Submit yourself to God!
Resist the devil, and he will flee from you!
James 4:7 ESV
Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus Himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing Him (Luke 24:13-16).
At that time, those two who walked with Jesus remained conformed to the patterns of this world in their thoughts and beliefs (Romans 12:2a). They were without the Spirit of God, and in the absence of spiritual discernment could not understand (1 Corinthians 2:1).
As we can tell by the times we are living, people may say they believe in God and in Jesus, but because of their conformity to the world, because of their traditions and beliefs and behaviors they not only lack spiritual discernment they also nullify the Word of God (Mark 7:13). The power of Holy Spirit is lacking in their lives because understanding of God’s Word is lacking.
Paul wrote: Christ sent me out not to baptize but to evangelize by preaching the Glad Tidings, and that not with verbal eloquence, lest the cross of Christ should be deprived of force and emptied of its power and rendered vain – fruitless, void of value and of no effect (1 Corinthians 1:17 AMP).
What if some do not believe and are without faith? Does their lack of faith and their faithlessness nullify and make ineffective and void the faithfulness of God and His fidelity to His Word? (Roman 3:3 AMP). God remains faithful even to those who seem uninterested in the Lord and all the benefits He bestows.
They refuse to explore God’s Word so how can they discover the Lord forgives all our sins and heals all our diseases. He redeems our lives from the pit and crowns us with love and compassion. The Lord satisfies our desires with good things (Psalm 103:3-5. Yes, we who have fled to Jesus for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to this amazing benefit that lies before us – HOPE.
For God has bound Himself with an oath. These two things His Promise and His Oath are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Making this hope to which we cling a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. Hope leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary (Hebrews 6:17-18).
Most Bible teachers have no doubt this couple, Cleopas and Mary, were the very two who were walking back to their home in Emmaus when Jesus joined them. They were faithful followers of the Lord and part of His intimate circle.
Because hope leads us through the curtain into the inner sanctuary of God (Hebrews 6:19), the Lord’s intimate circle has greatly expanded to include those who are not just paying homage to Him with words. They are willing to learn and implement (apply, honor, observe, execute, fulfill…) being faithful followers of God’s Word evidenced by decisions and choices and actions that bring Him glory.
Paul also wrote: I always pray to the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, that He may grant you a spirit of wisdom and revelation and insight into mysteries and secrets in the deep and intimate knowledge of Himself (Ephesians 1:17 AMP).
It never ceases to amaze me, when I am working on a project with Holy Spirit, how the themes mesh throughout the piece. For instance, those two whom Jesus met, the name Cleopas has this meaning: Renown (as if being called); glory.
The Father of glory has called us to know and understand the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in us, the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27), and how rich is His glorious inheritance in the saints, His set-apart ones as His Word floods the eyes of our heart with Light (Ephesians 1:18 AMP).
Since my propose for working on these projects is to exalt Jesus, the Word of God is what I share. The name Mary means bitterness, and this woman who was traveling with Cleopas came to realize how awesome it is to be in a relationship with the Lord.
Behold, it was for my peace that I had intense bitterness; but You, Lord, have loved back my life from the pit of corruption and nothingness, for You have cast all my sins behind Your back.
Sheol (the place of the dead) cannot confess and reach out the hand to You, death cannot praise and rejoice in You; they who go down to the pit cannot hope for Your faithfulness to Your promises; their probation is at an end, their destiny is sealed (Isaiah 38:17-18 AMP).
Emmaus means warm spring and mule, and the inference of its meaning seems right on topic. The fearful and confused may be among those who will not experience the joy of drinking deeply from the fountain of salvation! (Isaiah 12:3 NLT).
The meaning of Jerusalem: Peaceful, to flow as water (to rain), to point out, to teach; all of which brings-to-mind for me the Trinity – Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Our heavenly Father points us to heaven’s Light through His Gospel of Peace so the Lord can teach us and guide us continually so our light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around us will be as bright as noon.
The Lord pours out the Rain of Heaven, Holy Spirit, giving us water when we are dry and restoring our strength. His faithful followers will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring (Isaiah 58:10-11 NLT).
My soul, wait only upon God and silently submit to Him!
For my hope and expectation are from Him!
Psalm 62:5 AMP