"And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever." (Isaiah 32:17)

 According to our text, this "assurance for ever," together with true peace of soul and quietness of spirit, are products of the "work of righteousness."

The New Testament exposition of genuine righteousness makes it clear that we who have received Christ's work of righteousness by faith have been made the righteousness of God in him . To him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

Thus, salvation is the priceless possession of those to whom Christ's work of righteousness has been imputed, through faith. On the other hand, the assurance of salvation, accompanied by quietness and peace of heart, is "experienced" only by saved believers who practice the work of righteousness in their daily walk with the Lord. If we truly have salvation, then we ought to manifest the "things that accompany salvation.

"These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full." (John 15:11)

The word "fun" is never mentioned in the Bible, and "entertain" is used only in reference to being hospitable. Such activities as "reveling" and "playing" receive nothing except condemnation in the Scriptures (with the exception of little children at play).

Yet there is growing emphasis today in many churches and parachurch organizations on providing "entertainment" and "fun times" for their members--especially for teenagers and young adults. This is the way to reach them and keep them for the Lord, so they say. Perhaps so, but one wonders why neither the Lord nor the apostles nor the prophets ever told us so. Is this a program kept in reserve by the Lord just for the young people of this generation?

Actually, Christians can have something far better, more effective, and more lasting than fun and entertainment. In Christ, they can have heavenly joy! "A merry heart doeth good like a medicine," the Bible says, where the word for "merry" is more commonly translated as "joyful" or "rejoicing."

While the Bible never mentions "fun," it has many references to "joy" and "rejoicing." Here are just a few. "Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of my heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts"

"I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content." (Philippians 4:11)

The English word "content" can bring up thoughts of indifference and mild temperament. Modern usage tends to give "content" a negative connotation, as though such an attitude has little ambition or drive.

Not so of the Greek term that the Holy Spirit chose for this passage. It is composed of the pronoun for "self" and the noun for "sufficiency." Both in Scripture and in secular Greek literature, the word demands an ability to conquer whatever circumstances that may oppose one's purpose or goal and to continue through in spite of difficulties.

The context of our text is a prime example. Paul had experienced hunger and satisfaction. He knew what it meant to be obscure and to be a celebrity. There were times when he had more than enough resources to accomplish what he understood God had called him to do, and other times when resources were very scarce. In whatever state he found himself, Paul had learned to be self-sufficient.

Our problem is that we often are looking only at the physical and circumstantial issues and have not learned that our Lord Jesus provides grace that "is sufficient for thee

"Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus." (Hebrews 10:19)

In the ancient tabernacle only the High Priest was allowed to enter the "holy of holies" to commune with God, and that only once a year, on the great day of atonement. This most holy place was separated from the rest by a very heavy veil. When Christ died, however, as the one final and perfect sacrifice, "the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom".

This miraculous rending of the veil was intended by the Lord to symbolize the wonderful truth that we now have open access to come into the very presence of God, "By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh". Thus, as our text says, we no longer must go by way of priests and sacrifices to come to God. We can enter directly "into the holiest by the blood of Jesus."

Because of what Christ has done for us, we can come boldly (not arrogantly or presumptuously, however) into God's presence in prayer. "For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need"

"For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily." (Colossians 2:9)

The term "Godhead" occurs three times in the King James translation. Each time it translates a slightly different Greek noun, all being slight modifications of the Greek word for "God" (theos, from which we derive such English words as "theology"). It essentially means the nature, or "structure," of God, as He has revealed Himself in His Word.

We ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device. Men have been guilty throughout the ages of trying to model" the Godhead, but this leads quickly to idolatry, whether that model is a graven image of wood or stone or a philosophical construct of the human mind.

What man cannot do, however, God has done, in the very structure of His creation. "The invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead. His tri-universe (space, matter, and time, with each component unique in definition and function, yet permeating and comprising the whole) perfectly "models" His triune nature (Father, Son, Holy Spirit--each distinct, yet each the whole).

This analogy can be carried much further, for this remarkable triunity pervades all reality. The tri-universe is not God (that would be pantheism), but it does clearly reflect and reveal the triune nature of His Godhead.

"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." (Philippians 4:13)

This little verse gets quoted out of context a lot. It is used to justify bizzare plans and dreams, as well as to suggest that every Christian should be rich and healthly all the time. Not only are such applications without any support in Scripture, they are completely out of the context of this passage.

In the previous verses, Paul lists a variety of circumstances that he had faced, from proverty to wealth, learning to be "content" in each of these developments. Then he notes that he "can do all things" through the strength that the Lord provides during conflicting circumstances.

The "do" of this text is the prevailing of the power of God in which and by which we minister. "Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament.

The early church experienced a stunning growth in converts as it preached and testified of the resurrected Christ. This result, however, is due to the fact that the Word of God grew "mightily .

Our fight is not a physical one. We wrestle against the great spiritual powers of wickedness that have their source in the heavenlies.

"But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us." (Luke 19:14)

In this parable, the nobleman who had gone into a far country to receive his kingdom is a picture of Christ in the interim between His first and second comings. The "citizens" of His kingdom, however, refuse His Kingship. Nevertheless, He is the King, and when He returns, those "enemies, which would not that I should reign over them" (v. 27) will be slain. How much better to accept Him now!

The first title ascribed to Him was King of the Jews. Long before that, however, He was King of creation. "For God is the King of all the earth, a great King above all gods.The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land..

He is also King of redemption, providing salvation for the world He created. For God is my King of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth. The Father hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.

He is not only King of all the worlds, but also King of all the ages.

"And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights." (Genesis 7:12)

There are nine forty-day periods in Scripture, but on only five of these the notation "and forty nights" is added. On the other four occasions (the spies in Canaan, Goliath's challenges, Jonah in Nineveh, and the post-resurrection ministry of Christ) we can assume that the activity ceased at night. But on these five it continued unabated.

The first of these was the great Flood. The most intense rains ever experienced on the earth poured torrentially, night and day. One can visualize the stress-filled nights for Noah's family, with the cries of the dying outside, and no light of the sun or moon to pierce the outer darkness. But, of course, they were all safe in God's specially designed Ark.

Many years later, Moses twice spent forty days and forty nights in the awful presence of God on Mount Sinai, receiving the divinely-inscribed tablets, with the Ten Commandments and all the laws of God. The mountain was intermittently quaking and breathing fire and smoke while he was there, and the nights were surely more awesome even than the days, but God was there!

Elijah spent forty days and forty nights traveling back from Beersheba to Sinai, even though this relatively short journey would not normally require forty days. Evidently Elijah experienced great hardships and obstacles along the way and many sleepless nights, but God met him again at Sinai, and it was worth it all.

"For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ." (1 Corinthians 3:11)

The only sure and lasting foundation, for either a Christian institution or an individual Christian life, is the Lord Jesus Christ.  It is vital, therefore, to build on the foundation that Christ Himself has laid. This is laid in three courses, each of which is essential for its permanence. First of all, we must acknowledge with the apostle that: "Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands. He is the Creator of all things, and therefore Lord over all.

Second, we must acknowledge with Peter that we have been "redeemed by the precious blood of Christ . . . Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world. His foreordained work of redemption thus was foundational even to the foundation of the world!

Then there is the Word of God, which is foundational to everything beyond creation and redemption. "Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them.

"Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us." (Ephesians 3:20)

This amazing assurance of God's unlimited ability to answer our prayers is related to a unique "power Greek dunamis that worketh in us." Paul had used the same word twice before in this same epistle, speaking of "the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe," and "the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. Effectual working" in the original is one word, energeia, from which we get our word "energy."

Such power working in us is actually nothing less than the presence of God Himself. Its very first occurrence is in the model prayer. "For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever." It is this "power of God unto salvation" which is received when we first believe on Christ through the gospel . It has been so ever since the fulfillment of Christ's promise when He told His disciples that "ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you".

This remarkable power of God is thus imparted to us and energized in us by the Holy Spirit. Because of this, we can be filled "with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost