Michael continues: The Spirit of God in Christ in us is His homing Spirit in our hearts. Without his Holy Spirit, those who attempt to enter into God’s presence are just “playing church.” Home is where the heart is. When our heart is at home with the Lord, then we’re never alone ... for Jesus. Said, take heed and beware of covetousness, for I will never leave thee nor forsake thee. Therefore, forsake the terrestrial to approach the celestial.
According to Psalm 84:6-7, “As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a spring; the rain also covers it with pools. They go from strength to strength; Each one appears before God in Zion.” Psalm 56:8-10says, “put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book? When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back: this I know; for God is for me. In God will I praise his word: in the LORD will I praise his word.”
What does it mean to put your my tears in a bottle? An ancient belief in biblical times was to collect tears in a bottle that were shed when moved with compassion for God or in service to God and His people. These righteous tears were an individual’s most prized possession. They were buried with the person at death. People believed that these tears would be weighed to determine rewards after death as an indication of a life of compassion for God and his righteousness. They believed that their tears in the bottle along with their names written in thy book are the record of their compassion and service to God.
In Luke 7:37-38, “And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.” She took her most prized possession, her righteous tears, and poured them on Jesus’ feet, wiping them with her hair. Then she poured precious perfumed ointment on his feet. This is an indication that she sacrificed everything she held precious in service to her Lord. She wiped Jesus’ feet with her hair which was considered a woman’s crowning glory. This was an act of extreme humility for her Lord and Master. At the feet of Jesus, in humility, all my trophies at last I lay down.
Psalm 118 says the Lord is our refuge and strength. When our own strength fails and we’re at the end of our ropes, thy strength is made perfect in my weakness, thy grace is sufficient for me. The blessings in Psalm 84:4-5: Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee. Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them. The blessing in Verse 12 says: “O Lord of hosts, blessed is the man that trusts in You.” God empowers us with his Holy Spirit to work within us to will and to do of His good pleasure as we delight in the Lord with all our hearts and lean not unto our own understanding.
Jesus Christ is the solution to all of the problems of life. In the throes of addiction, He’s not the 12-step program ... He is the one step program. As we walk in the light as He is in the light, the blood of Jesus Christ will cleanse us from all unrighteousness that we mean ever live to the praise of the glory of God’s grace!
Your brother in Christ, Michael
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