Warning: Trying to access array offset on value of type bool in /home1/heartof6/public_html/blog/wp-content/themes/responsive-mobile/includes/functions-extentions.php on line 35
Home › View all posts by Kay Comer

Author: Kay Comer

Safe Thus Far

Posted on by
I Samuel 7:12, Then Samuel took a stone and set it between Mizpeh and Shen and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, “Hitherto hath the Lord helped us.”
God had just delivered Israel from their enemy’s hand and had given victory over the Philistines.
As children of God, we too can say “thus far” the Lord has helped us. The words are like a hand pointing in the direction of the past. No matter the circumstance, the situation, the trial, the temptation —Thus far has the Lord helped us. The words “thus far” also point forward. Considering His faithfulness and loving-kindness in the past, we can trust that He will continue to help us because we have not yet come to the end. Because His grace and mercies are sure and everlasting, no matter the battles and toils to come He will never forsake us, and at the very end we will be able to say He has kept us safe thus far.
Memorial Stones at Jordan – Two Sets of Twelve. When Joshua and the Israelites were crossing over the Jordan River that God parted for them, God told Joshua to have twelve men carry a stone from the river floor over to the other side.There a memorial would be constructed so it would be seen and told how God had brought them across Jordan.
Joshua himself set up twelve stones in the midst of the dry Jordan riverbed where the feet of the priests which carried the ark of the covenant over had stood. Joshua’s act points to Jesus, our great High Priest who gives us the “white stone wherein our new name is written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.” (Revelation 2:17) It cannot be physically seen, but we know it it there in our heart and our soul is safe because of the Holy Ghost. Our salvation is personal- between us and God, like the hidden stones, but through the Holy Spirit others can witness the existence of our salvation and the white stone (Jesus) that has been placed in our hearts- this is grace. One memorial seen – one unseen. We all have times we can look back on and know it was only the Lord that brought us through that. Like the stones that were visible, this becomes part of our testimony to the keeping power of our God. Others can be encouraged to trust Him in the difficult times through our testimony of God’s faithfulness.
The shepherds of the Alps have a beautiful custom of ending the day by singing an evening farewell to one another. As the sun begins to set, they gather their flocks and begin to lead them down the mountain paths while they sing, “Thus far has the Lord helped us. Let us praise His name.” Let us call out to one another through the darkness encouraging God’s weary travelers. The Lord who “thus far” has helped you will help you all your journey through.

Jeremiah’s Rescue

Posted on by
Scriptures: Jeremiah 37 & Jeremiah 38
Israel had asked Egypt to help them fight Babylon, the Chaldeans. However, Egypt returned to their own land and Israel was left alone to fight the Chaldeans. The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah that Jerusalem would be destroyed by Babylon unless they surrendered to them. Jeremiah was accused of treason, beaten, and put into prison by the princes. King Zedekiah came to Jeremiah to ask him if there was any word from the Lord. Jeremiah told him even though he knew it might mean he would be put to death. The king told them to keep Jeremiah in the court of the prison and give him a piece of bread daily until all the bread in Jerusalem was gone.
The princes were so angry with Jeremiah and the word from the Lord that he spoke that they asked the king to have Jeremiah put to death. The king told them to do with Jeremiah as they wished. They cast him into a dungeon where there was no water, letting him down with cords, into the mire to die. (vs.6)
However, there was a servant named Ebedmelech (typifying the Holy Spirit) in the king’s house that knew where Jeremiah was and he wanted to save him. The king grants Ebedmelech’s request and gives him 30 men to rescue Jeremiah from the pit. Ebedmelech gets old rags and threadbare, worn-out clothes from under the king’s treasury to use in Jeremiah’s rescue. Ebedmelech instructs Jeremiah to put these rags and cloths under his arms when the cords are let down to pull him out, just as the Spirit guides and teaches us. Ebedmelech knew this would ease Jeremiah’s pain and suffering as he was lifted up by the cords. (vs.11,12)
Jesus, our Savior, took our pain and suffering, putting on the flesh (the old rags) so that we could be lifted out of the mire of sin and death. His love, mercy, and grace are like those old rags that took away the pain and suffering in our soul.
We are like those old rags, too. We are worthless, serving no purpose without Him. In His hands, we are made useful, worthy, and have a purpose. We can be used by Him, like those old rags, to help ease the pain and suffering of others, help others come to Christ to be saved; help them to be lifted up out of the mire of sin.
All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags, but Jesus has made us righteous through His righteousness. (From Isaiah 64:6)
Jesus was lifted up on the cross to suffer and die so that we could be lifted up out of sin and death and be reconciled to God.
He lifted us out of the pit and set our feet upon the Rock-lifted us up and out of the mire and brought us over and into life, into a beautiful place, His kingdom. (From Psalm 40:2)
Jeremiah’s message from God was not popular as the Gospel message is still despised and rejected by many today. However, Jeremiah stood boldly with what God had given him. We are called to be Jeremiahs in our generation-claiming the Gospel, willing to be unpopular and unaccepted by the world for the Gospel’s sake.

Seeking a Greater Vision of God’s Glory

Posted on by
The angel of the Lord appeared unto Moses in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush, a bush that was not consumed by the fire. God called Moses’ name and Moses answered, “Here am I.” God told Moses to take off his shoes for the place where he stood was holy ground. When God spoke to Moses from the burning bush while Moses was tending his father-in-law’s sheep in Horeb, Moses hid his face because he was afraid to look upon God.
Exodus 3:6 – “Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.”
Later, Moses desired to see more of God’s glory and asked God to grant this. Moses’ bold request to now see God’s glory unveiled shows that a transformation had occurred in Moses.
Exodus 33:18-23

18 And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory.19 And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.20 And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.

21 And the Lord said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock:

22 And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by:

23 And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.

Moses had seen the glory of God in His miracles in Egypt,  parting the Red Sea, the pillar of cloud and fire in the wilderness, the thick smoke-filled cloud on Mount Sinai, and much more. He had seen “kabod”, the unmatched magnificence and incomparable power of God, but Moses asked for “Shekinah” glory, the “dwelling glory” of God- a life-transforming experience, to look upon His grandeur, His holiness, His divinity.
God told Moses that He could not let him see His face, His full glory because man could not see God and live. God told Moses that there a place beside Him, a rock to stand on, and when His glory passed by Moses, God would put Moses in the cleft of the rock and would cover Moses with His hand as he passed by. God said, “And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back part: but my face shall not be seen.” (Exodus 33:23) God had allowed Moses to see the glory that was to come through the promised one, Christ at Calvary. We can not see the glory of God in the flesh because the carnal is not of God, it is not spiritual. The flesh is incapable of comprehending God’s glory and majesty.
God’s glory is only revealed through His Son, Jesus. It is when a person is hid in the cleft of the rock, the chief corner stone, Jesus, that there is any access to God’s presence and glory. When Christ died on the cross and the soldier pierced Jesus’ side and forth came blood and water- the church was born, covered by grace and filled with the indwelling presence of the Holy Ghost. The Father’s magnificent glory is revealed in the Son, and the Son’s glory is in the Father.
We are hidden completely from God’s wrath and righteous judgment at Jesus’ side alone. We are His bride on His arm- “Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved?” ~ Song of Solomon 8:5
Moses desired and thus asked to see God’s glory, choosing the good part just as Mary did while sitting at His feet. A Christian should desire a closer relationship with Christ, listening, learning, being still at His feet and beholding His glory. We should be crying out to our heavenly Father, “God, show me Your Glory!”
 “In the year that kind Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple… The seraphim cried  unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.” ~ Isaiah 6:1,3
“And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.” ~ Revelation 21:23

How Much More?

Posted on by
Click To Play     

As we look more intently at the cross, the tomb, the resurrection, and the ascension at this time of the year, let us consider what immeasurable love and grace we have been given. Let us begin to meditate on “how much more” has been granted to us by the blood of Christ.  Being born of the flesh, we are of a sinful nature. Descending from the first man, Adam, we have sin, and thus death pronounced upon us from the moment that we have knowledge of good and evil. God, as our Creator and Loving Father, wanted us to be restored to that blessed state of fellowship that He created us to have with HIm. So, God gave His law unto us, but we being weak in the flesh did not keep that law. Under the law, atonement had to be made for our transgressions against God when His law was broken. This atonement was in the form of animal sacrifices that was offered to God.

The blood of the sacrificial animals offered by the Levitical priesthood that God had ordained covered the peoples’ sins, but only for a season. The high priest would enter into the Holiest of Holies once a year to offer sacrifice for the people’s sins. The blood of the bulls, goats, and heifers was sprinkled upon the people, sanctifying and purifying the flesh for another year. It was with the blood of the animals with which the high priest entered into the holy place, not with his own blood. Only the flesh was purified, not the soul of man. No mention is made of purification for the soul or for any atoning that was eternal, that would last for “good”.

However, when Christ came, everything was changed.  Everything was made new. Christ entered into that Holy Place, into the very presence of His Father, with his own blood and offered himself, a sacrifice without spot or blemish! Unlike the high priest, it took only one trip for the Lamb of God! How much more? How much more was Christ’s sacrifice sufficient to atone for our sins? Jesus’ blood Purifies, Sanctifies, and Seals the soul of a man eternally. That is just a minute description of “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?” It is so much more that it can take us, the vilest sinners, wash us clean, give us a new heart and mind, and lead us with His Holy Ghost into a life of peace and joy that will never end.

When Jesus died on Calvary’s cross, the veil in the temple that separated man from the Holy Place was rent in twain from the top to the bottom. God, by accepting the complete and perfect sacrifice of His Son, opened up His throne room to “whosoever will”. When we accept Jesus Christ as our atonement, we enter into the Holiest of Holies, into the very presence of God. God makes a person who believes and accepts the blood of His Son as the atonement for their sins as a priest- a priest who has access to God’s presence, His mercy and grace.

Jesus, our great High Priest, passed into the heavens and has become our mediator to the Father. We do not have a high priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

As God’s redeemed, we will never have to worry about bringing a bull or goat to offer for our sins. Jesus was God’s lamb that He gave so that we could have life and have it more abundantly.  Jesus’ blood is the only cure for man’s sin-sick soul. All He asks is that we offer Him our heart, our love, and devotion. He wants to take a life that is empty and hopeless without Him, and give that soul eternal joy, peace, and fellowship in His Holy Presence.