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Jan 21, 2006
Unclaimed Gifts
Mat 15:39 And he sent away the multitude, and took ship, and came into
the coasts of Magdala.
Magdala means a tower; greatness; It was the birthplace of Mary called the Magdalen, or Mary Magdalene.
A tower, a town in Galilee, mentioned only in Mat_15:39. In the parallel passage in Mar_8:10 this place is called Dalmanutha.
Mat 16:1 The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired
him that he would show them a sign from heaven.
Pharisees
set apart; "separated." a separatist, that is, exclusively religious; a Pharisaean, that
is, Jewish sectary: - Pharisee.
Sadducees
followers of Sadoc, or Zadok; a Sadducaean (that is, Tsadokian), or follower of a certain heretical
Israelite: - Sadducee.
Jesus does not like hypocrites, nor tolerate them at all.
Take heed and beware of the
leaven of the Pharisees and
of the Sadducees.
Jesus says upon this Rock, and surely he was speaking of himself, he will build his church. Here, in the
original language the word "build" means to construct, confirm, edify, embolden. To build up from the foundation, to found,
establish, and metaphorically speaking, it means to promote growth. He said the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
The powers of hell won't find entrance. They will have no access. That is what he's saying here. In the original language,
that is what this means. Hallelujah! The powers of darkness will not only NOT find access or entrance into the church, the
Bride of Christ, they will not overcome or overpower her.
Remember what he says in Luke 6? If we hear his sayings, and keep them, when the storm comes against those on
the Rock, it will not take them down. No matter what flood of lies, or trouble, or opposition the enemy brings against the
true Bride of Christ, it will not succeed in taking her down.
Luk 6:46 And why
call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
Luk 6:47 Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my
sayings, and doeth them, I
will show you to whom he is like:
Luk 6:48 He is
like a man which built a house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on
a rock: and when the
flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not
shake it: for it was
founded upon a rock.
Luk 6:49 But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a
foundation built a house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it
fell; and the ruin of
that house was great.
In Mat_16:19
the Lord says, and you can't forget WHO is talking here, and the AUTHORITY HE HAS to say this, and back it up, our Lord
says "I will give thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven."
To give something, is to bestow, commit, deliver up, grant, offer, to supply, furnish what is needed,
present something to someone, give over to one's care, entrust, administer to, endue, hand out, appoint to an office or duty,
to cause to come forth, to commission.
The KEYS, that which opens and unlocks, or closes and shuts, denotes power and authority of various kinds. I
know that faith is one of the keys, faith in God's promises, and the name of Jesus Christ is one of the keys. He gave us his
name to pray in, to stand in under. The promises of God are shut up to those who do not believe them. But faith unlocks them.
You enter in through the blood of Jesus Christ, by faith in his sacrifice, and faith in the loving Father who has laid these
things out and wants to bestow them on " whosoever will come and have faith in God."
And when you look at the phrase "kingdom of Heaven" and what it means in the original Greek, from which
it was translated-a realm, royal power, rule, reign, have dominion, and heaven: through the idea of elevation, the sky, the
abode of God, by implication, happiness, power, eternity.
The word "bind" means to fasten with chains, obligate under the law, to afflict in bonds, tie up. Webster goes
even further than the Strong's and says "Bind" is to confine, cover, confine, restrain, distress, trouble, or confine by infirmity,
constrain by powerful influence or persuasion.
Whatever thou shalt loose on earth, be loosed in heaven. To loose something
means to break up, destroy, dissolve, melt, put off, release, unbind, undo, set free, as from bonds. Metaphorically, to overthrow
and do away with.
We have the powerful influence of the Holy Spirit, and are persuaded by the scriptures, hopefully. The One who
has all authority has said to those who would follow him, his disciples, he'd give them the keys of the kingdom. The key
is what is needed to enter in. The powers of darkness are what need binding and overthrowing. That which affects the church,
the struggling Christian, our loved ones who are lost, our neighbors, our co-workers, friends, our children, our spouses,
parents, siblings and the list goes on and on. The whole world lieth in darkness, John says. The god of this world has blinded
the minds of those who are lost, hiding the truth of the glorious gospel from them, making it seem as a lie, as a mockery,
by his false teachers, by his fiery darts of doubt.
Mat_16:19 the Lord says he will give them the keys of the kingdom. What else does the Scripture promise the Lord
will give us that is key to our growth and survival?
Mat_11:28 he will give us rest if we come to him. The Holy
Spirit (Luk_11:13)
A mouth and wisdom which our adversaries can't argue with or resist with their logic successfully. Luk_21:15; Living bread from heaven, for
us to live Joh_6:51;
the Comforter, the Holy Ghost to abide with us forever; Joh_14:16; the privilege and right to pray in His name, and assurance of being heard and answered Joh_16:23; to them who overcome, the right to
eat of the tree of life Rev_2:7; a crown of life to the faithful Rev_2:10;hidden manna Rev_2:17; a reaping day for what we have sown Rev_2:23; living water Rev_21:6.
What other gifts has the Lord given us? We have many exceeding precious promises as Peter reminded us. Let's
look at some more of them. For those who make the Lord their habitation, and trust in him, he gives his angels charge over
them to keep them in all their ways, Psa_91:9-11; an ever present help in trouble, Psa_46:1; he will lift up our head when we are cast down, Psa_3:3; strength when we are weak, Psa_68:28; grace and help in the time of need, Heb_4:16; access to God on his throne
at any time,Rom_5:2;
Eph_2:18, Eph_3:12 our daily bread Mat_6:11; good things to them that ask him, Mat_7:11; knowledge of salvation, to
guide our feet in the way of peace, Luk_1:77-79; power, and authority over unclean spirits, Luk_10:19; it's his pleasure to give you the kingdom,
Luk_12:32; a well of
living water springing up in us, if we will but come and drink of it, Joh_4:14; meat that the Lord himself will give us that will endure in us to everlasting life, Joh_6:27; eternal life, the promise that
man can't put them out of God's hand, Joh_10:28; the commandment to love one another, Joh 13:34; peace, but along with that His peace, Joh_14:27; the word of his grace which
builds up and gives an inheritance, Act_20:32; all things we need are freely given, Rom_8:32; the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ to shine in our hearts, 2Co_4:6; the right to pray that the Lord would
give us the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him, Eph_1:17; the promise that if we get sleepy or lax, and will wake ourselves up and rouse up, Christ will give
us light, Eph_5:14;
another promise of peace and his presence, 2Th_3:16; understanding in all things, Pro_28:5, 2Ti_2:7; a crown of righteousness to them that love his appearing, 2Ti_4:8; the right to ask for life for Christians we love who don't sin unto death, 1Jo_5:16; his reward is with him to give every man according
as his work shall be, when he comes, Rev_22:12. He's blessed us with all spiritual blessings,Eph_1:1-11;
he's made us accepted in Christ, he's redeemed us through his Son's blood, given us
forgiveness, grace, mercy, peace, truth, he's given us the revelation of his will, which was a mystery before, he's given
us an inheritance, made us joint heirs with Christ, Rom_8:17;
2Pe 1:2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge
of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
2Pe 1:3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things
that pertain unto life
and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
2Pe 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises:
that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
James says we have not because we ask not. The Lord has a table spread with all the things we have need of.
He has such abundance. We get weak, and fail, and fall into temptation when we do not go to his table and feast on the good
things he has that will make us strong, and wise and understand what we are to be doing and what we are up against in this
world. He can teach us how to fight. He promised to guide our steps, and go before us, to make the crooked places straight.
Psa_32:8, Isa_45:2-3;
If we neglect to appropriate these promises, and don't partake of his divine nature, we will not make it. We
will be deceived, led astray, or overcome. We must have the word of his testimony, his truth in our inward parts, our testimony
must be his, that as he lived by his Father, so we live by him, as it is written in Joh_6:57. If we don't do this, how then shall we escape having neglected
such a great salvation? Heb_2:3.
We have to press in. We must take what the Lord says is ours and run right over and through the lies of the
enemy to get to it. Lay hold of eternal life by laying hold of the promises of God and keeping them. Appropriating them. Using
them as he intended.
Press in, Take what God has offered:
Mat 11:12 And from the days of John the
Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the
violent take it by force.
Violence: to force, that is, (reflexively) to crowd oneself
(into), or (passively) to be seized: - press, suffer violence.
to use force, to apply force or inflict violence on, catch (away, up), pluck, pull, take (by force).
carry off by force; claim for one’s self eagerly; to snatch out or away
PRESS, v.t. [L.pressus.]
1. To urge with force or weight; a word of extensive use, denoting the application of any power, physical or
moral, to something that is to be moved or affected. we are pressed with the weight of arguments or of cares, troubles and
business.
To squeeze; to crush; as, to press grapes. Gen 40.
To drive with violence; to hurry; as, to press a horse in motion, or in a race.
To urge; to enforce; to inculcate with earnestness; as, to press divine truth on an audience.
To embrace closely; to hug.
To force into service, particularly into naval service; to impress.
To straiten; to distress; as, to be pressed with want or with difficulties.
To constrain; to compel; to urge by authority or necessity.
To urge; to impose by importunity. To urge or solicit with earnestness or importunity. He pressed me to accept
of his offer. to constrain. To squeeze for making smooth; as cloth or paper.
To urge or strain in motion; to urge forward with force.
To bear on with force; to encroach. To bear on with force; to crowd; to throng. Nor press too near the throne.
To approach unseasonably or importunately. To urge with vehemence and importunity.
He pressed upon them greatly, and they turned in to him. Gen 19
To urge by influence or moral force. To push with force; as, to press against the door.
Urgency; urgent demands of affairs; as a press of business. The act of urging or pushing forward.
Examples of Those who had to press in:
Mar 2:4 And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they
uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay.
Mar 5:27 When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and
touched his garment.
Mar 5:30 And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had
gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes?
Luk 8:19 Then came to him his mother and his brethren, and could not come at him for the press.
Luk 8:45 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?
Luk 19:3 And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the
press, because he was little of stature.
Phi 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling
of God in Christ Jesus.
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