Word of the Lord vs. Fear of the World
Blessings Folk!!
I have no doubt that the enemy continues to seek to manipulate.
The enemy uses the strategies of the world to do so.
Fear is a primary weapon.
One week it is “the economy.”
The next it is “pirates.”
This week? “Swine” flu...or as the ever politically correct administration says H1N1… hate to offend the swine and their lobby.
Folk, do not be caught up in the fear and manipulation of man.
Do not believe what the world says. Believe the Lord.
Trust in the Lord.
Rest in His protection.
Hear what He told the children of Israel…
Deut 7:12-19
12 "Then it shall come about, because you listen to these judgments and keep and do them, that the Lord your God will keep with you His covenant and His lovingkindness which He swore to your forefathers.
13 "He will love you and bless you and multiply you; He will also bless the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your ground, your grain and your new wine and your oil, the increase of your herd and the young of your flock, in the land which He swore to your forefathers to give you.
14 "You shall be blessed above all peoples; there will be no male or female barren among you or among your cattle.
15 "The Lord will remove from you all sickness; and He will not put on you any of the harmful diseases of Egypt which you have known, but He will lay them on all who hate you.
16 "You shall consume all the peoples whom the Lord your God will deliver to you; your eye shall not pity them, nor shall you serve their gods, for that would be a snare to you.
17 "If you should say in your heart, 'These nations are greater than I; how can I dispossess them?'
18 you shall not be afraid of them; you shall well remember what the Lord your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt:
19 the great trials which your eyes saw and the signs and the wonders and the mighty hand and the outstretched arm by which the Lord your God brought you out. So shall the Lord your God do to all the peoples of whom you are afraid.
NASU
This is a brief portion of a much larger passage.
Moses is communicating the Word that the Lord had given to him.
The bottom line is this...
If the children of Israel remained faithful to the Lord and His commandments then they would be blessed.
If they did not, then they would be cursed with the punishments that had befallen the enemies of God.
Remember, the Lord is a covenant-making and covenant-keeping God.
He honors His Word.
His desire for us is good.
Jer 29:11
11 'For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the Lord , 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.
NASU
Let me point out two things from this passage.
The Lord told them that He would remove them from all sickness.
During the desert wandering experience Israel lacked nothing….food, water...their clothing did not wear out, their feet did not swell, no sickness, no lame.
The Lord removes sickness. Let us trust Him rather than the latest leader spouting forth their “plan”. (Does anyone see a problem with the fact that the newly appointed HHS Secretary that is given “oversight” for our health is a rabid abortionist?)
Anyway, trust God.
One last thing.
Very few do this today.
We basically do not believe God.
But, I can tell you from personal experience that God still does such.
The Lord promised that there would be no barrenness.
There are several wonderful examples in the Word...most in the actual lineage of Jesus…where the Lord broke barrenness.
He does so today.
Why do we not hear of it?
We do not believe, therefore we do not see.
We believe, we have seen.
I have seen the young couple who came to a corporate worship time...they asked for the body of Christ to pray for the breaking of barrenness. They came back a year later with a beautiful baby.
Praise be to God!!
Trust the Lord.
Seek the Lord in all things.
Believe Him.
Fear not.
Let those who are true believers shine brilliantly in the darkness...
Have uploaded new Joshua study Video synopsis - Joshua Video Synopsis
Also, new “Joshua Resources” page - Joshua Resources
New “VictoryPark” music page...all songs from upcoming cd are posted for listening - Victory Park on MySpace Music - Free Streaming MP3s, Pictures & Music Downloads
Pray for these folk - Pray for...
“Exalted!!”
Blessings Folk!!
Allow me to share something that I observe increasing within the Body of Christ.
This is nothing new.
It is a “natural tendency”...a fruit of the flesh.
It is considered to be “normal”.
I believe it is detrimental to the true gospel of Christ.
I also believe that God continues to work in might and power in the midst of such.
What is “it”?
Man exalting himself.
I see it all the time.
Saw it last week in south Florida...a local church...I did some things with them through the years...big, “hip-hop-happen’n now” place...outside is a giant...some 15-20 feet tall… slick photo/banner exalting “the pastor.”
Today, I encountered locally the same…”So-n-so did it again last night”...then on goes the praise of the individual...and the great things done at a gathering.
Now, hear me carefully.
We are to encourage one another.
We are to exhort one another.
We are to give thanks for one another.
We are to honor one another.
Yet, so much of what is associated with “church”...especially those portions that receive so much attention...centers around a personality. Yes, they will refer to God. Often preach/teach truths, but so often there is an undercurrent of self-exaltation.
Hear what the Word of the Lord says…
Matt 23:10-12
10 Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.
11 But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.
12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.
KJV
Jesus said this...in the midst of a amazing dressing down of the religious rulers. “Woe to you scribes and Pharisees.” Take time to read the entire chapter.
This occurs often. Folk take on the name/title of “evangelist”, “pastor”, “pastor/teacher”, “bishop”, etc. etc.
2 Cor 11:17-20
17 What I am saying, I am not saying as the Lord would, but as in foolishness, in this confidence of boasting.
18 Since many boast according to the flesh, I will boast also.
19 For you, being so wise, tolerate the foolish gladly.
20 For you tolerate it if anyone enslaves you, anyone devours you, anyone takes advantage of you, anyone exalts himself, anyone hits you in the face.
NASU
So many portions not only tolerate the foolishness of exaltation that enslaves, devours and takes advantage, they seek it. They think it is the norm. They have someone to point to and admire.
They forget the Word of the Lord!
Ps 99:5
5 Exalt ye the Lord our God, and worship at his footstool; for he is holy.
KJV
Ps 99:9
9 Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at his holy hill; for the Lord our God is holy.
KJV
Ps 107:32
32 Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders.
KJV
We are to do two things.
- Exalt the Lord
- Humble ourselves
1 Peter 5:6-7
6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
KJV
Let us humble ourselves.
Let us quit exalting ourselves, our programs, our “leaders”.
Let us exalt the Lord alone!!
He will exalt in the proper manner in due time.
Blessings!!
Today’s reading from the “So That’s Why” Bible consist of pp. 625-631.
Pray especially for…
- Shelley’s family
- Diane
- Bethenia
- those on Prayerlist
If you are Twittering…you can find me here…
http://www.twitter.com/dalealanmoore
Twitter Prayerline is here…
http://www.twitter.com/prayerline
“You - The Extremist”
Blessings Folk!!
Since our last time together it has become official.
Most of us who read this are now officially “classified” as “extremists” (what a ridiculous word).
The federal government has officially declared that if one opposes abortion then close scrutiny is required.
You are dangerous.
Read if for yourself…
http://www.dalemoore.tv/page10/page10.html
As has been warned previously...we are to expect these types of things to occur...to increase.
Jesus told us so.
John 15:18-25
18 "If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you.
19 "If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you.
20 "Remember the word that I said to you, 'A slave is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also.
21 "But all these things they will do to you for My name's sake, because they do not know the One who sent Me.
22 "If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin.
23 "He who hates Me hates My Father also.
24 "If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would not have sin; but now they have both seen and hated Me and My Father as well.
25 "But they have done this to fulfill the word that is written in their Law, 'THEY HATED ME WITHOUT A CAUSE.'
NASU
Jesus warned that the world would hate us as it hated Him.
How do we handle this?
I believe that two important points are presented in the verses before and after the above…
John 15:17
17 "This I command you, that you love one another.
NASU
We are to love one another. The Body of Christ must function in love.
John 15:26-27
26 "When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me,
27 and you will testify also, because you have been with Me from the beginning.
NASU
The Lord has sent the Helper - the Holy Spirit.
We, as true believers, are empowered by the Most High God. The Holy Spirit reigns within us. Thereby, we love one another and we stand firm in the love of the Lord as the world attacks.
Any other way will fail.
In what do you trust?
In what strength do you stand?
Today’s reading from the “So That’s Why” Bible consists of pp 615-619. Press on!!
Pray especially for Bethenia…
Also, we are near completion of the recording project...have uploaded the “final” mix...changed name of praise group to “Victory Park” ...check out all the songs here…
http://www.myspace.com/victoryparkmusic
Real CDs will be available in a few weeks…
Blessings!!
“Good Friday?”
Blessings Follk!
Today is traditionally referred to as “Good Friday.” It is believed by most of the professing church to be the day that the Lord Jesus Christ was crucified.
An examination of the Word reveals this to be incorrect.
Yep.
Jesus was not crucified on Friday.
Now, let me hasten to say that it matters not. This is not something in which we separate fellowship, but, we should know the truth.
The coming of the Lord...the first time and the second time...was/is prophesied throughout the Word. The Lord revealed to His people through various ways the things to come.
The Feasts of Israel - really the Feasts of the Lord given to Israel - provide tremendous insight.
Here is the brief version.
The Lord gave Israel 7 feasts...4 in the spring, 3 in the fall.
The spring feasts were fulfilled when the Lord came the first time -
- Passover
- Feast of Unleavened Bread
- Feast of First Fruits
- Feast of Pentecost
The Lord gave precise detail as to how these feasts were to be celebrated, days to celebrate, etc. (See Leviticus 23).
The church has been mistaken for centuries in thinking that Jesus was crucified on Friday. I believe this occurred due to the the following Scripture…
John 19:31
31 The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.
KJV
The error has occurred because folk thought the sabbath day in verse 31 was a reference to the weekly sabbath.
This is not true.
It is a reference to the sabbath which is the high day of the first day of the Feast of First Fruits.
Lev 23:6-8
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.'"
NASU
Again, this is not a divisive issue. I participate in “good Friday” events...leading a service this afternoon at a local portion of the Body of Christ. But, we do well to know what the truth.
I believe it is important because the truth will allow us to stand against the lies of the evil one.
I remember wondering about the Fri-Sun. I knew Jesus said…
Matt 12:39-40
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.
NASU
Jesus said 3 days and 3 nights...not portions thereof.
This confused me. Oh, I had heard all the explanations, yet they were forced and contrived.
The answer was to be found in the correct understanding of the Word, especially the Feasts.
So, here is the sequencing of events in the last week of Jesus life…remember, the Hebrew day begins at sunset...
On the 10th day of Nisan the lamb to be sacrificed at Passover was to be set aside to be examined…was it perfect?
Ex 12:3
3 Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house:
KJV
The same happened to Jesus...He was the Passover Lamb...then…
Day | Our day/hour | Event |
Nisan 14 - Passover Lev. 23:4-5 | 6 p.m. - 5:59 p.m Tues sunset - Wed sunset Hebrew Wednesday | 3 |
Nisan 15 - Unleavened Bread Lev. 23:6-8 | 6 p.m. - 5:59 p.m. Wed Sunset - Thur Sunset Hebrew Thursday | A Sabbath Day A Holy convocation First night/day in tomb |
Nisan 16 | 6 p.m. - 5:59 p.m. Thur Sunset - Fri Sunset Hebrew Friday | Second night/day in tomb |
Nisan 17 | 6 p.m. - 5:59 p.m. Fri Sunset - Sat Sunset Hebrew Saturday | Weekly Sabbath Third night/day in tomb |
Nisan 18 Feast of Firstfruits Lev. 23:9-14 | 6 p.m. - 5:59 p.m Sat sunset - Sun sunset Hebrew Sunday | First Day of Week Resurrection |
Fifty days from Firstfruits (Pentecost) - Lev. 23:15-22 - with outpouring of the Holy Spirit the Spring Feasts are fulfilled.
We as believers celebrate the resurrection with every breath we take...not just on particular day of the year. Still, we do well to reflect upon the varied things the Lord did for us during this week.
Let us do so and rejoice!!!
Today’s reading from the “So That’s Why” Bible consist of pp. 561-567.
Blessings!!
“You Are Not A Scary Accident…”
Blessings Folk!!
A quick follow-up to our previous time together…
Never forget that you are wonderfully made…
You are not a mistake…
Read the following and note what is true about you…
Ps 139:14-18
14 I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well.
15 My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth;
16 Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Your book were all written The days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not one of them.
17 How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them!
18 If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand. When I awake, I am still with You.
NASU
Know these truths.
- You were made...not an accident of “nature”, etc.
- You are/were fearfully made...not scary ...but amazingly, in awe, beyond comprehension
- The works of the Lord are wonderful. You are a work of the Lord...the pinnacle of His creation
- Each of us knows...our soul knows...very well that we were created. Even those who reject the knowledge know in their soul the truth. They choose to reject. God has placed this knowledge within each person…
Rom 1:18-19
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,
19 because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them.
NASU
- You were made in secret...skillfully wrought
- The Lord saw who you were to be prior to your being formed. He knows!
- The Lord has written in His Book the number of days ordained for you, even before one of them existed!
It is amazing how the Lord designed us.
But, wait! There is more! lol
The Lord thinks on you constantly, without ceasing.
Precious thoughts.
Vast in number.
More than all the grains of sand of the world.
He never leaves us.
He never forsakes us.
Therefore, why should we worry and fret.
The Lord made us.
The Lord thinks on us.
Thereby we live and breath and have our very being...
Give thanks...
Today’s reading from the “So That’s Why” Bible consists of pp. 552-556.
“Abortion is a Blessing…”
Blessings Folk!!
From time to time one encounters an event that brings into sharp focus the battle that is taking place in the heavenlies and the strategy of the enemy.
Such is the case with the following article...of course, it is from an international paper… rare is the media in our nation that reports such.
The article recounts the recent appointment of the new Dean of the Episcopal Divinity School in Cambridge, Massachusetts. This person provides oversight to “theological education”.
The new dean presented a “sermon” in Birmingham, Alabama sometime in 2007. The dean did not post the sermon on the internet until summer 2008. It provides insight into the mindset of perversion.
Here is the link:
Abortion is a blessing and abortionists are doing holy work, says Anglican priest :: Damian Thompson
Please take the time to read...two key phrases are used repeatedly…
“abortion is a blessing”
“our work would not be (is not) done”
This is just another example of that which the Word forewarned…
2 Tim 4:3-4
3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
KJV
2 Peter 2:1-3
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.
2 Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned;
3 and in their agreed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.
NASU
Jude 3-8
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.
5 Now I desire to remind you, though you know all things once for all, that the Lord, after saving a people out of the land of Egypt, subsequently destroyed those who did not believe.
6 And angels who did not keep their own domain, but abandoned their proper abode, He has kept in eternal bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day,
7 just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they in the same way as these indulged in gross immorality and went after strange flesh, are exhibited as an example in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire.
8 Yet in the same way these men, also by dreaming, defile the flesh, and reject authority, and revile angelic majesties.
NASU
This new Dean pursues strange flesh, openly.
The Dean denies the Truth of the Word.
We must contend for the faith.
We must speak forth the truth.
Press on and do so.
Today’s reading from the “So That’s Why” Bible consists of pp. 541-547.
Blessings!!
“God Prepared Beforehand…”
Blessings Folk!!
We have been looking at the Word related to walking in the power of the Presence of the Lord…
Are you aware that God has prepared for us the works in which we are to walk?
Are you aware that He did this “beforehand”...before the foundation of the world?...before our salvation?
It is true.
This has tremendous ramifications.
We don’t have to…
- try to find what God wants
- wonder if He has something for us to do
- believe the lie of the evil one that we are of no use
- etc. etc.
Read this carefully…
Eph 2:10
10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.
NASU
There are several things to examine...hangeth thou in there…
We are His workmanship.
We are created in Christ Jesus for good works.
God prepared these good works beforehand so that we would walk in them.
The Lord has a perfectly designed work for all Believers to walk in.
Now, read the expanded context of this verse. Do not allow familiarity to rob you of revelation of the Spirit...pray...ask the Lord to reveal Truth to you…
Eph 2:1-10
2 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.
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.
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.
NASU
Here is how we formerly walked…
- dead in trespasses
- dead in sins
- according to the course of this world
- according to the power of the air
- according to the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience
- in the lusts of our flesh
- indulging the desires of the flesh
- indulging the desires of the mind
- within our nature as children of wrath
Then...one of the most exciting phrases in the Word…
But God…
- being rich in mercy
- because of His great love with which He loved us...even when we were dead in our transgressions
- made us alive together with Christ
- raised us up with Him
- seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
We can walk in the works of God because…
- prepared them beforehand
- we are raised up in Him...from death in the flesh to life in the Spirit
- we are seated with Christ..think on that...at this moment we are seated with Him… I formerly thought that this referred to our “position” with Christ...this is true...but, the more I learn of the mechanics of quantum physics...wow!!!
- by grace we have been saved...a gift...not based on our works…
Therefore, rejoice!!
Walk in the works already prepared for you!!
You are the workmanship of God created in Christ Jesus for good works...whoa!!!
Work it out!
Blessings!
Today’s reading from the “So That’s Why” Bible consists of pp. 515-520.
Go to my website and pray for the folk… http://www.dalemoore.tv
Walk Which Way...
Blessings Folk!!
How exciting!!
There is a boldness of the Lord breaking forth among His people.
Folk are beginning to realize that God has called us to a life of holiness.
They are beginning to understand that trust has too often been places in circumstance, in man’s way, in the “normal”…
More and more are seeking to have the mind of Christ...to walk with Him...to abide in Him and in Him alone!!
We will walk in one of two ways...either in the flesh or in the Spirit. The differences?
Gal 5:16-26
16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.
17 For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.
18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.
19 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality,
20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions,
21 envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.
26 Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.
NASU
Deeds of the flesh?
- immorality
- impurity
- sensuality,
- idolatry
- sorcery
- enmities
- strife
- jealousy
- outbursts of anger
- disputes
- dissensions
- factions
- envying
- drunkenness
- carousing
- and things like these
“But” you say…”I stumble and do some of this from time to time.”
Yes. It is the fruit of not abiding in the Lord.
If we abide in the Lord we will not manifest the fruit of the flesh.
It is that simple.
When I sin, it is because I have stepped out of the abiding Presence of the Lord.
Fruit of the Spirit?
- love
- joy
- peace
- patience
- kindness
- goodness
- faithfulness
- gentleness
- self-control
When we walk in death-to-self we are alive to the Spirit.
We will then be vessels of the manifest Presence of the Spirit.
We will not walk in the flesh.
But…
If we walk in the flesh...especially if we walk in the flesh seeking the Spirit (think on that)...then we will will bear fruit of the flesh.
It is simple.
Choose your way or choose God’s way.
Choose the way of the Lord, then stand firm boldly and loudly in the Truth!
Today’s reading from the “So That’s Why” Bible consists of pages 515-520.
A printable pdf calendar of the daily reading can be found here - Bible Resources
Continue to pray for Leah…
Blessings!!
Thus far and no more...