"Taken By Force"

"Yea, they sacrificed their sons and daughters unto devils, and shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan: and the land was polluted with blood." (Psalms 106:37-38)

 Okay, I am a little bit upset, but not surprised. There is a huge spiritual battle going on in this land, a battle for the hearts and minds of the common people, those that are less inspired and less informed, those that are less independent. You would think that we could learn something from what God is trying to show us, but the problem seems to be that we cannot see ourselves doing these things, as if the things spoken of here in the Bible were practices that cannot be openly performed in our modern day world. Really! I beg to differ; this is not only happening, but this is the spiritual battle that is all around us! The abortion industry alone is the main instrument at use here; not just here in America, but throughout the world. Add to that the indoctrination of strange sexual practices upon our very young children; from the time they are only five years old, the schools are teaching them about the normal practice of things that are not normal and go against God's word and instructions. Talk about the shedding of innocent blood. We tend to forget that each and every one of these kids are souls, souls that are being handed over to the devil. I am sorry for ranting on, but after watching the reaction of certain people during President Trump's speech, I could see the hatred and the evidence of evil that was written all over their faces. These are extremely evil people; that the stranglehold they have on those that are poor and that count on government for support, it is more important to them than seeing those same people be successful and prosperous. It looks as though they depend on those people to be trapped in poverty, just so the can continue to support them to get their support. I am getting sick and tired of seeing people that are totally and completely unable to take care of themselves. If you don't have to work, then why should you even try? The President said something very important last night, he said, "Your time is now." Every so often there comes a time for people to change the pattern of living the they have grown accustom to, and this is that time for people to get back to work. As for this message, it is as plain as the nose your face: this does not happen overnight; this practices are things that we grow into and find ourselves excepting as normal. It goes back to sin and how sin will cause our hearts to accept more and more sin; until we find ourselves doing the things that we could never have imagined ourselves doing...

"Now this message came to me from the LORD: "Son of man, are you ready to judge Jerusalem? Are you ready to judge this city of murderers? Publicly denounce her detestable sins, and give her this message from the Sovereign LORD: O city of murderers, doomed and damned -city of idols, filthy and foul -you are guilty because of the blood you have shed. You are defiled because of the idols you have made. Your day of destruction has come! You have reached the end of your years. I will make you an object of mockery throughout the world. O infamous city, filled with confusion, you will be mocked by people far and near. "Every leader in Israel who lives within your walls is bent on murder. Fathers and mothers are treated with contempt. Foreigners are forced to pay for protection. Orphans and widows are wronged and oppressed among you. You despise my holy things and violate my Sabbath days of rest. People accuse others falsely and send them to their death. You are filled with idol worshipers and people who do obscene things."" (Ezekiel 22:1-9) NLT

"Caught in a Snare"

"And they served their idols: which were a snare unto them." (Psalms 106:36)

 It is pretty obvious that we cannot obey and disobey; we cannot serve two masters! From the time that the children of Israel compromised the command that they were given, that opened the door to further compromise. It is pretty much a slippery slope, once you are on it, it takes your ability to stand away. Imagine what this must have looked like, God's people trading off serving the God who saved them from bondage, for serving gods that brought them back into bondage. The word "snare," unlike most traps that might be noticed as a trap, this is speaking about something that lures, as in a bait. What would cause someone to go from serving the living God to serving idols? Personally, I think that it would be sin. Pastor Bryan gave us an illustration Sunday about the difference between sin, transgression, and iniquity; but the funny or not so funny thing is, if our sin goes unconfessed, we will end up in transgression, and transgression will always lead us into iniquity. It is a lot like what God had cautioned Cain about, "You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you, But you must subdue it and be its master." (Genesis 4:7 NLT) The initial sin would be refusing to do what is right. We all know the difference between right and wrong; it is really not a secret that is hidden from our hearts, it only becomes hidden because we ignore what is right and choose to do what is wrong. But when we do, then like a snare, we are trapped; sin then becomes our master. I know it sounds a little far fetched and almost supernatural, but that's because it is supernatural; it is because it is something that we cannot control. God instructed Cain that he must subdue sin and be its master, but doing what is wrong pretty much takes that option away. You cannot do what is wrong and still control sin; if you think it is possible, then ask David how that went with him. Sin leads to trespass, and trespass will lead us into iniquity; it will happen pretty much every time. That said, we do have a supernatural answer to sin, and we are able to subdue it and make it our master, but we need to be vicious...

"For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds;) casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; and having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled." (2 Corinthians 10:3-6) KJV

"Unequally Yoked"

"They did not destroy the nations, concerning whom the LORD commanded them: but were mingled among the heathen, and leaned their works." (Psalms 106:34-35)

 I am pretty sure that God gives commands for a reason, and His commands are not suggestions. If there is any way to help us to understand what compromise will cost us, then the lessons of what happen to the children of Israel after they entered into the land should be a good example. It is almost like a plague that spreads from person to person; before you know it, everyone around you is involved with a compromise in one way or another. Unequally yoked does not just apply to marriage, it can apply to all sorts of situations in our lives. Our business partners or those to whom we look to for guidance and direction, not only in the workforce, but in our everyday manner of living. That is why it is important what we let enter into our minds; even those things that we put into our minds can cause us to be unequally yoked, we don't even need help from others. A yoke is something that you are hooked up to, as in what you might be attached to, such as what makes you move, what gives you strength, what takes your strength away; in the world of relationships, there are gives and takes in all sorts of areas of life, so whoever we are hooked up with can have a lasting affect upon our lives. This thing we are talking about here is not so much marriage, although I am sure that there were some relationships that were formed; this is about learning other ways to think, to manage life skills, to even worship; things that cause the human heart to feel connected to another source of power besides the power that is found in our relationship with God. Is this something that enters our churches? I don't think we can truly know how much it actually has. We can see the pattern of what the results are, but knowing what brought it all in, or what caused it to happen, that is something that might have happened over years and years of compromise; so it is hard to pinpoint where it started. In the case of the children of Israel, it is plain to see, because God makes it clear to us in His word: they compromised of destroying all the nations that were in the land. It reminds me of the hawk that I saw pounce on it's prey, they were not vicious enough to finish the work. Can obedience be yoked with disobedience? It does not sound right to me, but what do I know...

""But I did obey the LORD," Saul insisted. "I carried out the mission he gave me. I brought back King Agag, but I destroyed everyone else. Then my troops brought in the best of the sheep, goats, cattle, and plunder to sacrifice to the LORD your God in Gilgal." But Samuel replied, "What is more pleasing to the LORD: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams. Rebellion is a sinful as witchcraft, and stubbornness as bad as worshipping idols. So because you have rejected the command of the LORD, he has rejected you as king."" (1 Samuel 15:20-23) NLT

"Unspeakable"

"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." (Psalms 106:32-33)

 As much as I would like to claim that I am innocent of speaking unadvisedly, I must confess, my stupidity sometimes gets in the way of controlling my tongue more often than I would like to admit. I sure wish that I could take some things back, as I am sure that Moses felt the same. Maybe Moses was never meant to enter the promise land, as I have heard many a preacher say. It really comes down to his judgment, more than anything else; it was his casting judgment upon God's people that caused him to be kept from entering in. To get a better understanding of what went wrong, the word "ill" is a word that means evil, rage, displease; basically it means to quiver or tremble, much like we would get when we become so angry with someone that words are not enough. As it was with Moses, who was not to smite the rock again, but was merely only to speak to the rock; not only did he smite it, but he hit it twice. (Numbers 20:8) He did so after his outburst to the people, "Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock?" (Numbers 20:10) There are really several different ways we can look at this portion of Scripture, but nothing speaks louder than the fact that Moses judged the people, after God had merely asked him to give them water. This is not something that goes unanswered, and it is probably the reason that many of God's servants are stricken down. There is a time for judgment and there is a time for just presenting God's love. When God wants us to present His love to the people, we should not try to turn His love into judgment. When Jesus came, He clearly said, "And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world." It clearly was Moses judging the people that displeased God; besides the fact that he smote the rock, again; and twice no doubt, once for him and once for Aaron...

""Remember that the LORD rescued you from the iron-smelting furnace of Egypt in order to make you his very own people and his special possession, which is what you are today. "But the LORD was angry with me because of you. He vowed that I would not cross the Jordan River into the good land the LORD your God is giving you as a special possession. You will cross over the Jordan to occupy the land, but I will not. Instead, I will die here on the east side of the river. So be careful not to break the covenant the LORD your God has made with you. Do not make idols of any shape or form, for the LORD your God has forbidden this. The LORD your God is a devouring fire; he is a jealous God."" (Deuteronomy 4:20-24) NLT

"Untouchable"

"And that was counted unto him for righteousness unto all generations for evermore."
(Psalms 106:31)

  As we all know, Jonah was not swallowed up by the sea. Oddly enough, verse 17 is not the end of the first chapter, but is the beginning of the second; just in case you were wondering. It is pretty much the same way with Jesus Christ, as amazing as it is to even think about; death had no victory over Him; quite the opposite, He was victorious over death! We have got to realize the power and the new chapter that was created in that, and it became a complete game-changer! That is our heritage, I hope you know; because He lives, so will we, and death will have no victory over us. It is a complete and total game-changer! Now, as to the point of what I was trying to say, anything that we do for Christ, when we are standing for Him, representing Him and His righteousness, it is forever. I really don't know how else to say this, but it's not about what we bring to the table; it's not about how good we are or how much we show off our ability to follow the law; it is about what Jesus Christ has done that we are all about, it is His banner that we waive, not our own. I hope we totally understand that, because it too makes sharing the Good News a total game-changer. What gives us the right to declare the free gift that we have been given, it is the fact that we have been given it, and our response to what we have been given. Did Jonah expect to live after being thrown overboard? I am willing to bet that he really was not all that concerned about it, because he had a relationship with God. That is really a pretty serious difference, whether we have a relationship or rather we don't. If we have a relationship with God, then we know in our hearts that it does not really matter what we do, He is always going to find a way to use our lives, even when we might not want to be used. But better than that, when we do want Him to use our lives, we become untouchable and so do the things that we do...

"Meanwhile, Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon, a man who had previously had leprosy. While he was eating, a woman came in with a beautiful alabaster jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard. She broke open the jar and poured the perfume over his head. Some of those at the table were indignant. "Why waste such expensive perfume?" they asked. "It could have been sold for a year's wages and the money given to the poor!" So they scolded her harshly. But Jesus replied, "Leave her alone. Why criticize her for doing such a good thing to me? You will always have the poor among you, and you can help them whenever you want to. But you will not always have me. She has done what she could and has anointed my body for burial ahead of time. I tell you the truth, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman's deed will be remembered and discussed." (Mark 14:3-9) NLT

"Battle Warrior"

"Then stood up Phinehas, and executed judgment: and so the plague was stayed." (Psalms 106:30)

 My apologies for yesterday; this is why I enjoy doing this, because God keeps showing up! I know that there are people praying for me, and I am honestly grateful for your prayers. I have committed in my heart that I will not stop, although there has been several times when someone has tried to stop me. Not so much as they once did; like about three years into this, I was getting harassed almost every morning. Web site being disrupted, internet taken over, IP address diverted; almost every other day, there was something annoying that I had to put up with, all because I was being unusual and speaking about the Lord. You do know that religious zealots are listed among those that are to be considered a threat to America; not that I consider myself to be that, but I am sure there are some that do. All along this was to be nothing more than a Living Journal, something that I had committed to do every day, with nothing intended but to just share my heart and whatever I felt the Lord was trying to speak in me or through me. Much like teaching line by line through the Bible, there are some mornings that I wish I could avoid, just like there are some verses that are hard to teach on. This verse we have before us today is not one of those verses; this is a verse that we should all try to emulate and make it part of who we are, no mater who you are. We all have people that we should be praying for, people that need someone to stand in the gap. There are things I feel in my life cause me to not be worthy of praying for someone else; but I know that kind of feeling is not of the Lord. This is not about our righteousness, this is about the righteousness of Jesus Christ! When we stand, we are not standing for ourselves, we are standing to represent the KING, our Lord and Savior. There is no issue pointing to Him, because He alone is worthy to be lifted up. When we stand, we do not represent ourselves, we represent Jesus; good, bad or indifferent, all of our lives lack the righteousness that can claim the right take any of the glory upon ourselves. But when we stand for Jesus, that is a whole different story, that is His-Story...

"Jonah answered, "I am a Hebrew, and I worship the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the land." The sailors were terrified when they heard this, for he had already told them he was running away from the LORD. "Oh, why did you do it?" they groaned. And since the storm was getting worse all the time, they asked him, "What should we do to you to stop this storm?" "Throw me into the sea," Jonah said, "and it will become calm again. I know that this terrible storm is my fault."  Instead, the sailors rowed even harder to get the ship to the land. But the stormy sea was too violent for them, and they couldn't make it. Then they cried out to the LORD, Jonah's God. "O LORD," they pleaded, "don't make us die for this man's sin. And don't hold us responsible for his death. O LORD, you have sent this storm upon him for your own good reasons." Then the sailors picked Jonah up and threw him into the raging sea, and the storm stopped at once! The sailors were awestruck by the LORD'S great power, and they offered him sacrifice and vowed to serve him."(Jonah 1:9-16) NLT

"Battle Scars"

"Thus they provoked him to anger with their inventions: and the plague brake in upon them."
(Psalms 106:29)

 You might wonder by now if this is really all that necessary, or do we really need to even know all  the details of how people sink to such low levels. If there is one thing that I have noticed by being in leadership within the church, it is that people really do not know what they are capable of doing to each other, and how hard that their hearts can really be towards one another; it just happens, and when it does, they simply cannot stand to admit that they are wrong. Looking at this from God's point of view, the plague is a good thing, especially for them who cannot admit that they need to be cleansed. It does two very important things within the body of Christ, it shows those who are wrong that they are indeed wrong, and it makes others see that they are a bad example to follow. If you want to see it in another light, you could look at it from the foot of the cross. (This is where I start loosing it.) If you have ever wondered why Jesus needed to be torn up as bad as He was, then you needn't look much further than the hardness of the human heart. The heart can be so hard and cruel, it is almost beyond recognition. God sees our hearts, always; even though we cannot see the bitterness and the hatred that is stored up inside it, God always does. If you want to know why Jesus was made almost unrecognizable, then there is your answer. (Jesus, please help us to love!) I'm sorry, but I just had to burst out and say that, because the thought of all He took on in our place is just too overwhelming. There was really nothing that He did not accomplish at the cross; no sin that was not dealt with, no issue of the heart that was not made new; each and every issue of the human heart was placed upon Him, each and every sin, was marked on Him...

"That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him." But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God's deep secrets. No one can know a person's thoughts except that person's own spirit, and no one can know God's thoughts except God's own Spirit. And we have received God's Spirit (not the world's spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us." (1 Corinthians 2:9-12) NLT

"Less Than Zero"

"They joined themselves also unto Baal-peor, and ate the sacrifices of the dead." (Psalms 106:28)

 If you don't know yet what sin can do, it's a lot like cocaine and the way it just makes you feel like doing more off it. Our biggest enemy is most times ourselves, and if we are not careful, ourself will drive us right off the cliff. This has got to be more about others than ourselves; more than that, it has got to be about Jesus Christ and what He suffered through in order that we might be saved, saved from none other than ourselves. If you aren't familiar with the title, it comes from a 1987 movie which stars Robert Downey Jr., who plays a young man that gets so hooked on the power of cocaine, that he sells his body to support his habit. Sometimes actors can get a little carried away n their roles; sometimes, learning to play the part can be hard to unlearn. The images of what took place in the verse above are not the kinds of things you want to share with your children, but let's just say that they pushed the limits of physical contact. Matthew Henry called it 'spiritual whoredom,' which was a cleaner description of what was going on in the hearts and minds of those who worshipped and "ate the sacrifices of the dead." Maybe that sounds a little vague, but when you trade the worship at the altar of the Living God, to worship at the altar of the dead, you have taken it down to the lowest level possible. There is really no place lower you can go, yet they not only went there, but they thrived there, letting it consume them into things that are hard to imagine. This is the perfect picture of how sin will overtake our lives, if we leave it unchecked or do not repent and ask God to help us. If anyone there has ever dealt with an addiction, then you know how difficult it is to break old habits. There is something about sin that brings a certain taste, a taste that is empty and yet wants to be filled. The sad thing is, it cannot be filled, no matter how much you feed it, it keeps wanting more. This is the picture of what was happening to the children of Israel. You cannot seriously expect to get satisfied by worshipping at the alter of the dead, death provides no life whatsoever. Jesus is the Life! Only in Jesus Christ will we be satisfied and find true life! There is nothing on this earth that can give us the kind of life that Jesus will. Yet, it requires our surrender! Guess what? So does sin! I guess it's just a matter of which way you want to go...

"LORD, there is no one like you! For you are great, and you name is full of power. Who would not fear you, O King of nations? That title belongs to you alone! Among all the wise people of the earth and in all the kingdoms of the world, there is no one like you. People who worship idols are stupid and foolish. The things they worship are made of wood!" (Jeremiah 10:6-8) NLT

"His Corrections"

"Therefore he lifted up his hand against them, to overthrow them in the wilderness: to overthrow their seed also among the nations, and to scatter them in the lands." (Psalms 106:26-27)

 You need to know the importance of who you are in Christ; this is no little thing, something we can take for granted or pretend that what we do does not matter, because this is the testimony of God's power and love that we are talking about. The word 'overthrow' is pretty interesting, because it is a lot like sin: it is to fail or fall short; much like someone who falls off a horse, or falls into a snare. It is something to think about, if you are so inclined; if a person is failing to produce the proper testimony of God's power and love, then what better thing for God to do than to cause them to fail. If there are those who would try and split the church or cause others to stumble, then what better thing would God do but to make them fall off of their high-horse. When it speaks of 'seed,' the thought is of the things which are sown, as in sowing bad moral quality, or dysfunction. God is always fair and just, but in the long run, it is His church He will watch over, above all else. There are several passages in the Scripture that shown how God will do certain things to prove He is serious about His Name; His Name being that which shows who He is, what He is about, and why He is to be feared. Maybe that is it, there is a two-sided coin which we all hold, on the one side is love and the other is fear. When we are serving Him faithfully, we are walking in love for Him; but when we are walking in our flesh, we are living in fear of Him. We might not admit it, but the fear is there; we feel vulnerable, much as Adam and Eve did, hiding in the bushes because of their nakedness. The most amazing thing of all, is that it is as easy as flipping that coin over to the other side, for us to be walking in love. Seriously, just like that, we repent, ask Him for His forgiveness, and we are restored into His wonderful grace. You do know, grace is the part of forgiveness where we are justified in Christ...

"Be careful then, dear brothers or sisters. Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God. You must warn each other every day, while it is still "today," so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God. For if we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ. Remember what it says: "Today when you hear his voice, don't harden your hearts as Israel did when they rebelled."" (Hebrews 3:12-15) NLT

"Their Provocation"

Yea, they despised the pleasant land, they believed not his word: but murmured in their tents, and hearkened not unto the voice of the LORD." (Psalms 106:24-25)

 Besides His great love for us, He cares deeply about our spiritual condition; so much so, He will most likely do whatever it takes to assure our eternity with Him is not lost. That might seem like it could be a pretty scary thing, but like I said before, Israel's examples of ups and downs are a reflection of us; we are all His children, so He will do whatever it takes to keep us safe and secure. People just don't realize the importance of eternity; this life does not compare to eternity, it is just a blink, a nanosecond in comparison to eternal life. Provocation is also a noun, believe it or not; even though it is action or doing, it has intent, (no pun intended). In a nutshell, it is testing God for a reaction, or to provoke God to respond, either good or bad; it's something that is really not thought threw very well, obviously; if it were, then they would not have tested Him for a response. This is hardly comparable to you and I; these people witnessed mighty and wonderful works of God. They saw the sea open and the ground dry up; they walked across on dry land! They saw the enemy get swallowed up in that same sea, and just like that, they were no longer being hunted down by the Egyptians. When was the last time you experience something like that? So, you can imagine why God's anger was stirred up, not just because they murmured against Him, but because that they dared to murmur in the first place. I witnessed a hawk fly down upon it's prey yesterday; it was really eye opening to see how the hawk becomes a vicious creature as it attacks the prey. There really is no need for it to do so, it already has such a powerful advantage. It almost is as if it does so just to be vicious, as if it something that helps it to conquer any and all other feelings it might hold for the creature it is taking life from. Anywho, I just think it is a good idea to learn from the children of Israel's mistakes, instead of trying to learn on our own. I hope you agree...

"That is why the Holy Spirit says, "Today when you here his voice, don't harden your hearts as Israel did when they rebelled, when they tested me in the wilderness. There you ancestors tested and tried my patience, even though they saw miracles for forty years. So I was angry with them, and I said, 'Their hearts always turn away from me. They refuse to do what I tell them.' So in my anger I took an oath: 'They will never enter my place of rest.'" (Hebrews 3:7-11) NLT

"His Testament" -Too

"Therefore he said that he would destroy them, had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach, to turn away his wrath, lest he should destroy them." (Psalms 106:23)

 Oh, I forgot to mention that He, like the Sun, shines His righteousness upon us! You want to talk about healing, that's the healing we all need, each and every day! The complete Testament of God, neither Books are complete without the other. We could never take away from the Old Testament, as if to say that it no longer applies, because the New Testament completes the Old Testament, and the Old Testament completes the New Testament; you cannot have one without the other. In essence, Moses was a type of Christ, standing in the breach. Jesus came to fulfill the law, all that the law requires was manifested by the love of Christ. We might not think the law matters anymore, but we are seriously mistaken if we do. The law will always matter, because God is never changing, always the same, and He never ever will be less than Holy. But love fulfills every requirement of the law; each and every single measure of the law is fulfilled by loving God and loving one another. Can we begin to love God as the law requires? We should, He has given us the tools that we need, but do we choose to use them wisely? At times we do; at times we set aside our selfishness just long enough to make it happen. But truth be told, our flesh, although to be reckoned dead with Christ, is still chained to our backs, stinking and rotten, it continues to get in the way. The healing that we need is to get this rotten corpse off our backs; but then what? Maybe that is what Paul had prayed for over and over, 'Lord, get this guy off of me!' God's mercy involves Him loving us regardless; but His grace takes us up into greater heights, despite our deficiencies. Testament is a noun, and as such it represents a person, a place, or a thing; in the regards to God, it is all three: His will, especially the part relating to His person property; His Word, that serves as a sign or evidence of a specific fact, event, or quality; His covenant or dispensation. All three relate to God; each definition of the word is required to be put to use in our description of God's love for you and I; on all sorts of different levels, it is His name...

""So I brought them out of Egypt and led them into the wilderness. There I gave them my decrees and regulations so they could find life by keeping them. And I gave them my Sabbath days of rest as a sign between them and me. It was to remind them that I am the LORD, who had set them apart to be holy. "But the people of Israel rebelled against me, and refused to obey my decrees there in the wilderness. They wouldn't obey my regulations even though obedience would have given them life. They also violated my Sabbath days. So I threatened to pour out my fury on them, and I made plans to utterly consume them in the wilderness. But again I held back in order to protect the honor of my name before the nations who had seen my power in bringing Israel out of Egypt.""
(Ezekiel 20:10-14) NLT 

"His Testament"

"Therefore he said that he would destroy them, had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach, to turn away his wrath, lest he should destroy them." (Psalms 106:23)

 Unlike most every other god that people might serve, our God is a God that can do things, big and mighty things; our God has the power to do whatever He wants! I heard Dr. Chuck say something the other day, and I had to write it down and put it to memory. He said, "There is one thing missing in the Old Testament, the New Testament!" What is very interesting about this verse, is that Moses represents the Law of God. Yes, Moses was chosen by God to represent the children of Israel and to draw them out of Egypt, but he was not chosen to represent them in the promised land. Paul tells us that the law was a schoolmaster to lead us to Christ; just as Moses was chosen to give the law, that the people might see how guilty they are before God. If there is one thing I have learned over these last 35 years, it's that only people who are sick need a physician; and man, am I sick! That is what the law is meant for, to show us how much we need to be saved. So then, why would the law's representative matter in changing God's heart? Oh, my goodness! We just cannot imagine how Holy our God really is! Sure, it might have been a test for Moses, as if God was causing him to actually love His people; but it also could have been to illustrate God's Holiness, not just in the sense of righteousness, but in the sense of His word and His purpose. Believe it or not, but God will always keep His promises, each and every one of them. It might be bad for those who do not want His mercy, but for those of us that do, it is the greatest thing we could ever hope for. For anyone that might be asking, I think I can contribute a little answer for "Sun," in the passage from Malachi 4:2; because I am pretty certain it does represent Jesus, but in the way of "NEW," as in a new day! It says, "But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings." It is that missing part of the Old Testament, the New Testament; the Testament that promises new life, new beginnings, new hope, each and every day! The rest of that verse says, "And ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall." What better description do we need of God's care and provision? When that Sun arises, we can be assured that He will feed us, He will care for us, and He will stand in the breach...

"Then the Pharisees called a meeting to plot how to kill Jesus. But Jesus knew what they were planning. So he left that area, and many people followed him. He healed all the sick among them, but he warned them not to reveal who he was. This fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah concerning him: "Look at my Servant, whom I have chosen. He is my Beloved, who pleases me. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations. He will not fight or shout or raise his voice in public. He will not crush the weakest reed or put out a flickering candle. Finally he will cause justice to be victorious. And his name will be the hope of all the world."" (Matthew 12:14-21) NLT

"Wander of It All"

"They forgat God their savior, which had done great things in Egypt; wondrous works in the land of Ham, and terrible things by the Red sea." (Psalms 106:21-22)

 There really is nothing else to compare with knowing God; we can try and make it about spiritual things or things that amaze us and things that give us hope; but it goes far beyond any of that, any of the stuff we tend to look for as proof that God is working in our lives. God really works through the simple things, the things that we take for granted and the things that we least expect Him to work through. I heard something the other day from Pastor Jon, who said, "Christians can make more of an influence for God when they are suffering than when they are being blessed." It's true, we have more of a testimony of faith when we show that faith while suffering; showing faith while being blessed is easy, but to show that you have faith in God while suffering speaks so much louder. It is a lot like what this verse is speaking of, how that we forget the hope we had, once we have been made safe and are doing well. Much like the children of Israel, who, once they were safe and secure on the other side of the sea, began to murmur about comfort and pleasure; once the threat of being killed was gone, and things became safe, they focused upon the physical needs and whatever it was that they seemed to be missing out on. You don't think that relates us? It most surely does. It is more about being delivered than anything else; if we don't think we need more deliverance, then we can tend to forget what deliverance was all about. One thing for sure, it was not about being brought out into the wilderness, it was about entering into God's rest. It is God's rest that we are being delivered into; a place which requires constant attention to the Giver of the rest, because it is always so fleeing. Not because it does not have the power to hold us, but because we don't have what it takes to hold on. If it is not one things, then it is something else; the cares of this world, proud thoughts of doing this or that; even putting hope in something else before God. There are just so many things that can cause us to look the other way, and to not be resting in the deliverance that God has already given us...

"Once we, too, were foolish and disobedient. We were misled and became slaves to many lusts and pleasures. Our lives were full of evil and envy, and we hated each other. But -"When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. Because of his grace he declared us righteous and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life.""
(Titus 3:3-7) NLT

"Likeness of the Image"

"Thus they changed their glory into the similitude of an ox that eateth grass." (Psalms 106:20)

 I'm sorry, but can you see the result of what idols do? This word 'similitude' is a word that means model, as in, according to which anything is made. You connect the dots, because this is not really something that you can know without looking upon with your own heart; which is why God says in His word, "Come, let us reason together." This is as personal as personal gets! The very next verse in Paul's letter, he says, "I speak as to wise men, judge ye what I say;" or as in the NLT, "You are reasonable people. Decide for yourselves if what I am saying is true." This is something that we must decide on our own, as it is with any other life changing matter, it is not something you learn to do, it is something that is birthed in you from revelation, understanding, and acceptance. When I look at this verse, I see the vast difference between those that believe in the Creator and those that do not. It is actually the easiest way to show the meaning of that word "glory," a word that means abundance, riches, weight, honor, and dignity. Those that do not believe in the Creator, (who is the God that made heaven and earth, the God that formed man into His own image, and the God who gives us life, and gives us life eternal,) they are without hope, without purpose, and without glory. Simply put, this life is all that there is to them, and just like the ox mentioned above, that eateth grass, their life is wasted and devoured by that which has no life within itself. That is what we see here: the grass is pretty much a green herb, or tender shoot; something that is plucked up, withers, and dies; something that is as fleeing as life itself. It is a picture of being consumed by that which is consumed; temporary by that which is temporary; meaningless by that which is meaningless. In a sense, that is what idols do, they cause us to change all the dignity, worth, and abundance that comes from worshipping the God who created us, for the meaningless, temporary, and consumed life that comes from worshipping idols. In a nutshell, we become that which we worship...

"For every since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can see his invisible qualities -his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God. Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn't worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles. So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other's bodies. They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen." (Romans 1:20-25) NLT

"The Molten Image"

"They made a calf in Horeb, and worshipped the molten image." (Psalms 106:19)

 It might seem as though the spell cannot be broken, as though our life must always be faced with the prospect of failure and temptation; but it might be the fact that something else is being worshipped between us and God. It could be something as simple as doubt, doubt that you have been delivered, doubt that God is for you, even doubt that everything you have been told is real. Then again, it could be the image you have fashioned of God; an image that denies Him the power and majesty He deserves, and image that limits the power He has over your life. These are the two things that I believe this Scripture is speaking of, the power of doubt and denial. Horeb basically mean desert; but more than that, it means the desert around Mount Sinai, in which one might ascend up to the mountain. Picture the illustration, as the people wait in the desert which ascends to the mountain; they wonder what happened to Moses, they see the rumbling coming from the mountain, and they begin to be filled with doubt; doubt about why they were called out of Egypt. Was it to be free from the slavery of Egypt, or was it to be taken out to the wilderness; were they there to be given a new life on their own, or were they there to simply worship. You can imagine the complexity of what might have been going on in their hearts and minds, but there was only one thing that they could do to satisfy their doubt, and that was to worship. Worship is just about the only thing you can do anywhere that you are; whether lost at sea, or locked up in prison, we can always worship God no matter where we might find ourselves and in whatever situation. We were created to worship, so it is not that hard to understand why worship would be such an easy choice. But it is important that we know who it is that we are worshipping and why it is that we worship whatever we worship. But do not be deceived, because we all worship something; and if you are not worshipping the God of creation, then it is no doubt something created that has captured your heart; something that has less power to move mountains, less power to change a life, and maybe, just maybe, less power to provide you eternal life...

"These things happened as a warning to us, so that we would not crave evil things as they did, or worship idols as some of then did. As the Scriptures say, "The people celebrated with feasting and drinking, and they indulged in pagan revelry." And we must not engage in sexual immorality as some of them did, causing 23,000 of them to die in one day. Nor should we put Christ to the test, as some of them did and then died from snakebites. And don't grumble as some of them did, and then were destroyed by the angel of death. These things happened to them as examples for us. They were written down to warn us who live at the end of the age. If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall. The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure. So, my dear friends, flee from the worship of idols." (1 Corinthians 10:6-14) NLT

"God, A Consuming Fire"

"And a fire was kindled in their company; the flame burned up the wicked." (Psalms 106:18)

 Just so you know, yesterday was God showing me how compromise has taken a toll in my life. I say taken a toll, because that is exactly what compromise does; you go down this certain road and there is a toll that must be paid. It might seem like the expressway, the highway that is most traveled and with the least resistance; but everyone has their own road, their own calling, so the road less traveled is the one we personally are best suited for; that is, if we truly want to make a difference for the Lord. You might think this verse just speaks about how God cleansed some of the wicked out of the camp. I am not saying that's not the case, because it most surely is; but God's word is meant to be applied to our own lives. Everything that the children of Israel went through, everything, is a picture of you and I; our struggles with sin, God's cleansing power in our lives; our stubbornness to listen, God's wiliness to get our attention; you name it, and God has illustrated it in His chosen people for us to witness our own weaknesses and His great mercy. The title is taken from Hebrews 12:29, which says, "For our God is a consuming fire." A perfect way to view that description of God, is the same way we view the "Chief Cornerstone," and His relevance upon those who believe and don't believe. For those of us that believe, He is everything, our all-in-all, the only way to the Father; to those that don't, He is a stumbling block that makes them offended and causes their hearts to become harder and harder. Our consuming fire is pretty much the same, because when He is our God, we are consumed in His flame; which is not a bad thing for those that want to be like Jesus. Fire spreads to become more fire, burning away all that no longer matters, and leaving hearts that just want more of His fire. Just like the illustration in the verse above, God kindles a fire within us, His fire and flame that burns up the wickedness in our lives. On that note, there are certain times in each of our lives when we try to put that fire out. Maybe because it burns to close to that which we don't want to be rid of; or maybe, a fire that makes us want to get more involved in ministry, even at the cost of losing everything else. That is when that toll road comes into play; that highway which most everyone else seems to be traveling, the road that seems easiest and less burdensome to be on. But there will be a toll...

"Don't you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what I should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others, I myself might be disqualified. I don't want you to forget, dear brothers and sisters, about our ancestors in the wilderness long ago. All of them were guided by a cloud that moved ahead of them, and all of them walked through the sea on dry ground. In the cloud and in the sea, all of them were baptized as followers of Moses. All of them ate the same spiritual food, and all of them drank from the spiritual rock that traveled with them, and that rock was Christ. Yet God was not pleased with most of them, and their bodies were scattered in the wilderness." (1 Corinthians 9:24-10:5) NLT

"Greed is Swallowed Up"

"The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan, and covered the company of Abiram." (Psalms 106:17)

Not your average way to stop a revolt, but you have got to admit, it makes a good point. You have got to see the humor in this, because God has a wonderful way of making us see what sin does, how it makes us driven either to it or to Him, depending on our own choices and the condition of our heart. It is pretty obvious that some people will choose to continue in their sins; if they only knew what that might cost them, they would think again before allowing it to happen. Is it really about greed? I don't know, I guess it depends on your point of view. Personally, I think we are driven to sin because it is an effort to satisfy a hunger the is within us, whether or not you call it greed, I guess that depends on how you view those who are around you. If you are meant to be a child of the King, then all of your efforts to satisfy your flesh will take away from the testimony you have to those who might look to you for some sort of a sign, a sign that shows you are a child of the King. So, you tell me, is it greed? How about we talk about the opposite of what I just described, and see what Paul had to say about the subject of what we are and who we should be, because it is not about us. It is about those around us! God has a way of making His point, so be mindful of who you are and who you represent...

"Even though I am a free man with no master, I have become a slave to all people to bring many to Christ. When I was with the Jews, I lived like a Jew to bring the Jews to Christ. When I was with those who followed the law, I too lived under that law. Even though I am not subject to the law, I did this so I could bring to Christ those who are under the law. When I am with the Gentiles who do not follow the Jewish law, I too live apart from that law so I can bring then to Christ. But I do not ignore the law of God; I obey the law of Christ. When I am with those who are weak, I share their weakness, for I want to bring the weak to Christ. Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some. I do everything to spread the Good News and share in its blessings."
(1 Corinthians 9:19-23) NLT

"The Green Monster"

"They envied Moses also in the camp, and Aaron the saint of the LORD." (Psalms 106:16)

This is a very real thing, you know; so real, God puts it up towards the top of His naughty list, the list of things that He cannot stand. The word for "envied," it is not just a feeling that one might have, which would make this word a noun; this word is a verb, therefore it is followed by action. It is one thing to feel envious about someone, that is pretty much part of the human heart; there are many people who become successful in life because they saw someone who was successful and wanted to be like them. Paul had even instructed those in Philippi, "Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you." So it is really not a bad thing to want to be as good as someone else. I think it works best to go back to another word that was spoken by Solomon in Proverbs 1:32b: "Fools are destroyed by their own complacency." That word 'complacency' is a word that means to feel smug or uncritical satisfaction with oneself or one's achievements. That is something I have seen over and over in the world of sales; the laborers are always envious of the successful salesmen, thinking that what they do laboring is so much harder than the kick-back life of a salesman. The attitude is something like: 'I work harder than they do, I deserve to get at least get as much pay as they are making.' This really does not stop there, because the salesman can be envious of his employer, seeing that he is doing all of the sales, while his employer reaps all the benefits and only gives him a portion of his sales. The grass is always greener on the other side; until you get on the other side, and suddenly realize that you were happier being a laborer. Just tell me what to do, I will do it, and get paid; that's a life I have not known since 1982! Since then it's been living based upon sales; I can work 80 hours a week, but if things are not selling and paying, I get no pay. On the other hand, the word 'complacency' arises again; but this time it is associated with our feeling of being successful based upon all of our achievements, forgetting about the God who provides; as if it was all my hard work that built this or that. Does that sound familiar to anyone? Yes, even great kings and angels can be envious and try to take God's glory. So, just in case you might feel as if this is not talking to you, just thank God for the satisfaction and contentment He has given you to be where you are and who you are, and continue to remember it is all God's, even the very breath of life that is within you. The bottom line, is that there was a rise of smugness in the camp of Israel, that somehow some felt as though they were as good as or better than Moses and Aaron. The grass is always greener on the other side, but it requires more maintenance...

"What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don't they come from the evil desires at war within you? You want what you don't have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what other have, but you can't get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don't have what you want because you don't ask God for it. And even when you ask, you don't get it because your motives are all wrong -you want only what will give you pleasure." (James 4:1-3) NLT

"Really Stupid"

"And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their souls." (Psalms 106:15)

 For some reason this verse is highlighted in my Bible; which would put that right around the mid-ninety's, when I actually carried a highlighter in my Bible. I am thinking that this is probably one of the most sad verses about our stupidity that I have read in quite a while; it is sad, because it speaks directly into my heart about some of the stupid choices I have made, choosing success in business over ministry and serving the Lord. Not always, but it seemed to have been a pattern, almost like some sort of a revolving door; surrendering to God, serving Him with passion, getting more business, feeling successful, and then serving myself over God. It is not like I had ever planned for it to be that way, it just evolves into some sort of monster that simply consumes what is most important. Really, what is most important? Providing for and caring your family, or neglecting your business to serve the Lord? You see, that is the what the world shows us! That is how things are viewed in the here and now; the, "I need to bury my father," kind of mentality, which is all about the flesh. There are souls at risk of being lost or neglected, and yet we still find ourselves starving the soul and feeding the flesh. To pinpoint this particular matter, I would say it was the quails; that particular time when the children of Israel complained about the manna God was providing for them, six days a week, with double time on the sixth. They became nasty in their attitude towards God, as if God just wanted them to settle for something basic and unexciting; as if what He was giving them became despised in their hearts and minds. You know that phrase, "Be careful what you wish for," well, that is pretty much the issue here; He gave them flesh, they ate and ate, and many of them suffered and even died as a result. You know, there just might have been one phase of that revolving door that I left out, the part about God asking for more. It falls right in between serving Him with passion, and getting more business. There are some things that bless our lives that are not from God, especially those that cause us to become more worldly. Besides, this is a perfect picture of a normal Christian life, one where God's word is simply not enough, especially when the word starts being restrictive and demanding. There is nothing God wants more than to bless our lives to the very fullest, but the blessings He wants to pour out are the ones that fatten our souls, not our flesh...

"He will judge everyone according to what they have done. He will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers. But he will pour out his anger and wrath on those who life for themselves, who refuse to obey the truth and instead live lives of wickedness. There will be trouble and calamity for everyone who keeps on doing what is evil -for the Jew first and also for the Gentile. But there will be glory and honor and peace from God for all who do good -for the Jew first and also for the Gentile. For God does not show favoritism." (Romans 2:6-11) NLT

"Really Forgetful"

"They soon forgat his works; they waited not for his counsel: but lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tempted God in the desert." (Psalms 106:13-14)

 You might not know this, but Psalms 78 takes this same turn, right from where I left off the other day. Maybe the point Jesus was making, by pluck out an eye or cut off a hand, was not just about the seriousness of sin, but maybe it was about doing something that reminds us of how important it is to obey God's word. I heard Pastor Mike say something interesting yesterday, almost as if in passing. He said, 'God is not looking for perfect people, but He is wants people who are looking for a perfect God', or something like that. The whole thing about waiting on the Lord, it is more about trust and expectancy than anything else. If you trust God will do what He says He will do, and if you expect that what He will do is going to be good, then it helps you to have patience to wait on Him. Instead, we tend to try and make things happen based upon how we might remember God working; or worst yet, upon how we think God works. God will hardly ever do the same thing the same way twice; only because He wants us to wait upon Him. If we knew the pattern of how God did things, then we would be trying consistently to try and move God's hand. I remember something else I heard once, that went something like this: 'If it is something we can do, then God won't do it; but if it is something we can't do, then it will be something for God to do.' Very much like that man hanging off the side of the cliff holding onto the root; the one who has the conversation with God, asking God, "What should I do?"; and God instructs him, "Let go of the root!" If you want to know what trusting God might look like, there is the perfect illustration of trust. Our spiritual life depends upon trusting in the Lord; it's not just a question of, If I should trust Him? it is more like, Why wouldn't I trust Him? He is either God or He's not! If He is God, the Creator of heaven and earth, then where else can I go? who else can I turn to? Much like Micah 6:8 says, we must do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God; that is what God expects from us, because those are the things that we can do faithfully, if we try. Instead, we consistently keep making the same mistakes over and over again; not because we cannot learn a lesson, but because we cannot remember how amazing God's love and protection is...

""When they cry for help, I will not answer. Though they anxiously search for me, they will not find me. For they hated knowledge and chose not to fear the LORD. They rejected my advice and paid no attention when I corrected them. Therefore, they must eat the bitter fruit of living their own way, choking on their own schemes. For simpletons turn away from me -to death. Fools are destroyed by their own complacency. But all who listen to me will live in peace, untroubled by fear of harm.""
(Proverbs 1:28-33) NLT 

"Really Special"

"Then believed they his words; they sang his praise." (Psalms 106:12)

This might not be what some might want to hear, but there is really only one thing that we have to hold onto, that we can mount on the wall, and can be more real than life itself: the Word of God! This was a special moment for the children of Israel, for they noticed their salvation and deliverance was sure; at least for the moment. But in that moment, they rejoiced, singing God's praises and accepting the fact that He did not bring them out into the wilderness to kill them. This is a perfect picture of how our spiritual life is not something we can bottle up or store up; it is here and now, every single moment of every single day. It's not in a particular place, it's not in a song, and it's not even in signs and wonders; it is directly from fellowship with a Living God, right in the here and now. Jesus explained this to the woman at the well, which is found in John 4:7-42. The woman said that the mountain where Jacob's well was located is where the Samaritan people believed they should worship, the Jews believed that Jerusalem was where they should worship; but Jesus told her, "Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father." The children of Israel were caught up in the moment, in the place of redemption, and on the back side of a spectacular miracle. None of those things will go any further than right there and right now; the moment will flee, the place will change, and miracle they witnessed was done. Does that mean they were not affected by everything that happened? No, they were filled with joy and their hearts were honestly praising God, with all of their might. But everything they felt and experience was based upon that particular event. Events do not change a persons heart, only God's Word will do that...

""This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is God's word. The seeds that fell on the footpath represent those who hear the message, only to have the devil come and take it away from their hearts and prevent them from believing and being saved. The seeds on the rocky soil represent those who hear the message and receive it with joy. But since they don't have deep roots, they believe for a while, then they fall away when they face temptation. The seeds that fell among the thorns represent those who hear the message, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the cares and riches and pleasures of this life. And so they never grow into maturity. And the seeds that fell on the good soil represent honest, good-hearted people who hear God's word, cling to it, and patiently produce a huge harvest."" (Luke 8:11-15) NLT

"Really Safe"

"And the waters covered their enemies: there was not one of them left." (Psalms 106:11)

I don't think we realize just how easy God has made His salvation and redemption accessible to us. By the way many of us live our lives, you would think that it was something that we were still looking for to be realized in our lives. As I was listening to a few questions that were called into the program yesterday, there are quite a few people out there that don't spend very much time in their Bibles; many of which, still want to be held bound to the law. It is really not that hard to see why that is, because we are always prone to look for ways that we need to contribute to our salvation; if we don't do something, then it doesn't feel as though we have earned it. Oh, but we can't! We can't earn it no matter how hard we try to contribute to it, it has all been paid for by the blood of Jesus Christ, every last bit of it! You can't make this up! This is why Isaiah said in Isaiah 53:1, "Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?" It is not something that we can just accept to be that easy; there is always something we feel that needs to be added, just to make it out to be more real, more tangible, something we can mount on the wall. There is one thing that I have discovered about how God does things, He does not leave anything half done! He does not leave anything He does unfinished; we simply only need to walk in the victory that He has done, and quite trying to have our own little wars and show forth our own victories; we just need to walk in His...

"He killed the oldest son in each Egyptian family, the flower of youth throughout the land of Egypt. But he led his own people like a flock of sheep, guiding them safely through the wilderness. He kept them safe so they were not afraid; but the sea covered their enemies. He brought them to the border of his holy land, to this land of hills he had won for them. He drove out the nations before them; he gave them their inheritance by lot. He settle the tribes of Israel into their homes."
(Psalms 78:51-55) NLT

"Safe in the Hands of God"

"And he saved them from the hand of him that hated them, and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy." (Psalms 106:10)

I know that life might sometimes be complicated, filled with too many different choices and many which hold no sure result; but God way usually only involves one choice, one redeeming answer, to cause us just to surrender our lives into His mighty hand. What does that look like? Honestly, I don't know how to describe that, it is different for each and every one of us, on so many different levels. Personally, I think it looks like praying and waiting. That might sound like it goes against everything that we have ever been told; but I know by now how my mind works, it just wants me to roll up my sleeves and get things done. Sometimes getting things done, although it might seem productive, it is not what God would have us be doing, not in our flesh, and not without His leading. If you might recall, God put a pillar of fire between the children of Israel and the Egyptians. It might not have just been for the sake of holding the Egyptian army back, it could also have been to change the heart of any of His people that wanted to turn back. So, if you want to know what real surrender looks like, then that would paint a pretty perfect picture. On the one hand, you have the parted Red sea, with its walls of water on each side, showing God's mighty hands of redemption; on the other, you have a pillar of fire, which shows all that stuff behind that will just consume your life. If the fire won't do it, the enemy will! Now you tell me which one more closely looks like surrender. Yes, you get it, it is always going to be the one that shows God's redemption! You might not know what waits on the other side, but it is God's hand that is holding back the waters; God's open door to redemption, which is not going to stay open for very long! But with every door that God opens He will close another; just as He did with the pillar of fire. Does that mean that there was no turning back? No, there was always a way, but it would require working on making it happen; which is just the opposite of how God works! God just makes thing happen, He opens and closes the doors, we just need to walk through the ones that He opens...

""O my people, what have I done to you? What have I done to make you tired of me? Answer me! For I brought you out of Egypt and redeemed you from slavery. I sent Moses, Aaron, and Miriam to help you. Don't you remember, my people, how King Balak of Moab tried to have you cursed and how Balaam son of Beor blessed you instead? And remember your journey from Acacia Grove to Gilgal, when I, the LORD, did everything I could to teach you about my faithfulness." What can we bring to the LORD? What kind of offerings should we give him? Should we bow before God with offerings of yearling calves? Should we offer him thousands of rams and ten thousand rivers of olive oil? Should we sacrifice our firstborn children to pay for our sins? No, O people, the LORD has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God." (Micah 6:3-8) NLT

"Life in the Hands of God"

"He rebuked the Red sea also, and it was dried up: so he led them through the depths, as through the wilderness." (Psalms 106:9)

 This is sometimes not as easy as it might appear, but we must keep showing up. Smooth Sailing is the phrase that comes to mind; even though this is speaking about walking on dry land, the point is about how God makes it easier to get through to the other side. As rough and ugly as this life might get, it is never as bad as it could be, when you are a child of God. Does that mean we won't have some hardships or tragedy? Hardships yes; tragedy, is what you make of it; it's only a tragedy if you think God is not in the midst of it. Even if what you might be going through is all your own fault, it is still better off in the hands of God. Sometimes you just need to learn how to drown! I know that might sound silly, like who wants to drown? But as long as we are still trying to fight to stay alive, God will continue to wait till we stop, and surrender to His will. It is really not about successful living in this world, it is about successful living in hands of God. And in His hands, life will always have purpose and meaning; even though we might not understand what it might mean, if we are trusting God it will always have purpose; and even though we might not know what that purpose is, we understand that He is in control, even when things seem out of control. He never promised that life would be easy, but He did promise to get us over to the other side...

"When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he instructed his disciples to cross to the other side of the lake. Then one of the teachers of religious law said to him, "Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go." But Jesus replied, "Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay his head." Another of his disciples said, "Lord, first let me return home and bury my father." But Jesus told him, "Follow me now. Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead." Then Jesus got into the boat and started across the lake with his disciples. Suddenly, a fierce storm struck the lake, with waves breaking into the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, "Lord, save us! We're going to drown!" Jesus responded, "Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!" Then he got up and rebuked the wind and the waves, and suddenly there was a great calm." (Matthew 8:18-26) NLT

"The Brighter Side of Life"

"Nevertheless he saved them for his name's sake, that he might make his mighty power be known."
(Psalms 106:8)

 This is how Matthew Henry puts this into perspective: that though the great wonders God had performed and His mercy that He showed them were still fresh upon their minds, they imagined that God had brought them out of Egypt to kill them in the wilderness. The sea before them, the armies of Egypt behind them, they assumed the worst and began wishing they had been left back in Egypt. These are the thoughts and actions of those that doubt God's great love and care for them. Egypt had many things to offer and there were a lot of those things that went against their traditions and customs as a people led by God. You can only imagine that many of them might have felt as though God was judging them for following the ways of Egypt, a sort of spiritual cleansing; they had no idea! I like the way this starts, "Nevertheless," as if, despite there provocations, God will still show mercy! Did they ask for it? No, they only complained about their situation; but nonetheless, God opened His arms and embraced them as His own. That is what I saw the day I was saved, God opening His arms wide, to embrace me as His own. Even though I had denied Him, refused to accept Him, and had mocked all those that called upon His name; Jesus was nailed to that cross with His arms opened wide to receive me unto Himself. Talk about the mighty power of God, there is nothing mightier than that! In His death, Jesus did more for all of mankind, than all of mankind could ever do for themselves, being alive. Sure, parting the Red Sea was pretty neat; I can only imagine the look on the faces of all of God's people, let alone the faces of the Egyptian army that followed them. But Jesus spread His arms, not to part anything, save the veil; He spread His arms to bridge the gap between man and God...

"While we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. And since we have been made right in God's sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God's condemnation. For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God." (Romans 5:6-11)

"The Darker Side of Life"

"Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt; they remembered not the multitude of thy mercies; but provoked him at the sea, even at the Red sea." (Psalms 106:7)

 I know I have mentioned this before, but sometimes I will google the title, or a portion of it, to see the meaning that is presented; backside comes with the image of a zebra's rear end, so you can only imagine what comes after that. Just don't go there! Jesus had some very direct and strong words for those religious leaders; but His point about them finishing, that was beyond perfect, it was spot-on! There is absolutely no way that we can know the darkness we are capable of, until it has been manifested in our lives. Within the verse above there are three very important principles to the way our heart and mind can blind us to the darkness that is within us. First of all, we fail to understand how God works in and through certain things that might happen around us; making light of the work that God might be doing in the people around us, not because we don't care about them, but we care more about ourselves. If you recall, the more God pressed upon the Egyptians, the more the Egyptians pressed upon the children of Israel. It had gotten to a point where the children of Israel were cursing Moses and Aaron for causing their lives to become harder and more miserable. All along, God was doing a work, a mighty works, and it was right there in front of them; but they failed to see the magnitude of what was going on. It is really not that hard to see it happening in our own lives, on a much smaller scale, but nonetheless, it happens. We ask for God to do something in our life, and instead of doing what we ask, He makes it harder for us to deal with what we asked for. You are either going to do one of two things, run from God, or run towards Him. The second is pretty much predicated upon that reaction, because if you remember God's great mercy, then you are going to run towards Him no matter what! It is when we fail to remember how merciful that He is, that is when we start blaming God for all the bad stuff, instead of thanking Him for all the good. Which brings us to the final of the three, provoking God; which is where you can totally get lost in your emotions and feelings over your situation or experience, and do things that are hard to take back...

"Wisdom shouts in the streets. She cries out in the public square. She calls to crowds along the main street, to those gathered in front of the city gates: "How long, you simpletons, will you insist on being simpleminded? How long will you mockers relish in your mocking? How long will you fools hate knowledge? Come and listen to my counsel. I'll share my heart with you and make you wise. "I called you so often, but you wouldn't come. I reached out to you, but you paid no attention. You ignored my advice and rejected the correction I offered."" (Proverbs 1:20-25) NLT

"The Backside of Life"

"We have sinned with our fathers, we have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly." 
(Psalms 106:6)

 Knowing all that God does for us, and living in a manner that shows Him that we are thankful, that is something that requires we acknowledge our direction. We must realize what it is that we came from and what it is that we are capable of doing. It is like that verse in Psalms 23, "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil." This is where we are and what we were; but God has changed us and we no longer live in the valley of the shadow of death, but we must still walk through it. Sin is something that we were born with, a hereditary problem that is handed done through our fathers. The Bible tells us repeatedly, from beginning to the end, that we have been born in sin. No one needed to teach Cain to kill his brother, the sin that he was born with in his heart, it was what instructed him to do it. God had cautioned him saying, "You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master." (Genesis 4:7 NLT) From the very first child from Adam, sin was present, living within, and waiting to take control. It is something we all have within us, regardless of how we were raised or how good we might live out our days, sin is something that is capable of taking over. For you or I to be capable of doing something that we would think we would not ever do, it only takes us giving into the sin that wants to control us. How could a simple sacrifice lead to committing murder? It was not the sacrifice that caused it, it was Cain's heart and his choice to do wrong. David experienced the same situation, as he choose to do wrong, not confessing his sin, but instead trying to cover it up. The sin took over, causing him to not pay attention to anything else the covering up of his sin; it overtook his normal character, causing him to do something that he otherwise would never have done. We know this by his reaction when Nathan told him about the rich man that took his poor neighbor's pet lamb. David was furious, until Nathan informed him that he was that man. There are few things that we need to really be concerned about our past, because we cannot change anything that has already happened; but forgetting about what it is that we have delivered from is not one of them...

""What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you build tombs for the prophets your ancestors killed, and you decorate the monuments of the godly people your ancestors destroyed. Then you say, 'If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would never have joined them in killing the prophets.' "But in saying that, you testify against yourselves that you are indeed the descendants of those who murdered the prophets. Go ahead and finish what your ancestors started."" (Matthew 23:29-32) NLT

"A Real Life to Live"

"Remember me, O LORD, with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people: O visit me with thy salvation; that I may see the good of thy chosen, that I may rejoice in the gladness of thy nation, that I may glory with thine inheritance." (Psalms 106:4-5)

 These verses not only belong together, one does not work without the other. If I don't rejoice, then someone needs to slap me, hard! That might not be exactly what is being said, but it is not too far off. First of all, "favour" is a word that means satisfaction, and "bearest" is used in the same manner as the word "visit" is, as the same thought is continued or opened up. In other words, the word that is used for "remember," is not asking for God to remember, but that He make us to remember; and not only do we need to remember the great salvation that we have been given, but that because He is the one that saved us, He is also satisfied with us! And "visit," as I suggested in the beginning, is a word that means "to strike upon or against any person or thing." It is not a bad thing, like striking someone, but it is more like jolting our memory, or to visit us with intention of making us aware. If I could point out anything that might come close to explain it, I say to go all the way back to the beginning. The beginning would be when Adam heard God's voice after he had sinned, and then hid himself among the trees; it was that visit from God that sparked an alarm in Adam, and he felt guilty and ashamed in God's presence. It is the same sort of reaction, but opposite, in that we are reminded of why we have no shame! Thus, the second verse which gives all the details of the comfort and joy that we all share together, as God's chosen! Another very good example of not having "I" be part of our vocabulary, because it is all about we and Him. There is none of us that are better than anyone else, we are all only worthy because we have been washed in the blood of Jesus; but we are also all one of the same body; one nation, if you will, that have been chosen to represent God's inheritance. That's right, God's inheritance! We get to inherit eternal life, but God's inherits us as His chosen people. Last I recalled, those that are adopted have more privilege, so we can really rejoice to see the good of the chosen...

"And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What's more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God. As the Scriptures say, "I am placing a cornerstone in Jerusalem, chosen for great honor, and anyone who trusts him will never be disgraced." Yes, you who trust him recognize the honor God has given him. But for those who reject him, "The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone." And, "He is the stone that makes people stumble, the rock that makes then fall." They stumble because they do not obey God's word, and so they meet the fate that has been planned for them. But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God's very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light." (1 Peter 2:5-9) NLT

"The Better Way of Life"

"Blessed are they that keep judgment, and he that doeth righteousness at all times." (Psalms 106:3)

 Keeping with the times is not usually how you get this done, especially not in this current culture in which we live today. I think it would be hard to raise a child in the world today; a world where almost everything you try to tell your child is wrong, the world will turn what you say into being the wrong way and make everything that is wrong out to be right. Keeping judgment is something that requires us to pay attention to what we do, and to consider the outcome of doing it wrong or right. It might seem to be a simple test to follow, when you want to do what is right. There is something that will constantly keep getting in the way of doing right, a little thing called "I." I want to do this and I want to make my own choices. I should remind you of something else, that all idols begin with "I." Look closer at the condition of the world, and you will discover that everyone seems to be doing what is right in their own eyes, much the way it was at the end of Judges; it would seem that judgment was thrown out the window then, just as it is today. Yes, you might say, but how do I do righteousness at all times? That sure seems a little hard, since there are none righteous, not one! I hardly think that God would say for us to do something and not provide a way for us to do it. Just as I said in the start of the Psalm, we need to own up to the fact that we fail to keep His commands. If we fail to do that, then it is "I" putting myself before God, because God says otherwise! John spends quite a few verses explaining that in 1 John 1:5-10. There is only one way that we can ever walk in the Light, and that is by abiding in the Light, Jesus Christ. If we are not abiding in Christ, then we are walking in darkness. And if we are walking in darkness, then we do not do the Truth. And if we do not do the Truth, then we have not His word in us, the Word of Life...

""Look, I am coming soon, bringing my reward with me to repay all people according to their deeds. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End." Blessed are those who wash their robes. They will be permitted to enter through the gates of the city and eat the fruit from the tree of life. Outside the city are the dogs -the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, and idol worshipers, and all who love to live a lie. "I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this message for the churches. I am both the source of David and the heir to his throne. I am the bright morning star." The Spirit and the bride say, "Come." Let anyone who hears this say, "Come." Let anyone who is thirst come. Let anyone who desires drink freely from the water of life."
(Revelation 22:12-17) NLT

"Let Me Count the Ways"

"Who can utter the mighty acts of the LORD? Who can show forth all his praise?" (Psalms 106:2)

  Don't confuse your liberty with freedom to sin, because the very next word that Paul will speak says that it should not be so; it cannot be so! There are two ways we can try and view this verse above, the first is typically the one many will think of right off the bat, which is the one that pertains to the knowledge we have been given by the Holy Spirit. It is much like what Jesus was telling Nicodemus about seeing the Kingdom of God, saying, "Verily, Verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." I can recall the day when I was born again, it was as if the darkness had been lifted off of my life and my eyes had been opened to a whole new dimension; not only did I feel free, but I could read God's word with understanding and be able to share that understanding with others. If you think about it, the freedom is not based upon what we can and cannot do, it is based upon what we are shown and the magnitude of His riches. Which brings me to the second way, the unfathomable depth of His mercy and grace! Seriously, how can we even begin to utter all of His mighty acts? It is impossible to even try; even those that pertain to ourselves, they are like counting layers of an onion, sooner or later you are going to loose count. You know that song about counting your blessing, it says "One by One," but the problem is, there are multiple blessing that are attached to each one. Much like trying to peal an onion, you think that you have peeled a layer, until you notice that the layer has layers. But beyond that, there is the unfathomable love of God; a love that goes and goes, unending, and beyond anyone's ability to comprehend, because we could never totally comprise it. That is the real freedom that we have been given; so much love, it is easy to get lost in and never need to go back to that old life. I heard a part of a message from Pastor Matt, it was about the children of Israel taking possession of the land, and how the more faithful that they were in doing what the Lord said, the more land they acquired and the easier it was to get...

"When I think of all this, I fall on my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God's love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God."
(Ephesians 3:14-19) NLT

"Israel Prone to Rebellion"

PSALMS 106 "Praise ye the LORD. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever." (Verse One)

If you like to read Matthew Henry's commentaries of the Scripture, then you probably have discovered that he does not always agree with some of his predecessors when it comes to interpreting the Scriptures, especially when it comes to determining who and why certain of the Psalms were written. Most of the previous commentaries had put this Psalm being written at or after Israel was held captive in Babylon, but Matthew would put it as a continuation of the previous Psalm, and have it penned by David. This Psalm starts and ends with the same Hallelujah as the end of the last Psalm, yet in between this two proclamations is the tale for the reason. And yes, the title of this post is the title written above the Psalm in my Bible. At the beginning of this new year, I believe it would do well for us to understand and know that we are going to fail at keeping God's commands. It might as well just be a forgone conclusion that is settled within our hearts; almost as if it is expected and we can just count on it happening. If we know what to expect of ourselves, maybe then we can more easily express and live presently in God's forgiveness. That is where we make the most of what we have been given, when it is present and real; not something from yesterday that we hope to return to tomorrow, but it is now, now is the day of salvation. We might not always understand the why of our failures; many people make a living trying to help people figure it out; most of them don't really know the answer, they just go off of what others have guessed and pass down bad information. The best information is found in the Bible. If you want to know why, then you need to read and study your Bible. Don't just read it for the sake of knowledge, but make it personal, as if God has written it just for you. If you really want to bring it home, then the word "Israel" could be replaced with your name, like, "Rich Prone to Rebellion." After you have accepted that reality, now read the first verse of this Psalm, and own it...
"Yes, Adam's one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ's one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone. Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous. God's law was given so that all people can see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God's wonderful grace became more abundant. So just as sin ruled over all people and brought death, now God's wonderful grace rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 5:18-21) NLT