I Would Not Be Denied...the Wayfarer 8/2/16

I Would Not Be Denied
 8/2/16

Romans 10:8-13 KJV

⁸ But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;

⁹ That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

¹⁰ For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

¹¹ For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

¹² For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.

¹³ For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Paul reminded us constantly of the fact that the Lord had no desire to deny ANY the joy of eternal life, no matter ethnicity or nationality. He reminded us just as constantly of the requirements to be met by any who would not deny themselves the privilege of the grace through which it may be obtained.

Psalm 51:17 King James Version (KJV)

¹⁷ The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

The psalmist also reminded us that we too must make sacrifices if we are not to deny ourselves that which is given for all!

Today’s offering comes through the auspices of the scriptures, accompanied by yet another familiar old hymn that reiterates both warning, and promise, as given throughout the scriptures proclaiming redemption in return for repentance as preached by Jesus throughout His ministry.

 In recognition of the constant wrestling that goes on between the desires of man, his childish petulant arrogance and the desires of the soul to overcome this state, plaguing ALL mankind, the hymnal also lists scripture from Genesis:

Genesis 32:24-28 King James Version (KJV)

²⁴ And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.

²⁵ And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him.

²⁶ And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.

²⁷ And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob.

²⁸ And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.

Both the scripture and hymn are apt indeed!

Once victory has been obtained by having met the requirements given, we have indeed prevailed, and shown our unwillingness to be denied the promise as delivered by my Savior!

“I Would Not Be Denied”

1.    When pangs of death seized on my soul,
Unto the Lord I cried;
Till Jesus came and made me whole,
I would not be denied.

o    Refrain:
I would not be denied,
I would not be denied,
Till Jesus came and made me whole,
I would not be denied.

2.    As Jacob in the days of old,
I wrestled with the Lord;
And instant, with a courage bold,
I stood upon His Word.

Old Satan said my Lord was gone
And would not hear my prayer;
But praise the Lord, the work is done,
And Christ the Lord is here.

First must come a recognition that there is a need to call upon the Lord, that He is Lord indeed, and that there is no other salvation available.

Again, Peter made this crystal clear within the precious text left us by him.

Acts 4:10-12 KJV

¹⁰ Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.

¹¹ This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.

¹² Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

The warning given throughout the scripture side by side with the promise must be heeded, comprehended and the call must be given.

Once given, and only once that call is given by those who BELIEVE the blessing of the promise ensues.

Joel 2:28-32King James Version (KJV)

²⁸ And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:

²⁹ And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.

³⁰ And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.

³¹ The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord come.

³² And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call.

Warning has been given from the book of Genesis through the book of Revelation.

The promise has been echoed alongside that warning by all the prophets, clarified and delivered by none less than the Son of God Himself, Christ Jesus.

Chance is given to any and all through the “whosoever” that also echoes throughout the passages of the precious scripture left for our edification and requiring only acknowledgement and obedience.

Matthew 10:32-33 King James Version (KJV)

³² Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.

³³ But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.

Having delivered the promise, and the warning as well, Jesus left us choice.

It is that choice, that needs no further clarification, that must be heard and responded to, as brother Paul concluded in the scriptures with which I opened, and which remains the message that must be preached to those still reachable and those still teachable, that precious, “whosoever”!

Romans 10:14-21

 ¹⁴ How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?

¹⁵ And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

¹⁶ But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?

¹⁷ So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

¹⁸ But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.

¹⁹ But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you.

²⁰ But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me.

²¹ But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.

Glad tidings of good things are available to any and all willing to hear them.

I can think of no more joyous news than that given by Christ Jesus, no better things to be had than that which He delivered in person for each willing to accept that which is the inheritance of all willing to claim it.

It must, however be claimed by the only means given for it to be accepted, repentance in turn for redemption.

As the time foretold in the warning approaches ever more rapidly, for each, individually and for the world at large as well, that choice remains.

I would not be denied, will you?

2 Timothy 1:12 King James Version (KJV)

¹² For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

Amen and Amen

the Wayfarer