The Anchor Holds

 

Most of us have heard of the song "The Anchor Holds." Very good song! But, there is more to our "Anchor" than it holding us in place! This Anchor is HOPE! Hebrews 6:18-20 tells of the HOPE that we have in Christ.

This hope is first of all a STRONG CONSOLATION! Hebrews 6:18_" ....we might have a strong consolation,......the hope set before us:". The meaning of consolation is "comfort that is felt in times of disappointment." The Lord IS called THE COMFORTER & CONSOLATION in the Bible! He IS OUR ANCHOR OF COMFORT AND CONSOLATION! "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." John 14:26. Luke 2:25 "...waiting for the CONSOLATION of Israel:". Only He can give us the Comfort and Consolation that we need while here on this earth!

Secondly, this hope is a REFUGE. "...who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:" Heb. 6:18. "For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a REFUGE from the storm," Isaiah 25:4. Psalm 91:2 "I will say of the Lord, He is my REFUGE and my fortress: my God; in Him will I trust." This Anchor of HOPE is OUR REFUGE! Jesus wants us to seek Him for help as the FIRST PLACE to turn to in the storm, or distress! "God is our REFUGE and strength, a very present help in trouble!" Psalms 46:1.

Thirdly, our Anchor of Hope is THE ANCHOR OF THE SOUL! "Which HOPE we have as an ANCHOR OF THE SOUL, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus..." Hebrews 6:19 & 20a. If our Anchor is sure and stedfast, we should be too! He is the one that holds, or keeps us! "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord." I Corinthians 15:58. Keeping our HOPE, the Anchor of our Soul, as the basis of our being, we can be sure and stedfast! "Thou wilt keep Him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee." Isaiah 26:3. "Rejoicing in HOPE, ..." Romans 12:12.

Jesus, our HOPE, is the Anchor of Strong Consolation, Refuge, and Anchor of the Soul! In the storms of life, may we remember our Anchor is WHO comforts, protects, and keeps us! "Now the GOD of HOPE fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in HOPE, through the power of the Holy Ghost!."Romans 15:13. "....God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, WHICH IS OUR HOPE." I Timothy 1:1. The Anchor Holds!




 

You Can't Beat That With A STICK!

We have all heard the saying, "You can't beat that with a stick!" But, while listening to a Sunday School lesson, a new meaning came to mind for this phrase!
 
In the book of Numbers Chapter 17 is the account of Aaron's rod that budded. A disgruntled band of Israelites, lead by a wicked man named Korah, had tried to intrude into the office of the priest, which was reserved for ONLY the one ordained of God. This man and his followers were then killed by the Lord. The Lord then instructed Moses to give a testimony to Israel, showing that the tribe of Levi was the ordained tribe to do the office of the priesthood. Moses was told to take a rod, from each tribe of Israel, and write their name on each one. He then laid them up in the tabernacle of witness over night. When Moses arrived in the morning, he found that Aaron's rod had budded, had blooms, and also blooms WITH ALMONDS grown on them! The Lord had shown to Israel that the tribe of Levi, and Aaron's family, was HIS CHOSEN to perform the priestly duties. It was later placed in the Ark of the Covenant to be a perpetual reminder to Israel that God had chosen this family to do so. When this rod is looked at closer, we see a type of Christ.

First, this was THE MEDIATOR'S rod. It was God's chosen to be the High Priest, offering prayers for the People. "Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens." Hebrews 7:25 & 26. Jesus Christ is our ONLY MEDIATOR in Heaven at this very minute, praying for His children!
 Secondly, it was MARKED with the Aaron's name. Aaron's name being on the rod left no room for doubt as to whom the Lord has chosen as the High Priest for His people. Aaron's name means, Exalted and Strong. In Zechariah 6:12, the Lord is called "THE BRANCH". Aaron's name was a clear foreshadowing of Jesus, THE BRANCH . "Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none other NAME under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Acts 4:12. The Lord clearly told who the Messiah would be, and there was no room left for doubt. Jesus name was foretold in the Old Testament as well, Isaiah 9:6&7, Isaiah 7:14.

Thirdly, this rod MADE buds, blossoms, and fruit. This rod was ALIVE, whereas the others remained dead. Jesus said, "..I am the way, the truth, and the LIFE...." John 14:6 "I am the RESURRECTION, and the LIFE: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall live:" John 11:25. This rod budded, was in bloom, had fully developed blooms, and even yielded almonds. This displayed all of the stages of life and growth at one time, or COMPLETE FULNESS. "For in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power;" Colossians 2:9&10. He was God in the Flesh! This rod was also a clear type of His Fullness as well!  The fruit that was produced, almonds, also was significant. Almonds are ready for harvest in January and February. They are THE FIRST FRUITS that are harvested every year! The Bible clearly states that Jesus is the first fruits of God. "But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the FIRSTFRUITS of them that slept" I Corinthians 15:20.

The miracle of Aaron's rod that budded was more than just a miracle! It clearly told the Israelites who the Lord's chosen High Priest was to be. It was chosen to be the Mediator, Marked for clear indication, and Made to produce fruit in its fullness. After its revelation to the nation of Israel, it was placed in the Ark of the Covenant as a perpetual testimony of God's chosen. Jesus Christ, after giving His Life on the Cross, rose from the dead, and is seated at the right hand of God in heaven. He is a testimony against the world in the true "Holy of Holies" in Heaven as our perpetual High Priest. All of the other sticks, or rods, could not compete, or beat Aaron's rod. There is no comparison with our Lord as well! Korah's naysayers , "Couldn't beat Aaron (THAT) with their STICKS!"

 

 



It Is Well

Yesterday, the Lord blessed our family once again with a baby! Walker River Berry was born to my brother and sister-in-law! Although life is a miracle that only the Lord can give, the Lord truly gave them a miracle. According to doctors, they were not supposed to be able to have him. But, the Great Physician "breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul." (Gen.2:7).
  In the book of II Kings 4:18-37, is the account of the Shunammite Woman. The prophet Elisha had stayed at her home in prophet's chamber she had made him. The Lord had promised to bless her with a child for taking care of the man of God. She didn't believe him at first because she wasn't supposed to be able to have children. But God was true to His Word as He always is, and gave her a son. He went to the field one day with his father, then came to him with pain in his head. He sent him home, by another lad to his mother. Then he sat on her knees until noon, and died. The mother laid him on the prophet's bed and closed the door on him and went to the man of God. She told her husband she needed one of the young men and one of the donkeys to ride to the prophet. When he asked why, said replied " It shall be well." The prophet saw her coming afar off and sent his servant to see what was the matter. She replied "It is Well." She went on to Elisha and told him in grief what had happened. Elisha went with her to the child, but sent Gehazi his servant ahead of them to lay his staff on the child. But, nothing happened. Only when the prophet went in the room with the child, prayed unto the Lord, stretching himself over him 2 times, after pacing back and forth in the room, did the life of the child return! The child sneezed 7 times and then Elisha called his mother. God had blessed her faith in believing that the Lord had heard her prayer: that He would raise her child from the dead, because He had promised him to her. The Lord used her in a great way as a witness to His Power and His blessings on His children!
 
The Lord gave these verses to me, my sister-in-law, and brother when they had tried for years to have a child. After much prayer, the Lord DID BLESS THEM with a daughter. They later learned that she was very sick. We claimed these verses the Lord had specifically given and waited on the Lord. He blessed Olivia, their daughter, and them with her short life of almost one month. We didn't understand why, after the Lord gave us those verses. All we knew is that He HAD, and that HE is ALWAYS true to HIS WORD! Looking back, we now see what the Lord did through Olivia, and the lives she touched. Her passing resulted in the salvation of our nephew! We may not even know all that the Lord did through her life until we are in Heaven one day! But, the Lord was not through working! They stayed faithful to the Lord, giving HIM ALL THE GLORY! Within one year, the Lord blessed them with a daughter in working out only what He could, through adoption. Then within another year, He blessed them with TRIPLET BOYS! Then to every one's amazement, the Lord ONCE AGAIN blessed this year with a son, that they were not supposed to be able to have! The Lord had remained faithful to the promise He had made them, just as He did to the Shunammite woman! All of these last 4 years of knowing that "It shall be well", now _"It IS WELL!" The Lord has blessed their faithfulness and honoring Him, and blessed as He HAD PROMISED! ONLY OUR SAVIOUR COULD DO WHAT HE HAS DONE! ALL GLORY GOES TO HIM!

Has God made you a promise? HE WILL NEVER GO BACK ON HIS WORD HE CANNOT DENY HIMSELF! Stay faithful to the Lord. God ALWAYS honors faithfulness and HIS WORD! IN HIS TIME, HE WILL WORK! Then you too can say, "It is WELL!"