

Both two of the Old and New Testaments, giants of faith in Almighty God were passionately, personally and devotedly to our God.

At this same prayer meeting a lady spoke up and said, “If Jesus became visible right here and now, I would get up, run to Him, give Him a great big hug and plant a great big kiss on His check.” I didn’t let on, but I was shocked. That attitude of hers was familiarity not Intimacy. First of all He is not just Jesus to us, but He is Lord. He was the one who created all things, died His atoning death for me. Yes, I love Him so, but I would fall on my face before Him.

HOLY, HOLY, HOLY

 

Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty! Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee; Holy, Holy, Holy! Merciful and Mighty! God in Three Persons, blessed Trinity!

Holy, Holy, Holy! All the saints adore Thee, Casting down their golden crowns around glassy sea: Cherubim and seraphim falling down before Thee, Which wert, and art, and ever more shalt be.

Holy, Holy, Holy! Though the darkness hide Thee, Though the eye of sinful man Thy glory may not see, Only Thou art holy; there is none beside Thee Perfect in power, in love, and purity.

Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty! All Thy works shall praise Thy name, in earth, and sky, and sea; Holy, Holy, Holy! Merciful and Mighty! God in Three Persons, blessed Trinity!

Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty! Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee; Holy, Holy, Holy! Merciful and Mighty! God in Three Persons, blessed Trinity!

Reginald Heber, 1783-1826, John B. Dykes, 1823-1876

 

Let us go for a minuet to heaven as John did in Revelation four and into Five where worship and praise in song was made to God and the Lamb.

 

Revelation Four is worship of God:

2 Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne.

3 And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald.

4 Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads.

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8 The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying: "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!"

9 Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever,

10 the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying:

1. "You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You

created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created.”

 

I believe that the twenty-four elders represent the raptured church, while the four living creatures are worship leaders. The worship leaders start off with a declaration of “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!” The elders fall down, not stand up, before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him. Notice the dynamics of their worship, “You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created.” This worship by the elders speaks to intimacy not familiarity.

Revelation Five the scene changes to the Lamb of God:

5 But one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.”

6 And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth.

7 Then He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne.

 

8 Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.

9 And they sang a new song, saying: "You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,

10 And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth."

11 Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands,

12 saying with a loud voice: "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain To receive power and riches and wisdom, And strength and honor and glory and blessing!"

13 And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: "Blessing and honor and glory and power Be to Him who sits on the throne, And to the Lamb, forever and ever!"

14 Then the four living creatures said, "Amen!" And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped Him who lives forever and ever.

The God that became flesh who was, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David takes on the final judgments of the wrath of the wrath of God. “The four living creatures (Worship Leaders) and the twenty-four elders (The Church) fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.” Notice that once again they fell down, not standing shouting praise or rejoicing. This time it was worship in song to the Lamb of God. The conclusion to worship, “the four living creatures said, ‘Amen!’ And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped Him who lives forever and ever.”

Nothing in this worship was done out of familiarity, but with great humility and deep respect and submission to God and the Lamb.