"Walk at Liberty"

August 31, 2014

“Walk at Liberty”

Blessings folk!

Amazing things to be learned/gleaned from the Psalmist and his dialogue with God.
Hear the cry of his heart.
May it be ours.

What comes from your mouth...audibly…?

Psalm 119:43-45
43 And do not take the word of truth utterly out of my mouth,
For I wait for Your ordinances.
44 So I will keep Your law continually,
Forever and ever.
45 And I will walk at liberty,
For I seek Your precepts.


We are to speak the Truth of the Word of the Lord.
What if all we said had no conflict with the Word of God?
Would our conversations be different?
Topics?
Attitudes?
Heart?

I suspect so.

The Psalmist waited for God’s ordinances.
He declared that he would keep the Lord’s law continually...forever and ever.

That is a serious declaration.

This is only possible by the Lord in us.

Then, we can walk at liberty.
Seeking the Truth and Precept of the Lord brings liberty.

Ask the Lord to do this today...take not His Word from our mouths.
Walk at liberty.

"Taunters…"

August 30, 2014

“Taunters…”

Blessings folk!

How should we handle those who taunt?
Do we trust in our ability to “out-think”?
Do we trust in our ability to “debate”?
Do we trust in our ability to...well, by now you know the answer will not include “our ability”… Happy Happy

Heed the Word of the Lord...

Psalm 119:41-42
41 Let your steadfast love come to me, O Lord,
    your salvation according to your promise;
42 then shall I have an answer for him who taunts me,
    for I trust in your word.

“Then shall I have an answer for him who taunts me…”
When?
When we live in the steadfast love of the Lord.
When we receive the salvation promised.
When we trust in His Word.

His Word is life.
His Word has the answers.

May we rest not in “our ability”.
May we rest in His Word.
May we rest and be strengthened in the Love of the Lord.




"Revive Me…"

August 29, 2014

“Revive Me…”

Blessings folk!

Where I’m sitting at the moment...in the Deep South...one will often hear of gatherings called revivals.

Supposedly, these are times of renewal and refreshing of that which the Lord has done, though I have long, long suspected that most people need to be “vived” before they are “revived”.

One must experience the Newness of Life found in the Lord Jesus before one can be “revived”.

Hear what the Psalmist states is the source of revival...

Psalm 119:37-40
37 Turn away my eyes from looking at vanity,
And revive me in Your ways.
38 Establish Your word to Your servant,
As that which produces reverence for You.
39 Turn away my reproach which I dread,
For Your ordinances are good.
40 Behold, I long for Your precepts;
Revive me through Your righteousness.


Revival is found in the Ways of the Lord.
Revival is found through the Righteousness of God.

The Psalmist cries to the Lord.
He asks the Lord to turn his eyes from looking at vanity...worthless things.
He asks the Lord to establish His Word in him.
He asks the Lord to turn away his reproach.
He longs for the Precepts of the Lord.

The Word revives us.
The Word establishes us.
The Word produces reverence for the Lord.
The Word is good.
The Word produces the Righteousness of the Lord.

Why do we turn our eyes toward anything else?
For what do you long?

Psalm 119:37-40
(ESV)
37 Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things;
    and give me life in your ways.
38 Confirm to your servant your promise,
    that you may be feared.
39 Turn away the reproach that I dread,
    for your rules are good.
40 Behold, I long for your precepts;
    in your righteousness give me life!

"Delight in It…"

August 28, 2014

“Delight in It…”

Blessings folk!

Remember, Psalm 119 is an acrostic Psalm where the Psalmist is crying out to the Lord.
The Psalmist is speaking of his relationship with the Lord and His Word.

Now, the next stanza… beginning with the Hebrew letter “he”… Happy

Psalm 119:33-37
He
33 Teach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes;     and I will keep it to the end.
34 Give me understanding, that I may keep your law     and observe it with my whole heart.
35 Lead me in the path of your commandments,     for I delight in it.
36 Incline my heart to your testimonies,     and not to selfish gain!

Note what the requests of the Psalmist are.
Then, note what the outcome is.

Teach me the way of Your statutes - I will keep it to the end.

Give me understanding - that I may keep Your law, that I may observe it with my whole heart

Lead me in the path of Your commandments - I delight in it...the path of God.

Incline my heart to Your testimonies - not incline toward selfish gain, dishonest gain, covetousness.

It is the Lord that does these things - teach, give understanding, leads, inclines the heart - in those who seek Him.

Such is impossible in the flesh as a religious exercise to attract/please the Lord.

But, with God, all things are possible.

May we seek Him as the Psalmist.
May we allow Him to work as He desires.
Delight in the Lord and His Word.


"Run the Way…"

August 27, 2014

“Run the Way…”

Blessings folk!

The Psalmist’s soul is shattered.
He describes it as “my soul melts away for sorrow” and “my soul weeps for grief”.
He cries out to the Lord to remove the false from him.
He cries for the strength and the grace of the Law of the Lord, the testimonies of the Lord, the ordinances of the Lord, the commandments of the Lord.

Watch what the result is…

Psalm 119:28-32
28 My soul weeps because of grief; Strengthen me according to Your word.
29 Remove the false way from me, And graciously grant me Your law.
30 I have chosen the faithful way; I have placed Your ordinances before me.
31 I cling to Your testimonies; O Lord, do not put me to shame!
32 I shall run the way of Your commandments, For You will enlarge my heart.

We have all felt like this at some point.
Have we responded in the manner of the Psalmist?
Did we seek the Lord?
Did we seek His Word?

The Word will strengthen.
We can cling to the testimonies, the Law, the ordinances of God.
They will not put us to shame.

If we “run the way of Your commandments” (is that not a great phrase), then the Lord will enlarge our heart.

Enlarge our heart?
Rather than weeping we will have joy!
Rather than smallness of heart, we will have fulness of the Spirit beyond anything possible in the flesh.

The Lord enlarges our heart.
Allow Him.
Run with God.






"Revive/Teach/Make Me Understand…"

August 26, 2014

“Revive/Teach/Make Me Understand…”

Blessings folk!

The third stanza of the acrostic Psalm 119...

The Psalmist was “down”.
Note what he does.

Psalm 119:25-27
Daleth.
25 My soul cleaves to the dust; Revive me according to Your word.
26 I have told of my ways, and You have answered me; Teach me Your statutes.
27 Make me understand the way of Your precepts, So I will meditate on Your wonders.

His “soul cleaves to the dust”
Can’t get much lower than that.
His emotions (the soul is the seat of the emotions) were down to the level of dust.
Fractured.
Pulverized.
Friable.

He cries to the Lord to:

  • revive him...according to Your Word
  • teach him...His statutes
  • make him understand the way of His precept

The Psalmist then promises to meditate upon the Wonders of God.

The Psalmist cried out to the Lord and told of his way.
The Lord answered.

The Lord does so today.

Do we need to repent?
Do we need to cry out to the Lord?
Do we need to seek Him to revive, to teach, to make us understand His ways/statutes/precepts?

I think so.
Meditate on the Lord...His Word...His wonders.
Listen.

"Testimonies of the Lord"

August 25 2014

“Testimonies of the Lord”

Blessings folk!

What do you do when people speak against you?
Where do you rest?
In what do you take delight?
What has your focus?
Your attention?
On what do you meditate?
In other words, to where does your mind go?

Hear the Word of the Lord…

Psalm 119:21-24

21 You rebuke the arrogant, the cursed,
Who wander from Your commandments.
22 Take away reproach and contempt from me,
For I observe Your testimonies.
23 Even though princes sit and talk against me,
Your servant meditates on Your statutes.
24 Your testimonies also are my delight;
They are my counselors.


Note what the Lord does:

  • He rebukes the arrogant
  • He rebukes the cursed...those who wander from His commandments
  • Takes away reproach and contempt for those who observe His testimonies

Note what the Psalmist does:
  • Observes the testimonies of the Lord
  • Meditates upon the Lord’s statutes
  • Delights in the testimonies of the Lord
  • Acknowledges that the testimonies of the Lord are his counselors

Heed the Word.
Do not wander from His commandments.
Observe the testimonies of the Lord.
Delight in the testimonies of the Lord.
Receive the counsel of the testimonies of the Lord.
Meditate on His statutes.
This require knowing the testimonies of the Lord...do you?







"Soul-Crushing..."

August 24, 2014

“Soul-Crushing…”

Blessings folk!

Do you hunger for the Word of the Lord?
Do you hunger for His instruction, for His direction, for His guidance?

Heed…

Psalm 119:17-20

17 Deal bountifully with Your servant,
That I may live and keep Your word.
18 Open my eyes, that I may behold
Wonderful things from Your law.
19 I am a stranger in the earth;
Do not hide Your commandments from me.
20 My soul is crushed with longing
After Your ordinances at all times.


The cry of the Psalmist is for the Lord to “deal bountifully” with him.
To what purpose?
To live.
To keep His Word.

It is the Lord that releases His Word within.
We have a role of impartation, but the Lord takes that and glorifies Himself.

Pray that the Lord will deal with each of us in like manner:

  • bountifully
  • open our eyes...to behold the wonderful things from His Law
  • hide not His commandments from us… we are strangers/aliens to the earth

Lastly, may we long for His ordinances at all times...a soul-crushing longing.

How would the Lord use us if such were the case?

"I Shall…"

August 23, 2014

“I Shall…”

Blessings folk!

Psalm 119:12-16
12 Blessed are You, O Lord;
Teach me Your statutes.
13 With my lips I have told of
All the ordinances of Your mouth.
14 I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies,
As much as in all riches.
15 I will meditate on Your precepts
And regard Your ways.
16 I shall delight in Your statutes;
I shall not forget Your word.

The Psalmist continues His declaration and requests with the statement of fact:
“Blessed are You, O Lord”

A good place for us to be at all time.
Blessing the Lord.

A request for all time - teach me Your statutes.

So often folk desire to be taught the statutes of the Lord, yet they will not make use of that which He has provided - The Word/The Bible.

The Word reveals His statutes.

Look at what the Psalmist declares he has done:

  • with his lips told of all the ordinances of God’s mouth
  • rejoiced in the way of God’s testimonies...as much as in all riches (more than money)

Then, the Psalmist states that he will/shall:
  • meditated upon God’s precepts
  • regarded God’s way
  • delighted in God’s statutes
  • nor forgotten God’s Word.

It is simple.
Upon what is your mind stayed?

Isaiah 26:3
Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

"Pure?"

August 22, 2014

“Pure?”

Blessings folk!

On to the next stanza of Psalm 119.
A question is asked.

Psalm 119:9-11
Beth.
9 How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your word.
10 With all my heart I have sought You; Do not let me wander from Your commandments.
11 Your word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against You.

How can a young man (or an old one!) keep his way pure?
By keeping his way according to the Word of the Lord.

We are to do as the Psalmist...seek the Word of the Lord with all our heart.

Notice what the Psalmist does.
He seeks the Lord with all his heart…
He asks the Lord to keep him from wandering from the Lord’s commandments…
He treasures the Word of the Lord in his heart…

Why?

So that he may not sin against God.

We should do likewise.

This is why we must know the Word of the Lord.

Seek.
He shall be found.

"Oh That My Ways…"

August 21, 2014

“Oh That My Ways…”

Blessings folk!

Ps 119 has vast amounts of revelation related to blessing and the Most High God.

We press on…

Psalm 119:4-8
4 You have ordained Your precepts,
That we should keep them diligently.
5 Oh that my ways may be established
To keep Your statutes!
6 Then I shall not be ashamed
When I look upon all Your commandments.
7 I shall give thanks to You with uprightness of heart,
When I learn Your righteous judgments.
8 I shall keep Your statutes;
Do not forsake me utterly!


The Lord has ordained His precepts...His commands, His instructions.
He did so before the foundation of creation was spoken into existence.

We are to keep His precepts.
We are to do so diligently.

Now, hear me carefully.
When examining such, it is easy to sound like holiness and righteousness is found in the deeds of man.
Such is not true.
We are only able to do that which we see in this Psalm through the Lord Jesus.
He transforms and empowers us.
It is by Him.
Not by us.

He is the One Who establishes our ways that we may keep His statutes.

Our response?

To give thanks for His commandments.
To be not ashamed.
To learn His righteous judgments.
To keep His statutes.
Through the blood of Jesus.

Remember, He will never forsake us.

Thus concludes “Aleph”, the first stanza of Psalm 119...

"The Blessed Blameless…"

August 20, 2014

“The Blessed Blameless…”

Blessings folk!

What does it mean to “be blessed”?
What is a “blessing”?
Who are “blessed”?

The Word has much to say about The Blessed.
Unsurprisingly, it is not exactly what many suppose it to be.

Check this out…

Psalm 119:1-3
Aleph
1 Blessed are those whose way is blameless,     who walk in the law of the Lord!
2 Blessed are those who keep his testimonies,     who seek him with their whole heart,
3 who also do no wrong,     but walk in his ways!

You noticed the word “Aleph”.
Psalm 119 is acrostic in nature, following the Hebrew alphabet.
“Aleph” is the first letter of the alphabet.
There are 22 stanzas in Psalm 119.
Each verse within a stanza begins with the appropriate letter.

What do we learn of The Blessed in these three verses?

  • Their way is blameless...complete, having integrity.
How do they live so?
  • They walk in the law of the Lord.
They keep the commands, instructions and precepts of the Lord.
  • They keep the testimonies of the Lord
  • They seek the Lord with their whole heart
  • They do no wrong
  • They walk in the way of the Lord

Such are The Blessed.

Do so today…
Walk in His ways.
Walk in His testimonies, commandments, instructions, precepts.
Seek Him with all your heart.
Then, you will be among The Blessed blameless...



"To Him…"

August 19, 2014

“To Him…”

Blessings folk!

We have reached the end...of the short letter of Jude.

As we have seen, it is packed with information, insight, warning, commands, instructions, etc..

The letter ends with one of the most uplifting “doxologies” in the Word.

Jude 24-25
24 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy,
25 to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.



To Him!

  • who is able to keep you from stumbling. It is the Lord and the Lord alone that enables us to stand firm without stumbling
  • It is the Lord that enables us to stand firm in this life without stumbling. He also enables us stand in His Presence...the Presence of His glory, blameless with great joy.
  • He is our only God
  • He is our Savior
  • He does this through Jesus Christ our Lord

To Him!
  • be glory
  • be majesty
  • be dominion
  • be authority

Before all time.
Now.
Forever.

Some serious theological detail there.
It is only through the Lord.
He is “outside” of time.
He created time and is not limited by any of His creation.
All of this was before all time...before anything was spoken into existence…
All is now…
All is forever…

Stand - kept from stumbling by the Lord.
Stand - in the Presence of His glory blameless with great joy...soon!

Selah!

"And On Some Have…"

August 18, 2014

“And On Some Have…”

Blessings folk!

As we saw yesterday, we as the Body of Christ are to:
  1. Remember the words of the apostles
  2. Build ourselves up in our most Holy Faith
  3. Pray in the Holy Spirit
  4. Keep ourselves in the love of God
  5. Wait anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life

But, there is more.

We have a responsibility toward one another.

Read…

Jude 22-23
22 And have mercy on some, who are doubting;
23 save others, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh.

We have instructions on how to handle what is happening to people due to those who have “crept in”.

  1. To those who are doubting...doubting the faith, doubting what they see in the “organizational” church...we are to have mercy. We are to speak truth. Lead them. Help them.
  2. Others we are to save...snatching them out of the fire. They are in more serious situations than simple doubt. They are in the fire of deceit and deception. We are to “snatch them” - a physical act.
  3. On others, we have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh. These folk are “in so deep” that we are to walk in the fear of the Lord and mercy… not wanting to even touch the garment so polluted by the flesh. Yet, desiring to save the person themselves.

We are to have mercy.
We to “snatch” them out of the fire.
We are to walk them through.



"Build, Pray, Keep, Wait"

August 17, 2014

“Build, Pray, Keep, Wait”

Blessings folk!

We have spent an extended time examining those who have “crept in unnoticed”.

Now, note what we as Believers are to do.

We have seen one already…

Jude 1:17
17 But you, beloved, ought to remember the words that were spoken beforehand by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ,


We are to remember what the apostles of our Lord told us.

Now…

Jude 1:20-21
20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,
21 keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life.


Again, they...and we…are reminded that we are the Beloved of the Lord.
No small truth.

Then, we are told what to do..

  • Build ourselves up in the most holy faith
  • pray in the Holy Spirit
  • keep ourselves in the love of God
  • wait...anxiously without sin...for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life… His return and our eternal existence with Him.

How different the Body of Christ would be if we lived in this way.


"Last Time Mockers"

August 16, 2014

“Last Time Mockers”

Blessings folk!

Now, let’s look at what the apostles had said…

Jude 17-19
17 But you, beloved, ought to remember the words that were spoken beforehand by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ,
18 that they were saying to you, “In the last time there will be mockers, following after their own ungodly lusts.”
19 These are the ones who cause divisions, worldly-minded, devoid of the Spirit.


The apostles warned that something would happen in the last time…
There will be mockers.
They will follow after their own ungodly lusts.
They are the ones who cause division.
They are worldly-minded.
They are devoid of the Spirit.

Such are those who have crept in.

The organizational church is full of them.

The Lord has warned up about them.
The Apostles told us.
Why?



"Remembered Beloved"

August 15, 2014

“Remember Beloved…”

Blessings folk!

When examining what the Word says about “those who have crept in unnoticed” one might think that there is no hope.

There is Hope.
Jesus is Hope. (Not some cynically contrived political slogan)

Today, read the following and give heed and close attention to each Word…

Jude 17
17 But you, beloved, ought to remember the words that were spoken beforehand by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ,...


“But”...one of the most powerful words in the Word.
In contrast to what has been previously said…

Jude speaks directly to the recipients.
He calls them what they are...and what we are…”Beloved”.

We must be reminded and remember that we are Beloved by the Most High God.
He has not forsaken us.
He has not abandoned us.
He is always with us.
He loves us.
We are His Beloved.
We are Beloved.

Jude then calls us to remember something else...the words spoken beforehand by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The apostles, the messengers, had spoken something that was directly applicable to the context of the letter.
They had spoked it earlier.
We will look at that tomorrow.

For now, remember Beloved who you are and Whose you are.
You are Beloved.

"ungodly"

August 14, 2014

“ungodly”

Blessings folk!

Enoch prophesied of the times of Jude...and of our times.
Enoch did so thousands of years before.

Read carefully his words…

Jude 14-16
14 It was also about these men that Enoch, in the seventh generation from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord came with many thousands of His holy ones,
15 to execute judgment upon all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their ungodly deeds which they have done in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.”
16 These are grumblers, finding fault, following after their own lusts; they speak arrogantly, flattering people for the sake of gaining an advantage.


The Holy Spirit leads Jude to recount the Word of the Judgment from the Lord through Enoch.

The Lord came...note the tense, though yet future, it is as if it has happened...surety… with many thousands of His holy ones.
The Lord will execute judgment upon all.
The Lord will convict all the ungodly.
The Lord will convict them of their ungodly deeds which they have done in an ungodly way.
Note…”ungodly” four times.

The Lord them describes these ungodly.

They are sinners.
They have spoken against Him.
They are grumblers.
They are fault-finders.
They follow after their own lusts.
They speak arrogantly.
They flatter people for the sake of gaining an advantage.

Things that we see daily.

The question is, “do we see it in ourselves?”

If our pattern and practice of of behavior is such, then we need to examine our faith.

One cannot be a Spirit-filled Believer and grumble constantly.
One cannot be a Spirit-filled Believer and find fault as a pattern of life.
Etc. Etc.

Listen to the conviction of the Spirit.
Repent.
Confess.
Press on.
Be not one of those who have crept in.

"Enoch"

August 13, 2014

“Enoch”

Blessings folk!

Enoch of old prophesied of these men who have “crept in unnoticed”.
Thousands of years before.
Additional thousands since.

Jude 14
14 It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying,..

We will look at what Enoch said later.

For now, note what we learn of Enoch.

He was seventh from Adam...speaking of generations.
He was a prophet.
He prophesied.

This is a good example of why we must study the Old and the New Testament.
Each gives insight into the other.

Adam was still alive when Enoch lived.
Check out the chart below for interesting observations of the overlapping of the patriarchs’ lives.

Here is what the Old Testament tells us of Enoch…

Genesis 5:18-23
18 When Jared had lived 162 years he fathered Enoch.
19 Jared lived after he fathered Enoch 800 years and had other sons and daughters.20 Thus all the days of Jared were 962 years, and he died.
21 When Enoch had lived 65 years, he fathered Methuselah.
22 Enoch walked with God after he fathered Methuselah 300 years and had other sons and daughters.
23 Thus all the days of Enoch were 365 years.
24 Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him.

Enoch’s father was Jared.
Enoch lived 65 years and became the father of Methuselah. Yes, that Methuselah.
The Methuselah that lived longer than any other person - 969 years.
Why so long?
A picture of God’s grace.
Methuselah means "Man of the dart/spear", or alternatively "his death shall bring judgment".
What judgment.
Check the chart below.
When he died, the Flood came.
Again, a picture of God’s grace and God’s mercy.

Something else happened to Enoch that 65th year.
Something else happened after upon the birth of Methuselah.
Enoch walked with God.

Had the Lord informed Enoch of some things?
I think so.
He named his son “his death shall bring judgment”.
He began to walk with God.

Enoch lived 300 more years fathering other sons and daughters.
He walked with God.
He was not.
For God took him.

It is believed that Enoch did not die.
That he walked with God...straight into glory.
Perhaps. Likely.

We do know this from Jude.
He prophesied the truth of that to come.
Jude lived in those days.
So do we.

Press on without fear, knowing that we are the Lord’s and that He will guide and guard.
He knows.
He told us through the prophets of long ago.

http://precept.org/repository#1003:d:OverlappingofthePatriarchsLives


pastedGraphic

"Wild Waves, Wandering Stars"

August 12, 2014

“Wild Waves, Wandering Stars”

Blessings folk!

HIdden reefs…
Shepherds feeding themselves…
Waterless clouds…
Swept along by winds…
Fruitless trees…
Twice dead…
Uprooted…

Such are those who have “crept in unnoticed”. Let us look at the last two descriptions...and a conclusion.

Jude 12-13
12 These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted;
13 
wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever.


They are as the wild waves of the sea.
Uncontrollable.
No discernible pattern.
Reacting to forces from without.
Casting up foam.
Manifesting shame.

They are wandering stars.
Unpredictable.
Leading to destruction.
False points of direction.

Something has been reserved for them - the gloom of utter darkness.
They will be judged by the Most High God.
He has a place reserved for them for all eternity.


"Fruitless"

August 11, 2014

“Fruitless”

Blessings folk!

Hidden reefs in our love feasts.
Without fear.
Shepherds feeding themselves.
Notice...they are shepherds. They have leadership position.
They are waterless clouds.
They are swept along by winds...especially the latest winds of “cool doctrine”.

Now, the next description…

Jude 12-13
12 These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted;
13 wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever.


They are fruitless trees.
Late autumn and no fruit.
The time of growth is past.
The time of harvest has come...the last harvest...and no fruit.
They are twice dead, uprooted.

They are worthless.
Yet, they are shepherds.

Be warned.
Do not follow such.

How do we know who they are?
We will see.
For now, you will now them by their fruit.
If no fruit, they are worthless.


"Waterless Clouds"

August 10, 2014

“Waterless Clouds”

Blessings folk!

We continue the examination of the “certain men that have crept in unawares”.

They are hidden reefs at our love feasts.
Look at the next description.

Jude 12-13
12 These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted;
13 wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever.


Waterless clouds.
Swept along by winds.

Such are these people today.

They look like they have an abundance of life-giving rain, yet, they are waterless.
They sound good, blowing the latest “wind” of the day.
That is all they are.
Rainless wind.

When you really listen to many exalted personalities today, you hear sweeping wind with no water.

Do not be deceived by them.

Jesus is the River of Life.
It is in the Lord that showers of blessings are found.

Be not tricked by the waterless ones.

"Hidden Reefs"

August 9, 2014

“Hidden Reefs”

Blessings folk!

Remember that we were looking at the warning in Jude.

Jude had desired to write to the recipients about their common salvation.
But, he felt compelled to urge them to contend earnestly for the faith.

Jude then warned about certain men that have crept in unnoticed.

The description is amazing.
Looks just like what we see today.

Jude give several example from the Word, some of which we have looked closely at.

Now, the description continues.

Read these two verses…

Jude 12-13
12 These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted;
13 wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever.

Look at the first point.

These men are hidden reefs at your love feast.
They look like they were true Believers.
They “fellowship” with the true Body.
They do so without fear.
Without fear of confrontation with the Truth.
Without fear of discovery of who they really are.
Without fear of the Lord.
The Love Feasts is the gathering celebration the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord.
They are hidden reef.
A reef is of extreme danger to a boat.
A hidden reef even more so.

They are a danger just below the surface.
They feast with the Body, feeding themselves.

It is all about “them”.

Beware.
They are everywhere.

...to be continued...

"Wrath Has Gone Out From the Lord"

August 8, 2014

“Wrath Has Gone Out From the Lord”

Blessings folk!

On the day after the swallowing the congregation of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron.

The Lord wanted to consume the people.
He wanted to destroy them.

Moses and Aaron fell on their face before the Lord.

Moses then gave Aaron instructions.
The Lord had spoken…

Numbers 16:41-50

41 But on the next day all the congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and against Aaron, saying, “You have killed the people of the Lord.”
42 And when the congregation had assembled against Moses and against Aaron, they turned toward the tent of meeting. And behold, the cloud covered it, and the glory of the Lord appeared.
43 And Moses and Aaron came to the front of the tent of meeting,
44 and the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
45 “Get away from the midst of this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.” And they fell on their faces.
46 And Moses said to Aaron, “Take your censer, and put fire on it from off the altar and lay incense on it and carry it quickly to the congregation and make atonement for them, for wrath has gone out from the Lord; the plague has begun.”
47 So Aaron took it as Moses said and ran into the midst of the assembly. And behold, the plague had already begun among the people. And he put on the incense and made atonement for the people.
48 And he stood between the dead and the living, and the plague was stopped.
49 Now those who died in the plague were 14,700, besides those who died in the affair of Korah.
50 And Aaron returned to Moses at the entrance of the tent of meeting, when the plague was stopped.

The wrath of the Lord had begun.
A plague poured out upon the people.

Verse 48 shows what Aaron did.
He stood between the dead and the living...with the fire and incense...and the plague was stopped.

God relented.

Yet, thousands had already died.

Millions are dying today.

We are called to stand between dead and the living as vessels as the very Presence of God.

We are to intercede in the Power of the Spirit.

Are we?



"…That I May Consume Them

August 7, 2014

“...That I May Consume Them…”

Blessings folk!

The very next day after God’s affirmation of His leadership...ground swallowed, fire fell upon those who rebelled...the people were complaining because their leaders had been taken away.

How dumb can you be?
(We best examine ourselves&hellipWinking

They were blaming Moses for the “loss of leadership”.

Numbers 16:41-45
41 But on the next day all the congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and against Aaron, saying, “You have killed the people of the Lord.”
42 And when the congregation had assembled against Moses and against Aaron, they turned toward the tent of meeting. And behold, the cloud covered it, and the glory of the Lord appeared.
43 And Moses and Aaron came to the front of the tent of meeting,
44 and the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
45 “Get away from the midst of this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.” And they fell on their faces.


The congregation...all of them?...assembled against Moses and Aaron.

By doing so, they were assembling against God.

The congregation turned toward the tent of meeting.
The tent where Moses and Aaron met with God.

The Lord appeared.
The glory of the Lord covered it.

Apparently God had had enough.

He speaks to Moses and tells him to get away.
God was planning to destroy the people.

Moses and Aaron reacted as we have seen before - they fell on their face before God.

Doing what?

Interceding...as we will see...

"The Next Day…"

August 6, 2014

“The Next Day…”

Blessings folk!

The people fled in fear.
They had seen the ground open and swallow the defiant leaders.
They had seen fire from heaven consume the other rebellious leaders.

They feared that they would be next.

One would think that repentance took place…?

Read.

Numbers 16:41
41 But on the next day all the congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and against Aaron, saying, “You have killed the people of the Lord.”


The next day…
Not a week later…
Not a month later…
Not an extended time later…

The heart of the people is revealed.
The grumbled.
They were grumbling against Moses and Aaron.

Had they not seen what had occurred to the leaders who had grumbled and acted defiantly?

The ground had opened.
Consuming fire from heaven had fallen.

Yet, here they are grumbling.

Oh, it was a “righteous grumbling”…”you have killed the people of the Lord.”

Was it Moses who opened the ground?
Was it Moses who brought fire from heaven?

It was God Who did these things.

The people were grumbling against God.
The people were questioning the deeds of God.

I am always amazed by this passage...the next day they grumbled.
And yet, grumbling/complaining/etc. is rampant within the professing organizational church.

We are not to participate in such.
Do not grumble against the Lord.

"A Sign…"

August 5, 2014

“A Sign…”

Blessings folk!

The ground opened its mouth and swallowed them.
Fire from heaven consumed them.

The Lord had spoken.

Numbers 16:36-40
36 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
37 “Tell Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest to take up the censers out of the blaze. Then scatter the fire far and wide, for they have become holy.
38 As for the censers of these men who have sinned at the cost of their lives, let them be made into hammered plates as a covering for the altar, for they offered them before the Lord, and they became holy. Thus they shall be a sign to the people of Israel.”
39 So Eleazar the priest took the bronze censers, which those who were burned had offered, and they were hammered out as a covering for the altar,
40 to be a reminder to the people of Israel, so that no outsider, who is not of the descendants of Aaron, should draw near to burn incense before the Lord, lest he become like Korah and his company—as the Lord said to him through Moses.


The men sought to offer sacrifice...outside of their calling of God.
They became the sacrifice.

Since they were sacrificed, the censers were holy.

The bronze was hammered into plates that became a covering for the altar.

This was a sign.
A sign to the people of Israel.
A reminder to the people.
Of what?
That no outsider, who is not of the descendants of Aaron, should draw near to burn incense before the Lord.
Otherwise, he become like Korah and the gang.

We must approach the Lord and worship Him in the way that He has designed.
Only through the Lord Jesus may we approach Father.
Anything else is false worship worthy of consumption by God.

"Down Alive Into Sheol"

August 4, 2014

“Down Alive Into Sheol”

Blessings folk!

Moses had communicated the Word of the Lord.

The Lord would decide who the leader was.

If the confronters - Dathan, Abiram and followers - “are visited by the fate of all mankind” (meaning, if they die a natural death) then the Lord had not sent Moses.

But, if the Lord “creates something new”...then Moses tells them what the something new is...ground opening its mouth and swallowing them...then they would know that they had despised the Lord.

How did Moses know all this?
Upon being confronted, Moses fell on his face before God.
The Lord informed him.

Now, more of the account…

Numbers 16:28-35
28 And Moses said, “Hereby you shall know that the Lord has sent me to do all these works, and that it has not been of my own accord.
29 If these men die as all men die, or if they are visited by the fate of all mankind, then the Lord has not sent me.
30 But if the Lord creates something new, and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that belongs to them, and they go down alive into Sheol, then you shall know that these men have despised the Lord.”
31 And as soon as he had finished speaking all these words, the ground under them split apart.
32 And the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households and all the people who belonged to Korah and all their goods.
33 So they and all that belonged to them went down alive into Sheol, and the earth closed over them, and they perished from the midst of the assembly.
34 And all Israel who were around them fled at their cry, for they said, “Lest the earth swallow us up!”
35 And fire came out from the Lord and consumed the 250 men offering the incense.

Wow.
Guess we know who God chose.
Think on this.
A defiant, rebellious spirit...not toward Moses...but toward God cost these men everything that man “works for”...
Families - swallowed up.
People belong to them - swallowed up.
All their goods...their stuff - swallowed up.
They and all that belonged to them went down alive into Sheol.

They went into Sheol alive.
But, they did perish from the assembly.
Death did not lead them into Sheol.
Death came to them at Sheol.

The balance of Israel fled in fear lest they should be swallowed up also.

Fire also came down from the Lord and consumed the 250 men offering incense.

So, when the Lord chose, He swallowed some with the earth.
Others He consumed with fire.

The Lord is serious about defiance and disobedience.

We should be also.

Give heed to the Lord and His precepts.

One last thing.

Do you think the people “learned their lesson”?

Wait until tomorrow...


"Something New…"

August 3, 2014

“Something New…”

Blessings folk!

Numbers 16:25-30

25 Then Moses rose and went to Dathan and Abiram, and the elders of Israel followed him.
26 And he spoke to the congregation, saying, “Depart, please, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest you be swept away with all their sins.”
27 So they got away from the dwelling of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. And Dathan and Abiram came out and stood at the door of their tents, together with their wives, their sons, and their little ones.
28 And Moses said, “Hereby you shall know that the Lord has sent me to do all these works, and that it has not been of my own accord.
29 If these men die as all men die, or if they are visited by the fate of all mankind, then the Lord has not sent me.
30 But if the Lord creates something new, and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that belongs to them, and they go down alive into Sheol, then you shall know that these men have despised the Lord.”


This was “something new” that Dathan, Abiram and the gang had not anticipated.

They had been warned.
Moses spoke the words of the Lord.

The congregation listened and departed.

Dathan and Abiram stood defiantly in their doorways with their families.

Moses stated the judgment of the guilty.
The ground would open and swallow them...something new.
They would be taken alive into Sheol.

Defiance will cost you.
Rebellion will destroy family.

It is about to happen in this passage.
It happens in many lives today.

"One Man. One Sin. Consumed"

August 2, 2014

“One Man. One Sin. Consumed.”

Blessings folk!

The “table has been set”.
Some of the leadership of Israel were defying Moses, Aaron and God.

The Lord had told Moses what to do.
Moses told the men.

It is the next morning and they are gathered with incense and censers.

Numbers 16:20-24
20 And the Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying,
21 “Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.”
22 And they fell on their faces and said, “O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and will you be angry with all the congregation?”
23 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
24 “Say to the congregation, Get away from the dwelling of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.”


Whoa!

The Lord’s intent was to consume all the people in a moments time!
(We learn something about God. God is the God of the spirits of all flesh.)

He told Moses and Aaron to separate themselves from among the congregation.

Moses and Aaron immediately fell on the faces before the Lord to intercede for the people.

They did not say “sure God, go ahead...they have been nothing but trouble”.
They did not say “they deserve it”.
They did not say “finally, the troublesome will be gone”.
No.
They humbly fell on their faces before the Lord and ask Him to relent.
Would the Lord be angry with all the congregation because one man sinned?
The answer is “yes”. There are examples in the Word.

The Lord then tells Moses/Aaron to tell the congregation to move away from the dwelling of Korah, Dathan and Abiram.

Why?

We will see.
Those who remained with Korah, Dathan and Abiram would be counted as among the rebellious.

Learn from Moses and Aaron.

The Lord lends His ear to a faithful word of intercession.

Intercede for all, especially those who call themselves our enemy.
Especially those of the “organized church” who are not of the organism of the Body of Christ.

Oh that we would walk in like manner before one another.
We are called to do so.
Do it.

"Assembled…"

August 1, 2014

“Assembled…”

Blessings folk!

The conflict and encounter begins to intensify.

It is amazing how defiant Korah and the men were.
They followed the suggestion of Moses, a tacit acknowledgement that God had instructed. Yet, they defy God.

Did they really think this would end well for them?
We will see later.
For now…

Numbers 16:16-19
16 And Moses said to Korah, “Be present, you and all your company, before the Lord, you and they, and Aaron, tomorrow.
17 And let every one of you take his censer and put incense on it, and every one of you bring before the Lord his censer, 250 censers; you also, and Aaron, each his censer.”
18 So every man took his censer and put fire in them and laid incense on them and stood at the entrance of the tent of meeting with Moses and Aaron.
19 Then Korah assembled all the congregation against them at the entrance of the tent of meeting. And the glory of the Lord appeared to all the congregation.


Korah and his company were getting the desire of their hearts.
They were to perform the role of priests...they thought.
Though they were not called to such, they had demanded it of Moses.
The Lord told Moses what to do.
Moses told them.

The scene is set.
Moses and Aaron.
Korah and the assembled congregation of his men, opposite the entrance to the tent of meeting.
The glory of the Lord appears…

We will see what occurs tomorrow…

For today….

Man has alway desired to approach God in the way man wants, not in the way God designed.
Cain did it. Murder was the outcome.
Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, did and created an entire perversion of worship - the Northern Kingdom of Israel.
Many within the professing Body of Christ today do likewise.
We come to worship, yet our hearts stand in firm defiance of God.
We come to worship, yet we hold ill will against our brother.
We come to worship, yet we do so in the manner of man and not in the Way of God.

The Lord commands and makes clear that we are to worship Him in Spirit and Truth.
Anything not of the Spirit is false worship.
Anything not of the Truth is a lie...and liars will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

Worship the Lord in the simplicity of the Spirit and Truth.