"Pepa...?"

October 31, 2015

“Pepa…?”

Blessings folk!

Parents, you must know the Word of God.
Grandparents, you must know the Word of God.
People of the Lord, you must know the Word of God.

One of many reasons, aside from the fact that the Lord told us so.

Deu 6:4-7
“Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one!
“You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.
“These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart.
“You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.


We must teach the Word diligently to our children.
We must seize every moment - in word and deed.
They must hear the Word from us.
They must see the Word from us.

Then we will be “ready” for the following…

Camp (four-year old grandson) after bedtime prayer:

“Pepa, where is God?”
“Pepa, does God poop?”
“Pepa, does God pee?”
“Pepa, is God here?”
“Pepa, how can God be everywhere all the time?”
“Pepa…” there were more than I can remember…

We must be ready in season and out of season.
We must be the vessels of the Lord’s instruction to the following generations.
We must trust the Lord to give us the insight at an age appropriate level for all inquiries.
He will.
If we trust.

"The Lord Will..."

October 30, 2015

“The Lord Will…”

Blessings folk!

The Lord told the children of Israel that they were to destroy the nations upon the land when they entered the promised land.

Why?

Because of the sin of the people.
The Lord used His people to execute judgment upon those who had rejected Him.

Psa 106:34
They did not destroy the nations, concerning whom the LORD commanded them:


Here is the instruction.

Deu. 7:1-7
1 “When the Lord your God brings you into the land where you are entering to possess it, and clears away many nations before you, the Hittites and the Girgashites and the Amorites and the Canaanites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and stronger than you,
2 and when the Lord your God delivers them before you and you defeat them, then you shall utterly destroy them. You shall make no covenant with them and show no favor to them.
3 Furthermore, you shall not intermarry with them; you shall not give your daughters to [d]their sons, nor shall you take their daughters for your sons.
4 For they will turn your sons away from following Me to serve other gods; then the anger of the Lord will be kindled against you and He will quickly destroy you.
5 But thus you shall do to them: you shall tear down their altars, and smash their sacred pillars, and hew down their Asherim, and burn their graven images with fire.
6 For you are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.


Note:

  • the Lord would bring them into the land to possess it
  • the Lord would clear the nations before them, nations stronger and mightier
  • the Lord would deliver the nations before them
  • the Lord would bring victory, they would defeat the nations
  • they were to utterly destroy the nations
  • they were to make no covenant with them
  • they were not to show favor to them.

More on what they were to do and what they did tomorrow.

For today…

The people did not obey the Lord.
It cost them from then and forward…even until today.
It cost them in the eyes of God.
It cost them with the enemy upon the land…even as we see now.

Obey the Lord.
Trust Him.

"Speak to the Rock"

October 29, 2015

“Speak to the Rock”

Blessings folk!

We saw yesterday that the people of the Lord angered Him.
We saw that things did not go well with Moses…because of what he did.

Read again…

Num 20:1-13
Then came the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, into the desert of Zin in the first month: and the people abode in Kadesh; and Miriam died there, and was buried there.
And there was no water for the congregation: and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron.
And the people chode with Moses, and spake, saying, Would God that we had died when our brethren died before the LORD!
And why have ye brought up the congregation of the LORD into this wilderness, that we and our cattle should die there?
And wherefore have ye made us to come up out of Egypt, to bring us in unto this evil place? it is no place of seed, or of figs, or of vines, or of pomegranates; neither is there any water to drink.
And Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they fell upon their faces: and the glory of the LORD appeared unto them.
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock: so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink.
And Moses took the rod from before the LORD, as he commanded him.
And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock?
And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also.
And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.
This is the water of Meribah; because the children of Israel strove with the LORD, and he was sanctified in them.


Here is the short.

The people were complaining because they lacked water.
This was the generation that would enter the promised land.
Yet, they were complaining, wishing to die with the generation that had died in the desert.

The Lord told Moses what to do.
Moses was to take his rod, gather the assembly with Aaron, and speak to the rock.
Moses was to
SPEAK to the rock.

What did he do?
First, he verbally berated the assemble.
What he said was true.
The Lord did not tell him to do this.
He was to speak to the rock.
Not speak to the assembly.

Moses was mad.
No doubt Moses was tired of their attitude.
“Must we fetch you water out of this rock?
Moses could not bring water.
God could.

God had done it before…

Exo 17:5-6
And the LORD said unto Moses, Go on before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel; and thy rod, wherewith thou smotest the river, take in thine hand, and go.
Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.


Moses now does not speak to the rock.
He struck it.
Twice.

A grievous error.
It cost him entering the promise land.

Why was the mistake so serious.

It is a picture.
Jesus is the Rock.
In the first account, Ex. 17, God told Moses to strike the rock.
A picture of the Lord being stricken on Calvary.
Striking the Rock and out flows rivers of Living Water.

The second account, Num. 20, is a picture of what we do now.
The Rock no longer must be struck.
We do not “re-crucify” the Lord.
We speak to Him.
Then flows rivers of Living Water.

Thank the Lord for the Rock that brings Living Water.

"Choding (striving) @ Meribah (strife/contention)"

October 28, 2015

“Choding (striving) @ Meribah (strife/contention)”

Blessings folk!

Be careful in what you speak.

Moses learned, the hard way.

Let us look at the account…

Psa 106:32-33
They angered him also at the waters of strife, so that it went ill with Moses for their sakes:
Because they provoked his spirit, so that he spake unadvisedly with his lips.


The children of Israel angered the Lord and Moses.
Why? How?
It went ill with Moses for their sake.
What happened?
They provoked his spirit.
How?

Let us take a couple of days learning/reflecting/meditating/listening.
Read the account.
What do you see that relates to the Psalm 106 passage?


Num 20:1-13
Then came the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, into the desert of Zin in the first month: and the people abode in Kadesh; and Miriam died there, and was buried there.
And there was no water for the congregation: and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron.
And the people chode with Moses, and spake, saying, Would God that we had died when our brethren died before the LORD!
And why have ye brought up the congregation of the LORD into this wilderness, that we and our cattle should die there?
And wherefore have ye made us to come up out of Egypt, to bring us in unto this evil place? it is no place of seed, or of figs, or of vines, or of pomegranates; neither is there any water to drink.
And Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they fell upon their faces: and the glory of the LORD appeared unto them.
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock: so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink.
And Moses took the rod from before the LORD, as he commanded him.
And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock?
And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also.
And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.
This is the water of Meribah; because the children of Israel strove with the LORD, and he was sanctified in them.


Obey the precise Word of the Lord.
Do not anger the Lord.
Let not let people provoke you.

…to be continued…

"Phinehas - Executed Judgment"

October 27, 2015

“Phinehas - Executed Judgment”

Blessings folk!

The children of Israel provoked the Lord to anger.
They sinned.
They walked in rebellion.

Where was the person that would stand for righteousness?
Where was the person that would do what needed to be done?

The same could be said of us.

Too often we sit and idly watch, expecting “someone to do something”.

Read and heed…

Psa 106:30-31
Then stood up Phinehas, and executed judgment: and so the plague was stayed.
And that was counted unto him for righteousness unto all generations for evermore.


The plague was killing the people.
Phinehas removed the reason for the judgment of plague.

Num 25:6-8
And, behold, one of the children of Israel came and brought unto his brethren a Midianitish woman in the sight of Moses, and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, who were weeping before the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
And when Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose up from among the congregation, and took a javelin in his hand;
And he went after the man of Israel into the tent, and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her belly. So the plague was stayed from the children of Israel.


Phinehas executed (literally) judgment.
It was of God.
How do we know?
The plague was stayed.

We are not to condone nor endure sin.
Deal with sin…beginning with yourself.

"Joined to Baal-peor"

October 26, 2015

“Joined to Baal-peor”

Blessings folk!

Such truths to learn.
Such principles to apply.

The children of the Israel, the children of the Lord, continually turned their back on the Lord, even after all He had done…and continued to do.

Psalm 106 give a succinct accounting of some of the things they did.

We continue.

Psa 106:28-29
They joined themselves also to Baal-peor,
And ate sacrifices offered to the dead.
Thus they provoked Him to anger with their deeds,
And the plague broke out among them.


They worshipped pagan gods - Baal-peor is an example.
They ate food sacrificed to pagan gods.
They provoked the Lord to anger due to this.
The Lord sent a plague among them.

Here is a quick synopsis of the event…

Num 25:1-3, 5
While Israel remained at Shittim, the people began to play the harlot with the daughters of Moab.
For they invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods.
So Israel joined themselves to Baal of Peor, and the LORD was angry against Israel.
So Moses said to the judges of Israel, “Each of you slay his men who have joined themselves to Baal of Peor.”

Num 31:16
“Behold, these caused the sons of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to trespass against the LORD in the matter of Peor, so the plague was among the congregation of the LORD.

Deu 4:3
“Your eyes have seen what the LORD has done in the case of Baal-peor, for all the men who followed Baal-peor, the LORD your God has destroyed them from among you.

Deu 32:17
“They sacrificed to demons who were not God,
To gods whom they have not known,
New gods who came lately,
Whom your fathers did not dread.

Jos 22:17
‘Is not the iniquity of Peor enough for us, from which we have not cleansed ourselves to this day, although a plague came on the congregation of the LORD,

Hos 9:10
I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness;
I saw your forefathers as the earliest fruit on the fig tree in its first season.
But they came to Baal-peor and devoted themselves to shame,
And they became as detestable as that which they loved.

They sacrificed to demons.
They received the counsel of Balaam.

So, what does this have to do with us today.

Rare is the week that passes that I do not hear doctrine of demons communicated as “truth”.
False gospel is rampant.

Most of this is due to ignorance and lack of knowledge of the Word and the desire to tickle the ears of man.

Such is not a surprise.
We have been forewarned.

1Ti 4:1-2
But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons,
by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron,

2Ti 4:3-4
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

Do not join with doctrine of demons.

Walk in the Spirit.
Know the Word.

"They Despised, Grumbled, Did Not Believe/Listen"

October 25, 2015

“They Despised, Grumbled, Did Not Believe/Listen”

Blessings folk!

The Lord brought his people into the Promised Land.
He does the same for those who are called to salvation.
He brings us in.

Yet, note how they acted and reacted.

Psa 106:24
Then they despised the pleasant land;
They did not believe in His word,
But grumbled in their tents;
They did not listen to the voice of the LORD.
Therefore He swore to them
That He would cast them down in the wilderness,
And that He would cast their seed among the nations
And scatter them in the lands.


They despised the pleasant land.
They did not believe His Word…
- worshipped foreign gods
- did not eliminate people
- did not heed Word of the Lord
They grumbled in their tents…their tents upon the land.
They did not listen to the voice of the Lord.

The same occurs to the church today.
We do the same thing.

The Lord therefore swore to them that He would cast them out.
He would/did send them to the wilderness.
He would cast their seed among the nations…which He did in 722 B.C. to the northern part, 586 B.C. for the southern part.

Yet, as the Lord prophesied through out the Word, He would bring them back to the land.
He has done so the past 100 years.

Still, they do not believe, heed, nor listen.

Do we?
Do not do as they did/do.

"They Forgot..."

October 24, 2015

“They Forgot…”

Blessings folk!

May we be certain not to do what the children of Israel did…

Psa 106:21-22
They forgot God their Savior,
Who had done great things in Egypt,
Wonders in the land of Ham
And awesome things by the Red Sea.


God was their Savior.
God still is their Savior.
God is our Savior.
They forgot Him.
We must not forget Him.

He had done great things for them in Egypt (the land of Ham…that is interesting, reflective and insightful of what occurred with Shem, Ham and Japheth from Genesis).

God had done great things.
God had done wonders.
God had done awesome things by the Red Sea…the parting of the Sea.
Yet, they forgot Him. The idea seems to be that they intentionally set aside the Lord.

Therefore…

Psa 106:23
Therefore He said that He would destroy them,
Had not Moses His chosen one stood in the breach before Him,
To turn away His wrath from destroying them.


God decided to destroy them.
Yet, Moses, the Lord’s chosen one, interceded/stood in the breach before the Lord and the people…though the Lord promised to raise up a nation from him!
God turned away His wrath.

Exo 32:10-14
“Now then let Me alone, that My anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them; and I will make of you a great nation.”
Then Moses entreated the LORD his God, and said, “O LORD, why does Your anger burn against Your people whom You have brought out from the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand?
“Why should the Egyptians speak, saying, ‘With evil intent He brought them out to kill them in the mountains and to destroy them from the face of the earth’? Turn from Your burning anger and change Your mind about doing harm to Your people.
“Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Your servants to whom You swore by Yourself, and said to them, ‘I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heavens, and all this land of which I have spoken I will give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it forever.’”
So the LORD changed His mind about the harm which He said He would do to His people.


For whom are you interceding?
For whom are you entreating the Lord?

"Exchange..."

October 23, 2015

“Exchange…”

Blessings folk!

The rebellion of Korah.
Rebellion against God.
God opened the ground and swallowed some…alive to Sheol!
He brought down fire upon others…

Psa 106:18-20
And a fire blazed up in their company;
The flame consumed the wicked.
They made a calf in Horeb
And worshiped a molten image.
Thus they exchanged their glory
For the image of an ox that eats grass.


You are familiar with the “golden calf” account.
How quickly they turned to “gods”.
How quickly they turned away from the Most High Who had just rescued them.
They exchanged their glory…they had glory/life given by God.
They exchanged their glory for the image of an ox.

We are warned of such.

Here is what we see today…

Rom 1:21-23
For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
Professing to be wise, they became fools,
and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.


Do not be futile.
Do not be foolish.
Do not be a fool.
Do not profess to be wise, and yet, exchange the glory of God for an image.

Do not worship creation.
Worship the Creator.

"Envious Swallowed Up"

October 22, 2015

“Envious Swallowed Up…”

Blessings folk!

The children of Israel were walking in rebellion.
They had believed, but that was short lived.

They complained about food.
God gave them what they wanted…to the point that they were sicken by it.

Now…

Psa 106:16-17
When they became envious of Moses in the camp,
And of Aaron, the holy one of the LORD,
The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan,
And engulfed the company of Abiram.


Envy drove the leadership of Israel to question the authority/leadership of Moses/Aaron.
Basically, they were saying “who put you in charge?”

God said “I did”.

The full account can be found in Numbers 16.
We would do well to read the full account.

The episode is often called the “rebellion of Korah” based upon Jude…

Jude 1:11
Woe to them! For they have gone the way of Cain, and for pay they have rushed headlong into the error of Balaam, and perished in the rebellion of Korah.


The bottom-line?

Do not walk in rebellion of spirit.
Rejoice in where the Lord has placed you.
Do not complain.
Do not grumble against the Lord.
Do not envy, rather be thankful.

"Quail"

October 21, 2015

“Quail”

Blessings folk!

The children of Israel:
  • believed His words
  • sang His praises
  • quickly forgot His works
  • did not wait for His counsel.

His=God.

They…

Psa 106:14-15
But craved intensely in the wilderness,
And tempted God in the desert.
So He gave them their request,
But sent a wasting disease among them.


What did they crave?

They were dissatisfied with the Lord’s provision of manna.
They complained about what God gave.
They tempted Him through grumbling, complaint.
So, He gave them what they wanted.
He gave them meat…

Num 11:1-2
Now the people became like those who
complain of adversity in the hearing of the LORD; and when the LORD heard it, His anger was kindled, and the fire of the LORD burned among them and consumed some of the outskirts of the camp.
The people therefore cried out to Moses, and Moses prayed to the LORD and the fire died out.

Num 11:4-6
The
rabble who were among them had greedy desires; and also the sons of Israel wept again and said, “Who will give us meat to eat?
“We remember the fish which we used to eat free in Egypt, the cucumbers and the melons and the leeks and the onions and the garlic,
but now our appetite is gone. There is nothing at all to look at except this manna.”

Num 11:18-20
“Say to the people, ‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, and you shall eat meat; for you have wept in the ears of the LORD, saying, “Oh that someone would give us meat to eat! For we were well-off in Egypt.” Therefore the LORD will give you meat and you shall eat.
‘You shall eat, not one day, nor two days, nor five days, nor ten days, nor twenty days,

but a whole month, until it comes out of your nostrils and becomes loathsome to you; because
you have rejected the LORD who is among you and have wept before Him, saying, “Why did we ever leave Egypt?”’”

Num 11:31-34
Now there went forth a wind from the LORD and it brought quail from the sea, and let them fall beside the camp, about a day’s journey on this side and a day’s journey on the other side, all around the camp and about two cubits deep on the surface of the ground.
The people spent all day and all night and all the next day, and gathered the quail (he who gathered least gathered ten homers) and they spread them out for themselves all around the camp.
While the meat was still between their teeth, before it was chewed, the anger of the LORD was kindled against the people, and the LORD struck the people with a very severe plague.
So the name of that place was called Kibroth-hattaavah, because there they buried the people who had been greedy.

Be not greedy.
Give thanks to the Lord for His provision.
Complain not.
Do not be led for the complaint of the rabble…note there was rabble among them, as among us.
Do not tempt the Lord with ingratitude.
Kindle not the anger of the Lord.
Do not re-write history to justify complaint.
Do not reject the Lord.

"They Forgot. They Did Not Wait..."

October 20, 2015

“They Forgot. They Did Not Wait…”

Blessings folk!

Psa 106:12-14

Then they believed His words;
They sang His praise.
They quickly forgot His works;
They did not wait for His counsel,
But craved intensely in the wilderness,
And tempted God in the desert.


We do the same as the children of Israel.
They had seen the miracles of God.
The Lord has rescued them.
They then believed His words.
They then sang His praise.

But, then…
They quickly forgot His works.
We do likewise.
We wonder “where is the Lord?”
When tempted to wonder and question…remember.

They did not wait for His counsel.
We do likewise.
We “do” such much “in the name of the Lord”, yet, do we wait for His counsel?

Because of these, they began to crave intensely in the wilderness.
They forgot their slavery.
They remembered the garlic, onion, leeks and the like.
Therefore, they tempted God.
God responded…as we will see.

For today…

Do not forget.
Aggressively wait on His counsel.
Do not tempt the Lord through doubt and unbelief.
Rather, believe His words.
Sing His praise.

"They Believed. They Praised"

October 19, 2015

“They Believed. They Praised”

Blessings folk!

The Lord redeemed His people.
The Lord saved them from slavery.
The Lord saved them from the enemy.

Psa 106:11
The waters covered their adversaries;
Not one of them was left.


The response of the people?

Psa 106:12
Then they believed His words;
They sang His praise.


Then they believed His words…?

Yes.

The Word of the Lord was spoken through Moses.
The people followed, yet believed not.

Now, upon see the great wonder of deliverance they believed.

One would think that they had believed after the ten calamities the Lord brought upon Egypt.
They likely did…to a degree.

We do the same.
We believe that the Lord moves…
We believe that the Lord delivers…
But, do we believe in all situations…in all circumstances?

They now believed.

They sang His praise!

All is well.
Correct?

Next verse…

Psa 106:13

They quickly forgot His works;
They did not wait for His counsel,

to be continued…

"Saved, Redemed, Rebuked, Covered"

October 18, 2015

“Saved, Redeemed, Rebuked, Covered”

Blessings folk!

The Lord delivered the children of Israel from Egypt.
He does likewise for us.

Note the detail we receive from the Psalmist.

Psa 106:9-11
Thus He rebuked the Red Sea and it dried up,
And He led them through the deeps, as through the wilderness.
So He saved them from the hand of the one who hated them,
And redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.
The waters covered their adversaries;
Not one of them was left.


Remember the account.
The Red Sea was ahead.
The enemy was behind.
They were without option of escape.

The Lord rebukes the sea.
The sea dries up before the Word of the Lord.

The Lord led them through the deeps…a dry deep.

The Lord also led them through the wilderness.
Often it is said that they “wandered” in the wilderness.
Untrue.
They followed the lead of the Lord.
Again, the Lord led them.

So, the Lord saved them from the hand of the those who hated them.
He does the same for us.

The Lord redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.
He does the same for us.

Saved and redeemed are we.
Covered by the Lord is the adversary.

Rejoice!

"His Power Made Known"

October 17, 2015

“His Power Made Known”

Blessings folk!

We have sinned as our fathers.
The fathers of the children of Israel had sinned.
Even when in Egypt.
Watch what the Lord did…

Psa 106:6-8
We have sinned like our fathers,
We have committed iniquity, we have behaved wickedly.
Our fathers in Egypt did not understand Your wonders;
They did not remember Your abundant kindnesses,
But rebelled by the sea, at the Red Sea.
Nevertheless He saved them for the sake of His name,
That He might make His power known.


The fathers:

  • sinned
  • committed iniquity
  • behaved wickedly
  • did not understand the Lord’s wonders…the 10 plagues!
  • did not remember the abundant kindnesses of the Lord
  • rebelled against the Lord, by the Red Sea

So have we.

We have sinned.
We do not remember.
We rebel.

Nevertheless, the Lord:
  • saved them
  • saved them for the sake of His name
  • made known His power through them

The same for us.
He has saved us…if we have truly repented, confessed.

He has done so, not due to anything we have done, but that His power may be made known.

May His power rule and reign in us.

"Sin, Iniquity, Wickedness"

October 16, 2015

“Sin, Iniquity, Wickedness”

Blessings folk!

The Psalmist cried to the Lord.
He desired to see the salvation of the Lord.
He wanted to see the prosperity of the chosen.
He wanted to rejoice in the gladness of the Lord's nation.
He wanted glory in the inheritance of the Lord.

Now, read the very next statement…

Psa 106:6
We have sinned like our fathers,
We have committed iniquity, we have behaved wickedly.


The Psalmist joins with Daniel, Ezra and Nehemiah (all in chapter nine of their respective books) in declaring a needed proclamation of truth.

“We have sinned like our fathers…”

They do not point the finger at “their people/nation” and declare “sinner!”
They realize that they were a part.

Such are we.

We have sinned.
We have committed iniquity.
We have behaved wickedly.

“But”, it will be said, “I have never done such”.

True, perhaps we have not committed a particular sin.
But, have we remained silent.
Silent, as millions have been aborted.
Silent, as false gospels and deceitful doctrines of demons are proclaimed from pulpits as “truth".
Silent, as man descends deeper and deeper in the abyss of the sin of the last days.

May we repent of our sin, iniquity and wickedness.

May we allow the power of the Lord to flow through us.

"See, Rejoice, Glory"

October 15, 2015

“See, Rejoice, Glory”

Blessings folk!

The Psalmist continues in Psalm 106.

He calls to the Lord for something.
Note what it is.
Then note “why”.

Psa 106:4

Remember me, O LORD, in Your favor toward Your people;
Visit me with Your salvation,
That I may see the prosperity of Your chosen ones,
That I may rejoice in the gladness of Your nation,
That I may glory with Your inheritance.


The Psalmist asks the Lord to “remember me”.
He desired the salvation of the Lord.
To what purpose?

That he might…

  • see the prosperity of the Lord’s chosen ones
  • rejoice in the gladness of the Lord’s nation
  • glory with the Lord’s inheritance

The Psalmist was requesting/viewing all this from the perspective of the nation of the Israel, the chosen of the Lord.

We as true believers have an even greater inheritance.

May we inquire of the Lord in like manner.
May we seek the prosperity of His chosen ones….Israel and the church.
May we rejoice in the gladness of His nation…Israel and the church.
May we glory in His inheritance…salvation that we have and that is yet to come.

"Praise, Thanks Deeds, Justice, Righteousness"

October 14, 2015

“Praise, Thanks, Deeds, Justice, Righteousness”

Blessings folk!

I have been drawn of late to Psalm 106…

Let us look at it…

Psa 106:1-3

Praise the LORD!
Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good;
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
Who can speak of the mighty deeds of the LORD,
Or can show forth all His praise?
How blessed are those who keep justice,
Who practice righteousness at all times!


In all things we are to praise the Lord.
In all things we are to give thanks to the Lord.
Why?
Because He is good.
His lovingkindness is everlasting…without end…beyond measure.

The Psalmist acknowledges that no one is capable of speaking fully of the mighty deeds of the Lord.
No one can adequately declare forth the fullness of His praise.

Still, we praise.
Still, we give thanks.
Still, we speak of His mighty deeds.
Still, we show forth His praise.

Then this…

How blessed are those who keep justice.
How blessed are those who practice righteousness…at all times!

We are to be vessels of justice.
We are to live lives of justice.
We are righteous by our position as redeemed, true believers.
We are to manifest righteousness at all times in all things.

This is especially important in relation to the balance of the Psalm…as we will see.

For today…

  • praise the Lord
  • give thanks to the Lord
  • speak of the mighty deeds of the Lord
  • show forth the praise of the Lord
  • keep justice
  • practice righteousness
  • all, all the time

"Boldness...Mystery of the Gospel"

October 13, 2015

“Boldness…Mystery of the Gospel”

Blessings folk!

Believers are to pray.
We are to pray without ceasing.

Eph 6:18-20
With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,
and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel,
for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.


We are to pray at all times in the Spirit.
We are to petition at all times in the Spirit.

For who?
For what?

For all the saints.
We are to be on the alert with all perseverance for one another.
We have a role.
We have a responsibility.
Pray for one another.

Paul then requested prayer for himself.
Note his situation.
He is an ambassador in chains.
He is chained. Imprisoned.
Still, he desired boldness.
He desired that utterance be given to him in the opening of his mouth.
He desired boldness in proclaiming the mystery of the gospel.

We should ask likewise.
We must boldly proclaim the mystery of the gospel

Do it.

"Sword of the Spirit - the Word of God"

October 12, 2015

“Sword of the Spirit - the Word of God”

Blessings folk!

Gird your loins with Truth.
Put on the breastplate of righteousness.
Shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace.
Take up the shield of faith.

All are a part of the armor of God.

Here is the balance.
Most important…

Eph 6:17
And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.


The helmet of salvation.
Salvation protects our thoughts.
Salvation protects our corporeal existence.

The sword of the Spirit, the Word of God.
I can not emphasize enough the need to know the Word of God.
So much deceived teaching and preaching is about.
False gospels are spoken everywhere.
Sadly, most do not know that they are hearing falsehood because they do not know the truth.

Paul warned of such…

Gal 3:1-2
You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified?
This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?


There was a false gospel afoot that joined together works with faith for “true salvation”.
We see/hear it today.
Yet, most do not discern such when heard.
Dangerous.
Even more dangerous, those who teach/preach this do not know what they are saying.

Gal 1:6-8
I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel;
which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.
But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed!


Know the Word.
Listen carefully to teaching/preaching.
Examine all through the Spirit.
Be alert.
Be ready.

Those who teach/preach, remember, you will be held accountable.
Know the Word, otherwise, step aside.
Be a person of your word.
Be a person of The Word.

"Shield of Faith"

October 11, 2015

“Shield of Faith”

Blessings folk!

Gird your loins with Truth.
Put on the breastplate of righteousness.
Shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace.

Then…

Eph 6:16
in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.


In addition to all..
To all we have seen earlier.

In addition to these things, we are to take up the shield of faith.

Note, we take it up.
It is available.
We can chose to use or not.

What does the shield of faith do?
Enables us to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
All of the flaming arrows.

We can extinguish them by faith.

Faith will shield us.

Walk in true faith!

"Gospel of Peace"

October 10, 2015

"Gospel of Peace”

Blessings folk!

Gird your loins with Truth.
Put on the breastplate of Righteousness.

Eph 6:15
and having shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE;


Are you walking in peace?
If you are truly saved, you should be.
You can be.
The Lord gives peace to those that are His.
We choose to walk in peace or not.


Hab 3:19
The Lord GOD is my strength,
And He has made my feet like hinds’ feet,
And makes me walk on my high places.

Isa 26:3
The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace,
Because he trusts in You.


The gospel of peace prepares us.
We walk in its path.
Our path is prepared.
Our works are ready…

Eph 2:10
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.


Before the foundations of the earth were spoken into existence the Lord prepared works for us.

Our feet are prepared to walk in these work, through the gospel of peace.

Do the work the Lord has for you.
He will lead.

"Breastplate of Righteousness"

October 9, 2015

“Breastplate of Righteousness”

Blessings folk!

The armor of God.
The provision of the Lord for our daily walk.
We are to “put it on” daily, moment by moment.
We are to live in the armor of God.
Do not “take it off”.

Eph 6:14
Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS,


The Truth of the Lord will gird our loins…strengthen us…support us…protect us.

We are to put on the breastplate of righteousness.

This breastplate will protect vital organs.

Righteousness protects.
Righteousness transforms.
Righteousness is the foundation of our life in the Lord.

Isa 59:17
He put on righteousness like a breastplate,
And a helmet of salvation on His head;
And He put on garments of vengeance for clothing
And wrapped Himself with zeal as a mantle.

1Th 5:8
But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation.


Note the breastplate of faith and love.
Righteousness is manifested in our lives as faith and love.

Are you righteous?
Have you called upon the Lord in repentance, confession seeking forgiveness?
Do you walk in righteousness?
Do you walk in faith?
Do you walk in love?

"Gird Your Loins With Truth"

October 8, 2015

“Gird Your Loins With Truth”

Blessings folk!

Did you take up the full armor of God today?

It actually is a good practice to physically think through what the Word says…

Eph 6:13
Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.


Let us look at the armor.

Eph 6:14
Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS,

We stand strong by girding our loins with Truth.

Note the “all caps”.

This means that an Old Testament passage is being referenced.

The Truth, the Word of God, will protect us.
We are to “gird our loins”.
Our progeny must be protected by the Word of God.
The Word of God will bring forth the fruit desired of the Lord.

Isa 11:5
Also righteousness will be the belt about His loins,
And faithfulness the belt about His waist.

2Co 6:7
in the word of truth, in the power of God; by the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left,
(this is really interesting in context&hellipWinking

Therefore, gird yourself with Truth today.
Know Truth. Learn Truth.
Live Truth.
His Truth is His Word.
Stand firm in His Word.

"Take Up..."

October 7, 2015

“Take Up…”

Blessings folk!

Our struggle is not against flesh and blood…

Eph 6:12
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.


How do we resist?
How do we fight?
Do we resist/fight?
Yes!

This way…

Eph 6:13
Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.


We are to take up the full armor of God.
Believers have the armor of God. All of it.
We are to appropriate.
We are to take it up.
We are to “use” it.

For what purpose is the armor of God.

To resist in the evil day.
We are to resist evil.
Then, having done everything…everything?
Having done all possible to resist, we then stand firm.

Stand firm?
In what?

In faith.
In the Word.
In the Lord.
Against the schemes of the devil.

Stand firm!
Resist.
Know the Truth.
Speak the Truth.

"Our Struggle..."

October 6, 2015

“Our Struggle…”

Blessings folk!

We are to…
  • be strong in the Lord
  • live in the strength of His might
  • put on the full armor of God
  • thereby, being able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil

Eph 6:10-11
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.
Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.


Why?
Because of the true nature of the battle.
Because of the truth of who the enemy is.

Eph 6:12
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.


Our battle is not against other people…flesh/blood.
Our battle is against…

  • powers
  • world forces of this darkness
  • spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places

Ours is a spiritual battle.

Satan, the devil, the evil one and his minions are the enemy.

Knowing this will set us free personally and corporately.

Be strong in the Lord.
Resist the rulers, powers and spiritual forces of this present darkness.

"Full Armor of God"

October 5, 2015

“Full Armor of God…”

Blessings folk!

We are to be strong in the Lord.
We are to live in the strength of HIs might.

The Lord gives us direct commands and instructions related to such…

Eph 6:10-11
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.
Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.


We are…

  • to be strong
  • to put on the full armor of God

Note we have a responsibility.
We are to put on the full armor of God.
Not just part of it.
Put on the full armor.

We will see what the armor is.
For today, understand why we are to put on the full armor of God.

To stand firm.
To stand firm against the schemes of the devil.

The Lord has not abandoned us.
He has not forsaken us.
He enables us to stand firm against the evil one.
We simply need to appropriate that which the Lord has provided.

Rejoice in this!
The full armor of God enables us to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.

Let’s do it…

"Strength of His Might"

October 4, 2015

“Strength of His Might”

Blessings folk!

Prepared in the Spirit!

This is to what we are called.

In Matthew 24/25 Jesus tells us to…
  • be ready
  • be on the alert

True preparation comes in the Spirit.

Eph 6:10
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.


True strength is in the Lord.
We are to be strong in His might.
Not our might.
Not our power.
His.

This is the beginning of preparation.
We must rest in the Lord.
We must know that He is our strength…forever…

Exo 15:2
“The LORD is my strength and song,
And He has become my salvation;
This is my God, and I will praise Him;
My father's God, and I will extol Him.

Psa 62:7
On God my salvation and my glory rest;
The rock of my strength, my refuge is in God.

Psa 73:26
My flesh and my heart may fail,
But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.


Determine to walk in the strength of the Lord and His might.

This is the beginning…

"A Time to Throw Stones"

October 3, 2015

“A Time to Throw Stones”

Blessings folk!

Jesus said…

Luk 22:35-36
And He said to them, “When I sent you out without money belt and bag and sandals, you did not lack anything, did you?” They said, “No, nothing.”
And He said to them, “But now, whoever has a money belt is to take it along, likewise also a bag, and whoever has no sword is to sell his coat and buy one.


There is a time for offensive/defensive weapons…

Ecc 3:1-8
There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven—
A time to give birth and a time to die;
A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted.
A
time to kill and a time to heal;
A time to tear down and a time to build up.
A time to weep and a time to laugh;
A time to mourn and a time to dance.
A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones;
A time to embrace and a time to shun embracing.
A time to search and a time to give up as lost;
A time to keep and a time to throw away.
A time to tear apart and a time to sew together;
A time to be silent and a time to speak.
A time to love and a time to hate;
A time for war and a time for peace.

Christians are not called to walk through life as defenseless targets.
We can/should be prepared…in the natural.
But, there is a greater preparation in which we must walk with every breath.

We must be prepared in the Spirit…

…more later…

"Sword and the Foolishness of Man"

October 2, 2015

“Sword and the Foolishness of Man”

Blessings folk!

Sadly another shooting has taken place.

Irritatingly, at this moment, the chief executive is, in his smarmy manner, spewing forth lies.

This is not shocking.

We know that in the last days…

Mat 24:6-7
“You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end.
“For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes.


“Nation” is the Greek word “ethnos”…ethnicity. People groups.
We see this increasing. Struggles between people.

Of course, the foolishness of man blames inanimate objects.
The foolishness of man refuses to see.
The foolishness of man does not want to hear that the shooter in the latest incident demanded that people stand and announce if they were Christian.

Reports are, if one stated they were Christian, then they were shot in the head.
If they remained silent or said “no”, then they were shot in the leg.

But no.
The problem is a device.
Fools.

Rom 1:22
Professing to be wise, they became fools,


The true problem is not device.
It is demon.

The foolishness of man believes that “…-free zones” will command safety.
Nothing could be further from the truth.

If the 30 year old military man at the Oregon college had been allowed to use that in which he has been trained, many lives would have been saved. As it is, he saved his class. He is recovering from 5-7 shots.

Foolishness.

Jesus actually addressed such…

Luk 22:35-36
And He said to them, “When I sent you out without money belt and bag and sandals, you did not lack anything, did you?” They said, “No, nothing.”
And He said to them, “But now, whoever has a money belt is to take it along, likewise also a bag, and whoever has no sword is to sell his coat and buy one.

…more later…

"Greatly Rejoice!"

October 1, 2015

“Greatly Rejoice”

Blessings folk!

This is my favorite seasonal time of the year.
The Fall.

Where we live it is a time of onsetting coolness, leaves turning color, harvest in, rejoicing in the abundant provision of the Lord.

We are to rejoice at all times.
We are to rejoice in all seasons.

Hear the Word of the Lord…

1Pe 1:6-9
Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:
That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.


We rejoice, though for a season, if need be, we have heaviness and many temptations.
There will be seasons of peace, comfort.
There will be seasons of heavinesss and temptations.
Why “if need be”?
The trial of faith purifies and proves true faith.
It will bring praise, honor and glory when Jesus returns.

But, what of the first words of verse 6…”wherein ye greatly rejoice”?
To what is “wherein” referring?

We need to read the previous verses…context is important.

1Pe 1:3-5
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.


In what do we rejoice?

  1. Lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus
  2. Incorruptible, undefiled inheritance…reserved in heaven
  3. We are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation…ready to be revealed in the last days.

In these we rejoice.

Why should we ever worry, be anxious, doubt, fear…?