Our High Priest and the Grace of Giving – Evan Pyle
Introduction
Have you ever noticed that many Christians who have not yet submitted their lives to God’s will try to solve their problems by becoming more “spiritual”? We love to hide our carnal thinking behind lots of religious-sounding talk. But faith doesn’t waste its time with fancy talk. Faith acts. This other, so-called faith loves to talk-talk-talk, but fails to act in submission to God’s word. My goal for this study is to strip away some of the fancy reasoning and excuses surrounding this topic, replacing it with God’s practical and simple solution.
I believe we have underestimated the true value of money. Does that surprise you? Most people would say that we have far overestimated the value of money. It is popular to treat money as strictly carnal and unspiritual. But stop and think about it: money represents, in a very real way, our time, efforts, talents, education an even our family heritage. How is this so? The money we have came to us by investing time in our work. Some work is possible only because of our education. Our success is affected by faithful application of our talent and energy. Money, family property, a business or skills may have come to us from our family or by inheritance. So you see, money does represent much of who we are. Because we have underestimated its true value, we have failed to take money matters as seriously as we ought. It is critically important to handle our finances in line with God’s will.
No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Matthew 6:24
Mammon means, literally, wealth or profit. But in the context, Jesus is using this word to describe an evil force that grips men and keeps them from serving God. Its effects are easy to see in the world, with so many people in financial bondage, whether in debt or devoting energy that belongs to the Lord to the acquisition of material things. As Christians who desire to please God, we must acknowledge the claim of either God or mammon on our lives
Matthew tells us to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. When we do this, all these things will be added to us. (Matt. 6:33) This means that when we have acknowledged God and not mammon as who we love and serve; when we put God first, then all of these other things will be added to us. When we arepursuing material things, something will always be out of reach. But when we seek God, these other things will, in effect, pursue us. The biblical solution is to put God first in our finances. When we fail to acknowledge God first in our finances we begin treating his claims on our lives as secondary and our giving becomes more like tipping a waiter or a valet.
Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: Proverbs 3:9
When we step out in faith to truly honor God with our first fruits we are putting “wheels” (visible proof) to our profession that we seek the kingdom God first. As we practice this biblical precept the rule of mammon over our lives is broken.
Jesus as our High Priest
In order to understand how it is that Jesus is our high priest today, we need to go back and examine that mysterious Bible figure, Melchizidek.
Two people went out to meet Abraham after his victorious battle against an alliance of local kings. Both of these men made Abraham a specific offer. Melchizidek offered bread and wine, an obvious picture of the coming Messiah and the redemption that faith in his blood brings to lost mankind. The king of Sodom, on the other hand, offered the spoils of battle to Abraham. Just like Abraham, God’s children today face the choice between the riches of Christ and the allure of the world’s goods. Abraham rejected Sodom’s offer in the strongest of terms.
That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich: Genesis 14:23
Notice that Melchizidek first delivered a blessing to Abraham, then Abraham responded by giving Melchizidek tithes of all.
And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all. Genesis 14:19-20
“Tithe” simply means a tenth. Today, we would say 10%. I have heard the reasoning that the tithe is no longer valid in this age of grace, because Jesus fulfilled the law and we are no longer under the law. While it is true that we are no longer under the law, the tithe was before, and therefore remains after, the law. The law of Moses came 400-plus years after Abraham tithed to Melchizidek. So the tithe is valid today in this age of grace, though it is not a rule of law we are commanded to follow. It is a principle of life practiced by those who put God first in their finances.
Besides carrying the bread and wine as a picture of Messiah, Melchizidek was himself a picture of Christ to come. He was priest of the most high God, yet did not descend from the priestly line which comes from Aaron, which was centuries later. In being named a priest after Melchizidek, Jesus fulfilled the propheciesconcerning himself as the high priest of God, though he did not count Aaron in his human genealogy. (Hebrews 6:20-7:28) Just as Melchizidek first blessed Abraham, the Lord first blesses us. When we give of our tithes and offerings, we are responding to God’s blessing, just as Abraham responded to Melchizidek’s blessing with a tithe of all. Never do we “give to get”. We do not give expecting God to respond to us. This is a grievous error that has crept in to the church. God has already acted first in all things through Christ. Our Christian life is aresponse to what Jesus has done for us by sacrificing his life for our salvation.
When we set aside and offer our first tenth to Jesus, we honor him and acknowledge him as our high priest, who is touched with the feelings of our infirmities and is able to comfort us in all our afflictions. We acknowledge that that he has offered himself as the sacrifice for our sins, and receives our sacrifices to him.
By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. Hebrews 13:15-16
To “communicate”, in Bible language, means to give tithes and offerings. I remember, in my darker irreligious past, being at church services where the pastor said, “let us now worship the Lord with our tithes and offerings.” I used to scoff at this as so much drivel. I thought, “what are you going to do, toss the money into the air and hope God grabs it?” God forgive my irreverence! I didn’t understand Jesus’ role as my high priest. I had trivialized the importance of money. I didn’t realize that when you give your money, you are giving yourself. To offer yourself to God is worship and is well pleasing to Him.
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
Romans 12:1
Under the law, the people brought sacrifices to the temple. This was how they worshipped God. Today, we present our sacrifice, a living sacrifice, to the Lord. According to Romans, we present our bodies, meaning everything we are. And remember, who we are, in many ways, isrepresented by money. Our offering is holy to the Lord because it represents who we are; it represents a living sacrifice.
Our giving brings glory to the Lord:
Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come into his courts. O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth. Psalm 96:8-9
The Grace of Giving
Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also. 2 Corinthians 8:7
The grace Paul is speaking of here is financial giving. Don’t you find it interesting that giving is called a grace? The word grace appears in this chapter seven times, always referring to financial giving. Verse nine explains the grace of giving that comes to all who believe through Christ. “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.” (2 Corinthians 8:9) As part of the divine exchange, Jesus broke the poverty curse that came through the law.
Since not one person fully kept the law, this poverty curse passed upon all. Jesus broke this curse by fulfilling the law. He then exchanged his nature for ours. He took our sins and gave us his righteousness. Jesus was rich, but he became poor out of his grace in order that we, through his grace, though being poor, might be made rich with his riches. Jesus exhausted the poverty curse of the broken law so that in return, through grace, we might receive the wealth of the kingdom of God. I long for, and hunger after, this grace in my life. But how is this grace received? Grace is received through faith alone.
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. Ephesians 2:8-9
Walking in obedience to God’s word by faithful giving of tithes and offerings can be evidence of faith in God’s promise; but it can be a religious exercise carried out to keep us “right” with God. Worse yet, giving is too often done so God will bless us financially. We have all heard this type of teaching in the so-called “prosperity gospel.” From the start there is a biblical problem with this kind of thinking. The principle of tithing, first seen with Abraham and Melchizidek, shows the high priest (a picture of Jesus, our high priest) first blessing Abraham (a picture of the believer as he is the “father of those who believe”) and then Abraham (that’s us) responding with the tithe. God does not owe us a blessing when we give our tithes and offerings. He blessed us first. God will be indebted to no man. He is the first cause of all things and is not in the business of responding to people who “push the right button”, so to speak. When we give rightly, we are responding to God, who blessed us first. In much of the prosperity gospel, God is reduced to a set of principles which, when properly “operated” produces the desired results. When people fail to get the expected results they blame God when they should be blaming themselves.
Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. James 4:3
The prosperity that Jesus brought us by his grace is the wealth of the kingdom of God: his righteousness, wisdom, sanctification and redemption. (I Corinthians 1:30) The law’s standard was give or be cursed. Jesus’ standard is give and you shall receive. (Give and it shall be given unto you. Luke 6:38) The Holy Spirit’s standard in this age of grace is all sufficiency in all things so we can abound to every good work.
And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: 2 Corinthians 9:8
The standard of grace is always a higher standard and it requires more of us than justtithes and offerings. It demands self-sacrifice.
Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia;How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves;Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon usthe fellowship of the ministering to the saints.And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God. 2 Corinthians 8:1-5
The higher standard demanded by grace is to first give ourselves. It is self-sacrifice; a living sacrifice. “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” (Romans12:1) Though some may have pictured the Christian life in the age of grace as “easy street”, it is not true. God is requiring something greater than our tithes and offerings. He wants us: heart, soul, mind and strength. Nothing exists for which he has not made provision, and nothing exists for which he does not accept responsibility. But we must meet the Lord on his terms, not ours. This is not “let’s make a deal”. His requirement isnothing less than a living sacrifice.
Some would say that Paul, with hisimpeccable background and first-class education, had a lot to lose by converting to Christianity. But Paul correctly estimated the value of his background and education in comparison to the life of Christ. Philippians says that he counted them as dung compared to Christ. When we correctly value Jesus’ sacrifice for us compared to all that is valued by the world, we will begin to grasp the fullness of God’s provision and begin to walk in faith. It istime to quit having a foot in both realms. It is time to acknowledge the claims of either God or mammon on our lives and live accordingly.
Christians are to abound in this grace.
Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also. 2 Corinthians 8:7
Financial giving with the right motives demonstrates our love. It is proof that we love in action as well as in words. When we give, it is no longer the talk of love on our lips, but the action of love from our substance.
Do you see the truth expressed here in I John? Have you ever felt condemned, wondering whether you are accepted with God? The bible says that when we love in deed and in truth, that we assure our hearts before God. We know we are of the truth and God shows us that we are not condemned. Our generosity sets our heart at ease and gives us that good feeling of being in God’s love. In this sense, the sense of love, God does respond to our giving, for God loves a cheerful giver. I want to be loved of God in this grace of giving.
Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:7
Conclusion
Though religion has done much to confuse the subject of tithes and offerings, the bible remains clear. On a personal note, I got a revelation of the need to give tithes and offeringsmany years ago. Though I have made many bad decisions over the years, God has still provided. And I have remained steadfastly at peace about my finances even when they were worse than threadbare. Giving led me from fear and worry to faith and rest. Don’t you want that for yourself and your family?
With a biblical and spiritual perspective to guide our giving we can operate at a higher level than “giving to get”. At its best, our financial giving is worship and the kind of self-sacrifice with which God is well-pleased. It gives proof to our love, demonstrating that our love goes beyond words by loving in deed and in truth. I challenge you to walk fully in this grace of giving.
Debt-Free Living: A Call to Boldness – Evan Pyle
Despite the title, this is not a lesson in personal or business finances, but a discussion of our relationship with God. Nevertheless, the world of finance may help us to better understand our subject at hand. Too much debt can cause serious problems resulting in bankruptcy and financial ruin. Financial trouble is cited as a major cause of marital problems. Businesses struggle and eventually fail if under an excessive load of debt. Even national currencies and governments can fail when the debt becomes too great. In a certain sense you are not truly free when you are in debt since you have, in effect, “sold” your future earnings to have something you could otherwise not afford. Debt can lead to stress, nervousness and a loss of happiness. Failure to pay debt can even lead to having possessions seized.
What about the debt of sin? Carrying the debt of sin can affect our relationships in ways comparable to financial debt. Just as one might avoid a person to whom they owe an unpaid obligation, the debt of sin can cause us to avoid God. This was how Adam and Eve reacted when they sinned against God. “And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.” (Genesis 3:8) The beauty and purity of the communion Adam and Eve enjoyed with their Creator was corrupted and muddied by sin.
I think most Christians would agree that when a person repents and receives new life in Christ their record of past sins is wiped clean and the debt of sin fully paid by Jesus’ sacrifice. “Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God.” (Romans 3:25) All would agree, I hope, that we are saved by grace through faith. Christians disagree, however, as to how far God’s forgiveness in Christ extends. Does forgiveness through faith in Christ mean that sins only up to the time of salvation are paid by his sacrifice? Does God’s forgiveness simply bring the new Christian “up-to-date”? The Romans reference seems to say that very thing in speaking of remission of sins that are past.
The sacrifices practiced by Israel in accordance with Mosaic law resulted in an “up-to-date” forgiveness of sins that are past. The high priest entered into the holy of holies once a year to offer sacrifice for the sins of the people. (Hebrews 9:7) Every year the high priest had to repeat this offering for the sins of the people. Why? “The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing: Which was a figure for the time then present.” (Hebrews 9:8-9) In the annual repetition of this service, the Lord was showing that the time was yet coming when all of God’s people would be permitted to enter into the holy of holies, into the holy presence of God. Under Mosaic law, an annual reminder of sins and man’s separation from God was woven into the sacrifices. Under this system, a remembrance was made of man’s debt of sin that remained yet unpaid and kept him separated from the Lord. Man needed an annual updating to get back into God’s good graces.
What about now? In contrast to forgiveness only for sins that are past, Jesus instituted a “once and for all” forgiveness of sins. He made one sacrifice for all sins for all time.
But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. (Hebrews 9:11-12)
No longer is annual sacrifice for sins necessary, because Jesus paid the price once and for all. His sacrifice was sufficient to pay for man’s sin, now and forevermore. This is a powerful truth that the saints of God need to lay hold of. No longer do we approach God burdened with a debt of sin we can never pay (Hebrews 10:3). The annual sacrifice for sin served as a constant reminder of man’s awful condition. But Christ’s sacrifice cleanses even our conscience from dead works so we can freely serve the living God.
For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? Hebrews 9:13-14
I have known too many Christians who carry the terrible burden of the debt of sin. They would like to walk for God, attend church and live the Christian life, but they feel they cannot because they are unworthy. They are too sinful and must “get right” with God before they can begin doing those things. They are waiting to turn their life around first. Year after year they are still waiting, failing to realize that their debt of sin was completely and forevermore paid in Christ. There are no steps they need to take to find their way back to God’s good graces. Jesus already took those painful steps for them!
No longer should we focus on “getting right” with God. Jesus’ sacrifice already did that. When we sin, we don’t need to follow some difficult path to find our way back to God. Jesus’ sacrifice already did that. We don’t approach God like a cringing, guilty dog. Since the sacrifice has been made once, we only need confess our sins, and God will forgive us and cleanse us. (I John 1:9) Christ’s sacrifice gives us boldness with God.
Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,
Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. (Hebrews 10:19, 22)
Though we have no confidence in the flesh (Philippians 3:3-4), we have full assurance in Christ. “In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.” (Ephesians 3:12) Our relationship is not clouded by our sin-darkened hearts for we have been washed clean by the blood of Christ. Even our conscience has been cleansed from dead works. Instead of hiding like Adam and Eve, we enter confidently into the holy of holies. We are encouraged to come boldly before the throne of grace to find help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:16) We are to hold onto our confidence in Christ. No task, trial, obstacle, burden or shortcoming should cause us to lose heart. “Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.” (Hebrews 10:35-36)
If Christ’s sacrifice is sufficient to pay for all our sins, why are we told that we must confess our sins to God? “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9) For the Christian, confession of sins is not for keeping an up-to-date account with God. Some believe that if you die without having confessed your last sins you are doomed to hell or purgatory. No, confession is for us, so we can examine ourselves, whether we are in the faith. If we fail to recognize sin, we will fail to turn away from that sin. Confession is not, as some have taught, so we can change our status from being “out of fellowship” to being “in fellowship”. Those terms are foreign to the Bible. As believers, we are never “outside looking in.” The veil into the holy of holies has been torn open in Christ and we have access to God’s throne. We don’t need to find our way back “in fellowship”…we are already there! If I could “trip out” and “get lost,” so to speak, I would remain lost forever. I do not need to find my way back to the Lord because I am already there in Christ. We are not lost, because Jesus does not lose any that the Father has given to him.
Our walk with the Lord must be on His terms, not ours. He has made his terms perfectly clear: we are saved by grace through faith in Christ. The question is not about being in some mystical “state” with God, for we are in fellowship with Him if we are saved. The big question is, are we walking in fellowship with him. “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:” (Colossians 2:6)
We can see the effect that salvation had on the apostles and believers of the early church who walked in such boldness in Christ. They did not go around in circles wondering if they were right with God. No, knowing they were right with God, they lived for Christ, witnessing for him and loving the brethren with great boldness and liberty.
Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus. Acts 4:13
And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, Acts 4:29
And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness. Acts 4:31
In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him. Ephesians 3:12
Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. 1 John 4:17
The world is watching Christians carefully to see what we will do and say. Because we have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, because we have been filled with the Holy Spirit, because we are forgiven and righteous in Christ, we are free to act and speak boldly in his name. The darkness of this present age cries out for fearless, bold bearers of God’s light. As one who has direct access to the throne of God, you have the boldness to live and speak for God without fear.
And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say:
For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say. Luke 12:11-12
Living Waters
For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit. Jeremiah 17:8
I have often reflected on this verse when pulling weeds, many of which are unwelcome seedling trees. Perhaps squirrels buried the acorns for winter sustenance, or perhaps the seeds happened to float into the flowerbeds on those neat “helicopter wings”. In either case, by the time I come to pull out the little 3 or 4-inch seedling, it has well rooted itself into the earth. The fragile sprout belies the fat and gnarled root that anchors it. If the ground is dry, the plant will break off long before the root will come out of the ground. In time the sprout will return but with an ever larger root supporting it and resisting my efforts to uproot it. These little seedlings remind me of the man who trusts in the Lord and is depicted as a tree by Jeremiah. He is planted in a good location, just beside the river of living waters. He becomes “rooted and built up in Him” and “rooted and grounded in love”. (Colossians 2:7, Ephesians 3:17).
When the drought comes, as it inevitably does, the deeply rooted believer survives and flourishes. In dry times he brings forth fruit even as he does in well-watered times. There is a depth to him that reaches all the way to living waters. Regardless of circumstances his leaf does not wither and he continues to bear good fruit. When adversity strikes, how deep into Christ are my roots? Do I wither in the face of trouble?
If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small. Proverbs 24:10
When we lean on the “arm of flesh” and trust in man, our strength indeed is small. Our broken cistern is found to be dry and our leaf withers. In our hearts we want to serve the Lord but we forget it only can be done in His strength. We try harder and harder and harder and it seems all we get in return is a dry arid spiritual life.
For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah. Psalms 32:4
Yet in the next verse, the Lord provides the divine remedy. There is nothing so refreshing and energizing as to be washed clean from our sins. The parched places are again flooded with living water and we again enjoy blessed communion with our Lord. We again hear his voice, guiding us in the way we should go.
I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.
I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye. Psalms 32:5,8
How often I have found myself in a dry season. I can see no way out. No matter what I try I seem to be in a continual funk. Where is that spark of delight in God’s presence, in His Word? Eventually my malaise turns into despair and I cry out to the Lord. I confess my sin and He restores my soul. Suddenly I am enjoying blessed communion with the Lord. That is when I always wonder what took me so long? Why didn’t I cry out to Him in the beginning? In reality I was not waiting for God to change my condition, He was waiting for me.
The woman at the well was lost in sin and dwelling in a parched place. Though she drew physical water from an hallowed well, her soul was like the dry chaff blown by the wind. But then she met the Fountain of Living Waters who proceeded to open her eyes and show her the way.
Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. John 4:10
The living water that Jesus gives has refreshed the parched tongues of God’s people throughout history. The rock that Moses struck was clearly a picture of the Christ to come.
And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?
Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. Exodus 17:3, 6
As far back as the Garden of Eden, a spring that parts into four rivers represented the River of Life for humankind. Our Rock, the Fountain of Living Waters has always been God’s plan of redemption for lost man.
And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads. Genesis 2:10
When the Magi journeyed through the harsh deserts of the Middle East to seek the King of Kings, they found the One who became an oasis from all that is dried and fruitless in the world. In this holiday season may we be like the Magi. Yes, we often dwell in a desert country, but the journey to Jesus is worth the effort. In fact, it is the only effort worth making. May we be faithful followers until we reach our heavenly shores.
And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. Revelation 22:1
Meanwhile we walk in this imperfect world. Yet we are chosen of God to fulfill our calling before Him. I have found that one thing that prevents believers from doing this is the chaos of life in the world. It seems we have so many options, so much to do and so many demands that we lose our peace. We become fearful and disturbed. These are the times we most need to seek our Shepherd who will safely lead us to still waters.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Psalms 23:2,3
Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Isaiah 55:1
How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.
They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures. Psalms 36:7,8
Evan Pyle