Pastor Jerry Moore emailed me with this site:

http://ltr.netro.ca/10Cs.htm

He said that it would be a blessing. It is the Ten Commandments – and ways to learn more about them. Thought you would like it too.

Please pray for Jim that things with the computer go smoothly for him. It is a stress-filled situation, and I am praying that all goes without a hitch.

Have a blessed day!

Heather

My husband is in the throes of a major computer challenge and has tied up the computer. I am upping the posting date on this because I think the material is a blessing. Things are going well here – my oldest is doing his Eagle Project a bit, my daughter and I just had a planning meeting regarding what is left of my troop’s silver project. Homework, and kids really wiped out from getting up early for school. And church. Thank God for those moments of peace in church! Hope your Sunday is blessed.

Heather

***

We were blessed to have Pastor Ted teach Friday’s Bible study. Very soon he will be coming up on his fourth year anniversary as Assistant Pastor and Teen Pastor of Living Word Chapel. We are so blessed in the pastors of our church. They are so hardworking and loving, and good teachers as well!

I suppose you have figured out by now that our church loves Bible studies! Pastor Ted was showing us how a Bible passage can be interpreted in the natural and also in the spiritual. That there are layers and layers of meaning in the Bible passages. That there is a difference between the Letter and the Spirit of the Word. Most of us started out reading the Bible in the natural – learning the stories, but then when we got saved the Spirit started opening up the meaning of the Word, giving us more revelation about what we are reading in the natural.

There is a progression – first understanding in the natural, then understanding in the Spirit.

For example, the lamb is both a physical lamb, and also a symbol of Jesus, the pure sacrifice for our sins.

Colossians 2:1-3 For I want you to know what a great conflict I have for you and those in Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

The treasures of wisdom and knowledge are HIDDEN. Something hidden is not in plain sight, it has to be sought out, revealed by the Spirit of God. God gives insight and direction to us.

1 Corinthians 2:14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

The natural man (before we are saved, when we are in the world) cannot have spiritual discernment.

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

The old passing away also relates to God’s Word as well – the old understanding is replaced with the new. When we are IN CHRIST, we will read and understand the Word of God with a greater depth. It is a process, but the more we walk IN CHRIST, the more the old way of thinking will pass away. When we are in Christ, we have renewed minds, our thoughts change. We move from the carnal things to the spiritual things. And we gain understanding and wisdom of God’s word, for we are more able to understand the spiritual.

Our Spirit is where God deals with us. Pastor Ted talked about the Cherubim on the Ark – how they were made by being beaten out of one lump of Gold, and their wingtips touched – the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. Adam was the first/beginning/Alpha and Jesus is the Second Adam/the last/Omega. This is symbolized in many ways in the Bible, including the Cherubim. But if you read The Old Testament closely- there are signs of Jesus written all over the place, if you read with the eyes of the Spirit.

Then Pastor Ted had us think about certain words, what we know about them in the natural and what we can glean from the Spiritual. It was a discussion session with all of us throwing out ideas and Pastor Ted pulling them together. I tried to get as many ideas down as possible.

BABYLON – Babylon is a city, and it is also confusion. There was the tower of Babel, where men built from their own strength seeking to reach toward Heaven. God confused their language and made them unable to communicate with each other. They were scattered over the earth which was God’s original plan. Babylon was also called a harlot.

Isaiah 1:21 How the faithful city has become a harlot! It was full of justice; Righteousness lodged in it, but now murderers.

In this passage the name “Babylon” is not mentioned but we know that that is the city referred to. In Revelation, Jerusalem is called “Babylon”.

Pastor Ted pointed out that when we read about something in the natural such as Babylon, we need to realize that there is something inside us that also portrays Babylon. In us there is confusion. Babylon was made of brick – manmade – how often do we advance our own manmade plans, instead of following God’s plan. We need to build our tower on the rock – on Jesus, on the Word of God. If we build our towers on our own understanding they will be thrown down and confusion will reign. We have stony hearts. We need to let the Spirit of God reveal to us about His Temple (and we are the Temple of God). God does not dwell in houses made with hands, but He dwells in the Temple (us).

Jeremiah 51:7-8 Babylon was a golden cup in the LORD’s hand, that made all the earth drunk. The nations drank her wine; therefore the nations are deranged. Babylon has suddenly fallen and been destroyed. Wail for her! Take balm for her pain. Perhaps she may be healed.

Revelation talks about Babylon being drunk with the blood of the saints, and how she has fallen. Those who drank her wine (listened to her lies) became deranged, confused. The Spirit of God brings light to the darkness, clarity to the confusion.

In Genesis, God created light from darkness (confusion), there was a move of the Spirit and Christ which brought the light. In Jewish culture the day starts in the evening at sundown about 6 p.m. six is the number of man and beast. We are made of the dust of the ground, and God breathes His Spirit into us. And the Holy Spirit works in us to bring us up from the pit to the light of Spiritual truth.

It is awfully prideful of us to think that we are not in this thing – that we too haven’t drank Babylon’s wine, or listened to her lies. That we don’t need the Spirit of truth and being in Christ to bring us up out of the pit, up out of the darkness and confusion.

BEAST – We think of the beast of the field, natural beasts. The number of man is 666. There is the mark of the beast. But within us are elements of beast too.

Ecclesiastes 3:18-21 I said in my heart, “Concerning the condition of the sons of men, God tests them, that they may see that they themselves are like animals.” For what happens to the sons of men also happens to animals; one thing befalls them: as one dies, so dies the other. Surely, they all have one breath; man has no advantage over animals, for all is vanity. All go to one place: all are from the dust, and all return to dust. Who knows the spirit of the sons of men, which goes upward, and the spirit of the animal, which goes down to the earth?

During this Bible study we had different translations among the members – and the King James Version translated animals to beasts. And the Amplified gave a lot more information too. Someone pointed out that Solomon came to a better conclusion at the end of Ecclesiastes. And that is true, but at the same time, we are still all from dust and return to dust. In many ways we are like the animals, like the beasts. It takes the Spirit of God to lift us up so we don’t go down to the pit. In the natural we are like beasts, in the Spirit we go upward.

When we are born we are natural men, instinctive, sensual, but when we are born of the Spirit, we become a process of becoming more and more like God, and less like natural men. When Jesus was on the earth the disciples were sent out and did the miracles that Jesus did, but they weren’t fully converted until the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came down and empowered them.

God calls us out of darkness, out of the World, but once we become transformed, we are put back into the World to be a light in the darkness.

When we look at Adam and Eve we can see natural man and woman, who sin against God, eating of the tree of good and evil. Adam and Eve – husband and wife. In passages in the Bible the wife is referred to as the church, so we can see in Eve also a symbol of the church, and how the church disobeys God’s precepts, eating of forbidden fruit (things that are not biblical).

God wants to get us to the point where we can use spiritual eyes to discern the Word of God and allow our lives to line up with scripture.

FOREHEAD – In the natural that is the flat space above the eyes. Some in our group mentioned the mark of the beast that would be on the forehead or hand. Pastor Ted reminded us that there were many marks in the Bible – Cain received a mark, the 144,000 will be marked and of course there is the mark of the beast.

Jeremiah 3:1-3 They say, “If a man divorces his wife, and she goes from him and becomes another man’s, may he return to her again? Would not that land be greatly polluted? But you have played the harlot with many lovers; yet return to Me,” says the LORD. Lift up your eyes to the desolate heights and see; Where have you not lain with men? By the road you have sat for them like an Arabian in the wilderness; and you have polluted the land with your harlotries and your wickedness. Therefore the showers have been withheld and there has been no latter rain. You have had a harlot’s forehead; you refuse to be ashamed.

Pastor Ted reminded us of Moses who could not look upon the face of God – that God put Moses in a cleft of the rock (Jesus), and Moses saw the backside of God’s Glory. That would be what God has done as He has passed Moses- and Moses’ face reflected God’s glory when he came down from the mountain – so much so that Moses had to wear a veil.

Don’t forget that Israel was also considered a wife that became a harlot – consorting with other lovers (doctrines and idols). We too, who have been given life by Jesus, can commit harlotry – by accepting false teachings, not making sure that what we learn and practice is biblical. The forehead of a harlot is painted, it presents a cover up, and hides the shameless, brazen countenance of the harlot. No flesh is going to glory in the LORD. There is a battle inside us. It is very hard to come out of something that we are comfortable with (habit, thought pattern, doctrine), and live the truth. When God reveals truth to us, we are responsible to live according to that truth and to share with others what God has revealed to us.

Acts 4:32-Acts 5 Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus and great grace was upon them all…And Joses, who was also named Barnabas, by the apostles (which is translated Son of Encouragement, a Levite of the country of Cyprus, having land, sold it and brought the money and laid it at the apostles feet. Acts 5 But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession. And he kept back part of the proceeds, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles’ feet. But Peter said, “Ananias, why has satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.” Then Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and breathed his last. So great fear came upon all those who heard these things. And the young men arose and wrapped him up, carried him out, and buried him. Now it was about three hours later when his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. And Peter answered her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for so much?” She said, “Yes, for so much.” Then Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the LORD? Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door. and they will carry you out.” Then immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. And the young men came in, and found her dead, and carrying her out, buried her by her husband. So great fear came upon all the church and upon all who heard these things.

Notice a few things – they were of one heart and one soul, one accord. They did not keep anything to themselves but gave all. In the natural Ananias and Sapphira sold land and kept some of the proceeds for themselves. Notice Sapphira came 3 hours later (she had more time to grow in Spirit – remember that God’s sense of days and hours is vastly different than ours). While this story took place in real time and Ananias and Sapphira really did sell their property and hold back money, the story also speaks about the Spiritual realm. It talks about someone who has been born again, learned much of the Spirit, and still holds back things from God. We all hold back things from God – No one Gives God their ALL. And when we hold back from God, something is us dies.

Ananias means – God is Gracious
Sapphira means – beautiful

Our body is our land, our possession, and we are called to give it all to the Lord, not to keep any of it back. Again we are talking about Husband and Wife – that is a union where two become one – you can’t become one if you are holding back. We are the Bride of Christ, Israel is considered a Wife. Adam and Eve. We are raised up on the third day. The Bride of Christ is the church, and so often we see the church not giving its all to Christ. So often we are not of one accord (we have denominations and division even within one church body).

Our biggest fear is dying to the flesh, but God will not be mocked. We and the church have a form of Godliness, but denying God’s power, and not living up to the externals (much like the harlot’s forehead). God is dealing with the leadership of the church. It is no accident that many are being caught out in their secret sins. 

One way or another we must die in the flesh and be in the Spirit – the death can be willingly or if we are holding back, it could be more harsh. The death mentioned above of Ananias and Sapphira is also a death that happens within us. The truth of the Spirit, the fire of the Spirit, will burn away anything that is not pure, anything that is not of God. God wants us to mature, to grow beyond the milk of the Word to the meat of the Word.

There were many false prophets and teachers that also did the work that Christ did – the healings, prophesies and miracles, but they will come in the last days and Jesus will look at them and say, “I never knew you.”

We looked up the word MONEY in the concordance in Greek it is 5536 in Strong’s. CHREMA – which means something useful or necessary, wealth, price, money, riches.

So in our spiritual lives, it is not only money that we can hold back, but something useful or necessary for the advancement of God’s kingdom.

Barnabas means encourager
Joses is a derivative of Joseph
Cyprus means fairness.

In the Spirit – God wants all of us.

Saul became blind so that he could realize what he didn’t see. Paul was to become less, Saul was desire. God was gracious to Saul. Saul was blind three days, and had to die to the beast within him, to come out of the state of confusion. He had to realize that it wasn’t the Law, but it was God’s grace. He had to come to the realization of Jesus is the Messiah. He went into the wilderness for a time after he was given back his sight, then came back filled with the Spirit to do God’s work, even to the point of correcting the disciples when they were in error over circumcision and their treatment of the Gentiles.

God works in us. He wants us to move from the carnal to the spiritual, to read His word with Spiritual eyes. There is a whole panorama of knowledge when we look deeply in the Word through the eyes of the Spirit.

(Heather’s note). This teaching blessed me very much. When I first started reading the Bible I was reading it in the flesh, looking for those contradictions, those things that didn’t line up. As God cleared my mind from confusion, the Word of the Lord became a living, breathing being that opened up my mind. There is so much excitement and depth in the Word, that I don’t think I will ever grow tired of digging deeply. I am hoping that this blesses you very much. It sure did me.

Have a blessed weekend!
Heather

Just finished the ritual buying of school gear. My kids’ school doesn’t send home a list in advance, so the first few days they make a list of what the teachers want, and we go to purchase it – what a zoo. Hundreds of people in the store all looking for the perfect binders, paper, etc. – kind of reminded me of a bluefish feeding frenzy. I don’t know about you, but for me school meant new pencils, pens, notebook paper and one binder and maybe a marble notebook or two. Now it is specific sized binders for each class, etc. and tons of other things. And they can’t carry their backpacks in the hallways unless they are mesh or see-through. What a sign of the times. I kind of long for the simpler days.

Genesis 44

After the dinner, Joseph instructed his steward to fill the men’s sack with food and put their money back in the sack. (Remember, you can’t pay for salvation). But notice the next test that happens, verse 2 Also put my cup, the silver cup, in the mouth of the sack of the youngest, and his grain money. So he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken.

In Egypt they used a cup for divination to determine their gods’ will. Although I don’t believe for an instant that Joseph divined with the cup. The silver of the cup would be kind of a reminder of the pieces of silver that they sold Joseph into slavery for. The brothers left in the morning on donkeys.

Verse 4 When they had gone out of the city, and were not yet far off, Joseph said to his steward, “Get up, follow the men; and when you overtake them, say to them,’Why have you repaid evil for good?” Is not this the one from which my lord drinks, and with which he indeed practices divination? You have done evil in so doing.”

This is some test! I am certain when the steward catches up with the brothers they will be shaking in their sandals. I know the outcome is good, but I wonder a bit at the kinds of tests that Joseph is doing to his brothers, they seem rather mean. I know that they have not yet confessed their sin to him, and that they have been brutal in the past. I think Joseph wanted to see what they would do with Benjamin. And they will pass with flying colors.

The steward overtakes the brothers and tells them what Joseph told him to say. (I wonder what the steward thought about these actions on Joseph’s part. I imagine Joseph is acting pretty out of character here in the steward’s eyes.)

Verse 7 And they said to him (the steward), “Why does my lord say these words? Far be it from us that your servants should do such a thing.” They point out that they returned the money that got into their sacks from the first trip and then make the following statement verse 9 “With whomever of your servants it is found, let him die, and we also will be my lord’s slaves.”

They believed they were innocent, not realizing that Benjamin was being framed. The steward tones down their rash statement, verse 10 “And he said, “Now also let it be according to your words; he with whom it is found shall be my slave, and you shall be blameless.”

The steward starts searching the sacks from the oldest to the youngest and the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.

Here we will really begin to see how much the hearts of the brothers have been changed! Verse 13 Then they tore their clothes, and each man loaded his donkey and returned to the city. In the past they would have left Benjamin and preserved themselves, now they choose to stick together.

Judah (remember he has taken the leadership role) and the brothers come to Joseph and fall down before him on the ground. And listen to the confession of Judah, he doesn’t point to Benjamin, but uses “we”. Reminds me of intercessory prayers of various prophets and Moses, who claim a universal “we” of guilt: verse 16 ”Then Judah said, “What shall we say to my lord? What shall we speak? Or how shall we clear ourselves? God has found out the iniquity of your servants; here we are, my lord’s slaves, both we and he also with whom the cup was found.”

Joseph offers to let the brothers go, and keep Benjamin as his slave. But Judah speaks to Joseph, acknowledging that Joseph is like Pharaoh. Judah then recounts the story of what has happened between them.

And at last, a confession of what their father believed happened to Joseph, verse 27-28  Then your servant my father said to us, “You know that my wife bore me two sons; and one went out from me and I said, “Surely he is torn to pieces”; and I have not seen him since.”

Judah points out that their father could not handle Benjamin not returning, verses 33-34 “Now therefore, please let your servant remain instead of the lad as a slave to my lord, and let the lad go up with his brothers. For how shall I go up to my father if the lad is not with me, lest perhaps I see the evil that would come upon my father?”

Beth Moore, in her study The Patriarchs has some interesting insights that I hadn’t considered.  Most commentators see Joseph as pure, and testing his brothers, but Beth thinks that he wasn’t completely selfless and pure in his motives. P. 212-213 “Joseph was as scarred emotionally as he would have been physically had the wild animal attacked him as his brothers had claimed….Madness and mercy wrestled. Joseph staggered between feelings….He loved his brothers. And he hated them. He never wanted to see them again. And he never wanted to let them go.”

She also points out that the “fragile” band of brothers is gaining some solidarity. That they are sticking together in this trial instead of abandoning Benjamin. p. 213 “I’d like to suggest that from God’s perspective solidarity was the point of their 20-year ordeal. In a very short time, the entire people of Israel will move to Egypt and remain for four hundred years. Though we have difficulty reasoning how their mass transit from Canaan to Egypt fit into the sovereign plan of God, we know that it did because He prophesied it when He first “cut Covenant” with Abram.”

p. 214 “Centuries passed between the end of the patriarchal narrative” (Genesis) “and the beginning of the Book of Exodus, yet the people of God retained their solidarity and identity.” They could have been swallowed up, absorbed into Egyptian culture – but God did not let that happen. He allowed them to be oppressed, and oppression (as Pastor Don pointed out yesterday), holds a people together.

She points out that if the cup was a test, the band of brothers passed with flying colors. But she adds p. 215 “I’d like to make the case that Judah’s speech was every bit the test of Joseph that the silver cup was to his 11 brothers. First, Judah’s sincerity tested Joseph’s insincerity. ..We can give Joseph the benefit of the doubt and believe that his ultimate goal was pure, but his means were deceptive…We may understand why Joseph didn’t reveal himself in the beginning, but why hadn’t he by now? Did some small part of him enjoy the game?”

P. 216 “Lastly Judah’s fight for his family tested Joseph’s fight with his family. How often the enemy tries to distract us by tempting us to fight with the very people we were meant to fight for!“

Oh how I can relate to that!

p. 216 “Through his (Joseph’s) story we will learn that nothing is more humbling than God teaching a lesson to the more spiritual through the less. And Joseph, too, would pass his test.

Do you sometimes wish for a period free from testing? I sure do. Hoping you have a blessed day today.

Heather

Before we begin our Bible study we have praise and worship and then we pray for people. Our Pastor told us that Pastor Abraham – in India, is asking for prayer. Apparently pastors and people are being pulled out of their homes, their places of worship and being beaten and put into prison. We are praying a shield of protection for those Christians in India and other places where there is persecution – that they can be protected and spread God’s word.

Besides being a great pastor, Pastor Don is also a musician. As part of last night’s Bible study he sang five new songs that he has written. We are blessed. I am hoping he puts them on CD. There is a praise and worship conference in Albany, NY this weekend, if you go there you might hear them.

1 Chronicles 13:1-4 Then David consulted with the captains of thousands and hundreds, and with every leader. And David said to all the assembly of Israel, “If it seems good to you, and if it is of the LORD our God, let us send out to our brethren everywhere who are left in all the land of Israel, and with them to the priests and Levites who are in their cities and their commonlands, that they may gather together to us; and let us bring the ark of our God back to us, for we have not inquired of it since the days of Saul. Then all the assembly said that they would do so, for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people.

David started out in the correct way – stating that if it seemed good to the people and is of the LORD (Key words – is of the LORD) then move the ark. But by verse four the assembly said “THE THING WAS RIGHT IN THE EYES OF ALL THE PEOPLE.” No mention was made about whether it was right in God’s eyes. David did not take what FELT good to him and bring to it the CONFIRMING WORD OF GOD.  So often today in our churches we do the same thing in our ministries – it seems good to do something, but there is no confirmation from God that it is what He wants us to do. So we are out of order.

First a few Bible verses:

Then, verse 7-14 So they carried the ark of God on a new cart from the house of Abinadab, and Uzza and Ahio drove the cart. Then David and all Israel played music before God with all their might, with singing on harps, on stringed instruments, on tambourines, on cymbals, and with trumpets. And when they came to Cidon’s threshing floor, Uzza put out his hand to hold the ark, for the oxen stumbled. Then the anger of the LORD was aroused against Uzza, and He struck him because he put his hand to the ark; and he died there before God. And David became angry because of the LORD’s outbreak against Uzza; therefore that place is called Perez Uzza to this day. David was afraid of God that day, saying, “How can I bring the ark of God to me?” So David would not move the ark with him into the City of David, but took it aside into the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite. The ark of God remained with the family of Obed-Edom in his house three months. And the LORD blessed the house of Obed-Edom and all that he had.

This was not how the ark was to be carried.

1 Chronicles 14:14 Therefore David inquired again of God, and God said to him, “You shall not go up after them; circle around them, and come upon them in front of the mulberry trees.”

Here, David did not make his own plan, but he INQUIRED of God, and God blessed David’s actions with victory.

Then David did his research, 1 Chronicles 15:2 Then David said, “No one may carry the ark of God but the Levites, for the LORD has chosen them to carry the ark of God and to minister before Him forever. 1 Chronicles 15:12-13 He said to them, “You are the heads of the fathers’ houses of the Levites; sanctify yourselves, you and your brethren, that you may bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel to the place I have prepared for it. For because you did not do it the first time, the LORD our God broke out against us, because we did not consult Him about the proper order.

The most important thing we can do is follow God’s proper order in doing anything. God has a prescribed order for every thing – the movement of the planets, the days of the week, church, worship, marriage, relationships, finances, kids.

If we violate God’s order we die – there are different kinds of death, maybe not always physical death, but certainly a spiritual death or death of relationships, etc.

God is sovereign, but often times He will not say anything to us unless asked. He could have told Uzza not to touch the Ark or you will die, but God wanted to make sure that people realized the seriousness of following His order. (Heather’s note – the kings of those days were instructed to write out the first five books of the Bible – the laws by hand, so David knew the laws of God which included how to transport the ark). The Levites should have moved the ark correctly the first time – and then Uzza would not have died. The ark was meant to be carried on special poles on the shoulders of the Levites. An animal is not to be trusted with something as sacred as the Ark – where God met His people. And a cart, as we saw, was too unstable. God wanted the Ark to be carried on men’s shoulders – men who have intelligence and revere Him would carry the Ark carefully. The musicians were good, but not sufficient, and a man died because of disobedience to God’s order.

After the powerful lesson, David started at the right place to move the Ark, to sanctify themselves. When you are sanctified you are set apart, you see yourself a certain way, speak a certain way. Then after you are sanctified, then you do the things in the proper order. Sometimes in our conscious mind what God ordains as proper order seems like confusion to man. But if it is God’s order, it comes out to be perfect order. Even if it seems stupid to us, if God is telling us to do something we need to obey and do it. There is a greater order – His order.

Then Pastor Don sang his five wonderful songs. Between songs he said something that cracked me up. He said that if you are a monkey’s uncle – created from the slime that is ok, but I WAS CREATED BY THE LORD.

Another song line that hit home to me said in effect that if you keep doing what you are doing, you will keep getting what you are getting.

After the Israelites lost the ark in battle, it was in the hands of the Philistines. The Philistines concocted this plan around the ark:

1 Samuel 6:7-9 Now therefore make a new cart, take two milk cows which have never been yoked, and hitch the cows to the cart; and take their calves home away from them. Then take the ark of the LORD and set it on the cart; and put the articles of gold which you are returning to Him as a trespass offering in a chest by its side. Then send it away, and let it go. And watch: if it goes up the road to its own territory, to Beth Shemesh, then He has done us this great evil. But if not, then we shall know that it is not His hand that struck us; it happened to us by chance.

They too put it on a cart and tried to keep the ark. Milk cows separated from their calves would ordinarily return to the calves, but in this case, instead of doing that, the cows returned the ark to the Israelites. Why were the Philistines so concerned about the ark – they blamed God for the evil that came on them – brought on by their holding the Ark.

1Samuel 6:5 Therefore you shall make images of your tumors and images of your rats that ravage the land, and you shall give glory to the God of Israel; perhaps He will lighten His hand from you, from your gods, and from you land.

And if you look backwards you will see 1 Samuel 6:2 And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, “What shall we do with the ark of the LORD? Tell us how we should send it to it’s place.

The Philistines were not meant to have the Ark, they certainly did not know how to handle the Ark. They were given tumors and rats in the land until they finally realized that they had best give the Ark back.

We cannot let the world tell us how to act, speak, talk or have church. We cannot change the order of the service to make it more accommodating to the world. Can’t have Jesus Lite. Today the world wants us to have a non-offensive, non-anointing, non-offending version of Jesus, but that is not God’s order.

Even today we have to be careful which seminaries we send people to – many of the teachers do not teach the Word of God, they alter God’s word to fit the world’s standards. Unfortunately, at times it takes persecution to bring the church back to order. For example, the disciples of Jesus stayed in Jerusalem instead of spreading His word throughout the world as instructed. God sent Paul/Saul to persecute them, and then they scattered. Then Paul was brought to God. Without the persecution it is quite possible that they would have stayed near Jerusalem.

When Paul was beaten for speaking the Gospel and put into jail, the people started asking questions about why this happened, the whole city came to see why. Paul insisted on a public apology, which also got tongues wagging.  Same thing when the Phillipian jailer got saved and his family and started having house church – people started talking.

1 Chronicles 15:15-16 And the children of the Levites bore the ark of God on their shoulders, by its poles, as Moses had commanded according to the word of the LORD. Then David spoke to the leaders of the Levites to appoint their brethren to be the singers accompanied by instruments of music, stringed instrument,s harps, and cymbals, by raising the voice with resounding joy.

Now there is real joy and worship because David restored God’s order in this move.

1 Chronicles 15:22 Chenaniah, leader of the Levites, was instructor in charge of the music, because he was skillful. Now the musicians could use their skill to worship.

1 Chronicles 15:24 Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer, the priests, were to blow the trumpets before the ark of the God; and Obed-Edom and Jehiah, doorkeepers for the ark.

Remember Obed-Edom – he still remained with the ark and the blessing of God.

1 Chronicles 15:25 So David, the elders of Israel, and the captains over thousands went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD from the house of Obed-Edom with Joy.

Joy comes as a response to God’s order.  The proper order is established: sanctification and a sacrifice of prise. Organization comes before sacrifice.

Verse 27: David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, as were all the Levites who bore the ark, the singers and Chenaniah the music master with the singers, David also wore a linen ephod. God chooses the clothes you wear. Pastor Don said that when he comes to minister to God, he always puts on clean clothes – not coming in the clothes that he wears during the day, but clean clothes. For him that is an important way to honor God.

Verse 28: Thus all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the LORD with shouting and with the sound of the horn, with trumpets and with cymbals, making music with stringed instruments and harps.

Verse 29: And it happened, as the ark of the covenant of the LORD came to the City of David, that Michal, Saul’s daughter, looked through a window and saw King David whirling and playing music; and she despised him in her heart.

Many come to churches and do not like the worship and free expression of praise. They end up barren. God closed up Michal’s womb, and many spiritual wombs are also closed by not honoring God according to His order of worship.

1 Chronicles 16:4 And he appointed some of the Levites to minister before the ark of the LORD, to commemorate, to thank, and to praise the LORD God of Israel:

These are the three things worship contains: 1. to commemorate, 2. to thank, and 3. to praise and worship God.

Many ministers/pastors minister to the people attending the service instead of ministering to God. History is important to the church. If nothing else, if we know what happened in history, we can avoid making the same mistakes.

Pastor Don talked about the circular nature of the five fold gifts in the history of the church.

Apostle ->prophet->evangelist->pastor->teacher->apostle…

Martin Luther was a teacher, bringing light to darkness. We had a faith era (evangelists) with people like Smith Wigglesworth.  In the 50′s and 60′s was the era of the pastors. Now teachers are coming forward to bring forth the Word of God in a big way, and apostles are emerging to take what the teachers are teaching and do something with it.

In a previous teaching, Pastor Don suggested that each church should have people in the five fold ministry – and if they don’t have a particular office represented, they can bring in guest speakers to complete the ministry.

What is happening today is that people are trying to oppress the apostles and prophets to keep church non-threatening to the established systems.

What worked for David and Israel will work for us today.  We need to take time and ask God for the proper order of worship.

Interesting note: Lafayette Scales will be speaking at our church Monday and Tuesday September 25 and 26. If you live near us, feel free to come and hear him – you can click on the Living Word Chapel link to find directions to our church. If you click on the link to In His Name ministries, you can find a few recorded sermons of Pastor Don if you want to hear him “live”.

Have a blessed day!

Heather

Came across this site and thought it might bless you.

http://www.victoria.tc.ca/~ub608/bbwords.html

Have a blessed day,

Heather

Remember, Joseph’s brothers return to their father with grain, terrified because they found the payment for the grain was in their sacks. Simeon is left in jail, waiting for the brothers to return with Benjamin – to prove they are not spies. Jacob refuses to let Benjamin go (obviously valuing him more than Simeon). But alas, the grain runs out and they have to take desperate measures. Simeon must be wondering by now if they would ever return.

Genesis 43:2 Now it came to pass when they had eaten up the grain which they had brought from Egypt, that their father said to them, “Go back, buy us a little food.”

Judah reminds Jacob that they will not see the man’s face (Joseph’s) unless they bring back Benjamin. The brothers offer to all go down to acquire the food.

Notice in verse 6-7God uses Israel (doing something Godly – instead of Jacob -fleshly). And Israel said, “Why did you deal so wrongfully with me as to tell the man whether you had still another brother. But they said, “The man asked us pointedly about ourselves and our family, saying ‘Is your father still alive? Have you another brother?’ And we told him according to these words. Could we possibly have known that he would say, ‘Bring your brother down?”

I am proud of Judah in the next verses for he says that he will take responsibility for Benjamin, verses 8-10 Then Judah said to Israel his father, “Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go, that we may live and not die, both we and you and also our little ones. I myself will be surety for him, from my hand you shall require him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever. For if we had not lingered, surely by now we would have returned this second time.” Three generations are represented here, if they do not do something – the entire line would die off from famine.

Judah is interceding for not only himself, but also for all the tribe of Israel – pointing out that if they go they will live and not die – that is more prophetic than they realize because God is wanting them to move to Egypt precisely so that a remnant can be saved. But Judah promises to be responsible for Benjamin.

Verse 11-13 And their father Israel said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: Take some of the best fruits of the land in your vessels and carry down a present for the man –a little balm and a little honey, spices and myrrh, pistachio nuts and almonds. Take double money in your hand, and take back in your hand the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks; perhaps it was an oversight. Take your brother also, and arise, go back to the man.

This puzzles me a bit because where did they get the best fruits of the land if there is a famine? Doesn’t this sound a bit like when Jacob went back to Esau – sending gifts to placate Esau? Perhaps (speculation here) he feels that if it worked with Esau, it will work with the man. But at least Israel made the right decision (indicated by the name Israel).

Verse 14 And may God Almighty (El Shaddai) give you mercy before the man, that he may release your other brother and Benjamin. If I am bereaved, I am bereaved!

Jacob is doing something that I often do – worry. God tells us not to worry, but so often I play out many scenarios in my mind, trying to figure out how things work out – not trusting God. I used to think that the Israelites (after Exodus), and even Jacob/Israel who wrestled with God and had many visions and directives, had little excuse for doubt – especially after all the miracles they had witnessed. But that isn’t so – I think sometimes we start “rationalizing” the miracles, or begin to feel God is absent if He isn’t obviously present. Perhaps that is why God wants us to trust Him by faith, not by sight – for then we don’t begin to look for more and more tangible results. We don’t become used to the tangible, and we seek God in faith. Don’t forget, Jacob must have heard the prophesy from Abraham about how they would sojourn in Egypt. Somehow this might have struck a chord if he had slowed down and gone to God with the situation. But then again, if I were in Jacob’s sandals I probably would worry the same way and try to somehow make things better in my own strength. It is remarkable to me how much like us these mighty men of God are, gives me hope at least that God can use me – clay pot that I am.

So the brothers and Benjamin return to Egypt and stand before Joseph. Remember – Joseph looks different (dressed like an Egyptian – and [sorry can't resist - Walk like an Egyptian], and he only spoke to them through a translator (so they don’t know he speaks their language).

Verse 16 When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, “Take these men to my home, and slaughter an animal and make ready; for these men will dine with me at noon.

Do you have any idea how unusual this would have been? These were not kings and queens, they weren’t high ranking officers. I am certain that Joseph did not entertain many at state dinners in his own house. And the brothers must be wondering what is going on, as evidenced by the next few verses.

Verse 18 Now the men were afraid because they were brought into Joseph’s house; and they said, “It is because of the money, which was returned in our sacks the first time, that we are brought in, so that he may make a case against us and seize us, to take us as slaves with our donkeys.”

Hmmmm, to think thoughts like this usually means that they have done similar things – such as selling a brother into slavery.

Verse 19 When they drew near to the steward of Joseph’s house, they talked with him at the door of his house. Telling the servant how they got the extra money – and telling him that they didn’t know how the money got into their sacks.

Verse 23 But he said, “Peace be with you, do not be afraid, Your God and the God of your father has given you treasure in your sacks; I had your money.” Then he brought Simeon out to them. Shalom – and not to be afraid. Sometimes when people tell me not to be afraid, to trust, or whatever it doesn’t help – especially when I am in the midst of fear and guilt. Guess that is why we need to walk with God, and learn bit by bit to relax and let God take those things, those dark places, and heal us, so we don’t walk around with excess baggage, waiting to be brought out by our circumstances.

Wouldn’t you like to be a scarab on the wall to see the family reunion of Simeon and his brothers – do you think he might be a bit peeved that he was in prison longer than necessary because the brothers didn’t immediately return?

Boy these words sure sound a lot like Jesus – the do not be afraid. It might have puzzled the brothers to be addressed with “Your God and the God of your father.” That has a definite Israelite sound to it, certainly not Egyptian. And so often when we get saved, we want to keep trying to pay Jesus back – not accepting his free gift of salvation. We try to pay with good works, devotions, traditions, actions. But we can’t buy salvation any more than these brothers could buy salvation (food to prevent famine) because God’s plan was to save the people in Egypt.

The man gave the brothers water to wash their feet and food for their donkeys. They got themselves presentable for Joseph’s coming.  Does this ring a bell??? We are making ourselves ready for our Master’s second coming – it involves washing our feet (making sure our path is a Godly path), getting water (the Water of the Word), and feeding our donkeys (could that be our fleshly bodies? – again speculation).

When Joseph came home they brought him their presents and bowed down before him to the earth – again it is reminiscent of Joseph’s prophetic dream. Joseph did not seem concerned about the presents, but more so about his father.

Verse 27 Then he asked them about their well-being, and said, “Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?”

Remember in the dream Jacob will bow before Joseph too – and here they mention that Jacob/Israel is Joseph’s servant. Verse 28 And they answered, “Your servant, our father is in good health; he is still alive.” And they bowed their heads down and prostrated themselves.”

I would love to see this next scene, how bittersweet. Verse 28 “Then he lifted his eyes and saw his brother  Benjamin, his mother’s son, and said, “Is this your younger brother of whom you spoke to me?” And he said, “God be gracious to you, my son.”

How Joseph restrained himself, I don’t know – but it says that Joseph’s heart yearned for his brother – so Joseph quickly left and sought somewhere to weep. He wept in his chamber, then washed his face and came out, restraining himself and said, verse 31 “Serve the bread.”

Even though Joseph was Prime minister, he did not eat with the Egyptians, and he couldn’t eat with the Israelites without giving himself away, so Joseph sat by himself. How lonely for Joseph. Verse 32 So they set him a place by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves; because the Egyptians could not eat food with the Hebrews, for that is an abomination to the Egyptians.

Now the odds of the next thing happening so flawlessly is next to impossible, yet another thing to set the brothers wondering. Remember they are all older, and after a certain age it is tough to tell exact ages, but…Verse 33 And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth; and the men looked in astonishment at one another.

I am wondering if the next thing is a test: Verse 34 Then he took servings to them from before him, but Benjamin’s serving was five times as much as any of theirs. So they drank and were merry with him.

I am wondering if Joseph was waiting to see if the brothers showed any sign of jealousy at his favoritism of Benjamin, have the older brothers really changed?

Beth Moore, in her study The Patriarchs adds further insight. Page 205 “Dear One, the load on the consciences of Joseph’s brothers depicts one reason why we’ve got to go to God, confess our sins, and make whatever restitution He prescribes. If we don’t, we will end up attaching every bad thing that happens to us to past sins, chaining ourselves to the perception of endless punishment.”

I have seen that in my life, and in the lives of others. A guilty conscience and then we start thinking that every bad thing that happens to us is because of a former sin – or in some situations demonic influence. While some things are a direct result demonic influence- the truth is, many of our problems are really unconfessed sin – and in some instances confessed sin that we don’t really believe God has forgiven. But His Word says, 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. And He assures us, Psalm 103:12 As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. I love this verse because if you go from North to South you end up either at the North Pole or the South Pole – but if you travel East, you never arrive.

Beth continues on Page 206 “Jacob could neither prove it nor explain how it had happened, but he knew his sons were responsible for Joseph’s “death.” Perhaps they’d disposed of Simeon as well. Can you imagine living in a climate of such guilt and blame?…This story should certainly make us feel better about God’s ability to redeem messed up families!”

She then points out that Jacob let time go by, and then suggests that they go and buy a little more food – Judah reminds Jacob of the Benjamin problem. And Beth asks us the following question, p. 206 “Don’t we all occasionally hope that time has changed the rules?”

Now this is something that I didn’t realize, but it sure makes sense, p206 “We must not miss Judah’s rise to the top because we’re getting a glimpse of redemption at work. One reason Jacob looked to Joseph as the leader was because the older sons had proved such poor choices. Judah’s sins were notorious in the family, but he did not let the appraisal of his past dictate his future. He refused to consider the respect of his family members impossible to earn and reclaim. Judah had a chance to do the right thing and take the strong lead.”

Beth then asks us to think of a time when we did something to lose a person’s respect, and whether or not we felt we could earn it back.

And something to look forward to, p. 207 “Toward the conclusion of our study, Jacob’s blessing over Judah will show Judah finally earned his father’s respect.”

Praise God, that we can re-earn respect.

Page207 “Jacob called upon God Almighty: El Shaddai. Remember this is the primary name by which God revealed Himself to the patriarchs (Gen. 17:1, Ex. 6:3) Jacob’s father, Isaac, invoked this glorious name over Jacob when he first departed his home: “May God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and increase your numbers until you become a community of peoples” (Gen. 28:3). With their future bleak and a famine ever-present, Jacob knew that God Almighty alone could keep his family fruitful and increase them into a community. At this point in his life, Jacob didn’t call on God Almighty’s blessing. He called on His mercy.”

Beth points out that in this portion of Scripture, Benjamin’s own thoughts and feelings are not included. Beth, as usual loves to then use her imagination to imagine just what Benjamin might be feeling.

She then states that the brothers were not expecting a welcoming feast, and page 209 “What they feared from this man was ironically identical to what they’d done to him.”

Believing that they would reap what they sowed. Don’t we do that too? When we have done something less than godly, don’t we expect others to treat us the same way. Yet again, another case for following God’s guidelines – much more peace of mind!

Psalm 103:10 “God has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities.” Praise God for that,

Beth continues, p. 209 “I believe God disciplines us to the degree we can be taught. Remember, the goal of all true discipline is to disciple. God never chastises His child past the point of teaching. He never punishes just to punish.”

Verse 34 tells us they drank and were merry with him (Joseph). Beth gives more insight into this, p. 211 “If Joseph had proved to be anything in his Egyptian tenure, he has shown himself to be a man of restraint….Joseph felt like he couldn’t deal with his emotions—the mercy growing warmer and warmer within him—so he sought to cool them (anesthetize them) with drink. ‘Joseph, perhaps as much in sorrow as in joy, leads the party-goers to lose themselves in drink, satisfying at once his desire both to forget and to celebrate,’ Imagine the pitiable scene as he drank alone from his table in the isolation of secrecy while they drank together at theirs. Did he stare forlornly into his cup, remembering long-ago meals they shared? By the next morning Joseph’s temporary fix had worn off. Have you noticed that  emotional pain has an uncanny way of hanging over us?…Sometimes we have to feel the pain for God to heal the pain; but when His feelings converge with ours, the process is bearable.”

Stay tuned for the next installment in this incredible story of redemption. I still get amazed when I see how much God showed of Jesus in the Patriarchs – if only we and they have eyes to see.

Have a blessed day!

Heather

 Hope you had a great Labor Day weekend. I wanted to say Memorial Day – but I think that is wishful thinking. Given the kind of weather we had this summer, I want a do-over. But I am looking forward to a beautiful Fall season.

Before church begins at Living Word Chapel, Pastor Don spends time in prayer and does not start talking before God gives him a Bible verse or verses to share. During this time the church is listening to beautiful organ music by our members, praying (hopefully) and getting into worship. This Sunday God gave Pastor Don Matthew 6:22-33 which he told us was a kind of long passage, but so appropriate to the way the Holy Spirit is moving in our church. And if you had heard the worship music (prepared beforehand) and the sermon that Pastor Jerry gave (see yesterday’s entry), also prepared beforehand- you will see that the theme carried throughout the service.

Matthew 6:22-24 The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness! No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

Pastor Don explained that Jesus used mammon for a specific reason – it does not just refer to money, but a demonic spirit behind money. The Bible does not say that money is bad, it says that the LOVE of money is the root of evil. It refers to what is behind the surface. If you give money to a person who has the spirit of mammon below the surface, that root can cause one to do anything for money – from criminal behavior, lying, stepping over others to achieve higher salaries, etc. God wants us to have money, but He doesn’t want money to have us. The spirit of mammon contains avarice, greed, advantageous gain. It contains a certain attitude and pride.

Matthew 6:25 Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?

DO NOT WORRY – that is not a request from God, but a command. God will provide our needs. What we need to remember is that if we focus on God, the rest takes care of itself.

Matthew 6:26-30 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

Pastor Don mentioned Queen Anne’s Lace (a beautiful lacy flower of the carrot family)

and purple luse strife,

and points out how beautiful they are. Solomon could not have as much glory as even those. He pointed out that weeds are the plants we decide we don’t want in a particular area. And laughed and said that the world thought some of us were weeds, but God saw through that to the wonderful people we were underneath. Weeds are those plants we can’t control at times.

Verse 30 talks about “O you of little faith.” We need to have faith in God that He will provide.

Matthew 6:31-32 Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.

The Gentiles seek after cars, hair, good nails, big houses, and other status items. If you are seeking prosperity as a Gentile, you end up in confusion. God does want to prosper us. He knows we need the things the Gentiles are spending all their time seeking – and the difference is what we do with the things. If we glorify God. If the Gentiles see us being blessed in the physical, and when we are asked how we got the things, we praise God for His goodness and provision, that speaks volumes to the Gentiles. The things are useful as a witness about God, but they are not to be sought after just for gaining. God knows what we NEED, some of us can handle things without falling prey to mammon, others cannot. God knows and provides.

Then we had a guest speaker – Dr. Kraft – who is a member of the Gideon Bible Society.

He spoke about what the Gideons are doing here in our area. Mentioned that they are in 181 countries. And spoke a lot about the evangelism of Russia. There are 256 Gideon camps in Russia (sort of local church groups). over 90 million Scriptures in Russian have been handed out. The Scriptures are in the classrooms, the prisons, the hospitals, the hotels, and the military in Russia. The Russian schools allow Gideons to speak one hour in each classroom, and allow them to hand out scriptures. The jail guards like having the Bibles in their jails because it makes the prisoners better behaved. The military likes having the scriptures.

He told a story about a Russian Shaman. Apparently a pilot forgot to drop off Bibles at a far outpost, and to get rid of them opened up the hanger door and threw them out on the tundra. A shaman came by, saw the red books, picked one up and started to read. He then went to “heal” a patient and his “magic” didn’t work. He kept reading, found a shopkeeper who offered to teach him about the scriptures. He stopped being a shaman and became a Christian.

Another story he shared was about a Gideon man invited to a dinner at the worst prison in Russia – the one where many of the prisoners were executed. After he was there, he found out that the person being honored at the retirement dinner at the prison was the chief executioner. He then realized that this was the very man who, when Russia was still communist, executed his grandfather for being a Christian. During the process of the meal, the Gideon man had to work through forgiving the executioner. The executioner talked about being converted to Christianity, and then wanted to shake the Gideon’s hand, and hug him. God used this to bring about a healing not only for the executioner but also for the Gideon. (I am writing this from memory – so some of the details may not be exact).

We were told story after story- and then we were told about what is happening in our area.

My kids’ school doesn’t let the Gideons in. At another local school, the Gideons stand on street corners and hand out Bibles to the kids – but they had to fight for the right. The Bible isn’t allowed to be taught in our school. We need to pray and keep handing out the Word wherever we can.

The question we were asked is, “Which is a more Christian Nation – Russia or the United States.” Given what we heard, I would have to say Russia.

We need to pray hard folks – and support groups like the local Gideons in your area.

I am hoping you have a blessed day.

Heather

Wednesday, Pastor Jerry is returning home to California. I am going to miss him very much. He is an enlightened teacher and an incredible musician as well. I offered him the opportunity to share any sermon notes he wants to with me via email, and I will put them up on Xanga for your edification and pleasure. (For me this is very selfish, for it means that I get lessons from both Pastor Don and Pastor Jerry!)

In California Pastor Jerry is part of Embajada Del Dios (my best guess – for Embassy of God), and also a ministry called Under the Bridge which reaches out to the homeless that live under the bridges in Los Angeles.

He is coming of retirement age, but pointed out that there is no retirement for Christians, for once we retire from the secular world, we are then able to serve more in God’s Kingdom. He stated that we have to be willing – but in order to be willing we have to be willing (as in I consciously will this into my life). Satan will do everything he can to distract us from doing God’s work. He wants us to be satisfied with thinking about things we will do – but never doing them. He wants to provide us with many secular distractions that prevent us from doing God’s work.

Jesus Christ was God’s Great Ambassador. He is the representative of Heaven.

An ambassador presents the agenda of the Kingdom. He is the company agent, telling us what the company is offering. He has solutions for our problems. His comments line up with the management’s position. He speaks with authority, speaking the management’s words.

Jesus said that He is under God’s authority, speaking God’s Words, and that when we see Him, we See God. When we hear Jesus’s words, we are hearing God. When we honor Jesus, we honor God. When we love Jesus, we love God.

When Jesus came to earth, he came with a fanfare. The angels declared his coming, and Jesus brought gifts and a proposal –what the King of Heaven wants for us. He tells us what is going on in Heaven. What God wants for us and what we get when we are in agreement with God.

Jesus healed the sick, opened the eyes of the blind (vision), raised the dead (life), and let us know that in Heaven there is no blindness, no sickness, there is abundant life and life eternal.

God wants us to have all this if we come in agreement with His will. To do this we need three things:

1. We have to be willing – He won’t force it on us.
2. We depend on God as the source, the provider
3. We have to be willing to be obedient, to submit to His will, to be righteous.

Scripture tells us the way that seems right to man leads to death. We have to know and obey what God says, to overcome things in our life, and be willing to let go of our low self-esteem, our lack of confidence, and step out in faith, believing God. When we do God’s will, we have confidence in God, and overcome our shortcomings.

Like a Garden, God plants seeds, he waters, produces fruit and flowers, fertilizes, prunes, and abilities grow in us that we didn’t know we have.

We have a willing God, willing to forgive us, willing to redeem us, willing to restore us, willing to rejuvenate us. In turn, we have to be willing to stand against temptation. He will make us able to do this. No weapon formed against us will prosper. By learning God’s Word we also gain knowledge of satan’s devises, how he works against marriage, family, job, and our life.

We need to be willing to be at peace with God. When we disobey His word, do not respect God’s laws we are doing an act of hate towards God. Hating God’s laws is like being at war with God. Christ is the peacemaker for our lost world, that is dying by attaching itself to the things of satan. Jesus died for our sins, and He points us to the ways that bring peace with God. Just like in Noah’s day, our hearts and minds (without Jesus) are focused on what is ungodly.

What is needed to bring this about?:

Acts 26:18 To open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.

Pastor Jerry pointed out that in this world, our eyes are often focused on the media (more often than not it is a tool of the prince of the air – satan), which focuses us on evil, on worldly and fleshly things. Without the protection of Jesus, we would submit to evil. When we accept Jesus, he opens our eyes and turns us from darkness to light. What we need to do is accept His offer and follow His guidelines.

Pastor Jerry said that we have to follow CP – Christian Protocol. Are you willing to be deployed, to be sent out in Jesus’ name, to engage in warfare at your Job? Are you willing to pray, to be sent out in spirit and truth? God will give discernment in the job or in your situation, so that you will know how to pray for people. We are not fighting a battle in this world, but against principalities and powers. Are we willing to set aside our own agendas and line up with God’s? AYW – are you willing? When we act as God’s ambassadors, and follow His agenda, he gives us power, strength, fortitude, insight, self-knowledge to do His work.

Isaiah 11:2 The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD.

God’s spirit resides in us continually. God will help us to learn patience, to be free from doubt, to walk in faith, and to have confidence in Him.

1 John 5:14 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.

Hebrews 13:6 So we may boldly say: “The LORD is my helper, I will not fear. What can man do with me!”

Hebrews 4:14-16 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Will we accept Jesus’ offer and terms of agreement? Will we spread the Good news, walk in love, do as much listening as we do speaking, study to make ourselves approved, accept the gift of salvation, give a reason for our faith, undermine the devil and the devil’s will, do the works of God?

We need a CHRISTIAN CONSPIRACY – to undermine the devil’s works, tearing down the strongholds of satan, do some damage to satan’s kingdom. We get strength to stand against devilry when we are willing to do what is right for the Kingdom of God.

Pastor Jerry pointed out that so often we are very determined to do what is wrong. He gave the example of taking drugs – how people are willing to do anything to obtain their drugs, seek out the supplier, spend tons of money, find all the tools needed to use the drugs, etc. If we would be just as determined to do right as we are to do wrong, we would make some progress. But often when we determine to do what is right, satan comes against us. He doesn’t have to come against us when we are doing wrong, for we are solidly in his camp. But when we step out in faith, believe God, accept salvation, then we become a threat to satan, and he will come against us. He knows his time is short. We cannot afford to be ignorant of satan’s devices. We need to recognize satan’s voice, satan’s temptations and not yield to temptation. When satan raises his head, we need to smash it down. If he sends us a box, don’t open it, burn it. Do not take one step towards temptation. God will help us stand!

James 4:7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

Colossians 3:5 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.

1 Corinthians 4:1-2 Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.

As ambassadors we carry God’s witness into the world. Often, the only Christ people see is you and me. We need to walk our lives out as servants, good stewards of the gifts, abilities, and responsibilities God has blessed us with. We give our lives, our bodies, our hearts over to service of God. And the gifts of God are unending, but with the gifts comes the responsibility to be good stewards. We are both an affect and an effect on people.

The will of God:

Psalms 40:8 I delight to do Your will, O my God, and Your law is within my heart.

John 4:34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work.

To do God’s work nourishes us, strengthens us.

Ephesians 5:17 Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

Study to know the Will of God.

1 Thessalonians 4:3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that you should abstain from sexual immorality;

1 John 2:17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

1 John 3:23 And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment.

Are we willing (not just passive willing, but active willing by our conscious mind) to let God create a clean heart in us?  Are we willing to put down desires that appeal to our physical, mental, thoughts and beliefs, if they are not of God?

Psalms 1:1-3 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither, and whatever he does shall prosper.

Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

Romans 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

Hebrews 13:16 But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

God is the way to forgive, to redeem, to restore, to reconcile, to sanctify, to heal, to mercy, to grace, to favor, to change our lives.

We need to put God first, and do the will of God. Pray to know the will of God. There are many things that are in the will of God. Sharing the good news, speaking a good word in season, standing in faith, trusting God, having faith in Jesus, giving Him praise and glory. We can practice throwing down crowns here on earth by giving all the glory to God. We can recognize what God has done in our lives. We can love God with our whole beings.

God is willing and you have got to be willing.

Hope this teaching blessed you as much as it blessed me. What an awesome gift God gives us to sit under the teaching of good teachers, to have His Word at our hand. Not all are so privileged. We were told to pray for India – a pastor we know in India emailed that right now pastors and their congregations are being dragged out of prayer meetings and church services, being beaten and thrown in prison. This is on a more severe level than ever before, and we were asked to pray for the Christians in India.

We do serve an awesome God. And how incredible it is that God loved us while we were still sinners, loves us today where we are, and loves us enough to give us a gentle push to become His best for us.

Have a blessed Labor Day.
Heather

What an awesome God we serve. Because God is outside of our limits in time, He sees far more than we can ever hope to see. God set in motion many series of events before the earth was formed. He knows us, He knows our weaknesses, and He set in motion a plan to save us. Kings, Gentiles, Israelites all play a part in this plan, even when they think they are acting independently. The interconnections of things in our lives is far beyond anything we can imagine with our limited intelligence. God can take the bad things in our lives and turn them to good. If someone doesn’t obey God, He has other plans in motion. Nothing is outside of His control. We can rest in God and know that He has everything under control. At this point, Joseph would have no knowledge that this was all engineered by God.

Ephesians 1:11 In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will.

I am so in awe of the sovereignty of God. There are no limits to what He will do to bring about what He has said He would do – a famine, war, bounty, will lead people to where they need to be. This famine in the land will move a father and his 11 sons and family to Egypt, where they must be. This sovereignty of God will cause a Roman leader to create a census that will make Mary and Joseph travel to Bethlehem to fulfill a prophesy.

The culture of that time was an oral tradition – and I am certain that Jacob heard at his father’s knees about Grandfather Abraham and the prophesy he received from God. Genesis 15:13 Then He (God) said to Abram; “Know certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them, and they will afflict them four hundred years.” In order for this prophesy to be fulfilled, Jacob and his offspring must be in Egypt.

The famine became so bad in the land that Jacob and his sons were suffering. Jacob finds out that there is food in Egypt, and instructs his sons, verse 2 “And he said, “Indeed I have heard that there is grain in Egypt; go down to that place and buy for us there, that we may live and not die.”  Have you ever said something that has multi-layers of meaning without realizing it. This is one of those sentences. Jacob was talking about their immediate survival – but without realizing it this sentence is setting in motion one of God’s ultimate plans to save our souls so that we can live and not die for eternity – through His son Jesus.

Joseph’s ten brothers went down to buy grain in Egypt. Why ten when Jacob had 11 sons still living (or so he thought)? verse 4 But Jacob did not send Joseph’s brother Benjamin with his brothers, for he said, “Lest some calamity befall him.” Benjamin was the only remaining son that Jacob had from Rachel, and this gives me a clue that Jacob had some doubt about what happened to Joseph – thinking that His sons may have had something to do with his “demise”.

Don’t you love stories when you know that the outcome is going to be soooo good for one of the characters. But remember, Jacob is believing that Joseph is dead, has been grieving his death, and is acting under that assumption to protect Benjamin. One day we will see the light of joy shining in Jacob’s/Israel’s eyes. Some days I wish there had been a movie made of this event – what drama and adventure would be portrayed.

Let’s do some math. Joseph was 17 years old when he was rejected by his brothers. Genesis 41:46 Joseph was 30 years old when he came into power – 13 years passed. Then there was 7 plentiful years making Joseph 37 years old. (It has been 20 years since Joseph was sold into slavery-so it makes sense that his brothers will not recognize him). Joseph was governor of ALL the people. He had all the regalia of leadership, looked different, and people gave him great respect. Joseph’s brothers verse 6 “…came and bowed down before him with their faces to the earth.” This dream sounds familiar, doesn’t it – it was a prophesy of a 17 year old boy long ago.

Verse 7 -Joseph saw his brothers and recognized them, but he acted as a stranger to them and spoke roughly to them. Then he said to them, “Where do you come from?” And they said, “From the land of Canaan to buy bread.” Joseph recognized his brothers and also remembered his dream. He says to them verse 9 “…You are spies! You have come to see the nakedness of the land.”

After that accusation, they said that they had come just to buy food, and verse 11-14 “We are one man’s sons, your servants are not spies. But He said to them, “No, but you have come to see the nakedness of the land.” And they said, “Your servants are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan: and in fact, the youngest is with our father today, and one is no more.” But Joseph said to them, “It is as I spoke to you, saying ‘You are spies!”.

Be sure your sins will find you out – Joseph knows these brothers are not honest – their track record points that one out – they lied about Joseph to their father and they certainly did not treat Joseph very well.

Joseph decides to test them, he tells them verse 15-17 “In this manner you shall be tested; By the life of Pharaoh, you shall not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here. Send one of you, and let him bring your brother; and you shall be kept in prison; that your words may be tested to see whether there is any truth in you; or else, by the life of Pharaoh, surely you are spies!.” So he put them all together in prison three days.

I can only guess, but I wonder if He wanted to make sure that they hadn’t done to Benjamin what they did to him. And perhaps (and this is only speculation), the time in prison was a way to give them a taste of what he experienced. And we can’t overlook three days – like three days in the tomb. At this point, Joseph is planning on keeping 9 brothers and sending one back to bring Benjamin. But soon He will change his mind and keep one brother, sending 9 back to retrieve Benjamin.

Use your imagination a bit. Can you imagine how terrified the brothers are. Joseph is speaking to them through an interpreter, so they don’t know he understands what they are saying. He is acting gruffly – and they probably do not know the customs or laws of the land. They have no idea what Joseph is planning to do with them, and they are scared. I have noticed that when I am scared or in uncertain circumstances, it is then that I start honestly looking at myself, and trying to figure out how I can get right with God, and maybe cause a crop failure of the bad things happening in my life. Sometimes it takes a famine (spiritual or physical) to make us stop and pay attention to God. Joseph’s brothers will start having pricks of conscience soon, for it is only in real repentance that their salvation can come.

No matter how hard Joseph tries to fool them, occasionally slips of the tongue must have caught their attention – and eased their minds a bit. From their point of view, Joseph is a pagan Prime Minister – but Joseph says to them, verse 18 “Then Joseph said to them the third day, “Do this and live, for I fear God.” What a strange thing for a pagan to say – they must wonder how he knows about God – he didn’t say gods, or idols, but fear God – that is a very Hebrew sounding phrase.

Then Joseph says, “if you are honest men”,  one (not 9) will be confined in prison, and the rest will go and carry grain for the famine of the houses. But they are instructed to bring back Benjamin, so that their word is verified and they shall not die.

They talked among themselves, not realizing that Joseph could understand what they were saying, and talking about Joseph, their conscience was pricked, verse 21 “Then they said to one another, “We are truly guilty concerning our brother, for we saw the anguish of his soul when he pleaded with us, and we would not hear; therefore this distress has come upon us.”

They are seeing a connection of their past actions to their current situation. Reuben, the eldest who was responsible for Joseph, says in effect – see, I told you so. verse 22 And Reuben answered them, saying, “Did I not speak to you, saying, “Do not sin against the boy; and you would not listen? Therefore behold, his blood is now required of us.”

Joseph is moved by their comments, and turns away to weep – he weeps many times in this narrative. Jesus wept also. Joseph takes Simeon from them and binds him. He will be the one to go to prison until the brothers return. Some speculate that it was Simeon who was the ring leader of the whole attack against Joseph.

Joseph gives them grain, and tells his servants to put the money in the sacks with the grain. They load their donkeys and return. When they brothers camped for the night, they took grain to feed their animals and one brother found that the money was in the sack. verse 28 “…My money has been restored and there it is in my sack!” Then their hearts failed them and they were afraid, saying to one another, “What is this that God has done to us?”

There is so much of me in this statement. First of all, the money was returned because, just like with us, salvation cannot be purchased, it is a free gift. But the brothers don’t understand that. They are just more terrified – for fear of what the Prime Minister (Joseph) will do. They probably think that there is some sort of entrapment occurring. And then, who do they blame? God. I spent many years blaming God for things that He did not do – things that occurred at the hands of men.

They return to Jacob and report their encounter with the prime minister to him, informing him that they have to return with Benjamin to free Simeon. We will now see in how much regard Simeon is held. Jacob decides to leave Simeon in prison, rather than risking his beloved son, Benjamin.

Now Jacob is believing in error that Joseph is dead – looking at circumstances. He says, verse 36 And Jacob (notice it is Jacob – remember God refers to Jacob as Israel when Jacob is acting as God would have him act, and Jacob when he is acting in the flesh) their father said to them, “You have bereaved me, Joseph is no more, Simeon is no more and you want to take Benjamin. All these things are against me.” How wrong He is – all these seemingly adverse circumstances are really for Jacob – and done to preserve the Nation Israel.

Reuben takes responsibility – offering that Jacob could kill his two sons, if he takes Benjamin and doesn’t return with him. Here is another hint that Jacob knows that something wasn’t quite right with what happened to Joseph verse 38 But he said, “My son shall not go down with you, for his brother is dead, and he is left alone. If any calamity should befall him along the way in which you go, then you would bring down my gray hair with sorrow to the grave.

So, we leave Chapter 42 with Simeon in prison, the brothers in terror because of the money, and Jacob not sending Benjamin. Stay tuned for Chapter 43 for the next exciting installment!

And now a word from Beth Moore – The Patriarchs

I love her insights – here is something I never saw before – Page 202 “The Hebrew terminology adds interesting insight in verse 9, possibly suggesting a play on words. Joseph accused his brothers of seeing “where our land is unprotected,” but a closer rendering of the Hebrew word for unprotected is naked. “Ye are spies; to see the nakedness of the land ye are come.” To ancient Hebrew thinkers like Joseph, to be stripped of your robe was to be left virtually naked.”

Beth then recounts the actions of Joseph – the imprisoning of the brothers, the request to send one back, then nine back, she says on p. 203 “What in heaven’s name was Joseph doing? Actually, Dear One, I don’t think Joseph had a clue what he was doing. After all, he was in full throttle reaction mode. A number of commentator’s feel the need to justify all Joseph’s actions and make him above reproach, I suppose so he’ll fit neatly into a savior-type role. I see no need. Only one Savior is perfect. I’m fine with giving Joseph some room to wig out.”

Regarding Joseph’s comment about fearing God, Beth says, p. 204 “I’d like to suggest that fearing God had everything to do with Joseph’s change of plans. Quite possibly Joseph fell under conviction as he held all 10 men in custody. Perhaps God caused Joseph to ask himself how different he was from his brothers. After all, had Joseph not thrown them as surely “into a pit?”

This next statement by Beth, p. 204 is so true of me, and what I went through. God does release us from this though, if we trust Him. I know, because He has worked hard in this area in my life. “Let’s put ourselves in Joseph’s position for a moment. Let’s say we each sustained a serious hurt but God was with us in the years that followed, using our pain to build our character and humility. We’ve come a long way and produced much fruit, but some of the old wounds are still there. We’ve just chosen to ignore them. Suddenly, we come face-to-face with the person we perceive caused us such pain. We don’t give full way to our flesh. Neither do we give full way to the Holy Spirit. In other words, we’re not entirely blameless….but who can blame us? What brings us in check when we recognize a measure of our own vindictiveness? I believe it’s the fact that we fear God! We know that He tests not only our actions but also our motives. Quite possibly, only the fear of God kept Joseph in check….God is too practical to use the journey Jacob’s family had ahead for their sakes and not for Joseph’s. Only the most misshapen ego sees conflict resolution as straightening out only the other party. One side may have more work to do, but rarely is the other completely blameless.

Then Beth adds one more statement 204 “”Jacob must have experienced a terrifying sense of de’ja vu’, as once again his sons returned minus one. This time, with a pouch full of silver. Who could believe anything they had to say?”

Hoping you have a blessed Sunday – it is pouring rain here.

Heather

Oh my, chickens again!

A chicken crossing the road is “poultry in motion.”