Month: March 2022

Rescued two, reaped many – is Rahab, a demonstration of sowing and reaping?

The account of Rahab, is one of my favourite Bible characters but I never realised until today that it could also represent an example of sowing and reaping.

Rahab, at great personal risk, rescued the two spies from Israel;

⁴ But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. She said, ‘Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they had come from. Joshua 2

¹² ‘Now then, please swear to me by the Lord that you will show kindness to my family, (Like for like) because I have shown kindness to you. Give me a sure sign ¹³ that you will spare the lives of my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them – and that you will save us from death.’

¹⁴ ‘Our lives for your lives!’ the men assured her. ‘If you don’t tell what we are doing, we will treat you kindly and faithfully when the Lord gives us the land.’ Joshua 2

Rahab rescued the two Israelites and saved her whole family in return, RESCUED TWO, SAVED MANY.

²⁵ But Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute, with her family and all who belonged to her, because she hid the men Joshua had sent as spies to Jericho – and she lives among the Israelites to this day. Joshua 6

Rahab understood what the God of Israel was going to do to Jericho and it’s people and she acted in faith to rescue her family. She had authority to rescue ‘all who belonged to her, all who stayed with her inside her house’.

She rescued a pair of spies, two men and she received the lives of her household in return.

Sowing isn’t always in terms of money, but our faith will be involved. BE CREATIVE, HOW CAN YOU SOW SOMETHING TODAY AND REAP A HARVEST IN THE FUTURE?

²⁴ “‘“The Lord bless you
    and keep you;
²⁵ the Lord make his face shine on you
    and be gracious to you;
²⁶ the Lord turn his face toward you
    and give you peace.”’

²⁷ “So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.” Numbers 6

⁴ It is not for kings, Lemuel –
    it is not for kings to drink wine,
    not for rulers to crave beer,
⁵ LEST THEY DRINK AND FORGET what has been decreed,
    and deprive all the oppressed of their rights. Proverbs 31

Proverbs 31 is chiefly known for the Epilogue to the Wife of Noble Character, which is a beautiful Scripture and should be used to encourage wives who often give up so much for the benefit of others. The early verses in the chapter focus on a mother’s advice to her son, the King (and perhaps others in authority). She advises her son was Not to Drink and thereby Forget Justice for the downtrodden. Leaders carry responsibilities that others don’t have and they must be careful not to allow anything to hinder those obligations. (As we judge, we too will be judged Matthew 7)

⁶ Let beer be for those who are perishing,
    wine for those who are in anguish!
⁷ Let them drink and FORGET THEIR POVERTY
    and remember their misery no more.

People may drink to Forget, a human coping mechanism. It doesn’t mean we should judge them for their weaknesses.

¹⁸ “FORGET THE FORMER THINGS;
    DO NOT DWELL ON THE PAST.
¹⁹ See, I am doing a new thing!
    Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
    and streams in the wasteland. Isaiah 43

In the previous two verses Isaiah the prophet has just spoken about how God opened a way for His people through the Red Sea and buried Pharaoh’s army in the middle of the Sea. Now he’s telling us to forget the past, God is doing a New Thing. That may be God’s Word for some of us right now, ‘Forget the past times and begin to look to our future’.

Graham Cooke had a saying that we should NOT LIVE ‘Past-Present, but we should be PRESENT-FUTURE’.  We’ve lived through our past, but now we’re living in the present with our future still before us. We can lose out on blessings in the Present if we’re constantly thinking of the past.

¹⁰ Do not say, ‘Why were the old days better than these?’
    For it is not wise to ask such questions. Ecclesiastes 7

Paul also tells us that he’s going forward with the Lord’s call for His life;

…but I PRESS ON to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. ¹³ Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: FORGETTING WHAT IS BEHIND AND STRAINING TOWARDS WHAT IS AHEAD, ¹⁴ I PRESS ON towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenwards in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3

Paul uses the words ‘I Press On’ twice and ‘Straining’ is very graphic of his efforts to keep going in these verses.

While the Bible does tell us Not to Forget certain things that God has done, it does warn us in both the Old and New Testaments, not to be tied or stuck to the past. There may be things that we’re grateful for and that’s good but now, ‘The past has passed, let it Go!’

God bless and keep you today.

What other things do the Scriptures say about Forgetting?

¹⁰ When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you. ¹¹ Be careful that you DO NOT FORGET THE LORD, … ¹² Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, ¹³ and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, ¹⁴ THEN YOUR HEART WILL BECOME PROUD AND YOU WILL FORGET THE LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. Deuteronomy 8

Earlier in this chapter (V3) are the words that Jesus used to resist and rebuff the devil in the desert, ‘Man does not live by bread alone (the Physical) but by every word of God (Spiritual)’. Our hearts can become captivated (CAPTURED) by the physical, but we’re warned Not to turn away, nor Forget God. MATERIALISM is a very Subtle and Real danger facing many believers.

¹⁰ In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly. ¹¹ And she made a vow, saying, ‘Lord Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and NOT FORGET YOUR SERVANT BUT GIVE HER A SON, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.’ 1 Samuel 1

Hannah in her heartfelt prayer to God for a son, called on God Not to Forget her and she received the boy, Samuel, that she longed for. Don’t Forget Me Lord, Remember my Prayer.

Many times in Psalms and Proverbs we are told Not to Forget God’s Word. Psalm 119, the longest book is totally based on the Word of God;

⁹³ I WILL NEVER FORGET YOUR PRECEPTS,
    for by them you have preserved my life. Psalm 119

¹⁰⁹ Though I constantly take my life in my hands,
    I WILL NOT FORGET YOUR LAW. Psalm 119

3 My son, DO NOT FORGET MY TEACHING,
    BUT KEEP MY COMMANDS IN YOUR HEART,
² for they will prolong your life many years
    and bring you peace and prosperity. Proverbs 3

(In Hebrews we read that Israel failed to enter God’s rest through disobedience and this is followed by the statement that His Word is a Living Word,

¹² For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Hebrews 4)

Israel were carried into exile in Babylon for seventy years they lost everything through persistently turning away from God;

⁵ If I FORGET YOU, Jerusalem,
    may my right hand forget its skill.
⁶ May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth
    if I DO NOT REMEMBER YOU,
if I do not consider Jerusalem
    my highest joy. Psalm 137

But while they were in exile their psalmist encouraged them to Remember Jerusalem, the capital of the nation, where the Temple of God had stood. What they had ignored when they lived there, now became an inner source of strength for the future – someday in God’s good time they would be restored again.

May God bless and keep you today.

¹⁴ ‘This is a day you are to COMMEMORATE; FOR THE GENERATIONS TO COME YOU SHALL CELEBRATE IT as a festival to the Lord – a LASTING ORDINANCE. Exodus 12

The Lord spoke to Israel even before His final judgement had struck Egypt and told them that THEY MUST REMEMBER what all He was doing for them. This became the Passover Feast, celebrated by the Jewish people to this very day.

In Deuteronomy 4, Israel were told twice by Moses, DO NOT FORGET but then God Himself, the Merciful God, says He Will Not Forget to keep His Oath (Hallelujah);

⁹ Only BE CAREFUL, AND WATCH YOURSELVES CLOSELY (the Jews were responsible to GUARD THEMSELVES AND SO ARE WE) so that YOU DO NOT FORGET the things your eyes have seen or let them FADE/SLIP FROM YOUR HEART AS LONG AS YOU LIVE (Lifetime Commitment. Teach them to your children and to their children after them (Godly offspring, in the next generations).

²³ BE CAREFUL NOT TO FORGET THE COVENANT (we are also a Covenant people) of the Lord your God that he made with you; do not make for yourselves an idol in the form of anything the Lord your God has forbidden.

³¹ FOR THE LORD YOUR GOD IS A MERCIFUL GOD; HE WILL NOT ABANDON OR DESTROY YOU OR FORGET THE COVENANT with your ancestors, which he confirmed to them by oath.

God wants us, His people, to Remember the good things He has done for us and be thankful.  I listened to the testimony of someone who had been Saved from the drug scene in a large city. A long time later they received a prophetic revelation that if God hadn’t intervened they would have been dead and their children in trouble with the authorities. Truly we all have much to be thankful for and we may not ever know how much until we meet the Lord in Heaven.

David lived a long time after the people who were rescued from Egypt, but the Spirit still prompts us to Remember God and all the good things He has done for us.

We all have trials to go through, but God’s Heart is to bless His children, so Remember to thank Him for all He’s done and will do for us, especially the Lord’s sacrifice of Himself.

God bless and keep you today.

REMEMBER the Sweet and Good things God has done for us and don’t return to the foul experiences of the past.

We forgot something recently in our home that caused a bad odour to develop in an unused bathroom. The trap in a shower dried out because no water was flowing into it. IS THERE ANYTHING OF GOD FLOWING INTO OUR LIVES, OR ARE WE BECOMING DRIED OUT?

The more of God that flows in our lives, the sweeter the Fragrance that will be released. Conversely, less of God, His Spirit and His Word and we will in time begin to release something different.

³ Then Mary took about half a litre of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. AND THE HOUSE WAS FILLED WITH THE FRAGRANCE OF THE PERFUME. John 12

Mary released something beautiful that Filled the House, everyone present at the dinner would have been aware of the beautiful scent. Mary had given something precious to the Lord as He approached the crucifixion. It was a wonderful demonstration of her love for Him and is forever recorded in God’s Word for generations to read. (It will never be forgotten) Could God be asking someone today to pour out something from their lives that would honour what He’s done for them? We all have things to give, perhaps a sacrifice is required, but it was the coming sacrifice that released the beautiful fragrance.

²⁸ Peter said to him, ‘We have left all we had to follow you!’

²⁹ ‘Truly I tell you,’ Jesus said to them, ‘no one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God ³⁰ will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come eternal life.’ Luke 18

Whatever we lay down for the Lord in this life, even a cup of water will receive a reward Matthew 10:42, Mark 9:41. Heaven is looking for things that can be credited to our account, ‘in this age and in the one to come’.

It’s so important that we keep the Life of God flowing in our lives and don’t become stale in our walk with our Lord. Mary and the disciples gave up much to be with the Lord and their sacrifice was recorded by Heaven.

Fathersloveministry is a faith based ministry, please Donate on our webpage today and help support the Father’s work;

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Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, FOR GOD LOVES A CHEERFUL GIVER. 2 Corinthians 9:7

The Lord is no man’s debtor, Hallelujah.

God rewards those who give to Him, don’t miss out on your blessings, give to Him today.

We are available to seek personal words of direction and encouragement for those who want them. Please contact us on our webpage above. We can also provide counselling online, contact our webpage. A donation is normally required for this service.

The Lord bless and keep you today.

⁶ But godliness with contentment is great gain. 1 Timothy 6

⁴ they are conceited and understand nothing. They have an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words THAT RESULT IN ENVY, STRIFE (Robin R Bullock, keep Strife out of your home, like you would a serpent), MALICIOUS TALK, EVIL SUSPICIONS  that result in envy,  ⁵ and AND CONSTANT FRICTION BETWEEN PEOPLE OF CORRUPT MIND, who have been robbed of the truth and who THINK THAT GODLINESS IS A MEANS TO FINANCIAL GAIN. 

BAD TEACHERS BRING BAD FRUIT AND SOONER OR LATER IT WILL SHOW.

In the succeeding verses Paul warns Timothy about those who have a greater desire for money, than for Christ.

⁹ Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. ¹⁰ FOR THE LOVE OF MONEY IS A ROOT OF ALL KINDS OF EVIL the love. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and PIERCED THEMSELVES WITH MANY GRIEFS.

Once again the fruit of loving money more than God, harms those who follow it.

Derek Prince podcast this morning (only 11 minutes long, https://www.dpmuk.org/resources/podcast), 23 March 2020, was about Godliness and he gave two helpful definitions;

Godliness is 1) A life that would be meaningless if there was no God. 2) A life that is a continual reminder to all of the reality of God. (A person who reminds us of God)

Many of us have known people who reminded us of God, perhaps grandparents or Sunday School teachers. God shone through them and people around them knew it.

Another thing Paul warns us about is the dramatic increase in ungodliness in the End Times. People will be ‘Lovers of self, lovers of money … lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.’ 2 Timothy 3:2-4

These things will assault the souls of Believers in our days, but Paul told Timothy, to hold fast to Godliness and trust God to bless him and meet his needs.

GODLINESS WITH CONTENTMENT IS GREAT GAIN, NO MATTER WHAT THE WORLD CHASES AFTER.

God bless and keep you today.

¹⁰ So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, ¹¹ for on account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and believing in him. John 12

Religious leaders plotting double murder, wasn’t the first time and probably won’t be the last. The raising of Lazarus from the dead after four days in the tomb, John 11:39, a living testimony to the power of God was too much. (I’ve heard it said when Christians were raised from the dead in our day in Africa, that muslims gave up trying to convert in those places.)

Jesus had arrived at the home Martha, Mary and Lazarus in Bethany, near Jerusalem six days before Passover. The Jews had flocked there in large numbers to meet Jesus and also to see Lazarus. What was happening there had not gone unnoticed by the religious rulers, they were alarmed and angry at what was occurring. Many were believing in Jesus. However, just like Pharaoh centuries before in Egypt, they didn’t realise they were about to fulfil God’s plan of the ages to redeem mankind. Yet, Jesus was still drawing people to Him in that day so close to His crucifixion.

At the end of the same chapter, we’re told of more Jews who believed in Jesus, but apparently they were Secret Believers.

⁴² Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not openly acknowledge their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; ⁴³ for they loved human praise more than praise from God. John 12

First of all these people were believers in Jesus and that’s important because the previous verses quoted from Isaiah said many wouldn’t believe.

³⁷ Even after Jesus had performed so many signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him. ³⁸ This was to fulfil the word of Isaiah the prophet:

They wouldn’t acknowledge publicly that they believed Jesus was the Messiah, a step too far for many of them. Perhaps they had a sense of Jesus coming crucifixion and were afraid to stand for Him. But the scripture says, ‘they loved the praise of men, more than the praise of God’.

Our Faith is precious, so much so that the enemy will kill, to stop people coming to know the Lord. We Believers will be eternally grateful that we put our trust in the Lord and accepted His sacrifice for us. The only time we can tell others all that Jesus means to us is here and now – let’s not be ashamed to speak up for Him while we have opportunity.

God bless and keep you today.

SHARE THE FIGHT/WORK, SHARE THE REWARD

The title of last Friday’s blog, when Jonathan’s young armour-bearer GUARDED HIS BACK as they fought the Philistines above the pass.

⁷ ‘Do all that you have in mind,’ his armour-bearer said. ‘Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul.’ 1 Samuel 14

A recent post from Facebook;

If becoming ‘religious’ has made you more judgmental, rude, harsh, a BACKBITER, you need to check if you are worshipping God OR YOUR EGO. (Mindful Christianity)

I know of a situation where someone was experiencing back pain. Prayer was made but no breakthrough was apparent, often there may be underlying reasons.

On this occasion repentance was made of spoken words and healing came at once, the blockage had gone.

The English word ‘Backbiter’ comes from two Greek words, kata, against and laleo, to speak, hence KATALALIA, backbiting or speaking against. (Some versions translated ‘speak evil’. 1 Peter 2:1 AV)

This word occurs three times in one verse, James 4:11;

Brothers, do not SLANDER one another (speak against). Anyone who SPEAKS AGAINST his brother/sister or judges them SPEAKS AGAINST the law and judges it. And if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law, but a judge of it. James 4:11

Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong (Slander/Backbiting), they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. 1 Peter 2:12

¹⁵ But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, ¹⁶ keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously/backbiting against your good behaviour in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. 1 Peter 3

The reference in James 4 warns us not to speak against or speak evil of our brothers and sisters. We are not to judge our brethren, we ourselves will be judged.

The next two references from 1 Peter tell us to model Godly behaviour before unbelievers, that they may feel ashamed and turn to God.

The letter to the Ephesians urges us not to grieve the Holy Spirit, specifically by our words and attitude, but to be kind and forgiving towards one another just as God has been towards us in Christ.

³⁰ And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. ³¹ Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. ³² Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Ephesians 4

May the Lord help us to yield our speech and attitudes to Him that we don’t block His Spirit but co-operate with Him.

God bless and keep you today.

SHARE THE WORK, SHARE THE REWARD

⁴¹ Anyone who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and anyone who receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward. ⁴² And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward.’ Matthew 10

Our future reward will be determined by what we Align ourselves to/support while here on earth. Spanning even from a prophet’s reward (that’s remarkable that God will reward someone so greatly) to the smallest things, like a cup of cold water. We will receive a CORRESPONDING REWARD to what we’ve given ourselves to.

In 1 Samuel 14 we read the account of Jonathan and his young armour-bearer climbing up the steep rocks at the pass of Michmash to fight the Philistines. We don’t know much about this young man, not even his name, but his deeds were recorded for all time to be read in God’s Word.

The briefest of conversation between Jonathan, son of King Saul and his young attendant is given in a couple of succeeding verses.

⁶ Jonathan said to his young armour-bearer, ‘Come, let’s go over to the outpost of those uncircumcised men. Perhaps the Lord will act on our behalf. NOTHING CAN HINDER THE LORD FROM SAVING, WHETHER BY MANY OR BY FEW.’

⁷ ‘Do all that you have in mind,’ his armour-bearer said. ‘GO AHEAD; I AM WITH YOU HEART AND SOUL.’ 1 Samuel 14

Jonathan declared his absolute faith in his God, ‘NOTHING CAN HINDER THE LORD FROM SAVING, WHETHER BY MANY OR BY FEW.’ (Might be a good verse to ponder and repeat to ourselves over the weekend)

His armour-bearer’s affirmation must have encouraged him greatly to go up and fight the enemies of his people. GO AHEAD; I AM WITH YOU HEART AND SOUL.’ The Lord gave them unity of heart and spirit and also victory over the Philistines;

The Philistines fell before Jonathan, AND HIS ARMOUR-BEARER FOLLOWED AND KILLED BEHIND HIM. ¹⁴ In that first attack Jonathan and his armour-bearer killed some twenty men in an area of about half an acre. 

The unnamed armour-bearer followed the son of the King and protected his back. Has God called some of us to protect a leader’s back as they go forward and do what has been laid on their hearts for His people? That could be God’s calling for someone today.

Fathersloveministry is a faith based ministry, please Donate on our webpage today and help support the Father’s work;

fathersloveministry.co.uk

Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, FOR GOD LOVES A CHEERFUL GIVER. 2 Corinthians 9:7

The Lord is no man’s debtor, Hallelujah.

God rewards those who give to Him, don’t miss out on your blessings, give to Him today.

We are available to seek personal words of direction and encouragement for those who want them. Please contact us on our webpage above. We can also provide counselling online, contact our webpage. A donation is normally required for this service.

The Lord bless and keep you today.

Happy and Blessed Saint Patrick’s Day with the Father’s Love, in Ireland.