by Don Hatfield
No matter how good He is to us we will never respond unless we see our need for His salvation. It is not in our blessings that we find Him but in our need that He is discovered. James, I came to believe when I had come to the end of myself and my life had become a mess. It was then in my sin and sorrow that I saw that no matter how successful I could become I would always be a failure in my soul and spirit. When I tell others of my Father I always point them to their need not there blessings. I show that I am one of His children by loving Him even when I am not blessed. Praise God may I learn this new way so that my Father will be pleased with me as He was delighted in my Savior.” James stared at me for a moment and then said, “Isaac that was wonderful. I can see that our Father is revealing Himself to you. What you just stated only reinforces what Jesus said next for He said that God our Father in Heaven still shows His grace to all in that He makes His sun to rise on the evil and on the good and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. Isaac, He has left this measure of His grace so that perhaps man will still respond to God’s blessing in nature. If he does then I believe that God will move mountains to bring that man the good news of Jesus.”
James stopped and took a long drink from His flask and then offered the same to me. As we looked down the hillside a small troop of Roman soldiers were passing by. One of them looked our way and James waved to him in a friendly fashion. I was surprised because earlier James had told me that he had been whipped by some soldiers for talking of Jesus. I asked him how he could wave at the soldier. Were you just mocking and pretending with that wave I asked. James looked at me in a surprised fashion and said, “Just when I think you are learning Isaac you take a step backwards” This surprised me and I said in an offended tone what do you mean by that?” James said I will answer that question with the words that Jesus then spoke to us on that day. For it you love them that love you what reward have ye? Do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only what do ye more than others do? Do not even the publican so?” If there had been a mouse hole there on that hillside I think that I felt small enough that I could have crawled into it. I have no doubt that my face had turned a crimson red. Tears came into my eyes and I turned my head away from James so that he would not see them. I sat there in my shameful silence. I then felt his hand on my shoulder and in a soft voice he said, “Isaac, Jesus then said to all of us who also had our heads hung in shame. Be ye therefore perfect even as you Father which is in heaven is perfect. Isaac by perfect He meant grow up be mature full of integrity and virtue. Let nothing be lacking in your walk with Jesus.” I said to James, “I want that James but I do not know how to be it.”
James answered, “Isaac none of us know how to be it as you call it. There are no natural Christians. We would all be better off if we could just admit that we do not know instead of pretending that we do know. When we put on that pretense the Spirit of God that resides within us cannot teach us for He desires truth in the inward man, in the heart and in the will.” I looked at James and said, “Then there is a chance for me?” He smiled and said, “for all of us Isaac for we have a mighty God who is willing to teach His children how to know and follow Him. As a matter of fact Jesus’s next words on that day to begin to show and teach us what we must do to learn of Him. Here is what He said Isaac, take heed that ye do not do your alms before men to be seen of them. Isaac we all love to be seen and noticed. Is this not true? We all like pat’s on the back and to be told what wonderful people we are. But we should know better for if it were not for Christ in us we are nothing more than the worst murderer given the right circumstances. Jesus went on to say, if you do not take heed then you have no reward of your Father in Heaven. Therefore when thou does thy alms do not sound a trumpet before thee as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you they have their reward.” I said to James, “But how will I know if I am doing that? I have found that often I can even fool myself.” James said, “You speak the truth Isaac for we can often fool ourselves but we cannot fool the Christ that dwells within us. I promise you that if you are truly seeking Him, He will reprove and correct you if you listen. But you at least know now where to start?” I said, “Yes, you are right I know where to start tell me more.” James said, “Jesus gave some more instruction on this when He said. But when thou does alms let not thy left hand know what thy right hand does. That thy alms may be in secret. What do you think He meant by that Isaac?” I stood there for a minute perplexed because I was thinking how could my left hand not know what my right hand was doing. Then I saw it, Jesus was saying be so quiet and secretive about it that it will be as if your left hand does not even know what your right hand knows let alone those around you. I expressed this to James and he said praise the Lord. Then He went on to say what Jesus said would happen if you follow His instructions. James said, “Jesus then said that your Father which sees in secret Himself shall reward thee openly.” James then said, “Is that not freedom Isaac? To no longer be ruled by the actions or thoughts of others. Only to be ruled by what you and you Father know is the right thing to do.” I said, “Oh, Glory to God, Yes because freedom from myself is what I have been looking for all my life and I am beginning to see that it is mine in my Savior.” I then saw some people passing by further up the hill and they were looking our way. I did a little glory dance right there in front of them. I praised God that I could act like one of His children in this new found freedom. They quickly turned their heads as if they thought who is that crazy person? Actually, they were right because at the moment I was crazy in love with my Savior.
After we had stopped laughing at my antics we got back to the new business at hand. James said, “Isaac, on that day we learned about giving from Jesus but then He got more personal and starting talking about communion with our Father” I said, “Do you mean prayer?” James said, “Yes that is exactly what I mean for that is what communion is Isaac. It is prayer or personal time with your Father. Here is what Jesus said about prayer on that day. And when thou prays thou shall not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you they have their reward.” I stopped James and said, “I certainly can understand what Jesus was talking about when He said those words. “James, just looked at me for what seemed and eternity and then said to me, “Isaac, do you commune with your Father?” I quickly replied, “Oh yes, almost every day I pray and ask for many things.” James said, I did not ask you if you ask for things. I ask you if you communed with your Father. Asking is not exactly communing Isaac. Are you going to God to get to know Him or just try to get things from Him? Do you not think that there is a vast difference?” It was like I had been slapped in the face because I knew that James was right. Instead of just enjoying being with my Creator all I did was ask Him for things like a spoiled child. We both just stood there in the silence of the moment. Me in my humiliation and James with those questioning eyes. Then the truth of the matter was revealed to me from the Holy Spirit and I said in a hushed voice to James.” I think I may be more attached to the answers than I am to the one who is the answer.” James replied, “We all are Isaac and as we said there are no natural Christians. We all have a life time to go in learning to follow and commune with our Father. We must come to the place where we realize that He wants to reveal Himself to us in our prayers. Most of the time we only think of Him answering our prayers. We have so much to learn but at least we are beginning to realize how ignorant we are. Let me continue with what Jesus said next. But thou when you pray enter into thy closet and when you have shut the door pray to thy Father which is in secret and thy Father which sees in secret shall reward thee openly. But when ye pray use not vain repetitions as the heathen do: for they think they shall be heard for their much speaking. Do you see the freedom Isaac?” I did see it and was delighted. I said to James, “Yes glory to God. Jesus is saying you no longer have to be the slave of men and their opinions
for God Himself will hear you if you go to Him. James, I must confess that I do not know much about communion with my Savior and my Father but I am going to go to the throne and at least ask Him to teach me.” James smiled and said, “Thank you Isaac.” I said, “For what?” To which he responded, “For opening up the door to what Jesus said next about prayer to our Father. Isaac, on that day Jesus even told us about how we should pray and then gave us a model to follow. First let me tell you what He told us not to do. He said when you pray use not vain repetitions at the heathen do.” I interrupted James and ask, “What do you mean by vain repetitions?” James responded, “Do not just pray and say the same words over and over for when you do that it is an insult to God. You are acting as if He is some wooden, stone, or metal idol. You are forgetting that He is the living God. Jesus went on to say do not use these meaningless repetitions as the heathen do for they think they shall be heard for their much
