Where are we going… where have we been?

“Blessings and Cur sings” Where are we going… where have we been?

The old man was right. We only have a fragment. Life’s mishaps and horrors are only a page out of a grand Book. We must be slow about drawing conclusions. We must reserve judgments on life’s storms until we know the whole story.

“Blind and Seeing” Where are we going… where have we been?

Commissio n  Smyr na- “Myr r h” (Bitterness/Death) The name “Smyrna”The name “Smyrna”

Commiss ion Characte r  Smyr na “The First and the Last”“The First and the Last” “was dead, and is alive”“was dead, and is alive”

Commissio n Character Commenda tion  Smyr na This was a PERSECUTED church.This was a PERSECUTED church.

Commissio n Character Commenda tion  Smyr na The Person Declaring The Person Declaring

Proverbs 15:3 – “The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.”

Commissio n Character Commenda tion  Smyr na The Point Decreed The Point Decreed

Commiss ion Characte r  Smyr na “The First and the Last”“The First and the Last” “was dead, and is alive”“was dead, and is alive”

Philippians 1:27-28 – “Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God.”

Commissio n  Smyr na- “Myr r h” (Bitterness/Death) The name “Smyrna”The name “Smyrna”

Colossians 1:27 – “To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory”Colossians 1:27 – “To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory”

Johns’ Reaction to Jesus

Jesus' Reaction to John

“At the feet of Jesus” John Revelation 1:17 Jairus Mark 5:22, Luke 8:41 Mary John 11:32 Mary Magdalene Luke 7:38

“At the feet of Jesus” He was a Samaritan Luke 17:16 A Certain Woman Mark 7:25 Great Multitudes Matthew 15:30

Commissio n Character Commenda tion  Smyr na The Prison Derailment The Prison Derailment

2nd Timothy 2:8-9 – “Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel: Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound.”

Un-ForgivenessUn-Forgiveness BitternessBitterness WorryWorry FaithlessnessFaithlessness DisobedienceDisobedience The UnknownThe Unknown Etc…Etc…

John 1:1 – “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”John 1:1 – “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John 1:14 – “And the Word (Jesus Christ) was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”John 1:14 – “And the Word (Jesus Christ) was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”

Un-ForgivenessUn-Forgiveness BitternessBitterness WorryWorry FaithlessnessFaithlessness DisobedienceDisobedience The UnknownThe Unknown Etc…Etc…

Ephesians 4:31-32 – “Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.” 1st Peter 5:7 – “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” Philippians 4:6 – “Be careful (worry) for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”

Proverbs 3:1-7- “My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments: For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee. Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man. Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.”

“At the feet of Jesus” Revelation 1:18 – “ I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.”

Philippians 2:5-8 – “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”

Philippians 1:21 – “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” Galatians 2:20 – “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”

Hebrews 12:1-4 – “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.”

2nd Timothy 2:8-9 – “Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel: Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound.”

Commissio n Character Commenda tion  Smyr na The Problem Defined The Problem Defined

Colossians 1:23-25 – “If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister; Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church: Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God”

Commissio n Character Commenda tion  Smyr na The Proving Demonstrated The Proving Demonstrated

Job 23:10 – “But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.”

1st Peter 1:7 – “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ”

Matthew 5:14-16 – “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

Philippians 2:14-16 – “Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.”

Commissio n Character Commenda tion  Smyr na The Period Determined The Period Determined

1st Corinthians 10:13 – “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 that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”

Text: Exodus 13 and 1 st Corinthians 10 Our Lead!

Deuteronomy 1:2 – “There are eleven days' journey from Horeb by the way of mount Seir unto Kadeshbarnea.)”

Why the wilderness? The Exodus is where God brings me out of Egypt. The Wilderness is where God brings Egypt out of me!

The Two Pillars

The Two Pillars went before them. The Two Pillars: went before them.

the cloudy pillar descended, and stood at the door of the tabernacle And all the people saw the cloudy pillar stand at the tabernacle door: and all the people rose up and worshippedExodus 33:9-10 – “And it came to pass, as Moses entered into the tabernacle, the cloudy pillar descended, and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and the LORD talked with Moses. And all the people saw the cloudy pillar stand at the tabernacle door: and all the people rose up and worshipped, every man in his tent door.”

The Two Pillars served as a guide. The Two Pillars: served as a guide.

The Two Pillars adapted to their need. The Two Pillars: adapted to their need.

Nehemiah 9:19 – “Yet thou in thy manifold mercies forsookest them not in the wilderness: the pillar of the cloud departed not from them by day, to lead them in the way; neither the pillar of fire by night, to shew them light, and the way wherein they should go.” Exodus 40:36-37 – “And when the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the children of Israel went onward in all their journeys: But if the cloud were not taken up, then they journeyed not till the day that it was taken up.”

The Two Pillars was a shelter. The Two Pillars: was a shelter.

Numbers 10:33-34 – “And they departed from the mount of the LORD three days' journey: and the ark of the covenant of the LORD went before them in the three days' journey, to search out a resting place for them. And the cloud of the LORD was upon them by day, when they went out of the camp.” Psalms 105:39 – “He spread a cloud for a covering; and fire to give light in the night.”

The Two Pillars was a defense. The Two Pillars: was a defense.

The Two Pillars remained until the journey’s end. The Two Pillars: remained until the journey’s end.

Exodus 40:38 – “For the cloud of the LORD was upon the tabernacle by day, and fire was on it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys.”Exodus 40:38 – “For the cloud of the LORD was upon the tabernacle by day, and fire was on it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys.” Numbers 9:16 – “So it was alway: the cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night.”Numbers 9:16 – “So it was alway: the cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night.” Matthew 28:20 – “Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”Matthew 28:20 – “Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”

Deuteronomy 1:2 – “There are eleven days' journey from Horeb by the way of mount Seir unto Kadeshbarnea.)”

1st Corinthians 10:13 – “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 that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”

1st Corinthians 10:1-5 – “Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye 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.”

To get out of the wilderness you got to have: 1. A Desire for Canaan. (The Abundant Life), John 10:10(b) - “… I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”

To get out of the wilderness you got to have: 2. A Disdain for Egypt. (The World/ World’s System)

To get out of the wilderness you got to have: 3. A Denial of Self.

for he wrote of Me. John 5:45-47 – “Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust. For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed Me: for he wrote of Me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe My words?”

“Blind and Seeing” Where are we going… where have we been?