by Don Hatfield
must be wise enough to realize that not all will welcome it. That is why He said that giving the good news to those who scorn it is the same as giving something holy to a dog. You know in the Temple we have the showbread which we consider holy but if you give it to a dog it will mean nothing. He will just chew it up and then look for something else to chew on. The same with swine. To us the gospel is the greatest treasure we could ever have. It is priceless, so giving it to those who scorn and rebuke it is like giving a priceless pearl to a pig. They take no notice of it and if you keep getting in their way with it sooner or later they will begin to cover you with their slop. Isaac, ask your Father for discernment in giving out the gospel. Always be ready to proclaim its saving power and always be ready to protect its preciousness.”
James then said, “Let me tell you how Jesus explained the love of our Father towards us. Jesus simply said to ask” What is asking God Isaac?” I said, “I guess it is to desire, call for or even to beg Him for something.” James said, “Okay so if you ask Him for something what do you think should happen? I again said, “I guess He will give it to me.” “Why?” James responded. I stood for the longest time trying to think of a reason that God should give me anything. I searched and I searched my heart but only found reasons why He should not. I finally came up with only one reason and timidly said to James, “Because I am His son in Christ Jesus.” James smiled and said, “That is great Isaac we now have a basis for approaching our heavenly Father and that basis is our Savior. So let us hear what Jesus had to say next. He said, Ask and it shall be given to you in other words what you ask will be given to you the one who is asking. But wait Jesus also said this, seek and you shall find or you will get knowledge of God. You will began to know of Him as a son should know a Father. Not by seeking the thing ask for but by seeking the one who can grant the thing ask for. Isaac, Jesus then said, and to him that knocks it shall be opened. Have you been knocking Isaac? I looked off into the distance and quietly answered, “I am very good at asking, very poor at seeking and almost non-existent in knocking.” James said, “I am afraid that you have described most of us Isaac. Listen to the promise that Jesus gave next if we will just do what He said to do. For everyone that asks receives and he that seeks shall find and to him that knocks it shall be opened. Our prayers must contain all three elements Isaac because in doing those three things we will come to know our Father’s heart as He changes our heart to be like our Saviors.
Isaac, if we could only began to think of our heavenly Father as we picture ourselves as a Father. It would make such a difference in our lives. For as Jesus said next, or what man is there of you whom if his son ask bread will give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish will give him a serpent?” I said to James, “I have to be honest James for sometimes it seems in my life that he is giving me stones and serpents.” James said, “Many of His children feel that way and the reason they do is because they do not look at Gods character only at their circumstances. His character is one of unfailing love and compassion for His children. Do not peoples own children look at their Fathers and question them? At times we appear uncaring but we are not. At times we appear unkind but we are not. If we desire our children to look at us this way then how much more should we look at our heavenly Father in that way. He gave His best that we might have His Son. Jesus gave His all that we might have the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit resides with us that we might have eternal life. When it comes down to that last day Isaac and we step out into eternity then we will see that His mercy given to us who deserved no mercy was the greatest gift that ever could be given. Jesus then said if ye then being evil know how to give good gifts unto your children how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him?” I stopped James and said, “Was He talking about Himself or was He talking about gifts? James said, “Isaac, only you can decide that.”
James stopped and took a drink offering me one. The day had begun to wax old and the sun was traveling to its appointed rest. James voice choked up as he said, “How I long to see Him again Isaac. The next time when I do see Him He will be robed in all His glory. No longer scorned or abused but a King in all His majesty. Yet even though a King He shall treat us as His brothers and our Father will treat us as His children. That day on this hill Jesus told us how to treat others when He said therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you do you even so unto them for this is the law and the prophets. Isaac, because we are His children we no longer have to grab and hold on to everything. We have eternity waiting for us. We have treasures that no man can even imagine. Let go of this world and start living in the next. Do not be like our brothers of old who God redeemed out of Egypt. They wandered for forty years and never ever entered their rest though it was only a short distance from them. Our rest is only a prayer away and that rest is given when we give up our right to ourselves. So again I say to you quit wandering and lusting in this world and start resting in the next.”
I said to James, “I so long to do that James. I long for that peace that He promised but it seems that so many times I am pulled in so many directions.” James said, “I understand what you are saying Isaac but that does not need to be. Jesus addressed that with His next words. He said, Enter ye at the straight gate for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction and many there be which go in there at. Isaac, being a disciple of Jesus is not an easy thing. If He had made it easy everyone would be one. God is not looking for those who want to give up nothing so they can have it all. Yes, He made His salvation easy because it cost Him so much and so He makes following Him hard so that it will cost you much. That is why He also said, because straight is the way which leads unto life and few there be that find it. That life is here now the same as it was for our brothers who were also saved out of the Egyptian world. It was theirs for the taking but they refused it and died in the wilderness. We as Christians have the same choice that life of peace and rest is ours for the taking but it is a narrow path and a small path that leads to it. The path may start out wide but as you follow it begins to narrow until there is only room for you and Jesus. You cannot look back to Egypt for if you do you will see many that you know beckoning you to come back.” I said to James, “Would you pray with me right now that I just keep looking at that gate the one in the shape of a cross.” James put his arm around me and we prayed that we would both keeping looking to the cross as we followed that path that our Savior had laid before us.
“Isaac, Jesus then warned us about something else. He told us to, beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly they are ravening wolves.” I asked James, “What is a false prophet and how will I be able to recognize them if they are disguised.” James answered, “Jesus also answered that with His next statement but first let us decide what a false prophet is. Always remember that they will never come to you denying divine things but they will come and tell you lies claiming they are divine things. They will make their lies sound very convincing and you will be tempted to ride their waves. That is why Jesus said what He said next. Ye shall know them by their fruits.” I interrupted James and asked, “What do you mean by their fruits? James said, “By their actions Isaac, by their actions. Men can disguise themselves like sheep with their words but if you will just watch and wait they will prove themselves by their deeds and actions. We as Christians must learn discernment for there are many who will tell you what they think you want to hear just to tickle your ears. However the proof is in their actions. After Jesus said that about their fruits He then said, do men gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles? Every tree that brings not good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Isaac, this Holy Spirit that dwells in us is the very person and disposition of our Savior. He will bring forth actions consistent with the disposition of our Savior. It will take a lifetime for us to come into full ripeness but during our lifetime this life that lives in us will produce fruit or actions consistent with our S
avior. That is why it is so important not to judge people right away but to wait and compare their actions with their words. Again, that is called discernment. Jesus gave a stern warning to those whose actions do not become consistent with their words”
I asked James, “What warning did He give?” James said, “Jesus said, not everyone that says unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven but He that does the will of my Father which is in heaven. Isaac, we now know what He meant when He said that. The will of the Father is that we not only know that Jesus is the Savior for the demons know that but that we confess our need of Him. Then after we confess our need of Him we ask that He would accept us as brothers as we accept Him as Savior. Isaac, Jesus said, that many will say to me in that last day, Lord, Lord have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name have done many wonderful works? Isaac, why do you think He would say that to some people who apparently did many things for