1 John 2
9 The one who says he is in the Light and yet hates his brother is in the darkness until now.
10 The one who loves his brother abides in the Light and there is no cause for stumbling in him.
11 But the one who hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

It is simple.
You can not profess to be of the Light of God and hate a brother.

If you hate, then you are in Darkness, not Light.

But, wait!
There is more.

1 John 3
13 Do not be surprised, brethren, if the world hates you.
14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death.
15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer; and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer.
There is no eternal life abiding within.
True.
Clear.

We know that we have passed out of the Darkness of Death into life because we love the brethren.

One more…

1 John 4
19 We love, because He first loved us.
20 If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.
21 And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also.

Clear.
If you hate and say you “love God”, you are a liar.

Liars will not inherit the Kingdom.
They will inherit something else…

Revelation 21
8 But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

The Lord tells us that the world will know that we are His disciples by our love for one another.

John 13
35 By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

What does the world see in you?

Liar?
Lover?

Therefore, if you truly love God, then love one another.

It is the Lord in us that loves…

Blessings!

1 Peter
1 Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,

2 so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.

3 For the time already past is sufficient for you to have carried out the desire of the Gentiles, having pursued a course of sensuality, lusts, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties and abominable idolatries.

4 In all this, they are surprised that you do not run with them into the same excesses of dissipation, and they malign you;

5 but they will give account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.

6 For the gospel has for this purpose been preached even to those who are dead, that though they are judged in the flesh as men, they may live in the spirit according to the will of God.
 
7 The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer.

8 Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.

9 Be hospitable to one another without complaint.

10 As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

11 Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Be prepared to suffer in the flesh as Christ did.
Arm yourself with the same purpose.

What purpose?
Holiness.
Death to self.
Determined to live the balance of this life in the flesh for the will of God, not the lusts of man.

Leave behind the activities of the past life…that time was enough.

• sensuality
• lusts
• drunkenness
• carousing
• drinking parties
• abominable idolatries

• Be of sound judgment
• Be of sober spirit for the purpose of prayer
• Above all…get that? Above all...keep fervent in love for one another. Why? Love covers a multitude of sins.
• Be hospitable without complaint
• Serve one another. How? Each true believer is gifted by God. Two major arenas of spiritual giftedness are revealed here - speaking and serving. They are not mutually exclusive. If one speaks, may he speak the utterances of God. Whoever serves, do so by the strength the Lord provides.
• Be a good steward of the grace of God released in us.

Matthew 17

14 And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying,
 15 Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water.
 16 And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him.
 17 Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me.
 18 And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour.
 19 Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?
 20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.
 21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.

A man had a problem.
His son was vexed...don’t you love that word?...he was called a “lunatic”...literally it means he was “moon-struck”.

He came to the Lord and cried out for mercy.

Then came the statement…” I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him.”

I’m certain that the disciples were thrilled with that statement.

They had apparently tried to bring relief.
They had tried to do what Jesus had told them...cast out demons.

But, they failed...and all knew.
Jesus’ response is not what would be expected.

“O faithless and perverse generation”...true enough…
“How long shall I be with you?”...time was running short, there was no time to waste…
“How long shall I suffer you”… how long shall I endure?

Jesus sinned not in these statements though they sound harsh.

Jesus then summoned the boy.
Jesus rebuked the devil.
The devil...demon...departed out of the boy.
The child was cured that very hour.

We learn some things.
A demon caused the problem.
Such is true today.
Jesus rebuked the demon, it left.
Such is true today.

Much of what we call “medical problems” are not such - they are demons having their way with humans.

The disciples waited until they were “apart with Jesus”...alone with Him...to enquire what had occurred - pride thing.

Why could they not cast out the demon?

Because of their unbelief.
Because of the littleness of their faith.
Such is true today.

Jesus then tells us the power of faith.
If we had the faith as a grain of a mustard seed...very, very small seed...then we could move mountains.
If we had that small element of faith...then nothing would be impossible unto you.

Again, nothing would be impossible.

Most believers live lives of the “impossible”.
There is little faith.

Oh, there is much work...much busy-ness...much endeavor...much of man.
But little faith.

Let us not be such.

May we be people of the “impossible”.

Oh, why did the disciples fail?

• little faith
• “this kind”...there is an apparent hierarchy within the demonic realm. This kind of demon does not go out but by prayer and fasting.

1 Peter
13 Who is there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good?
14 But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. AND DO NOT FEAR THEIR INTIMIDATION, AND DO NOT BE TROUBLED,
15 but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;
16 and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame.

No harm will come to us if we prove to be zealous for what is good.

That does not mean that suffering might not come...even death.

Blessed we are when we suffer for the sake of righteousness.

Do not fear their intimidation.
Do not be troubled.

These are commands.
There may be temptation to fear and be troubled.
Do not do so.

How?

Sanctify Christ as Lord in your heart.

Sanctify means to separate from profane things, to purify, to cleanse.

Our hearts must be purified and cleanse by and before the Lord.

This will enable us to be able to give a defense for that which we believe...in season/out of season. Anytime. Anywhere.

Not a rote regurgitation of the latest tool of evangelism (as useful as they might be), but a Spirit empowered accounting of the Hope that is in us!

We are to do so with gentleness and reverence.
Reverence unto the Lord? Yes.
Reverence - honor, humility, patience - to the one before us? Yes!

Keep a good conscience.

Those who revile the good behavior in Christ will be put to shame.

These are issues of the heart.

Where is your heart?
What does your heart desire?
What does your heart dwell upon?

Blessings!

• governmental
• servant/master
• wives/husbands

1 Peter 3
 8 To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit;
9 not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing.
10 For,
   “THE ONE WHO DESIRES LIFE, TO LOVE AND SEE GOOD DAYS, MUST KEEP HIS TONGUE FROM EVIL AND HIS LIPS FROM SPEAKING DECEIT. 11 “HE MUST TURN AWAY FROM EVIL AND DO GOOD; HE MUST SEEK PEACE AND PURSUE IT. 12 “FOR THE EYES OF THE LORD ARE TOWARD THE RIGHTEOUS, AND HIS EARS ATTEND TO THEIR PRAYER, BUT THE FACE OF THE LORD IS AGAINST THOSE WHO DO EVIL.”

So, all of us - true believers - are to be…

• harmonious
• sympathetic
• brotherly
• kindhearted
• humble in spirit

• Folk do not know the truth of the requirement of such.
• Many who claim to “be saved” are not.

• not to return evil for evil
• not to return insult for insult
• to give blessing rather than evil and insults

1 Peter 2
11 Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul.
12 Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation.

We must abstain from fleshly lusts...in all its flavors.
It wages war against our very soul.

Our behavior before “those outside” testifies to them.
They are watching.
What are they seeing?

We have a calling.
We have a purpose.

1 Peter 2
21 For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps,
22 WHO COMMITTED NO SIN, NOR WAS ANY DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH;
23 and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously;
24 and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.
25 For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.

The purpose?
Follow in His steps.
Revile not in return.
Entrust ourselves to Him.
Die to sin.
Live to righteousness.

Christ set the example…
Suffered, without uttering threats
Committed no sin
No deceit in His mouth
Reviled, yet did not return such
Bore our sins in His Body
Healed us.

Live in and by Him.

Blessings!

• the use of metaphor…
• how Jesus is described…
• how we are described…
• what we learn about those who Believe
• what we learn about those who do not believe
• the passages in ALL CAPS are quotes from the Old Testament - things prophesied.

1 Peter 2
4 And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God,
5 you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
6 For this is contained in Scripture:
   “BEHOLD, I LAY IN ZION A CHOICE STONE, A PRECIOUS CORNER stone, AND HE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.”
 7 This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for those who disbelieve,
   “THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED, THIS BECAME THE VERY CORNER stone,”
 8 and,
   “A STONE OF STUMBLING AND A ROCK OF OFFENSE”;
   for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this doom they were also appointed.
 9 But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God’s OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 for you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are THE PEOPLE OF GOD; you had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY.

Jesus is…

• Living Stone
• rejected by men
• Choice and Precious in the sight of God

• living stones in the Lord
• being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood
• to offer up spiritual sacrifices
• will not be disappointed in Him
• chosen race (KJV says “generation”… I like that better) :)
• royal priesthood
• a holy nation
• a people for God’s own possession (KJV - “a peculiar people”)

• rejected the Lord, the Very CornerStone
• stumble because they are disobedient to the word
• they were/are appointed to this doom (interesting...pay attention…)

Lamentations 3
 22 It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
 23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

Rest in His mercy.
Rejoice in His forgiveness.
Stand upon the Living Rock of our Salvation.

Blessings!

The local Bible studies resume this week...come join us.
Mondays, 5:30 p.m.
Tuesday, 9:00 a.m.
Studying Matthew - Part 2. (Part 1 is not a prerequisite.)
Meet at Victory Park.
Contact for more information.

1 Peter 2
 1 So rid yourselves of all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all slander.
2 Like newborn infants, desire the pure spiritual milk, so that you may grow by it for your salvation,
3 since you have tasted that the Lord is good.

We are to ride ourselves of…

• all malice
• all deceit
• all hypocrisy
• all envy
• all slander

John 14
 25 “I have spoken these things to you while I remain with you.
26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit—the Father will send Him in My name—will teach you all things and remind you of everything I have told you.

We know that the Body has a role/function.

1 Thessalonians 5
14 And we exhort you, brothers: warn those who are irresponsible, comfort the discouraged, help the weak, be patient with everyone.
15 See to it that no one repays evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good for one another and for all.

So, the picture is that of growing in relationship in the Lord through all that He releases.

We are to crave/desire this “spiritual milk” as an infant desires its mother’s milk.

If you have seen this you understand the picture.

We are not to live exclusively from “milk”.

Hebrews 5
11 We have a great deal to say about this, and it’s difficult to explain, since you have become too lazy to understand.
12 Although by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the basic principles of God’s revelation again. You need milk, not solid food.
13 Now everyone who lives on milk is inexperienced with the message about righteousness, because he is an infant.
14 But solid food is for the mature—for those whose senses have been trained to distinguish between good and evil.

Therefore, let us be not lazy in our pressing on in the Kingdom.
Let us not exist on milk alone.
Rather, let us partake of the solid food that the Lord gives.
Let us move beyond the “basic principles of God’s revelation” into that which He has for us.
Allow the Lord to move you into maturity…trained to distinguish between good and evil.

Blessings!

A couple of new things…

Two new Android phone/tablet apps have been released.

One is for our worship group, Victory Park.
https://market.android.com/details?id=com.reverbnation.artistapp.i241267&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwyLDEsImNvbS5yZXZlcmJuYXRpb24uYXJ0aXN0YXBwLmkyNDEyNjciXQ..

Another is my personal one, Dale Moore.
https://market.android.com/details?id=com.reverbnation.artistapp.i76641&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwyLDEsImNvbS5yZXZlcmJuYXRpb24uYXJ0aXN0YXBwLmk3NjY0MSJd

On both you will find our music, a blog, performance info, etc.

I hope to be providing some new instrumental things soon on mine.
Check them out.
Download.
Use.
They are both free.

1 Peter 1
22 By obedience to the truth, having purified yourselves for sincere love of the brothers, love one another earnestly from a pure heart,
23 since you have been born again—not of perishable seed but of imperishable—through the living and enduring word of God.
24 For
   All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like a flower of the grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, 25 but the word of the Lord endures forever.
   And this is the word that was preached as the gospel to you.

Through obedience to the Truth we have been saved by the blood of Jesus.

We have been purified by His blood.

Therefore, since we are purified, we are to manifest love for fellow brothers.

We are to love earnestly.
We are to love from a pure heart.

Sadly, this is rare within the professing Body of Christ.

Too often I have heard “I have to love them in the Lord, but I don’t like them”.
This is not true love.

The Lord is abundantly clear about this.
I have mentioned it repeatedly...often I think too much…but, then the Lord mentions it repeatedly.

Jesus said that the world would know that we are His disciples by our love for one another.

John 13
35 By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Not by our love of Him.
Not by our perfect theology.
Not by our “growth” in numbers.
Not by our buildings.
Not by our programs.
Not by our performances (“services”) in the name of the Lord.

But rather, by our love for one another.

Not even our love of those in the world.

Our love for one another.

Many within the professing Body do not do this.

Why?

Personally I believe it is due to the fact that they are not truly saved.
I think some 75% of those who are “religious”, “go to church”, etc. are not truly saved.
I base this on the parable of the sower.

If they are not saved, then they can not manifest true love for one another.

Oh, we can be nice.
We can manifest the love of man.
But, one can not truly love the brethren if they are not part of the brethren.

1 John 4
20 If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.

The Word of God endures forever.
The Love of God manifested through us endures forever.

The other stuff will burn…as the grass of the field.

But love endures forever.

Today, examine yourself…

2 Corinthians 13
5 Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith. Examine yourselves. Or do you yourselves not recognize that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless you fail the test.

You are born again of imperishable seed.
You are born again through the Living and Enduring Word of God.

So, love.

1 Corinthians 13
13 Now these three remain:
faith, hope, and love.
But the greatest of these is love.

• have our minds ready for action
• be serious
• set our hope completely on the grace to be brought at the revelation of Jesus Christ
• be obedient children
• not be conformed to the desires of our former ignorance
• be holy in all our conduct, even as the One Who has called us is Holy
• conduct ourselves in fear during the time of our temporary residence

• redeemed from our empty way of life
• redeemed by the blood of Jesus...not silver nor gold

• Jesus was chosen before the foundation of the world to be the perfect Lamb without defect nor blemish
• Jesus was revealed at the end of the times
• We are Believers in God through Jesus
• God raised Jesus from the dead
• God gave Jesus glory
• Our faith and hope are in God

1 Peter 1
13 Therefore, with your minds ready for action, be serious and set your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the desires of your former ignorance. 15 But as the One who called you is holy, you also are to be holy in all your conduct;
16 for it is written, Be holy, because I am holy.
 17 And if you address as Father the One who judges impartially based on each one’s work, you are to conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your temporary residence. 18 For you know that you were redeemed from your empty way of life inherited from the fathers, not with perishable things like silver or gold,
19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without defect or blemish.
20 He was chosen before the foundation of the world but was revealed at the end of the times for you
21 who through Him are believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

Man craves hope...so much so that he is easily deceived by the lying mechanizations of man with “hopey/changey” words.

God is the Only Hope.
Jesus is the Way, the Truth the Life.
We are to be Holy as He is.

If it were not possible for the true Believer to be Holy, then God would not have commanded it.

We are holy because He is Holy.

Let us at the beginning of this year determine through Him to die to self and live the Holy life that indwells and awaits us.

Remember.
Fear not the circumstance nor situation of the world in these last days.
Things will soon become “much worse” in the eyes of man.
We are to fear God. Not man. Not situation.

Blessings!

Here is a cool, freebie for the new year.
If you have an Android phone...our worship group, Victory Park, has a new android app. Download it here or search the Marketplace.

I’m interested in seeing what can be done with it. :) :)
Share with others.

1 Peter
10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that would come to you searched and carefully investigated.
11 They inquired into what time or what circumstances the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating when He testified in advance to the messianic sufferings and the glories that would follow.
12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you. These things have now been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Angels desire to look into these things.

We learn some interesting things about the salvation that we have.

There are two groups that desire to know more about salvation…
Prophets of old.
Angels.

The prophets, the ones who actually prophesied of salvation and grace to come, searched and carefully investigated what they had seen.

They searched the heart of God.
They searched and investigated the Word of God.

They wanted to know the timing of the salvation.
When was it to come?

They wanted to know how the salvation would come.
What would be the circumstance?
What was meant by the revelation of suffering of Messiah?
What was meant by the glory of Messiah?
Could there be both suffering and glory? (Yes.)

We also see that it was the Spirit of Christ that was bringing revelation to the prophets.

We see that the prophets were as we are.

They did not have complete knowledge and revelation.
They did have what God had revealed.

God revealed that they were serving those to come - us - and not themselves

These things have now been revealed to us by those who preached the gospel to us by the Holy Spirit.

A wonderful, marvelous mystery.

Such so that the angels desire to look into these things.

What things?

Salvation.

Angels - we are speaking of the ones who remained with the Lord and refused the rebellion of Lucifer - can not experience salvation in the way man does.

They know what God has done for mankind.
They know why.
They know the history.
They have literally seen it over time.
Yet, they desire to look deeper.

Such is the depth of the salvation that has been granted unto us.

We would do well to rejoice and walk deeply in these truths.

One last thing.

Both prophets and angels share some things…

Both inquire.
Both are curious.
Both have less than total revelation and understanding.
Both desire to know more than what God has revealed - yet, without sin.

At the end of this year, rejoice in what has been revealed…

Deu 29
29 The hidden things belong to the LORD our God, but the revealed things belong to us and our children forever, so that we may follow all the words of this law.

Rejoice in the year past.
Rest in that which is yet to come.

Let us serve others and not ourselves.

Wait ‘til you see the Word for tomorrow!!

Blessings!

• temporary residents
• chosen
• set apart
• sprinkled with the blood of Jesus
• vessels of obedience.

1 Peter 1
 3 Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. According to His great mercy, He has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead
4 and into an inheritance that is imperishable, uncorrupted, and unfading, kept in heaven for you.
5 You are being protected by God’s power through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.
6 You rejoice in this, though now for a short time you have had to struggle in various trials
7 so that the genuineness of your faith—more valuable than gold, which perishes though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
8 You love Him, though you have not seen Him. And though not seeing Him now, you believe in Him and rejoice with inexpressible and glorious joy,
9 because you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

According to God’s great mercy He has…

• given us a new birth into a living hope…

• • think on that…
• • new birth…
• • living hope...not a “dead” hope...not hope yet to come, though there is such...but, hope here and now

• how?
• through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

• we have an inheritance

• • imperishable...will not die
• • uncorrupted
• • unfading
• • kept in heaven for you

• • by God’s power
• • through faith
• • for a salvation ready to be revealed...in the last time!

• new birth
• a living hope
• an inheritance - imperishable, uncorrupted, unfading, kept in heaven for us
• protection through God’s power
• faith for salvation - now and yet to be revealed in the last time

Psalm 139
14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.
 15 My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
 16 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.
 17 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!

You are not alone.
You are not abandoned.

Hear this Word.
So often we breeze past portions of the Word...things such as genealogies, introductions...missing some profound truths.
Here is an example…

1 Peter
1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ:
   To the temporary residents dispersed in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, chosen
2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father and set apart by the Spirit for obedience and for sprinkling with the blood of Jesus Christ.
   May grace and peace be multiplied to you.

We see so much about the Believer here…

We are but temporary residents.
Our true residence is somewhere/someone else.
We are dispersed...upon the land in the foreign lands of Florida, North Carolina, Kentucky, Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, Colorado, New Zealand, Mongolia, Alaska, California...and beyond.

We are chosen.
This is a great truth and great mystery which we continue to explore in the Word.
This “chosen” is “according to the foreknowledge of God the Father”, therefore it is perfect, good.

We are set apart.
By Whom? The Holy Spirit.
To what purpose? Obedience and for sprinkling with the blood of Jesus Christ.

Conclusion:
You are a temporary resident. Set your mind upon the things above. Stumble not at the cares and concerns of this world.
You are chosen. God’s ways are perfect.
You are set apart.
You are sprinkled...cleansed, covered...with the blood of Jesus.
You are a vessel of obedience.

For all this we give thanks for the past year and the year to come.

Grace.
Peace.
Through the Most High God alone.

Blessings!

Matthew 24
...“See to it that no one misleads you.
5 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many.
6 You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end.
7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes.
8 But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.

Folk, we are headed into dark days...yet,

We will be the Light of the world…

Daniel 12
3 Those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.

We will be source of insight, revelation, wisdom, understanding…

Daniel 11
33 Those who have insight among the people will give understanding to the many;

Daniel 12
10 Many will be purged, purified and refined, but the wicked will act wickedly; and none of the wicked will understand, but those who have insight will understand.

The nation where most of us live, the united States of America, is undergoing a tremendous metamorphosis.

It is purposeful.
It is agenda-driven.
It is evil.
It has been occurring for decades.
It is now coming to full fruit.

Wars and rumors of wars abound.
Ethnic groups are being pitted against one another.

What is commonly called “races” (Scripturally, there is no such thing as “race”) are being “played” for political purposes - particularly at the national level.

“Law enforcement” continues to be rapidly militarized.

Fargo
Hanceville

There is a reason.
There is a purpose.

Soon it will be costly to be a True Believer.

Terrorists

There will be continued, exponential economic turmoil in 2012.
There will be societal upheaval and violence - “nations against nations”...ethnic vs. ethnic.
There will be riots the summer of 2012.

It is planned.
It is purposeful.

There is Hope.
Not in things “getting better”.
Things will not “get better”.
The Word is clear about this.
We are in the last moments of the last days (as understood in Scripture).

The Hope is the Most High God.

Now, what will you allow the Lord to do through you today and in those days yet to come?

Many within the “professing church” will experience purging, purifying and refining.

Determine today to be prepared.
Do not await the Lord’s purging, purifying and refining.

Celebrate in His coming.
Rejoice in His return.

Fear not!

Maranatha!

Videos of the latest local Bible study, Matthew - Part 1, are being posted.

Matthew - Part 1
Lesson 1, Video 1

Matthew - Part 2 will begin in January, 2012
Come.

You can find me in these places...join me in all...each has it’s purpose… :) (Click… Facebook folk, go to my website for a hyper-link version - http://www.dalemoore.tv)

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Luke 1

26 And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,
 27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.
 28 And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.
 29 And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.
 30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.
 31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.
 32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
 33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
 34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?
 35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.
 36 And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.
 37 For with God nothing shall be impossible.
 38 And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.

Mary was troubled at what was said in the salutation.
Mary wondered how this thing could be.

The angel explained what would happen to her.
The angel explained what had happened to Elizabeth.

Then the angel proclaimed…

“For with God nothing is impossible.”

We need to remember this Word. Nothing is impossible.

Regardless of situation, circumstance and that which can be seen in the visible, we are in God’s hands.

Nothing is impossible.

Do you believe?
If not, why?

Remember,

Mark 10

27 And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.

Nothing impossible.
All things possible.
With God…

May we respond as Mary…be it unto me according to your word…

Fear not!
Rejoice!
The Lord has come.
He is soon to come again.

Blessings!

Ecclesiastes 9

11 I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.
 12 For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.
 13 This wisdom have I seen also under the sun, and it seemed great unto me:
 14 There was a little city, and few men within it; and there came a great king against it, and besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it:
 15 Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man.
 16 Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.
 17 The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools.
 18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war: but one sinner destroyeth much good.

The author had observed in his life that…

• the race is not to the swift
• the battle to the strong
• neither yet bread to the wise
• nor yet riches to men of understanding
• nor favor to men of skill
• but, time and chance happen to all

Daniel 11

32 And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.

Daniel 12

3 And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.

We are in a season of preparation.
Are you preparing?

Preparation for living and manifesting the wisdom of the Lord will not be found in the strategies and plans of man - especially within the “organization of the church”.

Preparation lies within…

• the organism of the true Body of Christ
• the Word of God
• the Spirit of God

17 The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools.

Quietly speak forth the wisdom of the Lord…
Amid the clamoring cry of rulers among the fools…

Blessings!

• what we were…
• what we are…

Listen

Ephesians 2
 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
 11 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
 12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
 13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
 14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one,...

Note that we are called to remember what we once were…”at that time”...

• Gentiles in the flesh
• called “uncircumcision” by “that which is called the Circumcision” (Jews - especially the leadership)
• without Christ
• aliens from the commonwealth of Israel
• strangers from the covenants (note plural) of promise
• had no hope
• without God in the world

• without Christ
• without God
• without hope
• outside the covenant promises.

• we are His workmanship
• we are created in Christ Jesus unto good works
• God has ordained “before” that we should walk in these good works - before the foundations of creation
• we who were far off are now made nigh by the blood of Christ.

Listen

1 Corinthians 6
9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
 11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

Blessings!

1 Chronicles 16:3
He distributed to everyone of Israel, both man and woman, to everyone a loaf of bread and a portion of meat and a raisin cake.

So, the people received bread, meat and dessert!

David then appointed some of the Levites to minister before the Ark of the Lord, to celebrate, to thank and praise the Lord God of Israel.

They did so with musical instruments, harps, lyres, loud-sounding cymbals (is there another kind? :) ) and trumpets...continually before the Ark of the Covenant of God.

David then assigned Asaph and his relatives to give thanks to the Lord.

The balance of the chapter is a psalm/hymn of praise and thanksgiving unto the Lord.

1 Chronicles 16
( http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Chronicles+16&version=NASB )

1 Chronicles 16

8 Oh give thanks to the LORD, call upon His name;
Make known His deeds among the peoples.
9 Sing to Him, sing praises to Him;
Speak of all His wonders.
10 Glory in His holy name;
Let the heart of those who seek the LORD be glad.
11 Seek the LORD and His strength;
Seek His face continually.
12 Remember His wonderful deeds which He has done,
His marvels and the judgments from His mouth,
13 O seed of Israel His servant,
Sons of Jacob, His chosen ones!
14 He is the LORD our God;
His judgments are in all the earth.
15 Remember His covenant forever,
The word which He commanded to a thousand generations,
16 The covenant which He made with Abraham,
And His oath to Isaac.

We are to…

• Give thanks to the Lord
• Call on the name of the Lord
• Make known His deeds among the people...speak of His ways, tell what He has done for/in/through you
• Sing praises to Him
• Speak of His wonders
• Glory in His Holy name...glory/rest/rejoice in His character...all that He is
• Be glad...let your heart rejoice
• Seek the Lord
• Seek His strength
• Seek His face continually
• Remember His wonderful deeds, marvels, judgments
• Remember His Covenant

Ephesians 2

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;
9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.
10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

We have been saved by grace.
We have not been saved by any works...not even the “work” of faith.
Salvation is an act of grace, a gift from God.

Therefore, why do we boast?

Yes, we are to do good works.
These are works that flow from salvation, not to “attain” salvation.
We are created for such.
We are told forthrightly that we are His workmanship.
Do not believe the lies of the evil one when he attempts to destroy you in your eyes.
You are fearfully and wonderfully made.
You are created a new creature by the grace of God.

Not just any works.

Works prepared by God.
Works prepared beforehand.
Before what?
Before you were saved.
Before you were born.
Before the foundation of the world was spoken into existence.

So, let us live as His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus (there is that phrase again) for good works.

Let the good works continue with the constant release of thanks unto the Lord…

Manifest the works of the Presence of the Lord where you are...

Blessings!

James 2:19
You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder.

They might even do good deeds in and by the name of the Lord…

Matthew 7:21-23
   21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.
22 Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’
23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’

Yet, many are not truly saved.

They have not moved from the death of sin into the Life of the Lord.

Here is how we are/were…

Ephesians 2:1-3
 1 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins,
2 in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.
3 Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.

We …

• were dead in trespasses
• were dead in sin
• walked according to the course of this world
• walked according to the prince of the power of the air - satan
• walked in the same spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience
• lived in the lusts of our flesh
• indulged the desires of the flesh and of the mind
• were by nature children of wrath

Ephesians 2:4-7
4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
6 and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
7 so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

But God!

God…

• being rich in mercy
• because of His great love with which He loved us
• made us alive together with Christ.

• raised us up with Him
• seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus

Ephesians 1

15 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,

 16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;

 17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:

 18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

 19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,

 20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,

 21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:

 22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,

 23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

Verse 19 shows that…

Wisdom
Revelation in the knowledge of Jesus
Enlightenment
Hope
Glory
Power

...are through the exceeding greatness of His power toward Believers.

It is the Power of the Most High in us.
Such comes through the working of His mighty Power.

Think on that.

Why do we do anything in the “flesh”, when the Power of the Lord is within each Believer?

But, there is more.

This is the same Power that Father manifested in Christ Jesus when He raised Jesus from the dead and set Jesus on His right hand in the heavenly places.

Resurrection Power!

This is the power that the Lord has granted unto us.

Let us live in it.

Give thanks for one another.
Pray for one another.
Do not prey on one another.

One last thing.

Note what we learn about Christ Jesus from the last few verses…

• God’s power wrought in Him
• Raised from the dead
• Seated at the right hand of the Father in the heavenly places
• He is far above all principality, power, might, dominion and every name named… in this world and the one to come
• Father put all things under his feet
• Father gave him to be the head over all things to the church
• The church is Jesus’ body
• The church is the fulness of Him that filleth all in all.

Ephesians 1

 15 For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you and your love for all the saints,
16 do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers;
17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him.
18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe.

“For this reason…” - what reason? See previous posts here and here.

Paul had heard of their faith in the Lord Jesus.
Paul had heard of their love for all the saints.
Paul did not cease giving thanks for them.
Do we give thanks to the Lord for one another?
Do we know the blessing we have in the Body of Christ?
Paul prayed for them.

He prayed that “the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory”…

• may give to you a spirit of wisdom
• may give you revelation in the knowledge of Him
• that the eyes of their heart my be enlightened
• that they will know what is the hope of His calling
• that they will know what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints
• that they will know the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe

Ephesians 1

In all wisdom and insight
9 He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him
10 with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him
11 also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will,
12 to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory.
13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise,
14 who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.

Every word, phrase, sentence and paragraph in Ephesians is full of meaning. Each must be parsed in the Spirit. :) Paying attention to the pronouns is imperative.

Let’s list the truths.

• the Lord moves in all wisdom and insight
• Father made known the mystery of His will
• this revelation of the mystery of His will is according to His kind intention which He (Father) purposed in Him (the Lord Jesus)
• all things will be summed in in Christ...in the fullness of the times…all things in the heavens and things on the earth
• we have obtained and inheritance in Him
• we have been predestined according to His purpose
• He works all things after the counsel of His will
• to what purpose? to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory… “to the praise of the glory of His grace”...a phrase that I have yet to complete wrap my mind and spirit around… listen to this “To the Praise of His Glory”
• in Him we heard, we believed, we were sealed by the Holy Spirit
• the Holy Spirit is a pledge to the inheritance yet to come, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possessions - us!

Ephesians 1

8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;
 9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
 10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
 11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
 12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
 13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
 14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

Do we live “to the praise of His glory”?
Do we live in complete trust in the Lord?

Have you trusted?
Have you heard?
Have you believed?

If so, you are sealed.
There is a redemption yet to come.

Beloved, how are we to live as Believers?

With such done for us...all we can do is worship, walk in obedience...

Praise the Lord!

(For Facebook folk...hyperlink-enabled version of this communique is available at
http://www.dalemoore.tv)

Jude 9
But Michael the archangel, when he disputed with the devil and argued about the body of Moses, did not dare pronounce against him a railing judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”

Michael did not rebuke satan, much less mock him.
Neither should we.

Did you see how the author stated...

• our primary battle is to “roll..back the demonic realm of ignorance, fear, and superstition”
• the demonic realm is vanquished by mockery
• to drive satan from us we ridicule him
• the historic connections the author seeks to make...all without and evidence…
• how the author can not “explain” things associated with the Druids

Romans 12
 1 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

• present our bodies a living and holy sacrifice
• do not be conformed to the world (do not put on the “mask” of the world)
• be transformed (same Greek word by which we get “metamorphosis”) by the renewing of your mind
• prove the will of God...that which is good, acceptable and perfect

(List from http://www.christiananswers.net/q-eden/halloween.html)

Let us remember “who we are” in the Lord.

We are not to put on the mask of the world.
We are to pursue and press on in the power of the Lord, not the power of ridicule or mockery.

Sadly, most of the professing church will be play-acting and partying while the kingdom of darkness grows.

Still, we know that Christ is victorious.

We rest in Him.

Seek Him.

See what He says to you…

Blessings!!

Ephesians 1

In love
5 He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will,
6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. 7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace
8 which He lavished on us.

Note what the Lord has done…

• predestined us to adoption
• adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself
• this was before the foundation of the world, vs. 4

• according to the kind intention of His will
• to the praise of the glory of His grace

• grace which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved

• redemption...in Him through His blood
• forgiveness of our trespasses...according to the riches of His grace...not partial forgiveness...forgiveness without limit...as is His grace
• grace...His grace lavished upon us

• spiritual blessings
• redemption
• love
• grace
• mercy
• forgiveness

• according to the kind intention of His will
• forgiveness

Ephesians 1

 1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
   To the saints who are at Ephesus and who are faithful in Christ Jesus:

2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
 
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,

4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him.

Do not read too quickly through Paul’s greeting to the Believers in Ephesus. Read verses 1-2 again.

Paul knew who he was in Christ.
Paul knew what his calling from the Lord.

He was an apostle of Christ Jesus - one sent.
This was by the “will of God.”

We will see the phrase “the will of God” again.
Pay attention.
There is much to glean.

Many ask what “the will of God” is in their lives.
We will see…
Also, keep this in mind…

1 Thessalonians 5

16 Rejoice always;
17 pray without ceasing;
18 in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

God’s will lies in Christ Jesus.
We are to rejoice in Him, pray without ceasing, give thanks in everything.

So, Paul speaks grace and peace upon them.
We should do likewise with one another.

This is not just a cursory greeting or proclamation.

Blessing or curse comes from the tongue.

Speak forth blessing, grace and peace upon folk and situations and watch what happens.

Paul then blesses/worships the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ for what He has done.
What has the Lord done?

• He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.

• He (Father) has chosen us in Him (Jesus) before the foundation of the world…

• We are chosen before the foundation of the world that we would be holy and blameless before Him…

Jeremiah 26

 1 In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came from the LORD, saying,
2 “Thus says the LORD, ‘Stand in the court of the LORD’S house, and speak to all the cities of Judah who have come to worship in the LORD’S house all the words that I have commanded you to speak to them. Do not omit a word!
3 Perhaps they will listen and everyone will turn from his evil way, that I may repent of the calamity which I am planning to do to them because of the evil of their deeds.’
4 And you will say to them, ‘Thus says the LORD, “If you will not listen to Me, to walk in My law which I have set before you,
5 to listen to the words of My servants the prophets, whom I have been sending to you again and again, but you have not listened;
6 then I will make this house like Shiloh, and this city I will make a curse to all the nations of the earth.”’”

Note the detail of the Lord’s instruction:

• stand in the court of the Lord’s house
• speak to all the cities of Judah who have come to worship
• speak all the words I have commanded you
• do not omit a word

• if you will not listen to Me, to walk in My law...listen to the words of My servants the prophets...I have sent again and again…
• I will make this house like Shiloh...destroyed by the hand of the Lord

• seek first the Kingdom of God

Matthew 6
33 But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

• pursue holiness

• love the Lord

• love one another

• die to self

• pray without ceasing

• abide in the Lord

• trust in the Lord

• know His Word

1 Corinthians 3

1 And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ.
2 I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able,
3 for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men?

Hebrews 5

12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food.
13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant.
14 But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.

We have a tremendous blessing in the Word.
We have the Word in more “versions” and translations than ever.
We have the Word available in a multitude of formats...written, audio, video, mp3, mp4…

But, the sad reality is that most true believers do not intake the Word.

Most do not turn to the Lord to…
...learn of Him
...to know Him
...to seek wisdom
...to seek knowledge
...to seek illumination
...to seek strength and power
I could continue on…

We must immerse ourselves in the Lord…
...in His Word
...in His Spirit
...abiding in Him.

Therefore, get in the Word.

You need it today.
You are really gonna need it in the near future…

Another quick announcement…

I am beginning, this week, a totally revolutionary way of learning to play the piano.
Contact me if you have ever been interested in playing...you are never too old!

Blessings!

Dale

(Facebook friends...go to http://www.dalemoore.tv to read the above with hyperlinks...follow ‘em)

Acts 17
1 Now when they had traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews.

2 And according to Paul’s custom, he went to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures,

3 explaining and giving evidence that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the Christ.”

4 And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with a large number of the God-fearing Greeks and a number of the leading women.

5 But the Jews, becoming jealous and taking along some wicked men from the market place, formed a mob and set the city in an uproar; and attacking the house of Jason, they were seeking to bring them out to the people.

6 When they did not find them, they began dragging Jason and some brethren before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have upset the world have come here also;

7 and Jason has welcomed them, and they all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.”

8 They stirred up the crowd and the city authorities who heard these things.

9 And when they had received a pledge from Jason and the others, they released them.
Paul at Berea
 
10 The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea...

We have examined a portion of this before - verse 6…”these men who have upset the world” (turned the world upside down - KJV).

I want us to see the context for a passage from 2 Thessalonians, so hang on.

Paul and friends entered the city.
They went to the temple, as was their habit.
They reasoned from the Scriptures - the Old Testament - for 3 Sabbaths - 2-4 weeks.
Paul explained from the Scripture that the Christ must suffer and rise again from the dead.
He explained this was fulfilled in Jesus.

Note what happens…
- Some of the Jews believed.
- A large number of the God-fearing Greeks (who would have been outside of the Jewish meeting area listening through the lattice…) believed.
- A number of the leading women believed.

The Jewish leadership?

• They became jealous.
• They moved on this jealousy - hired wicked men from the market, formed a mob, and set forth an uproar in the city
• They sought Paul and Silas and upon not finding them punished Jason, who had housed Paul and the group

• parable of the Fig Tree
• historical example of the people in the days of Noah
• two men in the field
• two women grinding at the mill

Matthew 24
42 Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming.

Jesus then speaks of…

• the head of the house and the thief in the middle of the night
• the faithful/sensible slave vs. the evil slave
• parable of the virgins

• have you confessed and repented of sin?
• have you been born-again?

• We are about to resume our Bible study gatherings...will be doing a 7-week course called “The Good, the Bad, the Ugly”. Come and study with us. Let me know ASAP if you desire to participate...will order workbooks this weekend. We meet on Mondays, 5:30 pm and Tuesdays, 9 am. Same lesson both times. We will begin the week of August 8. Contact me for more information.

• Beginning the week of August 8 I will begin teaching piano a totally different way. SimplyMusic. If you have wanted to play piano, then you need to examine this. Contact me for more than you will want to know. :) :)

Deutoronomy 18
10 There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, one who uses divination, one who practices witchcraft, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer,
11 or one who casts a spell, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead.
12 For whoever does these things is detestable to the LORD; and because of these detestable things the LORD your God will drive them out before you.
13 You shall be blameless before the LORD your God.

We are not to practice witchcraft...even the passive practice of observation in the form of “amusement” and “entertainment”.

We are to give no entry to the Kingdom of Darkness…
We are to not compromise with Darkness…

2 Corinthians 6
14 Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?
15 Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever?

Ephesians 5
11 Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them;
12 for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret.

We are not to be “entertained” by darkness…rather, we are to know where the struggle lies… we are to be equipped with the armor of God.

Ephesians 6
11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.
12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.
13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.

The Lord tells us to…

• resist the enemy
• stand firm
• not compromise
• whatsover…

2 Corinthians 6
 1 Working together with Him, we also appeal to you: "Don't receive God's grace in vain."
2 For He says:
    In an acceptable time, I heard you,
    and in the day of salvation, I helped you.
    Look, now is the acceptable time; look, now is the day of salvation.

Those who are ready have hope.
Believers who remain have hope.
The world knows not this hope.

1 Thessalonians 4
13 We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, concerning those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve like the rest, who have no hope.

So, do what the Lord commands - examine yourself.

2 Corinthians 12
5 Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you fail the test?
6 But I trust that you will realize that we ourselves do not fail the test.

Wait not...

1 Thessalonians 4
 13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

“Them which are asleep” refers to believers that have died physically.
We are told to “sorrow not” as those who have no hope.

We have hope.
What is the Hope?
What is the source of comfort?

1 Thessalonians 4
 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
 15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
 16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
 18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

Our hope is the resurrected Jesus.
Our hope is that we will be with Him.
Our hope is that “them also which sleep in Jesus” are with God and will be brought with God - we will be with them and Him.
Our hope is the Lord’s return.

We are commanded to comfort one another with these words.

Jesus understands.
He wept.

John 11
35 Jesus wept.

The encounter of Jesus with Lazarus is amazing...we will look at it some other time.
For now, note that Jesus wept, not necessarily because of Lazarus’ death. Jesus knew what Father was instructing Him to do.

John 11
33 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled.

Jesus was moved by the weeping.
He understands.

Of course, we grieve our temporary separation from Jane, yet we grieve not as those who have hope.

We grieve with joy - the joy that passes understanding.
We grieve, filled with the peace of God.

Philippians 4:7
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

We pray with/for the family.
We rejoice in a life well-lived before the Lord.
We rest in this truth…

Psalm 116
15 Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.

Michael knows this.
Susan knows this.

Do you?

Blessings!

2 Corinthians 6
14 Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?
15 Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever?

There is either holiness or unholiness.

1 Peter 1
 15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
 16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

There is either living in the spirit or in the flesh.

1 Peter 4
5 Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead.
 6 For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.
 7 But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.

There is either “fruit of the Spirit” or “works of the flesh”.

Galatians 5
19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
 24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
 26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

There is either pursuit of the Kingdom of God or pursuit of the world.

Matthew 6
 31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

There is either life in God or death to sin/self.

Romans 6
10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.
 11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
 12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.


There is either abiding in the Lord or having not God

John 15:4
Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.

2 John 1
7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist.
8 Watch yourselves, that you do not lose what we have accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward.
9 Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son.
10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting;
11 for the one who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds.

No “balance” between these.

Now, I know that folk are often referring to the balance between “church”, job, family, etc. In other words, life.

But there is the mistake.

The only balance in the life of the true Believer is…

• complete submission to the Lord
• walking daily in death to self, alive in God
• walking in the life of the Spirit
• pursuing the Kingdom and His righteousness
• manifesting the fruit of the Spirit
• abiding in the Lord

Galatians 5
1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.

Christ has set us free.
He made us free.

Our response?

We are to stand fast in this liberty.
Do not be distracted by the ways of the world or of the religious man.

We are to be certain to be not entangled again with a yoke of bondage.

The situation being addressed with the the church in Galatia was that of circumcision.

Some were teaching that to “be in Christ” one must first be circumcised - be a Jew.

They were attempting to be justified through the Law.

The Spirit through Paul says - “no.”

Galatians 5
2 Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing.
3 And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law.
4 You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.
5 For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.
6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.

We are saved by grace - not grace + law.
We live by grace - not grace + law.

Some will say that the church has no struggle with such today.
Not true.

The spirit of the law is strong and prevalent.

It is seen in the man-made “covenants and oaths” that many “churches” require.
It is seen in the rules and regulations established by man - none found in the Word.

We have been called to liberty, not the bondage of man “in the name of the Lord.”

But, we are not to use liberty for the desires of the flesh…

Galatians 5
13 For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
15 But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!

In our liberty we are to love, honor and serve one another.
This is the fulfillment of the Law - Love your neighbor as yourself.

Let us do so now.
Do not bite.
Do not devour one another.
Do not consume one another.
Love one another.

Pray especially for Jane - recovering from medical procedure to remove a small blood clot on the brain after a fall.

Also, pray for Buddy - procedure Wednesday…

Blessings!

• He was a slave/bond-servant of the Lord Jesus...an amazing description considering he was the earthly brother of Jesus…”the brother of James”
• He was humble in describing himself this way
• He heard the Spirit
• He was an encourager
• He was an exhorter
• He was a speaker of the Truth
• He was a contender
• He knew the Word
• He proclaimed the Word
• He spoke prophetically

Jude
1 Jude, a bond-servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James,
   To those who are the called, beloved in God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ:
2 May mercy and peace and love be multiplied to you.
 3 Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints.
4 For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

“Our” Jude was born for such a time as this.
His timing, His life, His purpose is no accident in the eyes of the Lord.
He will be a vessel of the Most High God to lead many to salvation, to confront evil, to speak the Truth.

May we do likewise.

Remember, we are…

• called
• beloved in God the Father
• kept for Jesus Christ

• Jude wanted to write about “our common salvation”
• He then felt it necessary to appeal that we “contend earnestly for the faith”
• Why? Certain ungodly persons have crept in.

• family of Lisa in her homegoing
• Elijah, recovering from pitbull attack
• John

Matthew 22

41 Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question:
42 “What do you think about the Christ, whose son is He?” They *said to Him, “The son of David.”
43 He said to them, “Then how does David in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord,’ saying,
   44 ‘THE LORD SAID TO MY LORD, “SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND, UNTIL I PUT YOUR ENEMIES BENEATH YOUR FEET”’?
   45 If David then calls Him ‘Lord,’ how is He his son?”
46 No one was able to answer Him a word, nor did anyone dare from that day on to ask Him another question.

Jesus never backed off.

He pressed in when dealing with evil, deception and the spirit of religion.

Jesus asked a simple question.
They all agreed on the answer - The Christ would be from the line of David.

Then, the turn…”how does David in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord”, saying…”

Jesus quoted the Word…

Psalm 110
1 The LORD says to my Lord:
“Sit at My right hand
Until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.”

The Lord revealed the limitation of man’s “logical” understanding.
None could answer Him.

From that day forward none would ask Him a question.
I believe this refers to the Pharisees, Sadducees and lawyers.

They had interpreted the Word with their own ability and had totally missed the need for God to enable/reveal interpretation.

They knew that Jesus was answering from a different place - not from the logic of man, but from the Word of God spoken through One empowered by God.

There is nothing more powerful.

There reaction was to kill Jesus.

Press on in the Word.
Press on in manifesting the power of God.

May we live as Jesus did.
Knowing how the world will react...

Blessings!

Do you use a smartphone (cell phone)?

How about learning something new over the long weekend?

Setup a “twitter” account? (Click the blue words for helpful links)
If you can do email, you can do twitter.

Then search for these names and follow me…
dalealanmoore - my personal account...all sorts of stuff
jubileecullman - things happening at Jubilee
prayerline - prayer requests
victoryparkmusic - stuff related to Victory Park - worship group

Matthew 22
15 Then the Pharisees went and plotted how to trap Him by what He said.
16 They sent their disciples to Him, with the Herodians. "Teacher," they said, "we know that You are truthful and teach truthfully the way of God. You defer to no one, for You don't show partiality.
17 Tell us, therefore, what You think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not?"
    18 But perceiving their malice, Jesus said, "Why are you testing Me, hypocrites?
19 Show Me the coin used for the tax." So they brought Him a denarius.
20 "Whose image and inscription is this?" He asked them.
    21 "Caesar's," they said to Him.
    Then He said to them, "Therefore, give back to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's."
22 When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left Him and went away.

The Pharisees declared (though out of a malicious intent) the character of Jesus...

• You are Truthful
• You teach truthfully the way of God
• You defer to no one
• You do not show partiality

• You are deceived

• • Because you do not know the Scriptures
• • Because you do not know the power of God

• Love God
• Love your neighbor

• We were somewhat effected by the bad weather of April 27, 2011...but nothing to compare to most...were without power for 8 days...most trees down...huge mess, but, thank the Lord for old friends with really huge tools...yard basically cleaned up. Thanks Eddie and crew...and Randy. Thanks to cousin Lance, Associate Pastor of FBC Trussville, AL...brought us a generator.

• Lenee birthed little Jude on May 15...8 lbs, 1 oz...grandbaby #9...all is well… we are in NC visiting them for a few days…

• I’ve discovered a new tool..trying it out…join me… http://jubilee.sochurch.com/ I plan to incorporate it in communicating with Jubilee, Precept studies, TV programs, etc. This is unlike anything else available.

• Just learned last evening that TV27 is up and broadcasting...over cable. The Cullman tornado destroyed the TV27 tower. Also tore the roof off the station location. They have relocated temporarily. Pray for Michael, Danny and Windell...the amount of work they have done is amazing. “Prayerline” and “Answers” are in reruns the next couple of weeks...live programs to resume the week of June 6.

• You will note that I have had little to say about the entire Harold Camping/Rapture/Judgment incident. Heard about it last year. If you have been with us for awhile you know that we spend much time examining the Word about end-time matters. The Word warns us…

Matthew 24
 4 And Jesus answered and said to them, "See to it that no one misleads you.
 5 "For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will mislead many.

Matthew 7:15
"Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.

Matthew 24:11
"Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many.

Matthew 24:24
"For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect.

2 Peter 2:1
But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves.

1 John 4:1
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

Such will increase.
Many will be deceived.
Many Believers will be deceived because they do not know the Word and they do not walk in the Spirit.

Be not among those unprepared.
Determine to know the Word of the Lord.
Determine to walk in the Spirit of the Lord.

Blessings!

http://www.tvguide.com/News/Dr-Oz-Says-1030667.aspx

Not “John Edwards” the slimy, former North Carolina senator and presidential candidate.

John Edward - the “famed psychic medium.” He hosts the program “Crossing Over”.
He is known for his precise insight into people’s lives. He hears voices, then communicates what he hears.

Often people think that Edward’s abilities are fraudulent. They are not. They are real.

Dr. Oz states that his time with Edward “changed my life.” He goes on to say that “...what John Edward does can also open up a whole new vista of healing opportunities. Again, I don't understand it. It's completely weird to me. But it's also very, very exciting. And I want to know more.”

What does this have to do with the church being deceived?

“Pastor” Rick Warren of Saddleback Church has teamed with Dr. Oz and other worldly credentialed men to develop what they call “The Daniel Plan”...a system of weight loss/enhanced health.

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/warren-283583-plan-church.html
http://www.christiannewswire.com/news/5298615912.html
http://christianresearchnetwork.com/?cat=956


A prominent leader within the Body of Christ knowingly seeks the wisdom of the world thereby denying the faith.

It gets worse.

I said that what Edward does is real.

It is.

When Edward hears voices they are voices of demons, the minions of the evil one. These demons are communicating with the demons of the individuals to whom Edwards is “helping.” The information they communicate can be highly accurate.

Now, I know some folk do not believe that such exists.
If is does not, then why did the Lord tell us not to participate in such?

Leviticus 19
 31 'Do not turn to mediums or spiritists; do not seek them out to be defiled by them. I am the LORD your God.

Leviticus 20
6 'As for the person who turns to mediums and to spiritists, to play the harlot after them, I will also set My face against that person and will cut him off from among his people.

Deuteronomy 18
 10 "There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, one who uses divination, one who practices witchcraft, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer,
 11 or one who casts a spell, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead.
 12 "For whoever does these things is detestable to the LORD; and because of these detestable things the LORD your God will drive them out before you.

We are to have nothing to do with such.

I do hope that Warren is explaining to Dr. Oz that what is “real and accurate” arises from the evil one.

I do hope that Warren will reconsider his association with varied folk…(Dr. Keith Ablow, psychiatrist and member of FoxNews “Medical A Team”, is also involved with this...co-writing books, etc.)

2 Corinthians 6
 13 Now for a recompence in the same, (I speak as unto my children,) be ye also enlarged.
 14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
 15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?

Allow me to take this a step further.

One of the reasons that the church is open to this type of deception is that a large portion of the church has rejected the Truth of the Lord.

They have rejected the gifts of the Spirit.
They reject the empowering work of the Spirit.

1 Corinthians 12
 1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant.
 2 Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led.
 3 Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.
 4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
 5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.
 6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.
 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.
 8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
 9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
 10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:
 11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.
 12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
 13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
 14 For the body is not one member, but many.

Much of the church has rejected the gifts of the Spirit related to word of wisdom, words of knowledge, discerning of spirits and healing. In rejecting these, we allow the evil one to present a false emulation to the world.

I believe that if we were to live as we see in 1 Corinthians 12, the world would flock to the Lord.

But, most do this...they say 1 Cor. 12 is not for today, 1 Cor. 13 is for today (“love” chapter), 1 Cor. 14 is not for today (tongues/prophecy), 1 Cor. 15 is (resurrection).

The Word can not be rightly handled in this manner.

Because of this, many within the church have no defense for what is happening. They are living without the power of the Spirit.

So, what do we do?

Know the Word.
Believe the Word.
Live according to the Word.
Allow the Spirit to move within you as He desires.
Be not deceived.
See to it that no one deceives you.

Blessings!

Proverbs 24
17 Do not rejoice when your enemy falls,
         And do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles;
    18 Or the LORD will see it and be displeased,
         And turn His anger away from him.

We are not to rejoice...gloat.
We must watch our heart… no schadenfreuden - “pleasure derived from the misfortunes of others” Audio

Why?

Lest the Lord see and be displeased.
It does not please the Lord when we rejoice in a stumbling enemy.
We might be the cause of the Lord turning his anger away from the enemy.

Never forget.
The Lord created each human.
The Lord loves each without measure.

May we do likewise.

Blessings!

Nahum 1

2 jealous and avenging God is the LORD;
         The LORD is avenging and wrathful
         The LORD takes vengeance on His adversaries,
         And He reserves wrath for His enemies.
    3 The LORD is slow to anger and great in power,
         And the LORD will by no means leave the guilty unpunished
         In whirlwind and storm is His way,
         And clouds are the dust beneath His feet.
    4 He rebukes the sea and makes it dry;
         He dries up all the rivers
         Bashan and Carmel wither;
         The blossoms of Lebanon wither.
    5 Mountains quake because of Him
         And the hills dissolve;
         Indeed the earth is upheaved by His presence,
         The world and all the inhabitants in it.
    6 Who can stand before His indignation?
         Who can endure the burning of His anger?
         His wrath is poured out like fire
         And the rocks are broken up by Him.
    7 The LORD is good,
         A stronghold in the day of trouble,
         And He knows those who take refuge in Him.
    8 But with an overflowing flood
         He will make a complete end of its site,
         And will pursue His enemies into darkness.

My thoughts are always guided toward the great example we have in the Word related to such situations - Job.

Job was a righteous man. He was blameless, upright, fearing God and turned away from evil. Job 1:1

Job had done “nothing wrong.”

God simply said to satan, “Have you considered my servant Job...?”.

Thus the account of Job begins.

You likely know it. It would be good to read it again...at least chapters 1-3, 37+.

Job endured horrible things.
None of his doing.
None “his fault”.

Why?

Chapters 37-42 of Job gives us amazing insight into the character and way of God.
Do read them soon.

As for now in our brief time...consider...

Job 37
  5 "God thunders with His voice wondrously,
         Doing great things which we cannot comprehend.

We will not always understand the things that God does.

Remember the Lord’s Word in Isaiah…

Isaiah 55
  8 "For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
         Nor are your ways My ways," declares the LORD.
    9 "For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
         So are My ways higher than your ways
         And My thoughts than your thoughts.

Now, give heed to this passage…

Job 37
   11 "Also with moisture He loads the thick cloud;
         He disperses the cloud of His lightning.
    12 "It changes direction, turning around by His guidance,
         That it may do whatever He commands it
         On the face of the inhabited earth.
    13 "Whether for correction, or for His world,
         Or for lovingkindness, He causes it to happen.

Break it down…

The Lord loads the thick cloud.
The Lord disperses the cloud of His lightning.
The lightning is the Lord’s.
The lightning changes direction, turning around by His guidance.
The cloud/lightning do whatever the Lord commands it to do on the face of the earth.
Whether for:

• • correction
• • for His world
• • for lovingkindness

Nisan 13
Our Monday sunset to Tuesday sunset

We are drawing near…

The portion of the Word related to events that occurred on this day is extensive, yes, and long. Take the time to read through the passages. Meditate upon them. You will get a true understanding of what the Lord endured in these days.

Matthew 21:23-26:13 or http://tinyurl.com/3nnlw84
Mark 11:20-14:9 or http://tinyurl.com/3wtsqp3
Luke 20:1-21:38 or http://tinyurl.com/3j3rwq4

A view notes…

• Jesus was in Jerusalem again, teaching in the Temple
• Jesus was sharing parables and answering questions
• Jesus gives tremendous insight into things yet to come
• “After two days is the Passover…” timing element…
• Note the heart of the Lord for the people
• Note the vigor with which He addressed the religious rulers - “hypocrites”!

http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/us/patriots-day

Sadly, most have never heard of such.

Look at some of the things that occurred on this day in the past…(keep in mind that the Wikipedia articles can be biased in varied ways...but are useful for a jumping off point in research...and for basic event info)

• American revolution began in 1775, battles of Lexington and Concord

• Baltimore riot of 1861 - pro-secession group in Baltimore attacks U.S. Army troops marching through the city

• Warsaw Ghetto Uprising in 1943 (an amazing event of which most have never heard)

• Bay of Pigs ended in “success for the defenders”...love that description, I guess “defeat for the aggressors” is politically incorrect.

• Covenant, the Sword and the Arm of the Lord sieged by FBI - 1985 No, I do not agree with the group’s “theology and practice”, nor do I advocate government attacks.

• Branch Davidian compound was attacked, gassed, burned in 1993

• Murrah building in Oklahoma city was bombed, 1995

Deuteronomy 29:29
 The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.

It is now Nisan 12.
Two days to Nisan 14, Passover.

Nisan 12, Third Day Before Passover
Our Sunday sunset to Monday sunset

Read the following portions of the Word
(Remember, clicking the passage will open it, if you are online. Facebook readers, go to http://www.dalemoore.tv for active links.)

Matthew 21:18-22
Mark 11:12-19
Luke 19:45-48
John 12:20-50

Conner gives this brief outline to the events of the day…

• in the morning (our Monday a.m) the Lord returns to Jerusalem
• the fig-tree cursed
• the temple, further cleansing (the whole thought of repeated cleansing is interesting)
• in the temple, further teaching “certain Greeks”
• opposition of the rulers
• Jesus goes out of the city (probably to Bethany)

• began to seek how to destroy Him
• they were afraid of Him
• because the whole crowds were astonished at His teaching
• Luke tells us that the people were hanging on to very word He said

• the hour is come, that the Son of Man should be glorified
• corn of wheat die...much fruit
• he that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal
• if any man serve me, let him follow me
• now my soul is troubled…
• Father, glorify Thy name… God responds from heaven!
• now is the judgment of this world
• now shall the prince of this world be cast out
• I will be lifted up from the earth.. signifies the type of death

Nisan 11th, the fourth day before Passover
Our Saturday sunset to Sunday sunset, the Gentile “Palm Sunday”

Three of the gospels speak to events of this day.

Mark 11:1-11
Luke 19:29-44
John 12:12-19

Read the passages.
Seek the Lord.

Some, including Kevin Conner who I mentioned I am following with this chronology, believe that we see a “second” entry into Jerusalem - this one being what we call the “triumphant entry”. I am not certain of this, but it is worthy of consideration. They believe that the Lord went into Jerusalem from Bethphage the first time, then Bethany the second.

We see in these passages that the Lord weeps over Jerusalem.
He enters the temple.
He returns to Bethany.

A couple of other things should be noted.

The Pharisees were among the multitude. When they saw the people giving praise and adoration to Jesus they approached Jesus and told him to rebuke his disciples. Jesus’ response is amazing…”if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.”

Jesus then wept over the city.
If only they had accepted the peace of the Lord.
Now, such was hidden from their eyes.

The Lord then declared/prophesied what would happen to Jerusalem..

• days shall come
• enemies will cast a trench about them
• encircle them on every side
• lay them to the ground...children included
• not a stone left upon another
• because they did not recognize the time of their visitation

Nisan 10th, the fifth day before Passover
Our Friday sunset to Saturday sunset

This was the weekly Sabbath.
As one would expect, the Lord “did” little this day.

John 12:1-11

John 12
 1 Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead.
 2 There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him.
 3 Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.
 4 Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray him,
 5 Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?
 6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.
 7 Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this.
 8 For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always.
 9 Much people of the Jews therefore knew that he was there: and they came not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead.
 10 But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death;
 11 Because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus.

- The Lord passes the Sabbath at Bethany
- After sunset, likely the sunset after the Sabbath - our Saturday, the first of three suppers was made, probably at the house of Lazarus, Bethany.
- At the supper the first of two anointings took place.

Mary gave from her heart.
She gave much from a material sense.
The anointing of Jesus’ feet, the wiping with her hair, the house filled with the odor of the ointment, paint a picture of intimate repentance before the Lord.

Of course, the “religious mindset” rises up.

Judas Iscariot - Simon’s son - one described as “betrayer”, “carer not for the poor” and “thief”, protested.

Would not the value of the ointment be better used for the poor?

Judas did not care. Note how he gave an immediate appraisal of the value of the “wasted” ointment. He did care about the money - he “had the bag, and bare what was put therein” - the disciples treasurer. He wanted the money.

We hear the same today within political discourse.

Everything is done “for the children.”

The reality is that Judas did not care for the poor.
The reality is that Judas was a thief.
The reality is that Judas is a betrayer.

The amazing, mysterious reality is that Jesus knew all this about Judas, and loved him.

Jesus calmly (at least in my reading :)) tells Judas to leave her alone, then, explains what just happened.

Mary had done this “against the day of my burying…”
The NASB translates “so that she may keep it for the day of My burial.”

Jesus is telling them that his death is upcoming...soon.
He is telling them that this is part of the preparation.

Then, the Lord says this…

For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always.

Many have attempted to color Jesus as cold and callous in this statement.
Not true.
This is simply as statement of fact of His impending departure.
There is a time for everything.

A large crowd of Jews gathered, hearing that Jesus was there and Lazarus.
Lazarus was a major attraction - the man raised from the dead.

The chief priests were incensed - as “religious” leadership always is when the power and attention is moving away from them.

Many of the Jews were deserting them and believing Jesus.

They decided to kill Lazarus.

There is something strangely, sadly humorous here.

They were angry because folk wanted to see someone who had been raised from the dead. They were angry because many Jews were believing Jesus. The chief priests response? - “Let’s kill him”.

Yep. That will prove that you are more powerful. You can kill.

But, what do you do with someone who can bring them back to life?

Curious.

...continued...

Nisan 9th would be the sixth day before Passover
Our Thursday sunset to Friday sunset

Luke 19 and Matthew 21 cover events of this day. Read the passages.
Give close attention to travel flow, geography, city, etc.
Note the folk Jesus encounters.
Note what He does.

The Lord approaches Jerusalem from Jericho - Luke 19:1-10
He passes our Thursday night at the house of Zacchaeus - Luke 19:5
He delivers the Parable of the Mina - Luke 19:11-27
He proceeds toward Jerusalem - Luke 19:28
He sends two disciples for an ass and a colt - Matthew 21:1-7
He makes His first entry from Bethphage (not Bethany) - Matthew 21:8-9
He is unexpected and they ask “Who is this?” - Matthew 21:10-11
He cleanses the temple - Matthew 21:12-16
He returns to Bethany - Matthew 21:17

Zacchaeus the chief tax collector, a sinner...Jesus stayed with him.
We learn that “the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

Jesus tells the Parable of the Mina…
Jesus heads toward Jerusalem…

Jesus instructs two disciples as to where to go and what they will find - “into the village opposite you” ...an ass and colt. Word of Knowledge? Revelation from Father.
Definitely fulfillment of prophecy.

The Crowd...most spread their coats in the road...branches on the road...shouting “Hosanna…”

Who is this?
Prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.

Jesus enters the temple and drives out those who were buying and selling.
“My house shall be called a house of prayer, but you are making it a robber’s den”.

Note the next verse…

“And the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them.”

(I suspect that the blind and lame are not healed among us because of the shenanigans of the robber’s den. It is time to cleanse the household of faith. Let us begin with ourselves.)

Of course, the religious leadership - the chief priests and scribes - became indignant when they saw “the wonderful things that He had done, and the children who were shouting in the temple, “Hosanna to the Son of David”.

Jesus’ reply to the indignant leadership?
“Yes, have you never read ‘Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies You have prepared praise for Yourself’?”

A busy day in the life of the Savior.
A day of praise, adoration and rejoicing.
A day of wonder.
A day of building turmoil.

Six days before the Passover…

...continued...

 Luke 23
54 It was the preparation day, and the Sabbath was about to begin.

The phrase “the preparation day” is a key.

Remember, the Jewish day began at 6 p.m. until 6 p.m. the next day - evening and morning.

The day of preparation was Nisan 14th, the Passover day. On this day they would prepare for the Passover meal. The lamb would be sacrificed by the family in “the evening”...mid-afternoon.

Jesus fulfilled this.

He was on the cross from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. on Nisan 14th, the day of Passover.

After the Passover meal was prepared, they sat to partake...in the evening, as the calendar day turned to Nisan 15th, the first day of Unleavened Bread - a holy convocation.

This is the reason that we see the phrase “feast of Unleavened Bread” and “Passover” used synonymously in the Gospels. It became somewhat like what we experience when we say “the holidays” - meaning Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year.

So, upon what day was the Lord crucified?
Nisan 14th. Our Wednesday.

Now, some will say “but I thought that the Jews consider a portion of a day to be counted as a day…?”

This is true.

But, the Lord specifically stated…

Matthew 12
39 But He answered and said to them, "An evil and adulterous generation craves for a sign; and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet;
 40 for just as JONAH WAS THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS IN THE BELLY OF THE SEA MONSTER, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

Jesus speaks of three full days and three full nights.
This is enlightening.
This is not a portion of a day.

Conclusion:

The last week of Jesus’ life contained two sabbaths - the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread and the weekly sabbath.

Jesus was place in the tomb “before the sabbath” - the Feast of Unleavened Bread (our Wed. 6 p.m. - Thu. 6 p.m.)
Jesus was resurrected on the “morrow after the sabbath” - the weekly sabbath (our Friday 6 p.m. - Saturday 6 p.m.) More on this later.

A question might come to mind...what meal did the Lord have with His disciples? Was the last meal the Passover meal?

Jesus did not eat the traditional “Passover” meal. He was the Passover lamb. He established something else. The sacrifice and eating of the lamb was replaced with the remembrance of His broken Body and shed blood.

A quick word of warning...

Do not get arrogant and puffed up. Do not go out and start the “First Church of Correct Passion Chronology”. Simply rejoice in the Lord and the Glory of His way. Know that there is tremendous fruit and blessing in handling accurately the Word of Truth.

More…

Blessings!

Romans 14
 4 Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.
 5 One person regards one day above another, another regards every day alike Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind.
 6 He who observes the day, observes it for the Lord, and he who eats, does so for the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who eats not, for the Lord he does not eat, and gives thanks to God.

“Easter” was actually a fertility celebration...new life...spring, etc. That is the reason that the world has associated eggs, rabbits and the like with the day.

True Believers know that we celebrate the resurrection of the Lord with every breath we breathe.

Several questions have come my way of late.
We will look at them.

The following is often asked...

Why is Easter on different days?
What determines the date?

The short answer is that the Sunday of Easter is always the Sunday immediately following the Paschal full-moon after the vernal (spring) equinox.

Glad that is clarified, huh? :)

The long answer is far more complicated and gives understanding as to why the Greek Orthodox tradition has Easter some 13 days later than we do...but that is a story for another time.

The institutional church sought to keep the date of Easter aligned with the Jewish Feast of Passover.

Often it is said that Passover changes date from year to year...read that in several sources. This is wrong.

Passover is to be celebrated on the 14th day of Nisan. Hebrew calendar, not our Gregorian (nor the Greek Orthodox Julian).

I am convinced that complete understanding of what the Lord reveals in His Word will shed much light on all things. Such is the case here.

One can not fully understand the last days of the Lord on the earth if one is ignorant of the Feasts of the Lord.

One can not fully understand the last days that we are living in if we are ignorant of the Feasts.

One will not understand the days yet to come if unacquainted with the Feasts.

The Lord gave Israel 7 Feasts to celebrated on an annual basis.
They are often called the “Feasts of Israel” though the “Feasts of the Lord” would be more accurate.

Now, take a few moments to read this passage...it is not that long…most of us will spend more time watching tv commercials today than it takes to read this… :) :)

Leviticus 23
1 The LORD spoke again to Moses, saying,
 2 "Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, 'The LORD'S appointed times which you shall proclaim as holy convocations--My appointed times are these:
 3 'For six days work may be done, but on the seventh day there is a sabbath of complete rest, a holy convocation. You shall not do any work; it is a sabbath to the LORD in all your dwellings.

Verses 1-3 explain the weekly sabbath. This is important...

 4 'These are the appointed times of the LORD, holy convocations which you shall proclaim at the times appointed for them.
 5 'In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at twilight is the LORD'S Passover.

You see the repeated descriptions…”appointed times of the Lord”, “holy convocations”.
Watch them.
“Holy convocation” is a “sabbath” day. Hummmm...

Verses 4-5 describe Passover - Nisan 14.

 6 'Then on the fifteenth day of the same month there is the Feast of Unleavened Bread to the LORD; for seven days you shall eat unleavened bread.
 7 'On the first day you shall have a holy convocation; you shall not do any laborious work.
 8 'But for seven days you shall present an offering by fire to the LORD. On the seventh day is a holy convocation; you shall not do any laborious work.'"
 
Verses 6-8 describe the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
Note “holy convocation”. This is important.
Why?

Ok, I’ll drop the bomb.

Jesus was not crucified on what we call “Good Friday.”

Now, I hasten to say that this is nothing to separate fellowship over...I still participate in “Good Friday” gatherings, but, why not handle accurately the Word of Truth?

Again, Jesus was not crucified on Friday.

That should set off several questions in your mind.
It should also answer a couple. :)
Answers are to be found in this passage.
We will pick this up later...

9 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
 10 "Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, 'When you enter the land which I am going to give to you and reap its harvest, then you shall bring in the sheaf of the first fruits of your harvest to the priest.
 11 'He shall wave the sheaf before the LORD for you to be accepted; on the day after the sabbath the priest shall wave it.
 12 'Now on the day when you wave the sheaf, you shall offer a male lamb one year old without defect for a burnt offering to the LORD.
 13 'Its grain offering shall then be two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil, an offering by fire to the LORD for a soothing aroma, with its drink offering, a fourth of a hin of wine.
 14' Until this same day, until you have brought in the offering of your God, you shall eat neither bread nor roasted grain nor new growth. It is to be a perpetual statute throughout your generations in all your dwelling places.

Verses 9-14 explain the Feast of First Fruits...the one you rarely hear about.
Very important!
Note the timing…”when you enter the land” - so they did not celebrate this during the wilderness years… “on the day after the sabbath”… Hummmm...


 15 'You shall also count for yourselves from the day after the sabbath, from the day when you brought in the sheaf of the wave offering; there shall be seven complete sabbaths.
 16 'You shall count fifty days to the day after the seventh sabbath; then you shall present a new grain offering to the LORD.
 17 'You shall bring in from your dwelling places two loaves of bread for a wave offering, made of two-tenths of an ephah; they shall be of a fine flour, baked with leaven as first fruits to the LORD.
 18 'Along with the bread you shall present seven one year old male lambs without defect, and a bull of the herd and two rams; they are to be a burnt offering to the LORD, with their grain offering and their drink offerings, an offering by fire of a soothing aroma to the LORD.
 19 'You shall also offer one male goat for a sin offering and two male lambs one year old for a sacrifice of peace offerings.
 20 'The priest shall then wave them with the bread of the first fruits for a wave offering with two lambs before the LORD; they are to be holy to the LORD for the priest.
 21 'On this same day you shall make a proclamation as well; you are to have a holy convocation You shall do no laborious work. It is to be a perpetual statute in all your dwelling places throughout your generations.
 22 'When you reap the harvest of your land, moreover, you shall not reap to the very corners of your field nor gather the gleaning of your harvest; you are to leave them for the needy and the alien. I am the LORD your God.'"
 
Verses 15-22 explain the Feast of Pentecost.
Note the timing elements...7 sabbaths, 50 days
Note the sacrificial process...especially the bread...2 loaves...hummmm…

Hang in there now...nearly done.

The first four “spring” Feasts were fulfilled in the Lord Jesus when He came as Savior.
The last three “fall” Feasts have yet to be fulfilled by the Lord, but will be when He returns.

23 Again the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
 24 "Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, 'In the seventh month on the first of the month you shall have a rest, a reminder by blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation.
 25 'You shall not do any laborious work, but you shall present an offering by fire to the LORD.'"

Verses 23-25 explain the Feast of the Blowing of the Trumpets - Rosh Hashanah
Note - holy convocation.

 26 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
 27 "On exactly the tenth day of this seventh month is the day of atonement; it shall be a holy convocation for you, and you shall humble your souls and present an offering by fire to the LORD.
 28 "You shall not do any work on this same day, for it is a day of atonement, to make atonement on your behalf before the LORD your God.
 29 "If there is any person who will not humble himself on this same day, he shall be cut off from his people.
 30 "As for any person who does any work on this same day, that person I will destroy from among his people.
 31 "You shall do no work at all. It is to be a perpetual statute throughout your generations in all your dwelling places.
 32 "It is to be a sabbath of complete rest to you, and you shall humble your souls; on the ninth of the month at evening, from evening until evening you shall keep your sabbath."

Verses 27-32 explain the Feast of Yom Kippor - the Day of Atonement
Note the precision of timing “exactly on the 10th day…”, “on the 9th of the month at evening”…
Note the command to do no work, to humble self…
Note - holy convocation.

 33 Again the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
 34 "Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, 'On the fifteenth of this seventh month is the Feast of Booths for seven days to the LORD.
 35 'On the first day is a holy convocation; you shall do no laborious work of any kind.
 36 'For seven days you shall present an offering by fire to the LORD On the eighth day you shall have a holy convocation and present an offering by fire to the LORD; it is an assembly. You shall do no laborious work.
 37 'These are the appointed times of the LORD which you shall proclaim as holy convocations, to present offerings by fire to the LORD--burnt offerings and grain offerings, sacrifices and drink offerings, each day's matter on its own day--
 38 besides those of the sabbaths of the LORD, and besides your gifts and besides all your votive and freewill offerings, which you give to the LORD.
 39 'On exactly the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the crops of the land, you shall celebrate the feast of the LORD for seven days, with a rest on the first day and a rest on the eighth day.
 40 'Now on the first day you shall take for yourselves the foliage of beautiful trees, palm branches and boughs of leafy trees and willows of the brook, and you shall rejoice before the LORD your God for seven days.
 41'You shall thus celebrate it as a feast to the LORD for seven days in the year. It shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations; you shall celebrate it in the seventh month.
 42'You shall live in booths for seven days; all the native-born in Israel shall live in booths,
 43 so that your generations may know that I had the sons of Israel live in booths when I brought them out from the land of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.'"
 44 So Moses declared to the sons of Israel the appointed times of the LORD.

Verses 33-43 explain the Feast of Booths - Succoth.
Note the length - 7 days
Holy convocations

The Feasts of the Lord give tremendous insight to the first and next coming of the Lord.

So, Jesus was not crucified on Friday.
On what day?
The answer is in this passage…and the New Testament...
More tomorrow…

Pray for Judy and family, Steven, Lynsi…

Blessings!

• forgive us for the leadership that we have placed in office
• raise up God-fearing and God-honoring people to lead

• transgressed the covenant
• dealt treacherously against God
• iniquity
• dealt falsely, deceit, lies
• murdered
• wickedness
• adulterers/harlots - physical and spiritual
• devised evil against God
• did not cry out to God, cried out to pagan gods,
• gashed themselves in a form of worship
• rebelled against the law of the Lord
• mixed with the nations

Hosea 8 
3 Israel has rejected the good;
         The enemy will pursue him.
    4 They have set up kings, but not by Me;
         They have appointed princes, but I did not know it
         With their silver and gold they have made idols for themselves,
         That they might be cut off.
    5 He has rejected your calf, O Samaria, saying,
         "My anger burns against them!"
         How long will they be incapable of innocence?

Israel considered the words of the prophets to be foolish, demented.

The same today.

Hosea 9
7 The days of visitation are come, the days of recompence are come; Israel shall know it: the prophet is a fool, the spiritual man is mad, for the multitude of thine iniquity, and the great hatred.

Folk will think you a fool.
Folk will think you mad.

Yet, we are called to speak forth the truth.

The day is coming.

Therefore, let us do this…

Hosea 10
12 Sow with a view to righteousness,
         Reap in accordance with kindness;
         Break up your fallow ground,
         For it is time to seek the LORD
         Until He comes to rain righteousness on you.

Even though Israel was to be carried to captivity in the immediate future, the Lord told them to…

• sow with a view to righteousness
• reap in accordance with kindness
• break up fallow ground (ground that previously was cultivated, but has not been so recently)
• seek the Lord...it is time...until He rains righteousness

Daniel 12
4 "But as for you, Daniel, conceal these words and seal up the book until the end of time; many will go back and forth, and knowledge will increase."

The Lord gave Daniel specific instructions related to what was to be done with the book that Daniel was writing…

• conceal these words
• seal up the book

Hosea 4:1
Listen to the word of the Lord , O sons of Israel, For the Lord has a case against the inhabitants of the land, Because there is no faithfulness or kindness Or knowledge of God in the land.
NASU

The case of the Lord was based on the fact that there was…

• no faithfulness
• no kindness
• no knowledge of God in the land.

• swearing
• deception
• murder
• stealing
• adultery
• violence
• bloodshed

• the land mourns
• everyone who lives in the land is weak, languishing
• beasts of the field and birds of the sky were effected
• the fish of the sea disappear

• know the Lord
• know His Truth
• model His Truth
• speak His Truth
• teach His Truth

Revelation 4
1 After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven, and the first voice which I had heard, like the sound of a trumpet speaking with me, said, "Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after these things."

Without getting into details, this verse in no way refers to the “rapture.”

Recently, I was at the same location for another series of meeting...different speaker, same...can I say “sad”… explanation of the Word.

Oh, I know the arguments, the twisting and conforming of the Word to “our” argument, the “arguments from silence”, etc.

We are being taught how “bad it will be”, but “we will be gone…so, come with us”…”don’t be ‘left behind’ “...

This simply is not true.

(It is also not the pattern that we see in the Word for propagation of the Truth of the Kingdom.)

Now folk, I readily acknowledge that there is much information and debate about such.

Let me ask you to focus upon this one point.

Here is the main thing that must be examined and understood.

The “Wrath of God” and the “Great Tribulation” are not synonymous.
They are not the same.

The “great tribulation” is man against man...the Man of Lawlessness/Antichrist against Israel and her offspring (the church).

The “great tribulation” is not the “final” 7-year period.
This period is more accurately called the 70th week of Daniel. (Daniel 9, 12)
The “great tribulation” occurs within the 70th week of Daniel, but it is not the entire 7 year period.

The Wrath of God is the Lord pouring out judgment upon unbelieving man.

Now, there are many things upon which we might have differing views and over which we do not separate - we are the Body.

This is one such thing.

The Lord has given us voluminous amounts of the Word related to this.
All the following...plus more...provide insight…

Revelation
Matthew 24-25
Mark 13
Luke 21
1 Thessalonians
2 Thessalonians
1 Peter
2 Peter
Jude
1 Timothy
2 Timothy
Psalms
Daniel
All the Prophets

Yet, still...the Body is suffering a tremendous disservice by allowing those who do not know/refuse to see the Truth to lead people astray.

I hasten to say that often this is not done by malicious intent.
God-fearing, true believers can be incorrect.

But, are we teachable?
Do we truly desire to know the Truth, or are we seeking to “defend a position”?

I am often asked...

Will the church undergo the “great tribulation”?

Yes. The Word is clear.

Revelation 12:17
And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and went off to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus.

Matt 24:15-25
15 "Therefore when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand),
16 then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains.
17 "Whoever is on the housetop must not go down to get the things out that are in his house.
18 "Whoever is in the field must not turn back to get his cloak.
19 "But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!
20 "But pray that your flight will not be in the winter, or on a Sabbath.
21 "For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will.
22 "Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.
23 "Then if anyone says to you, 'Behold, here is the Christ,' or 'There He is,' do not believe him.
24 "For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect.
25 "Behold, I have told you in advance.

NASU

We have been told by the Lord in advance.

The Lord tells us…

Dan 11:32-33
32 "By smooth words he will turn to godlessness those who act wickedly toward the covenant, but the people who know their God will display strength and take action.
33 "Those who have insight among the people will give understanding to the many;

NASU

(Yes...likely fulfilled during Maccabean revolt...yet type for that which is yet to come with man of lawlessness...principles still apply)


Dan 12:3
3 "Those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.

NASU

Gain knowledge of the Word.
Know for yourself.
Do not just “know about God.”
Know God.
Have His insight.
He will use us…

Remember..
The Wrath of God
The Great Tribulation

Not the same… :)

Blessings!

The videos for lesson 1 of “Hosea - A Love That Will Not Let Me Go” are available.
http://www.alabamaprecept.blip.tv (Most recent video is on home page...click “episode archive” for the remainder)

I also post them on a regular/daily? basis on FaceBook. Join us there.
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=265057332221

Have also uploaded several recent “Answers” episodes…
http://www.answers.blip.tv

And a couple of “Prayerline” episodes…
http://www.prayerline.blip.tv

Matthew 24
3 As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?"

Jesus gave a long answer...check the “red-letter” edition Bible.

He started by give us a strong command/instruction twice, related to two things.

Matthew 24
4 And Jesus answered and said to them, "See to it that no one misleads you.
 5 "For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will mislead many.

See to it no one misleads you.

We have a role.
We have responsibility.
We can not/should not blame others.

Yet, most do not take the Words of Jesus to heart.

Deception is arising, especially within the professing Body of Christ.
This is nothing new.
We have been forewarned in the Word, especially 2 Peter, Jude, Romans 15, 1 Corinthians 10, 2 Timothy 3, Galatians.

False teachers and false prophets are arising in abundance.

They look great.
They are slick.
They have wonderful, exciting books.
They always have large, “successful” churches.

Beware.
Watch the big smile.
Watch the one who says “love wins”...all are already saved. (Haven’t heard that one? Very prominent. Even more so now with Rob Bell’s new book...reading it...outright heresy and universalism…)
Watch the one who exalts all the “God is doing in our church”, etc. etc.

How do we “see to it that no one misleads” us?

Know the Lord.
Know His Word.
Abide in the Lord.
Be filled with the Holy Spirit.

Most professing believers would agree with this.
Few actually practice such.

Do you know the Lord?
Do you know the Word?
Do you abide in Him?
Do you live filled with the Spirit?

You can not do this through someone else.
You can not do this through affiliation with an organization.

It is between you and God.

Jesus had one other similar Word in answering the questions….

Matthew 24
 6 "You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end.

See to it that you are not frightened. (Luke 21 says “terrified”)

Again, we see the same.

We have a role.
We are responsible.

We are not to be frightened/terrified.

Are you?

Then you are not trusting in the Lord.
You are allowing other things to be “god” in your life.

Fear and anxiety have no place in the life of the true believer.

Again.

If you are consumed and bound by fear and anxiety, then you are not trusting the Lord.

So…
As the earth shakes…
As liars lie…
As mockers mock…
As wars and rumors of such build…
As the world responds in despair...

See to it no one misleads you.
See to it that you are not frightened.

I’m reminded of one our favorite worship songs...Brian Doerksen’s “Hope of the Nations”…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37NYEIo7sEI

Jesus, hope of the nations
Jesus, comfort for all who mourn
You are the source of Heaven’s hope on earth
Jesus, light in the darkness
Jesus, truth in each circumstance
You are the source of Heaven’s light on earth
In history You lived and died
You broke the chains You rose to life

You are the hope living in us
You are the rock in whom we trust
You are the light shining for all the world to see
You rose from the dead conquering fear
Our Prince of Peace drawing us near
Jesus our hope living for all who will receive

Fear not.
Our Hope is Victorious.

Blessings!


The “Answers” episodes can be viewed here… click episode archives...
http://www.answers.blip.tv

Hosea 1
2 When the LORD first spoke through Hosea, the LORD said to Hosea, "Go, take to yourself a wife of harlotry and have children of harlotry; for the land commits flagrant harlotry, forsaking the LORD."

Hosea was told to take a wife of harlotry.
A hard thing.

Why did God do this?
Because the people (the land Hosea 4:1) forsook the Lord.

The relationship of Hosea and Gomer was a picture of God and Israel.

Their lives were a sign to the nation of Israel.
They were a living picture of that which the Lord was communicating.

Was it hard?
Without doubt.

But not that unusual.

Think on this.

God called Isaiah to live naked before the people for three years…

Isaiah 20
2 at that time the LORD spoke through Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, "Go and loosen the sackcloth from your hips and take your shoes off your feet " And he did so, going naked and barefoot.
 3 And the LORD said, "Even as My servant Isaiah has gone naked and barefoot three years as a sign and token against Egypt and Cush,
 4 so the king of Assyria will lead away the captives of Egypt and the exiles of Cush, young and old, naked and barefoot with buttocks uncovered, to the shame of Egypt.

A strange sign and token against Egypt and Cush

Another?

God told Jeremiah to do some strange stuff with undergarments...

Jeremiah 13
1 Thus the LORD said to me, "Go and buy yourself a linen waistband and put it around your waist, but do not put it in water."
 2 So I bought the waistband in accordance with the word of the LORD and put it around my waist.
 3 Then the word of the LORD came to me a second time, saying,
 4 "Take the waistband that you have bought, which is around your waist, and arise, go to the Euphrates and hide it there in a crevice of the rock."
 5 So I went and hid it by the Euphrates,as the LORD had commanded me.
 6 After many days the LORD said to me, "Arise, go to the Euphrates and take from there the waistband which I commanded you to hide there."
 7 Then I went to the Euphrates and dug, and I took the waistband from the place where I had hidden it; and lo, the waistband was ruined, it was totally worthless.
 8 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
 9 "Thus says the LORD, 'Just so will I destroy the pride of Judah and the great pride of Jerusalem.
 10 'This wicked people, who refuse to listen to My words, who walk in the stubbornness of their hearts and have gone after other gods to serve them and to bow down to them, let them be just like this waistband which is totally worthless.
 11 'For as the waistband clings to the waist of a man, so I made the whole household of Israel and the whole household of Judah cling to Me,' declares the LORD, 'that they might be for Me a people, for renown, for praise and for glory; but they did not listen.'

The linen waistband was a sign of the ruined, worthless state of Judah and Israel due to pride.

One more…

What if God told you to…

• get a brick
• draw/design the city of Jerusalem on it
• raise up a siege against it, ramps, pitch camps, battering rams...a complete “toy” version...sounds great for an 8 year old…
• then, God tells you to get an iron plate and set an iron wall between yourself and the “city”, then set your face toward it and siege it.

• what if you had to lay on one side of your body for 390 days...tied down by God
• what if you had to lay on the other side for 40 days
• what if you had to cook your bread in front of the people with human dung

Revelation 6
 12 I looked when He broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood;
 13 and the stars of the sky fell to the earth, as a fig tree casts its unripe figs when shaken by a great wind.
 14 The sky was split apart like a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
 15 Then the kings of the earth and the great men and the commanders and the rich and the strong and every slave and free man hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains;
 16 and they said to the mountains and to the rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb;
 17 for the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?"

(Meditate and think on this passage...much here…)

Did you know that tsunamis are mentioned in the Word?

Luke 21
25 "There will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth dismay among nations, in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves,

The nations will be perplexed due to the roaring of the sea and waves.

(The “cosmic signs” in Luke 21, Matt 24, Mark 13 and Revelation 6 are the same event. Very important...we’ll discuss later...)

This is yet to come...can you imagine?

We literally can see the entire foundation of a particular lifestyle washed away in Japan.

Got me thinking.

What would we do if the foundation of our lifestyle was destroyed?

Most people’s lives are centered around job, activities, pursuits.

The life of the true believer is not so.

Our foundation is the Most High God.
Our foundation is the Creator of All.
We are grounded in the Kingdom.

If we…wait...when we face such times, we must not...we will not...rest in our abilities. We trust in the Lord.

The Lord is the only Way, Truth and Life.

He literally will lead and direct in all times, especially in trying, troubling times.

The foundation we have is not susceptible to earthquake, to tsunami, to anything of this world.

We do pray for those in Japan...actually the birthplace of my wife.
They are religious.
Sadly false religions.
Shintoism 83.9%, Buddhism 71.4%, Christianity 2%, other 7.8%
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ja.html

I’m praying for the Lord to release dreams and visions.
I’m praying that the many groups ramping up to assist will manifest the Love of the Lord.

Seek the Lord as to your participation...in prayer, financially, etc.
Who knows who the Lord might want to send?

Update: I’ve posted several videos of late...brief (3-4 minutes) synopsis of our local, ongoing Bible studies. Check ‘em out.

http://alabamaprecept.blip.tv/ (Check “episode archive” for all videos)
or
http://www.youtube.com/jubileeprecept

Blessings!