Perfect and Entire: Accuracy to Destination

‘James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting. My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.'(James 1:1-4 KJV)

Most have experienced the benefit of a navigation system. The system will determine your most direct route. If you detour, the system will direct you to 'return to route guidance', ending your diversion, unless you decide to 'cancel route guidance'. Each consideration to divert from route guidance requires a return to guidance. Eventually and hopefully, we recognize the benefit of staying with the guidance.

'And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end: that ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises. 

(Hebrews 6:11,12 KJV)

The Faith Once Delivered

“And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.

(1John 5:20-21 KJV)

'And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: and lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.'

(Matthew 3:16-4:1 KJV)

The temptations began with the devil coaxing Jesus, on two occasions, regarding steps He could take in His own power, and one which Satan could do for Him. (Matthew 4:2-10) Jesus response was only: 'It is written.' Of God, of course.

'Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called: Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied. Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the FAITH which was ONCE DELIVERED unto the saints. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.'

(Jude 1:1-4 KJV)

How many have been coaxed to use their own abilities, or fallen by what the kingdoms/glories of this world seem to provide, while in the wilderness? The common salvation which Jude discusses, results from faith which was once delivered unto the saints: the testimony of God's Son, Jesus Christ.

Luke 16:1-4 KJV

‘And he said also unto his disciples, There was a certain rich man, which had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods. And he called him, and said unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee? Give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer steward. Then the steward said within himself, What shall I do? for my lord taketh away from me the stewardship: I cannot dig; to beg I am ashamed. I am resolved what to do, that, when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.'

Surely in this example the steward came to a crossroads: his response was resolve to further his error by making friends with debtors instead of requesting mercy and correction for his wastefulness. When our lacking stewardship is called into question, how should we respond? When the steward proclaimed that he couldn't dig, and was ashamed to beg, should we take it that he wouldn't dig, and was ashamed to ask earnestly for that which he lacked in stewardship?

Understanding this is a parable, shouldn't we rather desire to dig to uncover what is lacking and ask earnestly for mercy when we are falling short?

Overthrown, or Victorious in the Wilderness

‘Moreover, brethren, I would not that should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; and did all eat the same spiritual meat; and did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.'

(1 Corinthians 10:1-5 KJV)

'Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, and saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou shall dash thy foot against a stone. Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceedingly high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; and saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.'

(Matthew 4:1-11 KJV)

'Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above what ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.'

(1 Corinthians 10:11-13 KJV)

Jesus was victorious in the wilderness as he allowed the Holy Spirit to quicken the Father's will, separating from the temptation of Satan. The way to escape!

A Prayer in Covenant Agreement

‘From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because you ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because you ask amiss, that you may consume it upon your lusts. Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. Do you think that the scripture saith in vain, "The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?" But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, "God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble." Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double-minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.' 

(James 4:1-10 KJV)

'Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.' (Matthew 18:19,20 KJV)

SHALL may be used to express simple futurity, determination; but in the archaic sense, used as CAN and even MUST. Let's insert those, in that way, into Jesus' instruction to His disciples:
'Again I say unto you, That if two of you (can) agree on earth as touching any thing that they (must) ask, it (can, must) be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.' Not to say that any may command anything of God, but that is His portion is the blood covenant of His Son!

In the name of Jesus Christ, we who can agree regarding what we must ask, shall receive of the Father the revelation of the testimony of the Son: humility over pride.

Made whole in Conformity to a Standard of Right (Luke 8:43-48 KJV)

‘And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any, came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched. And Jesus said, Who touched me? When all denied, Peter and they that were with him said, Master, the multitude throng thee and press thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me? And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me. And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and falling down before him, she declared unto him before all the people for what cause she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately. And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.' 

Initially, we understand the testimony of a woman, having heard of Jesus, determined to get to him, touch His garments, and be made whole. Her bleeding would have been considered a discharge resulting from sin and she should be placed in quarantine; others contacting her, likewise. Her understanding received in hearing of Jesus empowered her to reach toward Him, notwithstanding. Jesus congratulated her action as she heard! The bride of Christ should understand that our conforming to the standard of righteousness, receiving virtue from Him, will make us whole as well. Be of good comfort!

Matthew 16:13-20

‘When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee THE KEYS OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.' (KJV)

The keys of the kingdom of heaven remove from within that which resists the truth (Mark 11:22-26); plucks up the root of our offense that causes others to stumble (Luke 17:1-6); brings cessation to our ineffectiveness (Matthew 17:19-21), and bears the fruit of righteousness as disciples (John 15:1-8). These verses of Scripture bind on earth that which has been bound in heaven and loose on earth that which has been loosed in heaven. Exercise yourselves to them: they are life to those who find them, and health to all flesh.

 'So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.' (Luke 17:10 KJV)