Tag Archives: children of israel

You Cannot Build on Dead Works

Sometimes people say “I will pick up where I left off” after they’ve been out for a while. Can you imagine if a building has been dilapidated and we clean the building up on the outside and inside, then we’ll take that building and connect it to that building so we can keep going on? Do you know what will happen when the first wind storm comes?

You can’t build on dead works. But if you have junk in your life and you never got rid of the junk, you can’t build a solid foundation on that, because as the junk’s being affected, you’re going to see it shake and quake. It will fall.

There are the things you never got straight; those are the issues in your life that you build another life on top of. Most people say its ok, because “I’ve put it in the past.” How many people know that your past will become your future? Its just like when people build on quick sand; after a period of time it will sink. Then after a period of time water seeps up into the building. You can’t build from dead works. You have to eradicate it and clean up.You have to be refurbished, so that when God places a load in your life of work, you can say “Lord I got this” and not “Lord its too much.” When Things are done everything comes to the forefront and the Lord gives it to you. You have a clean foundation that you can build on. A solid foundation. Amen?

Hebrews 6:1-12

Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. And this will we do, if God permit. For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God: But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned. But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak. For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end: That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

How many have heard of the word Ichabod? This is a very important word, which stands for “the glory has departed from that place.” In the case with Israel in 1 Samuel 4:21, it had departed.

1 Samuel 4:19-21

And his daughter in law, Phinehas’ wife, was with child, near to be delivered: and when she heard the tidings that the ark of God was taken, and that her father in law and her husband were dead, she bowed herself and travailed; for her pains came upon her. And about the time of her death the women that stood by her said unto her, Fear not; for thou hast born a son. But she answered not, neither did she regard it. And she named the child Ichabod, saying, The glory is departed from Israel: because the ark of God was taken, and because of her father in law and her husband.

You remember when the Children of Israel were traveling from land to land and they carried the Ark of the Covenant with them? They would set the Ark in the Holy of Holies in the temple. God would commune with the priest in the midst of a cloud. This was Gods way of talking to His people before the point where He became flesh. He would leave messages to them of what they should do with the people, etc. So the Ark was taken; removed from its place. When God leaves His power, His glory and presence are gone. Amen? So now here we have in our lives when the Holy Ghost leaves you the presence of God is not in you and if its not in your what is going on? Its Ichabod that is written on your life.

Some people have Ichabod written on their lives and they don’t even know. So they are building on a shaky foundation. They think of when they USE TO worship; when they USE TO dance. They’re building their whole spiritual walk on what USE TO be. You can’t build on dead works. You can’t build on dead works. You cannot build your Christian walk on something that you use to do. People will fight you tooth and nail and say “He was with me then so I know He’s with me now.” Let me share something with you: Satan is with us 24/7. The mocker; the accuser who has imps that can watch you to mimic your ways to give the impression that you are saved and filled with the Holy Ghost. Satan can make someone jerk, he can make them speak in another tongue. Satan can give you a joyous expression. He is the mocker and accuser, deceiving the bothers to spread the message of lies to other people. What happens to you if you don’t go to your job in 4 or 5 months? You won’t have one,. What happens when you don’t go to church in 4 or 5 months? We take it for granted with God. Its ok with God. You’ve heard what people say “God knows my heart.” He does. That is why He’s trying to tell you get yourself some teaching; some understanding. Because if not, then you’re going on yesterdays work, trying to build today’s future on yesterdays work. Well what’s wrong with that? If it didn’t work yesterday it won’t work today because new mercies God brings forth every morning. How many wake up every morning?

So its time for us to begin to let go of the old foundation, and clean it and prepare it for a whole new work. The Bible says greater works shall you do because Jesus is gone to the Father. You know what a greater work is? Us sitting here in a basement in Bedford, OH at 10 am, talking to a bunch of people in another country witnessing to them, instructing them and getting them together without having them there. They didn’t have the technical capabilities then that we do now. They had Paul, Timothy, Bartholomew, walking for days or weeks to get to one Church. There were seven churches. A greater work is when you can bring someone from the dead, or when thousands of people can be fed from one basket. But what has not been done is communication from one person to another in another country! The point is these are greater works they never conceived of then. What is another great work? Reaching people in the most isolated places in the world, that don’t have internet, Google, Facebook, Instagram; who can’t text or who don’t have anything. Greater work is when you get up out of your seat, go across the seas and talk to these people. The greatness is when the people receive it, and say they’ve heard and been asking their god to teach them and tell them the truth. That is why the word of God says the harvest is ripe, but the labors are few.

Ain’t nobody doing nothing, because were all in church talking about each other, going to dinner, self devouring, usurping authority, making people jealous of others and the souls are dying. If you allow the Word of God dwell in you richly, you’ll hear the Word of God say to you “there is a brother or sister who will come, go with them.” You’ll hear the voice of God. This is what we do when we hear the voice of God; We ask “is it real?” We’ll be able to hear the voice of God when we stop fighting with one another. Then you can testify to 5 people who heard it, received it, and got baptized in Jesus name. You never would have done that when you fuss and argue with yourself and other people. The work goes undone, but you still try to build on that foundation but you’ve never heard Him and haven’t seen Him in years. If you go out and try to witness to someone else, and you’re jacked up, what will happen?

Jesus said I want you to prepare a place for Me for the Passover. Go to the city, see a man…God will use others to get you to where you should be in Him. Jesus said go and tell them that the Father has need. Sometimes we say we don’t hear the voice of God. Well maybe we need to shut up for a while. I know what His voice sounds like to me, but it may be different for you. You need to find out how He will speak to you. God uses whom He will to get his point across to His child. Little kids will be used in this way. He wants us to get rid of that mentality of trying to go on…you’ve been wound forth last last 45, 50, 60, 70 years. You know how many people in the Church are wounded and they try to say something to someone about Jesus? They know absolutely nothing. If you’re not happy how can you tell that God is ecstatic? If you’re not delivered how can you tell someone else that He delivers. How can you say God is awesome and you’ve never seen His awesomeness. How can He talk to You? Does He have to take a number? This is what we don’t really understand. All the stuff in our past will, and has been, and can become our future.

The word build; to assemble; the way a thing is put together; pattern made up composition; in other words, the material used to build upon; to construct; building. If you’re building a new highway, do you build atop the old highway? No, you take out the old concrete, then level out the soil, then build anew. But we say, why can’t they hurry up and build that high way? If you go over that highway that isn’t reinforced, when you drive over it, you’ll be dead in rubble. They aren’t building on dead works, they are gutting it out and restructuring so they can build on solid foundation. Same with a Child of God, you can’t have all that mess in your life; you can’t carry all that baggage with you and try to witness to someone. You can’t build on anything in your life if you’re still going through other things in your life. If you haven’t been redeemed from the burdens and things in your life that are causing your to be weighed down, you can’t build on it. You don’t want to assemble something atop of shaky ground, you don’t want to pour into something that will leak out. You’re a bucket with a whole in it, because while your walking there is a trail. It could be a trail of devastation, where onlookers will say sister or brother has been though here with their leaking bucket.

We Look at the word Dead: lifeless, deadly; passes away.

We look at the word work:physical labour, effort, metal; physical, its work; time spent; time management.

You can’t build on dead works. You have to get old works out and ask the Lord to clean up the stench in you. What’s in the past is in the past, but my life isn’t connected with that. I’ve been forgiven, and given a new life, direction and focus, now Lord You show me what You want me to do, because now I don’t have all that mess in my ear anymore.

When the presence of the Lord has left a ministry, there can be no rebuilding on the foundation of which that ministry was building. That means the person who started cannot rebuild again. Because Ichabod is not only tied to that location, but that ministry. If they restart it, they are building upon an Ichabod foundation. It will not flourish nor be glorious even though they may talk about it. When the name of Ichabod has been written on your ministry its time for you to go out, go to another ministry and get cleaned up. Then it may be He will open the door for a new ministry and new direction. You can’t build on an old messed up situation. It has become dead.

You build on good foundation. Start afresh, start anew.

Don’t Do as the Romans Do When in Rome

Deuteronomy 18:9

When thou art come into the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations.

In this day and age to do as others in their environment, you tend to mock after your surroundings. If everyone around you is drinking, everyone around just to be a part try it and they get hooked. When in Rome do as the Romans. Don’t do as the Romans do. This statement is truly spoken of someone who is a part of this sinful world. Know this, that any time you take the thoughts, views, or lifestyles of another person, you will reap the consequences or in other words you will reap the same consequences or reward or judgement of that action. So if you take the sins of or the burden or the sins of someone else upon yourself, you will reap the same consequences that that other individual will reap.

Matthew 7:2

…and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

Deuteronomy 18:1

The priests the Levites, and all the tribe of Levi, shall have no part nor inheritance

This goes for the Pastors, Ministers, Elders…the Lord is saying don’t look for an inheritance. Don’t worry about owning anything having anything because I will provide for you. Now in this day and age, they are all concerned about having a steady flow of income for their so called needs. Its seems as though no one wants to trust in the Lord and wait on the Lord. If you trust in the Lord He shall renew your strength (Isaiah 40:31). Don’t worry about having or possessing things, God will be your portion. That is what He’s telling the Levites, the priests, the tribe of Levi. Men and Women of God today are so concerned about getting a dollar bill. That is why they go around pimping the Lord and pimping the saints because they want to make money. There are very few pastors who wrote books, Christian writers who wrote books and gave them away free. Most put a price tag to something that is supposed to deliver them from their situation. But it comes with a price tag. That is almost prevalent of everything in this world today. You can’t get nothing for free in the US. Everything has a price tag. You know you need to drive your car back and forth, so they charge you gas. The one’s who own the gas companies stick a price to everything. And then if they feel like when they need more money or less money, they will create a shortage to raise the price of gas. Now the men and women of God writing these books are doing somewhat the same thing. I have a Word of God for you for $7.95. Now if its a Word of God for the people of God it should be free. The Bible tells us that they sold all that they had and gave so that none would have lack. But most today in the Church, pastors, leaders, bishops apostles, today, all say, I’m not going to have lack because I will make you pay for it. You ask them to speak at your ministry, and they send paperwork ahead of them stating that they will not do anything probono, and states that before they come and minister to you and your people, upon average they will ask for $3,000-$5,000. If you cannot pay, they are not coming. That is why they whether you to contact them instead of them contacting you. If you contact them, its out of your pocket, if they contact you its out of their pocket. I’m truly against pimping the Word of God that they said comes from God. The Word of god said that there is never a price for the Word of God.

Deuteronomy 18:4

The firstfruit also of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the first of the fleece of thy sheep, shalt thou give him.

The first of all you make and do goes to the priest first, then after that, whatever you have after its for you to sell or whatever the case may be. But the priest should get his first because he is not working. The Lord is their inheritance. You will provide for them. If they aren’t taken care of, you aren’t talking care of Me.

Deuteronomy 18:5

For the Lord thy God hath chosen him out of all thy tribes, to stand to minister in the name of the Lord, him and his sons for ever.

He has given that because they own nothing. Now in this day and age, most elders and bishops and priest don’t have anything. Most of the people of the Church complain of where every dollar is going, granted some take advantage. Some say they will not pay their dues anymore, but those very same people will go out and buy a lottery ticket or an expensive dinner, or go out and frivolously take that money to have a good old partying time, and won’t be concerned about where it went to. But the very moment that they fall into need, they don’t have money to pay for their bills or transportation, food, their knocking on the door of the Church saying, I gave you x number of dollars, and I want food, money, and I want you to pay my bills. In other words what I’m saying is this they gave their money on the pretext that they could get it back later, as though the Church was a bank. They weren’t giving to the Church to help the ministry go forth, but they were giving so the church could hold on to it so they could get it back without reservation. The Lord is not a part of that situation of their life in that respect. He will blow on their finances. They figure if they gave the church $10,000 last year, and when they come back and need to get something that costs $5,000-$6,000 the church better give it. Now they went and gave the lottery people and gave them $50,000 over a period of time. Do they go back to the lottery people and demand their money? What mindset is taking place. And I’m taking about the so called “I’m in the church” folks. What kind of mindset is that? Can they go to the local store where they got the lottery ticket and say I’m hungry, can you give me some food and pay my bills? They look at the Church as being a genie bank. Now granted, we know that some ministries have abused their people, lied to their people, stole from their people, with the whole intention to get rich gain. Not mentioning any names, the whole point was is that they bought multi-million dollar homes, cars, boats, planes. Now, those things a frivolous. They have nothing to do with spreading the Word of God. Well I need a plane so I can get to my destination on time. Well take a plane, a public transportation plane to save the ministry money. You don’t need a hundred thousand dollar plane. Never once did you read in the Word of God did Paul have a chauffeur, that pulled his donkey, or any of the disciples being carted around. What is it this day that we have to drive around in the latest vehicle, finest of clothes, shoes, living in the finest of homes? What is it? None of the disciples or apostles or men of God back then did it. But people who are in the Church see this and they’re saying that the Church is taking their money. Those individuals should look a little closer and realize pay your tithes, give your offering. That is all God is requiring of you. He’s not requiring that you give an abundance of money, He is concerned that your brother has nothing and you have all this. He wants us to share, when our brothers don’t have give. Don’t put a clause on it. If you know, and this is for Pastors. If you have a word from God for the people of God, it should not come at a price. Its supposed to be free. Because all that you do is suppose to be for the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31).

1 Peter 5:2-3

Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being examples to the flock.

This goes right back to what I said in Deuteronomy 18:9-11, the main verse we were alluding to.

Deuteronomy 18:9-13

When thou art come into the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations. There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch. Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord: and because of these abominations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee. Thou shalt be perfect with the Lord thy God.

The Lord doesn’t want you to have any part of these. But there are pastors and leaders who delve into these. You have some Pastors who are masons, and masons worship the devil. You can’t be a mason and a Child of God, you will either love the one and hate the other one, or hate the one and love the other one. You cannot be a mason, freemason, bound mason or whatever you want to call it and be a man of God or Child of God. They are totally opposite. But you say you like the benefits, you like to walk around and have some power, wear the ring…any society that has secrets is not of God, or that meets in the shadows or dead of night, that talks about forbidden things that the Word of God talks against is not of God. If you are a man of God, your portion is God, your life is God. It can’t be your life is mason and God. But you say you were a mason before coming to God. You can get out of masonry. So I’m saying to you when you cross over from the world and came into the House of God to be a Child of God. Whatever was in the world stays in the world. Whatever mindset, ritual, believing pattern with any group you had don’t bring in the House of God, it is an abomination. And the Lord doesn’t use abomination lightly. So as you cross over from the world and into the Church as a laity, the Bible says by leaving those things:

Philippians 3:13-14

 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

We have to remember one thing in this walk. When God told them not to take upon themselves not to take on the abomination of the world. He’s telling the Church the same thing. Leave the world in the world, and leave the Church in the Church. Render unto Cesar Caesar’s and unto God God’s. Leave that world in the world. Now that we’re in the Church now, seek those things that are from on high. Don’t seek those things in the world and justify getting rich off of your working members. You are trying to make a star out of yourself, that is a sin and an abomination to God. Your inheritances lie with God, not with man. Don’t go around saying you have this or that, giving your own-self an inheritance in this world. If you are dedicating your life to God, then He shall make a way for you. Sometimes, you know, it seems like we want to equate ourselves, we came out of the world, and getting into the Church we still want to have the same things. Open your eyes, listen with your ears what God is saying to the Church. Be in the world but not of the world. Amen.

Don’t Let Your Arms fall to Your Enemies

Exodus 17: 6-12

Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. And he called the name of the place Massah, and Meribah, because of the chiding of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the Lord, saying, Is the Lord among us, or not? Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim. And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand. So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. AAnd Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. And the Lord said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovahnissi: For he said, Because the Lord hath sworn that the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.

 

Numbers 21: 4-9

And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way.  And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread.  And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died. Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord, and against thee; pray unto the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people. And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.

 

The Lord will not lead you in the middle of no place and say start your ministry yourself. If He led you to start a ministry, He will not let you flip the bill all by yourself. He won’t leave you stranded so your arms fall to your side and you give up. That is not what He is about, He’s not going to do that. The Children of Israel didn’t understand that. The only reason they confessed their sins was because they knew they dogged God and Moes out. If nothing had ever happened, they would still have complained. God sent the fiery serpents and when they began killing them they repented. They got off light. Like us, we get off light with all kinds of stuff, because we do things the way we feel, but the Lord does not kill us. They had a selfish mentality acting like they were someone but they were nobody. They complained about everything. They complained about the things they suffered in Egypt and complained out in the wilderness. Now the one who saved you, you complained to because there is no food. That sounds like some people in the Church “I’ve given you my money, now what have you done with it?” The same people that say they have not food, their utilities about to be shut off, but every time there was time for an offering, you put nothing in a quarter or dollar, but you come to the church asking for a hundred times of that complaining that you can’t get any help. Maybe all the time you were in the Chruch, you put a total of maybe $100 dollars for the year, but you come to the church and say I can’t pay my house bill, utility bill, car note, I have no clothes or food. If the Church was a bank, they wouldn’t give you anything, because $100 is nothing compared to what your needs are. Your needs are always in the hundreds of dollars if not thousands. And you who only put a $100 in the church have the audacity to complain and wine that the church is not helping you. If the Church gives you back your $100, then you really have put nothing into the Church. The church is not for this, but to help the community and the people in it. Not all the money the church takes in is not for you. You’re supposed to be out doing service, we are helpers on to another. If the help is only on one side, then you kind of wonder, are your hands still raised or fallen to the side, and now your own the begging list. Stop your complaining, stop your whining, support the house of God so that your fellow brothers of sisters of the body of God needs will be met. That don’t mean I gave $1000 so I should be able to come back to the church x number of times until that money is used up. This is what the Church has become, people have made it into a bank and then throw a scripture in your face saying that’s what the church is for, to meet your needs. If everyone had needs

Like us, we get off light with all kinds of stuff, because we do things the way we feel, but the Lord does not kill us. They had a selfish mentality acting like they were someone but they were nobody. They complained about everything. They complained about the things they suffered in Egypt and complained out in the wilderness. Now the one who saved you, you complained to because there is no food. That sounds like some people in the Church. “I’ve given you my money, now what have you done with it?” The same people that say they have not food, their utilities about to be shut off, but every time there was time for an offering, you put nothing in a quarter or dollar, but you come to the church asking for a hundred times of that complaining that you can’t get any help. Maybe all the time you were in the Chruch, you put a total of maybe $100 dollars for the year, but you come to the church and say I can’t pay my house bill, utility bill, car note, I have no clothes or food. If the Church was a bank, they wouldn’t give you anything, because $100 is nothing compared to what your needs are. Your needs are always in the hundreds of dollars if not thousands. And you who only put a $100 in the church have the audacity to complain and wine that the church is not helping you. If the Church gives you back your $100, then you really have put nothing into the Church. The church is not for this, but to help the community and the people in it. Not all the money the church takes in is not for you. You’re supposed to be out doing service, we are helpers on to another. If the help is only on one side, then you kind of wonder, are your hands still raised or fallen to the side, and now your own the begging list. Stop your complaining, stop your whining, support the house of God so that your fellow brothers of sisters of the body of God needs will be met. That don’t mean I gave $1000 so I should be able to come back to the church x number of times until that money is used up. This is what the Church has become, people have made it into a bank and then throw a scripture in your face saying that’s what the church is for, to meet your needs. If everyone had needs

“I’ve given you my money, now what have you done with it?” The same people that say they have no food, their utilities are about to be shut off, but every time there was time for an offering, you put nothing in but a quarter or dollar, but you come to the church asking for a hundred times of that complaining that you can’t get any help. Maybe all the time you were in the Chruch, you put a total of maybe $100 dollars for the year, but you come to the church and say I can’t pay my house bill, utility bill, car note, I have no clothes or food. If the Church was a bank, they wouldn’t give you anything, because $100 is nothing compared to what your needs are. Your needs are always in the hundreds of dollars if not thousands. And you who only put a $100 in the church have the audacity to complain and wine that the church is not helping you. If the Church gives you back your $100, then you really have put nothing into the Church. The church is not for this, but to help the community and the people in it. Not all the money the church takes in is not for you. You’re supposed to be out doing service, we are helpers on to another. If the help is only on one side, then you kind of wonder, are your hands still raised or fallen to the side, and now your own the begging list. Stop your complaining, stop your whining, support the house of God so that your fellow brothers of sisters of the body of God needs will be met. That don’t mean I gave $1000 so I should be able to come back to the church x number of times until that money is used up. This is what the Church has become, people have made it into a bank and then throw a scripture in your face saying that’s what the church is for, to meet your needs. If everyone had needs

If the Church was a bank, they wouldn’t give you anything, because $100 is nothing compared to what your needs are. Your needs are always in the hundreds of dollars if not thousands. And you who only put a $100 in the church have the audacity to complain and whine that the church is not helping you. If the Church gives you back your $100, then you really have put nothing into the Church. The church is not for this, but to help the community and the people in it. Not all the money the church takes in is for you. You’re supposed to be out doing service, we are helpers on to another. If the help is only on one side, then you kind of wonder, are your hands still raised or fallen to the side, and now you’re on the begging list. Stop your complaining, stop your whining, support the house of God so that your fellow brothers of sisters of the body of God needs will be met. That don’t mean I gave $1000 so I should be able to come back to the church x number of times until that money is used up. This is what the Church has become, people have made it into a bank and then throw a scripture in your face saying that’s what the church is for, to meet your needs. If everyone had needs

Stop your complaining, stop your whining, support the house of God so that your fellow brothers and sisters of the Body of God needs will be met. That doesn’t mean I gave $1000 so I should be able to come back to the church x number of times until that money is used up. This is what the Church has become, people have made it into a bank and then throw a scripture in your face saying that’s what the church is for, to meet your needs. If everyone had needs on the same time, there would be no money, and if there are not finances to give the people, they’d get made with the Pastor, accuse him and say he didn’t deal properly with the money. They become like the Children of Israel because their personal needs weren’t met. Instead of finding a solution they bring a problem, and when the problem was not resolved, they begin to bad mouth the Lord and His leader. This is what the church has come to today.  We have to realize that if we continue to whine and complain to the Lord about what we don’t have and what we want and start calling Him names and His men of God names, don’t be surprised if the Lord sends a fiery serpent in your home. That fiery serpent could be a disease, financial devastation, murder, whatever. Just be concerned not the complain and whine. The Lord already knows what we have need of. We get our needs confused with our wants and then try to explain our wants as our needs. The Bible says how long halt you between two opinions? If God be God serve Him if mamon service him. You can’t serve two masters and expect to be an active child ofGodd.

Today is the First Day of the Rest of Your Life

Hebrews 3:1-9

Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus; Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house.  For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house.  For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God. And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after; But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end. Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years.

 

Provocation coming from the word to provoke, when you annoy someone to death or make someone angry where they react verbally or physically attack you, in this instance the Children of Israel complained to God about food, water, even to the foot of Mount Sini. While Moses was going up to receive the Law of instruction as to how they should conduct themselves among a world of heathens, they were down partying, erecting a golden calf, worshiping; talking about their days when they were in Egypt. If you had it good, why were you complaining of all your years of bondange, beating, and wanting us to do this and that? They complained the whole time. Then when the Lord delivered them from bondage through His servants Moses and Aaron, they complained the whole way. Its just like people today, you can’t satisfy them, they complain and whine about the littlist of things. You can never satisfy them. If you’re in a restaurant, the hostes will seat you, the server will serve you, just what you wanted to eat, but all of a sudden you’ll complain, the food is too cold, salty, or hot. One of the craziest things people will say is “this doesn’t look like the picture.” Its the same way when you go to the department store looking for clothes, why don’t they have stuff in my size? We are the most whining and complainng creatures on the face of this earth. But one thing that all of us have in common, we have no problem when it comes to sining, and doing things that are wrong. The children of Israel at the foot of the mountain, all became one, their one vision was to worship the gods of Egypt once more, wishing they were back in Egypt. Even the wild creatures in the forest, if you capture them in a trap, once they are freed from the trap, you don’t ever see them go back to the trap. Once they’re free, they’re free. Its a pity that human being don’t have that understandning. Whom the Lord sets free, they are free indeed. When our hearts and minds are opened up to that concept and understanding, then all of the trivial things in life don’t really mean anything. The biggest thing we need to be set free from is ourselves. Sometiems we get out of control in our minds concerning things, that is why there is so much road rage over the highway. People are so quick to get angry at somebody because they cut them off, or they’re not driving fast enough. Even in stores and restaurants when you have to wait in line, the impatience of having to wait in line becomes unbearable for some, and they begin to murmur and complain.

 

Hebrews 3:10-11

Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways. So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.)

 

Have you worried God? Have you been complaining too much lately? Sometimes we need to just forget about ourselves, what’s pleasing to us, and be more concerned with doing God’s will and brining Him less complaints and become more understanding of what’s going on around us. Most of our problems stem from our selfish nature. If we can’t get things the way we want, we complain. We are our own worst enemy. We need to be delivered from us. As in the case of the Children of Israel, they whined and complained so much that the Lord allowed that generation that sinned and worried Him to death in the wilderness, to suffer a 40 year journey in the wilderness to suffer and die. They never made it to the promised land. The Word of God said that weeks journey took 40 years for them not to make it. Have we cut off our blessing from God because we complain and whine so much? Have we cut off our destination with our relationship with God because we complain so much? Sometimes we need to close our mouths and let our ears hear what the Word of God is saying, so that we will have life and that more abundantly. Because like Paul said, to live is for Christ, and to die is to gain. So let us lay aside all of these weights, all of these complaints, all of these problems, in our lives and let the Holy Ghost lead and guide us to all truth. Sometimes, the truth that we wound up seeing about ourselves is not very pretty, but is what we need to correct the things in our lives. We need to know, so that we can grow.

 

Hebrews 3:12-19

Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end; While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation. For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses. But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness? And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.

 

Your complaining and whining lets God know that you don’t believe He can do what He said He could do. So stop whining and complaining and just do what is set before you to do in the House of God, or whatever His will is for you.

Shabbat Shalom

This past Shabbat was intimate and cozy, and a much needed day of rest for us all!

The scripture reading was in 2 Kings 22-23. A very interesting story about a one of the kings who’d come to rein at the age of 8, who was reported to do all that was right in the eyes of the Lord. During his rein the book of the Law was found, and this king did everything in his power to take the children of Israel back to following God by doing his law. He took down everything abominable and rededicate the nation back to its God.