Pastor Danquah continued his wonderful teaching last night. He reminded us about Philippians 1:6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;

Any unfinished business will be completed. We need to come to God with anticipation that He is able. Ephesians 3:20 Now unto him (God) that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,

The Spirit of the Lord God transforms our lives, destroys yokes, and demons are made to leave our bodies. Jesus told us Luke 4:18-19 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

Demons cannot be comfortable because of the power of the Lord

Pastor Danquah then brought us to Luke 13:11-14 to see Jesus ministering to a woman who was bound with a spirit of infirmity for 18 years.

Luke 13:11-14 And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself.  And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity. And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God. And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day.

(Heather’s comment: I wish you could see the spirited way Pastor Danquah preached this, how he demonstrated the woman bound down under this spirit of infirmity. He was so animated in preaching this, wanting to get these important points across.)

This woman was bowed down all the time, in major bondage. Yet, she was part of the Church, she was in the synagogue, and must have always gone to church, but was still bound. She couldn’t raise herself. Pastor Danquah told us that if there is anyone under bondage, that the Spirit of the Lord is coming to set us free.

She was bent, couldn’t raise up her head, yet she was in the Church. It must have been very uncomfortable having this spirit of infirmity. The spirit of infirmity causes people to be bent spiritually, physically, to have diseases, and problems that never seem to be resolved. Pastor Danquah speculated that maybe she was in the choir – but couldn’t sing her best because she was bent. Maybe she was an usher, and yet was bent – not looking as good as an usher of the church should look. She was bent not just one year, two years, three years, but 18 years.

There are many people in the Church, in the Kingdom, tongue talking Christians, people who love God, but are still suffering under a spirit of infirmity. Only God knows your problem. Maybe you have a spirit of oppression, a spirit of loneliness, maybe you fear that you will remain single all your life, or if you are married the spirit of infirmity is trying to cause divorce. Maybe you have a spirit of poverty and can’t make your paycheck stretch far enough. Maybe you are spending money for unnecessary things. The Spirit of God will set you free.

Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.

This woman with the spirit of infirmity may have been going home and crying, wetting her pillow with her tears. She was bent for 18 years, can’t raise her head up. If there is any spirit that is oppressing you, Jesus has the power to free you forever.

Pastor Danquah asked us why is it that divorce rates are increasing so rapidly? It is because there is a demon assigned to destroy people’s happiness in marriage. We need to bind that spirit so that it does not affect the Body of Christ. Jesus gives us the power to set us free.

The devil can give you a sickness, and you struggle in your body, and it makes it harder for you to praise God, which is the source of our liberty. Sometimes our souls are so bound, that the person does not praise His name, if we are thrust down under oppression. To do the work God has for us, we need to reverse this spirit of oppression, to be free, delivered, and in the blessed anointing of God.

People are in the church bent under oppression, and this oppression will end. The people in the synagogue were not happy to see this woman delivered from her oppression. They started complaining that her healing was done on the sabbath. Instead of rejoicing in her liberation from the spirit of infirmity, they were complaining. They would rather see her suffer, so that she could be an object of pity. Sometimes Church folk can try and keep you in bondage, so that they think that they are better than you.

There is power in Heaven, in this place, in the Name of Jesus to set us free. How can you continue to live in poverty and lack – it is a spirit and a demon. Receive what God desires for you.

Judas did not begin being a betrayer. He was a good man. Pastor Danquah then pointed out that Pastor Don would never make a person treasurer of the church if they did not have integrity. Judas did have integrity, for Jesus gave him control over the purse.But then a devil entered into Judas and he became jealous and betrayed Jesus.

The devil can put such oppression and situations in your life that you decide that you do not want to go to church anymore. The Lord will set you free today. He will destroy the spirit of oppression and set people free.

There were many who cannot sleep at night in our church, and Jesus will set them free. They will sleep soundly. There are all kinds of sickness that Jesus will heal. In fact, there are many who are sick and don’t even realize that they are sick. Still claim your healing and God can reverse the situation. Remember Isaiah 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

The woman was in bondage 18 years, bent 18 years. She couldn’t straighten up. Sometimes we can’t straighten ourselves up spiritually, we have no joy, there is sorrow, and spirit of infirmity on us, and today we can have an encounter with destiny – we can be transformed.

If that woman did not go to church that day what would have happened? She would have missed her destiny. We have come to have an encounter with destiny. Proverbs 13:12 Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life.

Have you cried to the Lord about a particular thing and your heart is sick?  Have you been prayed for, anointed, fasted, and had hands laid on you, and yet your situation has not come to pass, has not been fulfilled? Your hope is not cut off. Your expectations of righteousness are not cut off. Come with expectation and the Lord will do it.

The woman was bent 18 years. There are people in the Church who love God, who will go to heaven, but they have a spirit of gossip. They are still saved, but they gossip. In this day and age it is easy to gossip, we have the telephone, text messaging, email, etc. We are supposed to GOSSIP THE GOSPEL and serve the Lord.

We are to give words of encouragement. God will set His people free.

The woman who was bent 18 years was religious, was a daughter of Abraham. Every promise given to Abraham belonged to her, and belongs to us, yet we are still bound. Under the covenant of Abraham, healing was promised to us, but people are still sick. Prosperity was promised, but people are still poor. All the Blessings of Abraham were promised to us. Remember, Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today, and for ever.

The devil wants to frustrate you, to make you struggle in life, to bring confusion. God’s Spirit will set people free.

Jesus goes to the Temple and sees this bent woman. Although the Bible doesn’t say it, we can infer that Jesus had compassion for her. He calls her out and says, “THOU ART LOOSED.” She was bound 18 years, but she met her destiny that day. Jesus said, “Thou art loosed” by the Spirit of the Lord.

Do you have sickness? – THOU ART LOOSED.
Poverty? – THOU ART LOOSED.
Fear? – THOU ART LOOSED.
Are your children having problems? – THOU ART LOOSED.
Marriage problems? – THOU ART LOOSED

Whatever your situation – THOU ART LOOSED.

Jesus lays His hands on the woman, and she straightens up. Her neck is held high. And you can see that she is beautiful.

Jesus is our deliverer. He will set us free, and then we will be praising Jesus.

When the woman received her healing, instead of rejoicing with her and praising God, people complained that Jesus healed on the Sabbath.

Psalm 118:8 It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.

Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

We are not to go witch hunting, but are to put our confidence in God. In the Church, people of faith can cause you havoc because of the spirit of religion. Jesus gives liberty because of the Spirit of God. He came purposefully to loose people from oppression, to make those under the devil’s power to be free.

We will leave here healed and rejoicing. Jesus touched this woman and she was free. The hand of God is upon us. Nothing is impossible for God. Some people will think to themselves, “But my case is different, he doesn’t know what is going on. But God knows our situation.

Matthew 19:26 But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.

Do not limit God! God is able to provide for you. Remove the negative out of your mind and be prepared to receive.

We then prayed and Pastor Danquah laid hands on many people, who were healed. It was an awesome time of praise, worship and healing. He is still speaking tonight if you want to come, you would be very welcome!

Have a blessed day,

Heather

If you live near the Hurley/Woodstock area of New York or anywhere within a radius of this area, I strongly suggest coming to Living Word Chapel tonight and tomorrow night to hear the teachings of Pastor Danquah. The power of God flowed through the service last night in such a blessed way, and there were many healings and deliverances of people. God is so good.

Last night Pastor Danquah told us that 9 years ago he first saw Pastor Don at a tent crusade. Pastor Don was playing guitar with such a joy of the Lord all over him that Pastor Danquah wanted to meet him. God gave Pastor Danquah the desire of his heart at another meeting, when a pastor friend of his wanted him to meet someone special. Pastor Don and Pastor Danquah’s relationship has been strong ever since.

What your heart’s desire is, God will answer. Pastor Danquah then told us that God was about to change our lives. He then taught on the Power of God’s Anointing.

We first read 1 Samuel 16:1-3 (Pastor Danquah uses King James version, so I will use that in my quotes) And the LORD said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite:for I have provided me a king among his sons. And Samuel said, How can I go? if Saul hear it, he will kill me. And the LORD said, Take an heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to the LORD. And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will shew thee what thou shalt do: and thou shalt anoint unto me him whom I name unto thee.

Someone will be demoted so you can be promoted. God’s promotions are not from the West or the East, or from another, but from God and God’s remarkable grace.

1 Samuel 6:6-10 And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the LORD’s anointed is before him. But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart. Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this. Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this. Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, The LORD hath not chosen these.

God demoted King Saul for disobedience and now He is going to promote a young man. God sent the Prophet Samuel to the House of Jesse to select a young man to anoint. First they brought out the oldest and God refused him. God did not look at his countenance or his stature. God is going to look at the heart. We are the person God is going to promote. It isn’t about height. Pastor Don and Pastor Danquah are both 5’7″ (Pastor Don quipped – and still growing). God looks at the heart. If your heart is ready to be transformed you will be anointed of God.

Some in Church are blessed mightily, and then they stop being good servants of the Lord, and rest in their anointing, not seeking to serve God. Then God will seek another to do His will, if the first will not do the will of God. God has a purpose for our life, but without the anointing of God, it will not manifest. Zechariah 4:6 Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts. When you are anointed for a purpose, it will be fulfilled, not in our own strength, but by the Power of the Spirit of God.

God needs us for a divine assignment, and we are that person. God reveals something to a person and their life is transformed forever because of the anointing. When God speaks and you obey, sometimes things around that divine assignment will seem negative.

1 Samuel 16:10-11 Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, The LORD hath not chosen these. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither.

The first seven sons were rejected by God, but there was an 8th, the youngest, in the wilderness taking care of sheep. Jesse was told to bring him to Samuel – that was the divine destiny for David. David’s life was to be changed, transformed.

When the Spirit of God comes upon you you will become another person. Some of us have been struggling for God, struggling to have God use us, but when you put the struggle down and let the Spirit of God come upon you, what was so challenging becomes more easy because it is God doing it, not ourselves.

Samuel was to anoint David. Pastor Danquah picked up a shofar and pointed out that the shofar was a horn (similar to a horn used for oil). In order for the horn to be filled with the oil of anointing, the meat (flesh) inside the horn had to be removed so that the oil can be poured in. It is the same with us. God will not anoint our flesh, He anoints our Spirit. The flesh needs to die for God to anoint you. If your desire is for selfish, self aggrandizement, and not to do God’s Work, God will not anoint you. He will look at our hearts. Are we wanting to be a blessing to the people, then God will use you. God longs for people that He can use to bless others, to reach out to troubled souls. God will use us to touch the lives of others. The power will come upon you by day and by night for the purpose of good. The Spirit of the Lord will touch and transform you.

From that day, David’s life was transformed. Today, somebody’s life will be transformed, God can destroy the spirit of depression by the anointing. He can destroy the spirit of poverty, and transform a person’s life for the better. It is the same as when we sow a seed in the ground, we don’t know exactly when it will produce fruit. Nobody knows the time of the divine execution of the anointing. We need to wait with anticipation for the Word of the Lord to come and visit us.

The Prophet Samuel came to the house of Jesse, and the members of that household dressed well in honor of this visit, but then God had Jesse bring his son, David, in from the field, he was outdoors with the sheep, and probably did not look very regal, or smell very good, but God looked at David’s heart, not his outward circumstances.

We are blessed in our church to have Pastor Don who teaches with power, and sometimes we see people fall under the power of God, and see other pastors who preach with the power of God. But we are not in church just to sit in the blue seats (or pews), but we all have an assignment from God. Not all of us are called to teach like Pastor Don, some might be called to produce wealth to share with the Church so that the Church can perform it’s ministries and reach out to churches in other countries. If God gives a person the power to make wealth, it is not just to spend on themselves, but rather to help support the Kingdom of God. Yet God does not mind if a person has wonderful things,  Isaiah 1:19 If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:

If you use your wealth for selfish purposes only, and don’t pay your tithe, you will miss the blessing of God. God gave all you have to you, and He sees your intentions and your heart, and if your desires and intentions are to be a blessing, God will release much to you so that you can reach people.

Living Word Chapel is going into a new dimension, a transition, a shaking. Those who cannot stand will leave. God will use those who remain standing during the shaking as a foundation, and He is producing a new church in a new dimension, and we are a part of it. Not only do we support our church, but we have and support ministries in Israel, Russia, Africa, India, and many other places.

We want to be in position for God to anoint us and use us for the Kingdom of God, following Pastor Don’s example, and God will use us in a marvelous way. Young people have a special anointing to reach other young people, and are so needed this day because of the anointing.

Noah was troubled by ungodly people around him. He was anointed to make an ark, taking 120 years to make it, and he had the courage not to give up. The Holy Spirit helped him – he could not have built the ark on his own. The Ark was to save humanity, and also preserve the living. He had to struggle and deal with the remarks of other people as he built the ark, and it helped him and helps us to know that we are in the will of God.

Moses struggled to find his purpose, and he, after killing a man and leaving the Pharaoh’s palace, spent time in the backside of the desert. God found him there, and used him to free the people.

Can anything good come out of West Hurley? Can anything good come out of 1555 State Route 28A, in the woods? The Lord has a purpose for the church. We are not to look at the member’s lives or outward appearances, but to know that God is looking at the heart, and his anointing will transform lives.

What can the Power of God’s Anointing Do?

1. THE POWER OF GOD’S ANOINTING TAKES AWAY YOUR SITUATION. Pastor Danquah talked about the sweet anointing that can fall on a church during worship. If it isn’t there in a service, the service seems dry and barren. When the anointing takes over it is sweet. There is a sense of joy and liberty where the Spirit of the Lord is, and also wealth (in all areas, not just financial).

Psalm 133:3 As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.

When God anoints you, He takes over your situation, and provides fertility to the soil of your life. If there is no dew, there is dryness. If no presence of God, there is dryness. If there is no power of God, we cannot be taken out of our situation. What we have been struggling to do in regards to our family, our business, our finances and our life, the power of the anointing can turn things around. As Zechariah 4:6 says (see above) it is not by might or by power, but by the Spirit of the Lord. Why do we need to fight when God can fight for you? We are not to worry about the future. We don’t have to worry when we have the anointing on us, and we have faith.

Thirty-three years ago, in high school, Pastor Danquah gave his life to the Lord. He never turned back even one day, but walked forward with confidence with God. He followed the anointing. The anointing can make you prosper. We prosper if we follow the Lord. If we obey Him and love Him, we will eat the best of the land. If we believe this is true, we shall receive the blessings of God. The Scripture is the truth, and if God wants to prosper people who obey, we want to receive that blessing. When people see a pastor who is preaching the truth of God, and we sow into his life and ministry, God will prosper us. And as we do His work, the grace of God will bless you as well. It does not bless God to see us in poverty. We do not need to be in poverty anymore. God wants to give us wealth so that we can use it for His kingdom. In order to receive this blessing, we need to be excited about it. God does not do anything in the physical before He sends out His Word. We need to receive His Word and believe, then He can pour out His blessing.

God has no problem with us having things.  Faith is the substance of THINGS (not spirits) hoped for, the evidence of THINGS not seen. He gives us freely so that we can enjoy. God wants to release a spirit of wealth to overcome the lack that we have. Wealth can help a Church to affect others. We are weak at times,and money can be a defense against what the world is trying to do to the church.

God can bless you in a second and turn your life around. You will not be the same person you were. He is looking at our hearts and not our situation.

2. THE ANOINTING MAKES EVERYTHING THAT IS DRY BECOME FRUITFUL. Israel was a dry land, and then when the Jews returned to the country, everything became fruitful. Psalm 133:1-3 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.

The anointing makes everything fruitful, beautiful, and it can change your life. God breaks protocol and tradition, and finds someone whose heart is right. He can break tradition and elevate you into a position. We need to believe that God can Ephesians 3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us. The Lord can cause all things to become fruitful, so that we are like Psalm 1:3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. Psalm 23:6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

We can be in a struggle in our lives for years, and then God acts, and He can cause us in one minute to change our circumstances. If we have been in a struggle for five years or more, He can turn it around in one month.

3. WHEN THE ANOINTING OF GOD COMES UPON YOU EVER SATANIC PLAN ON YOUR LIFE WILL BE CRUSHED BY THE ANOINTING. John 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. Pastor Danquah then told us about when the Philistines took the ark of God and tried to put it in the temple of dagon, 1 Samuel 5:1-5 And the Philistines took the ark of God, and brought it from Ebenezer unto Ashdod. When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon. And when they of Ashdod arose early on the morrow, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the earth before the ark of the LORD. And they took Dagon, and set him in his place again. And when they arose early on the morrow morning, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the ground before the ark of the LORD; and the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands were cut off upon the threshold; only the stump of Dagon was left to him. Therefore neither the priests of Dagon, nor any that come into Dagon’s house, tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod unto this day.

The power of God dominated dagon and the Philistines. God’s power is larger than any demons, anything that is hurting us. Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.

In every Kingdom there is a King. America is a republic and we have a President, states have governors, in Israel’s time they had a king. There are also kings and leaders in the powers of the demonic, in the principalities and powers. What happens in the physical also occurs in the spiritual. America has a spiritual principality and power that is seeking to take down America.

These principalities and powers are seeking to influence those in power on the earth. We need, in this day and age, to be ever going before God to pray in the Spirit, to intercede for our country and for the world. Prayer is so important, for there are demons and principalities and powers that want to come against the people in the Hudson Valley, and we need the anointing and power of God to help us to do what God wants is to do. God wants every chain and yoke to be broken.

Haven’t you noticed that sometimes when you pray, you feel too heavy to pray. Something pulls you back. Pastor Danquah also told us that it is very important to pray over our food, because there are some who are influenced by demons who will use food to attack the saints, so pray over your food before you eat.

Tonight is a new beginning. The power of God will drive away principalities and powers.

4. WHEN GOD’S OWER COME UPON YOU, IT LIFTS THE BURDENS FROM YOUR SHOULDERS. Isaiah 10:27 And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing. The burdens of the principalities, of anything that is oppressing you – debt, depression, etc. can be removed. If you have been struggling to pay bills, that debt can be lifted off your shoulders because of the anointing.

5. THE ANOINTING OF GOD DESTROYS EVERY YOKE. Pastor Danquah was showing us how a yoke works, where two oxen are bound together by a yoke to plow a field. They cannot go where they want to go, they have to go where they are led. They have no choice to go to the right or to the left. Sometimes the yokes on our life, cause us, after we are saved, to return to the old sins and the influence of the devil – and that takes glory away from God. God will help us to go back and remove those yokes, to break those yokes so that we are free. We no longer have to be bound to the things that lead to our destruction. This is so important especially in this day and age. Pastor Danquah told us that in Africa where he grew up if he wanted to make a phone call he had to go to the Post Office, if he wanted to watch a black and white TV he had to look through the window of a rich neighbor. Today, we all have easy access to computers, TV and phones, and satan uses those to put temptations before our eyes. We can get into bondage by porn and other worldly things, but God can use His anointing to destroy the yokes off of our lives and destroy anything that is harmful to us.

6. WHEN GOD ANOINTS YOU NO WEAPON FORMED AGAINST YOU SHALL PROSPER.  Isaiah 54:17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.

We do not have to fear any weapon against us, and can be emboldened by the anointing of the Lord.

7. THE ANOINTING SHOOTS YOU INTO ELEVATION AND SUCCESS.

Hebrews 1:9 Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. He gives us the oil of gladness. God can shoot us above our fellows, and it does not matter our past or our present. His anointing is on our future, and in our future we can be elevated. Rise up and make yourself fruitful in God’s Kingdom.

8. THE ANOINTING HELPS US TO PERFORM DIVINE ASSIGNMENTS. We cannot do what God wants us to do in our own strength, we need God’s anointing because God can help us do far more than we can do on our own. Ephesians 3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,

Pastor Danquah then anointed all who were in attendance with oil and the power of God. The anointing was so strong in our church. Everyone was blessed. I am looking forward to hearing the testimonies of those who were touched tomorrow, and Pastor Danquah will be teaching again tonight.

Praying your day is blessed!

If you live in the Florida area, I have included contact information for Pastor Danquah’s church.

Pastor Emmanuel Eyim-Danquah,
Christian Restoration Ministries Intl.
19255 NE 3rd Avenue
Miami, Fl. 33169

(305) 655-1923  

Heather

We read Matthew 7:1-14 together as a whole and then Pastor Don broke it up verse by verse. I am going to give you the verse by verse interpretation (verses 1-6), but you may want to look up this passage as a whole here.

The problem is that people often quote part of this passage but do not understand the Spirit of what Jesus was saying.

Matthew 7:1 Judge not, that you be not judged.

The people often quote this verse but forget about the second half (Verse 2). God is not saying to not judge, there are circumstances, situations and spirits that need to be judged. But we are to judge only if we are prepared to be judged by the same measure that we are judging.

Matthew 7:2 For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.

If you do judge judge with the same criterion that you would judge yourself. If you judge, be prepared to be judged back. Never judge anyone saying, “YOU ALWAYS.” No one is that consistent or excellent in bad behavior. Use the same measure you use for others on yourself. Use the standard Jesus used.

The world fails in this. A Christian could doing the best they can do to get along and live by the Word of God. They point out a sin to a worldly person, and the person says, “You can’t judge me.” Oh yes they can, by the measure that they judge, as their Christian behavior is an improvement over the sins of another. The person in the world has their sins piled even with the roof. So if a believer with fewer sins points out that the person has sins piled to the ceiling, they can judge. The people do not realize that we can judge because we are Christians forgiven for sins. And our judgement, in love, is to help a person to find the mercy and grace from God that is available to the worldly person. We want people to realize that God will forgive them.

Don’t tell me that I can’t judge. If the person hasn’t asked for forgiveness and their sin will find them out, they will reap what they have sown. If they repent of their sin they are forgiven.

We are judging ourselves and therefore we are well prepared and able, by means of the Spirit to judge, but the mercy of God is such that if you repent of the behavior, forgiveness is yours.

Will you point your finger at the Holy Sprit and say, “Do not judge?” Jesus is coming back to judge. Why would the Father (God) point that out. What parent doesn’t correct their child? Can a 12 year old with a filthy mouth and lousy attitude say, do not judge?

We are to judge with a Godly standard. We are not judge in an inappropriate manner, like telling a person that their sins means that they are going to Hell. God has not given us the right to determine people’s final end. If we judge with a self righteous attitude, they may be better than you. Once they repent they may be more righteous than you. If you are judging from self righteousness, God is saying that you are a hypocrite.

If you use the measure that my three sins to your 13 sins says I am better, it is a wrong way to judge because you are still a sinner. If you only have one sin to another’s three sins, you are still a sinner. Comparison is not a good measure. Those outside the church use a paintbrush to judge everyone in the church. They say things like I came to church and it is full of hypocrites. (Heather’s comment is that they fail to realize that there are also hypocrites outside of the church.) And because one person in the church is a hypocrite, does not mean that all churchgoers are hypocrites. How can we fix the hypocrites if not in church? If someone is outside the church, they assume that if one Christian does a particular sin, all the others in church are guilty of that.

 So if you are outside of the Church and seeing all the sins in the church, why not convert and raise the standards inside the Church?

Matthew 7:3-6  And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.“Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.

We need to check ourselves out before we judge anybody else. It is easy to say and identify what is wrong with someone else. But what about you? If you have it totally together, then check yourself to see if you have a self-righteous attitude.

When babies are born some are attractive but others are downright ugly, they were just born, and did not volunteer to show up, muscles pushed and they came out. With every baby, we usually say they are “cute”. God conceived you before you were born. We do not judge by the exterior, but by what is on the interior. Pastor Don then pointed out that many of the actors and actresses of today act as if they are such hot stuff, but if they had good sense, they would realize that God designed their bodies the way they are, and it is not because they are something special.

Our standards are wrong. Prejudice is ridiculous. Your country, tribe or color does not make you better. Jesus slams us hard in this. He tells us to remove the plank from our eye, the big wrong in our lives before we judge the speck in another’s eye. But notice, he says FIRST, he doesn’t say NOT EVER. Get your lives in line with the Gospel then you can qualify to go to someone and say you need to get it together. We need to remove the plank from our eye so that we can see better and then get the speck out of another’s eye.

Verse six is taken out of context, if you have the pearl (what is righteous and holy in your life) don’t beat up on someone with what you know is good and holy. Don’t cast precious things in front of those who don’t care. Discern if they are ready to hear what is holy. To beat them up with the Bible when they can’t hear, see, or receive you is unproductive, you are just a combatant. That can block the way to the Lord in the future for them. Better to lead them to the lord by exemplary behavior. Make the nonbelievers jealous by showing what a life lived will for Christ is like. We don’t have to point out their faults. Let the Lord speak to them at the right time.

Then Pastor Don gave us other passages to balance out the teaching regarding judgment.

Romans 2:1 Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.

When we do the things that we are judging others for, we are condemning ourselves. If we are to judge another for immoral behavior we need to be living morally ourselves. If we are living moral lives, then we are free to judge. We need to deal with the sin in our in our lives before we judge another in the same sin. If you are judging harshly in an area that you are still guilty about, know that our sins will be exposed in that area.

Romans 2:2  But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things.

If there are practices of evil around us, somebody better judge. If nobody judged then pretty soon, anything goes, and chaos and anarchy would ensue.

Romans 3:5-9 But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unjust who inflicts wrath? (I speak as a man.) Certainly not! For then how will God judge the world? For if the truth of God has increased through my lie to His glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner? And why not say, “Let us do evil that good may come”?—as we are slanderously reported and as some affirm that we say. Their condemnation is just.

We are guilty of sins, have repented, and handed them to the Lord. We are not better than the world, but we are now out of the world system of values. Many of us have had many sins like drug abuse, immoral behavior, addictions. We have come from those places to a place of righteousness through Christ. With Jesus we are all forgiven.

Paul tells us we are called to judge, holding up a standard of truth and righteousness, the world cannot judge for their standards are constantly changing. The only way we can judge is with a standard of truth.

We use the same standard Jesus gave us, and know that we are cleansed by the blood of Jesus, and only in Jesus are we righteous. We cannot be righteous in ourselves.

Romans 14:13  Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way.

In the Body of Christ judgment is different from what it is in the world. In the Church there is a different standard of judgment. We are all sinners, works in progress.  We have accepted Jesus and are another person in the Body of Christ. We judge by the standard of Jesus, not of the World. If anyone does sin, we have to remember that love covers a multitude of sins.

Sometimes we, in the Body of Christ, are aware of another person’s sins and can be puzzled when Pastor Don or another pastor still lets the person sing on the praise team or serve in the church. What we don’t see is that these people sinned, have come to Pastor Don, repented, done the things necessary to set the sin right. Pastor Don is not going to expose them to the church and share all that they did to make things right, for that would violate their confidence. If the eldership has dealt with the sin, why embarrass them.

We need to keep the sinner plugged in and let the Word of God wash them clean. If someone sins and leaves the church, it is hard to help them change their behavior. Satan would love for a person to leave the church and be isolated, they are an easier victim. If our standards of judgment are too harsh it will not help a person stay around to be washed by the Word of God.

1 Corinthians 6:1 Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints?

So many in the church go to a secular judge to judge their issues, instead of going with the Pastor and a mediation board at church. If we go to unsaved people to mediate for us, that is a waste of money and they will judge according to the world’s standards, not God’s.

1 Corinthians 6:2  Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters?

If we are to judge the world, should we not practice judging ourselves?

1 Corinthians 6:3-7 Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life? If then you have judgments concerning things pertaining to this life, do you appoint those who are least esteemed by the church to judge? I say this to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you, not even one, who will be able to judge between his brethren? But brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers! Now therefore, it is already an utter failure for you that you go to law against one another. Why do you not rather accept wrong? Why do you not rather let yourselves be cheated?

Suing someone in the church by going to the worldly system just depletes your resources. Often the judgement will be the same, and you have added onto the problem the lawyer’s bills. It is better to go to the church, and if need be just lose the money, accept the wrong. When a person is thinking of divorce, go to the church for mediation – try to make things right. The world has no investment in your marriage.

1 Corinthians 11:13 Judge among yourselves. Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered?

Some churches insist on wearing some kind of head covering for the women. They misread this passage, and judge those who do not wear a doily on their heads as being sinful. This passage is taken out of context – in Macedonia the prostitutes were baldheaded, and wore wigs. It was a way to determine who was a prostitute and who wasn’t. Our hair is the covering on our heads.

1 Corinthians 11:11-14 Nevertheless, neither is man independent of woman, nor woman independent of man, in the Lord. For as woman came from man, even so man also comes through woman; but all things are from God. Judge among yourselves. Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him?

Pastor Don pointed out that all these pictures of Jesus with long hair are wrong. A Jewish man would not let his hair grow long, that’s what the gentiles did. They had the corners’ of their beard long, but their beards were clipped, and their hair was short enough to not touch their shirts, they just had long sideburns.

We are to judge among ourselves.

Colossians 2:16-19  So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ. Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God.

We are to judge, but we cannot make the call as to where a person will spend eternity. We cannot let someone tell us when the sabbath is – Saturday or Sunday – really those who insist Saturday being the Sabbath, are not starting the Sabbath the same time the Jews did, Friday night. It is God who will judge our hearts. Let us look to Christ.

Praying your day is blessed.

Heather

Hebrews 6:16-17 For men indeed swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is for them an end of all dispute. Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath,

Verse 16 and 17 are tied together, regarding oaths. In our culture it is a foreign idea to us, for oaths do not have the same importance as they did in the past. Recently one Senator chose to swear on the Koran, and that can set a dangerous precedent. Our country was founded on Biblical principles, and if we relax the standards of what can be used to swear in on, is it not conceivable that the satanic bible or other documents could be used?

It is clear that vociferous minorities are beginning to change the laws of the land. We are seeing increasing acceptance of homosexual “marriages” when the Biblical definition of marriage is one man and one woman. Our Lord has made it clear regarding what He considers a family to be. Civil rights laws are seeking to change what God has spelled out in His word.

Anyone can choose to sin, but we don’t have to make it a law of the land in opposition to God’s laws. Only 3 to 4 percent of the population is homosexual or bisexual. That does not justify changing the laws. And if people honestly looked at social research and history, they would see that ANY culture that was given over to an acceptance of homosexual behavior historically implodes. This is the beginning of our culture imploding. As it is, if promiscuity (both homosexual and heterosexual) was decreased there would be a decrease of diseases.

There are oaths made in certain circumstances and situations. What is the basis? Do we swear on the Bible, or swear to one another. In history a person would swear an oath that they would hold to their marriage because of honor and respect to a higher power.

When we reduce God, there is no one to swear to, or take an oath to. If society chooses there would be no one who sits in authority over society, and we would find that our culture would end up in anarchy. People try to justify not placing God in charge by claiming relativism which tries to state, what is right for you may not be right for me, and what is right for me may not be what is right for you. We should be able to worship when and in any way we want to. There is a problem with this line of thought though, for it only works if there is no ethical or moral standard. And if there are no standards, anarchy would ensue.

In the world there are world wide moral and ethical standards. If we were just an accident of creation there would be no moral and ethical standards. If there is moral and ethical standards they have to come from a supernatural being, God. If there were no standards, and everything is relative, we could have no solid, verifiable, ethical or moral statements. But there are standards of behavior that are held globally in all cultures, regardless of religion.

No culture would permit taking a baby and torturing it for fun, people would say that is unethical. Cultures do not permit murder, stealing is frowned on. Cultures have standards for friendliness and hospitality.

Someone brought up the point that if these laws are passed, can churches be forced to do marriages that God does not want? Pastor Don pointed out that years ago, when our church bylaws were written – well before this became a potential problem, our church has rules against this that will stand up in court.  But, this is a cost that the Church will have to pay as we approach the end times. What standard will we hold? God’s law or laws that are ungodly?

In some countries there are anticonversion laws with severe penalties for converting to Christianity. Those who are the ministers are punished as are those who convert. In some places it can be a huge fine, being cast out of the family, imprisonment, beatings, loss of property. Yet these believers are willing to pay the cost of persecution, and their faith remains firm in spite of what people do to them.

Matthew 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.

There are not many places where the Gospel is not being preached – some areas in central India, Africa, China, and the backwoods of Burma, where we can’t get in there. We are seeking to spread the Gospel to all places.

The Church will be removed before God can bring punishment on the earth that rejected Him. If we refuse to live by God’s morals and ethics, and choose to be an atheist or a relativist there is a repercussion for this choice.

Why fight so hard, if you are an atheist, against God in whom you do not believe? Why fight at all against God unless you believe in Him on some level? Many atheist’s claim they are good people, why be good if there is not God and judgment? Why not just act as hedonistically as you want? If you are deciding what is right and wrong, the only way you can do that is if you believe that there is a person above and beyond us who can determine right from wrong. Where does your power come from? Can you separate from your situation?

There were standards of right and wrong from the beginning of time. All men in all parts of the world have adopted standards similar to God’s standards.

When we are dealing with a non-believer, we need to listen to them and help them get back to the personal experience to find the juncture in life where something did not turn out well for them. Most kids have no problem believing in God, and when there is a separation from God, it usually is the result of something happening. Who promised them something and did not perform what the promised? They have to blame someone, so they end up blaming God.

Pastor Don spoke about the movie Expelled and pointed out how it showed some of the erroneous thinking of our day.

Hebrews 6:17 Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath,

Oaths are important. We went to look at the oath to Noah and his descendants.

Genesis 9:1-2 So God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them: “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth. And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be on every beast of the earth, on every bird of the air, on all that move on the earth, and on all the fish of the sea. They are given into your hand.

This is similar to the oath made to Adam and his descendants, but because of the flood, God made the same oath to Noah.

Genesis 9:3 Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. I have given you all things, even as the green herbs.

Man is no longer vegetarian, after the flood.

Genesis 9:4-9 But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood. Surely for your lifeblood I will demand a reckoning; from the hand of every beast I will require it, and from the hand of man. From the hand of every man’s brother I will require the life of man. “Whoever sheds man’s blood, by man his blood shall be shed; for in the image of God He made man. And as for you, be fruitful and multiply; bring forth abundantly in the earth and multiply in it.”  Then God spoke to Noah and to his sons with him, saying:  “And as for Me, behold, I establish My covenant with you and with your descendants after you,”

Here is the prohibition against blood, and God made a Covenant, an oath with Noah and His descendants after Noah.

Genesis 9:12-13  And God said: “This is the sign of the covenant which I make between Me and you, and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:  I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth.”

Therefore, the oath is accompanied by a token (in this case the rainbow). There is no one greater than God for God to swear to, so God swears to Himself, and makes an agreement with Man.

Genesis 9:16-17 The rainbow shall be in the cloud, and I will look on it to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” And God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant which I have established between Me and all flesh that is on the earth.”

This covenant still applies to us, for we are part of Noah’s generation, and we still see the rainbow.

Genesis 14 speaks of the covenant with Abraham that Abraham made after his meeting with Melchizedek Genesis 14:22-24  But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have raised my hand to the LORD, God Most High, the Possessor of heaven and earth, that I will take nothing, from a thread to a sandal strap, and that I will not take anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich’— except only what the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men who went with me: Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion.”

Genesis 17:1-2 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless. And I will make My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly.”

The reality is, God established that covenant back in Chapter 12:1-3  Now the LORD had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, 
to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

Genesis 12 was when God first appeared to Abram, but now that Abram is 99 years old, God reestablished the covenant. We may not remember the first time God established His covenant with us as a child, but that covenant with us is still effective. But sometimes God reminds us of the covenant.

The covenant with Abram was made before the Law, and even before Abram did anything regarding the covenant (ie circumcision). When the Law is applied to the consciousness of man, he knows that he did sin, rebelion, hatred, self abuse, abuse of others. We don’t want to let the devil bat us like Adam and Eve, who permitted their thinking to be deceived. We have free will and choose to believe, to not be depressed, to not be rebellious, etc.

Genesis 17:7 And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you.

So God provided this covenant, and we are under the Abrahamic covenant.

Genesis 17:10 This is My covenant which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: Every male child among you shall be circumcised;

The obligatory part, circumcision as a picture of the spiritual lesson that they are supposed to learn – to have a circumcised heart. To cut away from them the things to cause you to sin against yourself and God. Sin is defined as sin. It isn’t that you just hurt others, but you hurt yourself when you sin. Sexual promiscuity, anger,  etc. also hurts us.

God is not in heaven and mad at everybody, but for our sake He does not want us to violate ourselves. He cares about us.

Genesis 18:1-3 Then the LORD appeared to him by the terebinth trees of Mamre, as he was sitting in the tent door in the heat of the day. So he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing by him; and when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them, and bowed himself to the ground, and said, “My Lord, if I have now found favor in Your sight, do not pass on by Your servant.

Favor is grace and ability.

Genesis 18:4-5 Please let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. And I will bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh your hearts. After that you may pass by, inasmuch as you have come to your servant.”
They said, “Do as you have said.”

Genesis 18:10  And He said, “I will certainly return to you according to the time of life, and behold, Sarah your wife shall have a son.” (Sarah was listening in the tent door which was behind him.)

Another confirmation of the covenant of Abraham’s generations. There is a progression to the fulfillment of the covenant. First there is an oath, and Abraham sets out on the promise. The promise was made before Abram acted or carried out a single part. The oath is made and founded on the PROMISE of GOD. Sometimes the fulfillment of an oath takes a series of seasons, times and processes to get to fulfillment.

As believers we get a Word from God, and think that now I have it all, and we want the response from God instantly. But sometimes the fulfillment of the covenant occurs after tests and trials, and a time period to arrive at the promises. The promise in the oath is connected to other things.

An example is if you promise your child a trip to Disney, it involves airlines, car rental, food, tickets, hotels, etc. All of these are part of the trip to Disney. God gives us a whole series of steps in the process of fulfilling an oath. It includes all the steps, excitement, struggles, trials, etc. For example, in the trip to Disney the airplane may be delayed, or you can’t rent a car, etc.

We need to recognize that the oath is based on better promises. His (God’s) hand is not short. He can deal with all that is necessary to fulfill the oath, and He will complete the process. We need to remember not to get hung up on the bumps in the road. Speed bumps remind you to slow down and take your time. At other times we are to put the petal to the metal. When we go too fast, God puts down speed bumps to slow us down and cause us to make wise decisions.

When we get an oath from God, we know that it will become reality in His time frame, for He knows what is in our best interest.

After Sarah suggested that Abraham impregnate Hagar, she realized she had missed it, by trying to help God fulfill His promise. God had all the pieces worked out, and because of Hagar’s child all of history was changed.

When we make a wrong interpretation of a prophetic word, God will not destroy you. He is God of the second chance. The Lord Jesus can redeem our situation.

Sometimes we think we are asking God, and we are, but often after we ask, we do not listen. We need to listen to what is God’s best for us, what He has to say to us. Even with the detours we sometimes take with our lives, God can redeem the time.

We need to HEAR God. God gave us ears to listen, just because you give the appearance of listening does not mean that you are hearing what is being said.

Hebrews 6:17 Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath,

MORE ABUNDANTLY, and we are heirs of promise.So that we can receive the “more abundantly” we need to hear what God is saying.

God is immutable – He does not change. The covenants with Abraham and Noah, are still in effect.

Hebrews 6:18 that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us.

God does not lie, and He does not change His counsel confirmed by an oath. If God makes an oath, it will come to pass.

If God has told you that He has elevated you for an office, you will attain that office. But it may not be tomorrow. David spent 17 years from the time that he was anointed King until the time he became king.

While we are waiting we need to remember that: 1. It is impossible for God to lie and 2. The hope set before us (Jesus). Those who were persecuted waiting for the oath to come to fulfillment could cling to the hope. Human hope can be fleeting, but we need to seek refuge in the Hope that God has promised us in order to reach the promises.

Hebrews 6:19-20 This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

Jesus is the promise of our hope.

Psalm 91:1-2 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust.”

AMEN AND AMEN!

Praying your night is blessed.

Heather

This weekend was the senior prom. My son Edward and Kelly went. Thought you might like to see a few pictures.

They are such a sweet couple, and had a wonderful time at the prom.

Heather