Month: March 2022

¹³ Therefore put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, AND AFTER YOU HAVE DONE EVERYTHING TO STAND. ¹⁴ STAND FIRM THEN… Ephesians 6

These are days when many believers are having to do just that, Standing Firm and for a lot of us, we may not have been through this before.

This scripture says ‘After you have done everything’; everything we can do and it still hasn’t worked out, THEN WE MUST STILL STAND FIRM. Johnny Enlow USA has an interesting perspective on this and much else. He said that before the last Presidential Election and the controversial result that followed, there had been great unity in the Body of Christ in America, perhaps the most in many years. People had held large gatherings and prayed with fasting, sincerely seeking God for the right outcome. (Johnny acknowledged that all these things were right and good.) The election result, however, was not what had been hoped for by the Believers; it was a huge disappointment. Then many believed that the result would be overturned within a certain time frame, but once again it hasn’t been (God is still in control). The point being made was that God heard the prayers of His people but had His own agenda involving deep seated corruption in America and many other nations e.g. the current fighting in Europe. We must understand that God’s ways may not be our ways and He sees everything exactly as it is, nothing is hidden from His eyes. He is going after something much bigger than a single election result, but most believers don’t understand and are baffled.

So sometimes after we have done everything, we still have to Stand Firm. Paul exhorted believers to do this many times, no doubt as a result of opposition and persecution.

¹³ Be on your guard; Stand Firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. ¹⁴ DO EVERYTHING IN LOVE. 1 Corinthians 16

Paul urged the Corinthian believers to Stand Firm and be bold. It’s interesting in the next verse he tells them, ‘Do everything in Love’. Don’t get carried away and let the Flesh take over, we’re still God’s Children and need to act from that position.

⁸ He will also keep you FIRM to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹ God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, IS FAITHFUL. 1 Corinthians 1

God Himself will help us to Stand Firm, as we are willing to trust Him on our journey.

Neither can we trust the media of our day, in fact the truth is often the direct opposite of what they’re broadcasting, over and over, many times daily. We must ask the Lord to show us things as He sees them, the Truth. We may not understand everything at once, but He will guide us.

God bless and keep you today.

 

 

 

⁸ Such a person is DOUBLE-MINDED (Doubting, Hesitant) AND UNSTABLE in all they do. James 1

Double-mindedness isn’t something the Bible commends in God’s people and it CAN HINDER US RECEIVING FROM THE LORD!

⁵ If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ASK GOD, WHO GIVES GENEROUSLY TO ALL WITHOUT FINDING FAULT, AND IT WILL BE GIVEN TO YOU. ⁶ But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. ⁷ That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. James 1

Our God is GENEROUS and NOT Fault-finding, thank God!

Double-minded; DIPSUCHOS, Dis – twice, Psuche – a soul. It’s like we’re trying to be in two places at once, ‘Wanting the best of both worlds’ but we can’t have two ways together.

Another word following closely is DILOGOS, Dis – twice, Logos – a word or speech. Hence, saying one thing to one person and giving a different view to another, Double Tongued, or even Fork Tongued.

⁸ Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands (what we Touch), you sinners, and purify your hearts (what we’re thinking, looking at) YOU DOUBLE-MINDED (Two souled). ¹⁰ Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. James 4

IS GOD ASKING US TO GET RID OF, CAST OUT, SOME THINGS FROM OUR LIVES TODAY, SO HE CAN BLESS US?

¹¹³ I HATE DOUBLE-MINDED PEOPLE (Straight talking),
    but I love your law. Psalm 119

²¹ Elijah went before the people and said, ‘HOW LONG WILL YOU WAVER BETWEEN TWO OPINIONS? (They were Caught between two options) If the Lord is God, FOLLOW HIM; but if Baal is God, follow him.’ 

But the people said nothing. (THEY WERE RELUCTANT TO DECIDE) 1 Kings 18:21

⁴⁰ They would not listen, however, but persisted in their former practices. ⁴¹ Even while these people were worshipping the Lord, they were serving their idols. To this day their children and grandchildren (three generations trying to serve God and idols) continue to do as their ancestors did. 2 Kings 17:41

Israel were serving idols and worshipping God a bit on the side, but it didn’t work. Our God is a jealous God. Exodus 20:5; 34:14

The Lord Himself warns us that it’s NOT POSSIBLE TO SERVE TWO MASTERS;

²⁴ ‘No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money. Matthew 6

The danger is that many believers think we can serve the Lord in some measure, but ‘still keep one foot in the world’. We’re only deceiving ourselves, the Lord said it cannot be done.

May God bless and keep you today.

It’s so easy to get caught up and go with the crowd but it can be ‘dead wrong’ in the eyes of the Lord. Be careful who you stand alongside or agree with!

We looked yesterday at Stephen’s speech before the Sanhedrin where his face actually shone as he spoke. Stephen may have been facing them alone, when they became so infuriated at his words that they literally couldn’t stand what he was saying. So Stephen became the first recorded Christian martyr.

⁵⁷ At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, ⁵⁸ dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul. 

8 And Saul approved of their killing him. Acts 8:1

This may be an extreme case of men’s anger and fury breaking out against a servant of God, but the Bible recorded how it happened and also Saul’s approval.

¹¹ The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,
    but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked. Proverbs 10

This verse from Proverbs makes a contrast between what’s in the mouth of the righteous, ‘Life’, and the mouth of the wicked, ‘violence’.  We as believers CARRY LIFE IN OUR MOUTHS AND HEARTS if we’re willing to allow God to use us and let it out – that’s a powerful thought! We’re called to be ‘Salt and Light’ and to influence those around us with the Life of God in us.

¹⁹ My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, ²⁰ FOR  MAN’S ANGER DOES NOT PRODUCE THE RIGHTEOUSNESS THAT GOD DESIRES. ²¹ Therefore, get rid of all uncleanness … James 1

The anger that murdered Stephen was probably demonically inspired and aided. James warns us to be ‘Slow to become Angry’, because it will not bring about what God desires. Indeed it’s often contrary to God’s will in a situation.

I was thinking of a New Testament scripture earlier today,

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 (Quarrelling) 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

These verses actually mention all three members of the Godhead. They begin with not Grieving the Holy Spirit in us. Then they tell us the things WE NEED TO GET RID OF TO AVOID THIS. The verses conclude by telling us to be compassionate and forgiving, just as God the Father,  forgave us in Christ. In order to walk with the Lord, we need to be of His Spirit, not with the destructive anger of men. It was only the mercy and kindness of the Lord that rescued Saul from the disastrous course he was set on. We must walk with the Lord and not give way to the lower nature.

God bless and keep you today.

 

 

 

³⁷ ‘This is the Moses who told the Israelites, “God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your own people.” ³⁸ He was in the assembly in the wilderness, with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our ancestors; and HE RECEIVED ‘LIVING WORDS’ to pass on to us.

³⁹ ‘But our ancestors refused to obey him. Instead, they rejected him and IN THEIR HEARTS TURNED BACK TO EGYPT. Acts 7

We’ve already looked this week at the connection between Moses taking advice from his father-in-law Jethro, in Exodus 18, and the apostles delegating responsibility to the Seven, in Acts 6. Stephen, one of the Seven, was dragged before the Sanhedrin on a false accusation, nothing new there. He recounted the history of the Jewish people to the court and the central role of Moses in leading them out of Egypt, the ‘land of slavery’. (Quoted 13 times in the OT). For the first fifty verses in Acts 7, Stephen didn’t say anything controversial that would have upset those listening, but then his address changed dramatically, no doubt directed by the Spirit of God.

⁵¹ ‘You stiff-necked people! Your hearts and ears are STILL UNCIRCUMCISED. YOU ARE JUST LIKE YOUR ANCESTORS: YOU ALWAYS RESIST THE HOLY SPIRIT! ⁵² Was there ever a prophet your ancestors did not persecute? Acts 7

Religious Jews were and still are proud of their lineage, it’s the thing that really defines who they are. Not too different from the views of some church members over long standing associations with their churches. The Spirit of God condemned them for being just like those ancestors whose HEARTS HAD TURNED BACK TO EGYPT. They had the same heart attitude as their forefathers of so long ago.

They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered Him – ⁵³ you who have received the law that was given through angels but have not obeyed it.’ Acts 7 

Stephen condemned them still further, saying they had even killed the Righteous One, the long awaited Messiah. The taking of Stephen’s righteous life by those infuriated men, was just one more shedding of innocent blood. Were they so caught up in the world of their day that they’d never have repented? So entrenched in religion that there was no place for God in their lives? These were very religious people, but in their hearts they really opposed God and ‘didn’t want Jesus as their king’. Luke 19:27

²³ ABOVE ALL ELSE, GUARD YOUR HEART (don’t turn back to Egypt),
    for everything you do flows from it. Proverbs 4

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

The structuring of leadership within the Church and society is fundamental and often changing, but it must always be under God.

We saw yesterday how Moses received wise advice from his father-in-law to change the administration of justice in Israel. Moses judged rightly under God, but the structure wasn’t good for him or the people. Others were appointed to help with the everyday judgements and Moses was left with only the difficult cases.

²¹ But select capable men from all the people – MEN WHO FEAR GOD, TRUSTWORTHY MEN WHO HATE DISHONEST GAIN – and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. Exodus 18

²² Let them serve as judges for the people at all times, but LET THEM BRING EVERY DIFFICULT CASE TO YOU; the simple cases they can decide themselves. That will make your load lighter, because they will share it with you. ²³ If you do this and God so commands, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied.’

Spreading or sharing the burden was Good for Moses and good for the people.

In Acts 6 we see a similar type of situation faced the apostles with the rapid growth of the new Church. God can cause His people to grow dramatically, even under slavery and persecution. In fact that’s often when their growth is best.

In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the DAILY DISTRIBUTION OF FOOD. Acts 6

The Bible says the number of ‘Disciples’ were increasing, not just Church members. (Disciple, those under discipline) There was a cost to following the Lord under Roman rule and Religious prejudice.

The expanding Church in the midst of mighty miracles was also caring Daily for their neediest members, but the distribution of the food wasn’t being done fairly. The Jews from Jerusalem were favouring their own widows above those from ‘the dispersion’. Bias or bigotry had immediately surfaced in the Church and had to be removed.

² So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, ‘It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. ³ Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them ⁴ and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.’

God had ordained that there should be TWELVE apostles (the number of perfect government) to oversee His Church, NOT ONE LEADER, although Peter was the Lead Apostle in Jerusalem in the earliest days. The matter was pressing but the apostles wouldn’t be drawn into resolving it firsthand, instead they told the body to appoint seven men to oversee  the feeding of the widows. Seven godly men were given new responsibility; also Stephen and Philip went on to greater deeds for the Kingdom. The coming move of the Spirit will undoubtedly release many into mighty acts and authority for Christ’s Kingdom in this day.

God bless and keep you today.

Even Moses and the apostles had to use wisdom in sharing their workload. We depend on God’s Grace but we’re also limited by our physical bodies in this present world.

Moses had left Egypt with possibly two million people (Exodus 12:37, six hundred thousand men on foot, besides women and children), a huge company of people. Moses led them as the Lord directed, so they looked to him to solve their problems. No wonder God kept Moses for forty years in the wilderness, he had to develop great patience and humility to carry such a burden.

Many are expecting the Lord to move in great power again, just as He did in the Exodus and at the birth of the Church. In both events the leaders had to learn to delegate some of their duties to others, to ‘keep the ship on an even keel’ (calm or progressing steadily, especially during or after a period of troubles or difficulties.)

God used the visit by Moses’ father-in-law, Jethro, (along with his wife Zipporah and her sons) to set things in the camp in better order.

⁷ So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and kissed him. Exodus 18

Moses had relationship with Jethro and respected him as a father, Zipporah’s father and his sons grandfather.

¹² Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and other sacrifices to God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat a meal with Moses’ father-in-law in the presence of God. 

Jethro was a God Fearing man who worshipped the God of Israel and then sat and ate with the elders of the people. They knew and trusted this older man.

¹³ The next day Moses took his seat to serve as judge for the people, and they stood round him from morning till evening.

Jethro hadn’t seen Moses sitting and judging all the people, but as soon as he saw it he reacted.

¹⁴ When his father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he said, ‘What is this you are doing for the people? Exodus

Sometimes when we’re involved right in the middle of events we can’t see the full effect on us and others around us. Jethro saw what was happening with ‘fresh eyes’ and advised Moses to appoint capable and trustworthy men to assist in giving judgements for the people.

Moses couldn’t have sustained the process singlehanded, he had to appoint helpers from the people.

²² Let them serve as judges for the people at all times, but let them bring every difficult case to you; the simple cases they can decide themselves. That will make your load lighter, because THEY WILL SHARE IT WITH YOU. ²³ If you do this and God so commands, you will be able to stand the strain, and ALL THESE PEOPLE WILL GO HOME SATISFIED.’ 

²⁴ Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said.

Moses recognised the value of good advice and took it. He also gave others experience in the administration of justice for the day when he wouldn’t be there.

When the Spirit begins to move powerfully, many trustworthy workers will be needed to gather in the harvest. I believe we will be partnering with the hosts of heaven, exciting and requiring lots of effort.

God bless and keep you today.

We saw in yesterday’s blog how God not only turned back King Hezekiah’s death sentence, but confirmed it by the Shadow going back ten steps – must have been remarkable to watch.

There are a number of references to Shadows in the Psalms.

² For look, the wicked bend their bows;
    they set their arrows against the strings
  TO SHOOT FROM THE SHADOWS
    at the upright in heart. Psalm 11

The first reference in Psalm 11, of David, is a warning about the wicked using the Shadows as cover to attack the upright. But it’s interesting that more of the Psalms speak about the righteous finding protection close to the Lord.

⁶ I call on you, my God, for you will answer me;
    turn your ear to me and hear my prayer.
⁷ Show me the wonders of your great love,
    you who save by your right hand
    those who take refuge in you from their foes.
⁸ KEEP ME AS THE APPLE OF YOUR EYE;
    HIDE ME IN THE SHADOW OF YOUR WINGS
⁹ from the wicked who are out to destroy me,
    from my mortal enemies who surround me. Psalm 17

David faced tremendous attack from King Saul and from the enemies of Israel, but he always turned to God for deliverance and GOD ALWAYS DID!

⁵ Your LOVE, Lord, reaches to the heavens,
    your FAITHFULNESS to the skies.
⁶ Your RIGHTEOUSNESS is like the highest mountains,
    your JUSTICE like the great deep.
    You, Lord, preserve both people and animals.
⁷ How priceless is YOUR UNFAILING LOVE, O God!
    Both high and low among men (Open to All!) FIND REFUGE IN THE SHADOW OF YOUR WINGS.
⁸ They feast in the abundance of your house;
    you give them drink from your river of delights.
⁹ For with you is the fountain of life;
    in your light we see light. Psalm 36, (of David)

How David praises God here and how often he’d proved God in times of great stress and danger. God was David’s great Refuge.

Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me, for in you I take refuge. I WILL TAKE REFUGE IN THE SHADOW OF YOUR WINGS UNTIL THE DISASTER HAS PASSED. Psalm 57:1 (of David)

⁶ On my bed I remember you;
    I think of you through the watches of the night.
⁷ Because you are my help,
    I sing (he’s happy, safe) in the shadow of your wings.
⁸ I cling to you;
    your right hand upholds me. Psalm 63  (of David)

David Remembers God when he’s in the peace and quiet of his bed during the night.

¹ Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
    will REST in the shadow of the Almighty.
² I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress,
    my God, in whom I trust.’ Psalm 91

Psalm 91 speaks of being safe, even Resting, during times of plague and pestilence, very relevant for today.

While I’ve been writing another blog about what the Bible says about Shadow, we’ve had a three year old boy with us. When his mother came to collect him and he was outside, he began to run outside jumping on our Shadows, a very old game that kids used to play here. YOU HAVE TO GET CLOSE to someone to stand on their Shadow and then run away to stop them standing on yours. Amazing that God should provide a real life example for these blogs, right here  and now!

God bless and keep you today.

A miraculous prophetic sign to confirm life and not death for Hezekiah, King of Judah. 2 Kings 20; Isaiah 38

Peter and the apostles were carrying healing and life, so much that people wanted even his shadow to fall on their  sick. Acts 5

Isaiah saw down the ages and prophesied the coming of the Lord in the Galilee;

¹⁶ the people living in darkness
    have seen a GREAT LIGHT;
on those living in the LAND OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH 
    A LIGHT HAS DAWNED.’ Matthew 4

God sent Jesus, the Great Light from Heaven, to deal with the Shadow of Death over the lives of all people.

38 In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to him and said, ‘This is what the Lord says: put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover.’ Isaiah 38

Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and wept bitterly at this news from the prophet Isaiah. He pleaded his case and God answered him (we are allowed to remind God of things).

³ ‘Remember, Lord, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes.’ 2 Kings 20

Isaiah immediately received a word, before he left the middle court, to return and tell Hezekiah that the Lord would heal him and give him fifteen more years. He would go up to the Temple of the Lord in just three more days. Isaiah told the King’s attendants to prepare a poultice of figs and put it on the boil. 2 Kings 20:7

Hezekiah had asked Isaiah how he would know that he would go up to the Temple of the Lord on the third day?

⁹ Isaiah answered, ‘This is the Lord’s sign to you that the Lord will do what he has promised: SHALL THE SHADOW GO FORWARD TEN STEPS, OR SHALL IT GO BACK TEN STEPS?’

¹⁰ ‘It is a simple matter for the shadow to go forward ten steps,’ said Hezekiah. ‘RATHER, LET IT GO BACK TEN STEPS.’ 2 Kings 20

Isaiah offered King Hezekiah a sign he would be healed by the turning back of the Shadow, the passage of the sun.

¹¹ Then the prophet Isaiah called on the Lord, and the Lord made the shadow go back the ten steps it had gone down on the stairway of Ahaz.

Everything, including time, is in God’s hands, so the shadow moved back the ten paces and Hezekiah was healed. God used THIS SHADOW to confirm that the King’s life would be spared. (Fifteen is 3 X 5 and five is Grace … Grace, Grace, Grace to Hezekiah).

God bless and keep you today.

⁴ He will cover you with his feathers,
    and under his wings you will find refuge;
    his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. Psalm 91