GOD WANTS TO DO SOMETHING NEW IN YOUR LIFE, LET GO OF THE PAST AND STEP INTO THE FUTURE!!!

Sometimes God wants to take us into a great new season of blessing, but we get stuck in the past. We lack the courage to move into the wonderful new things the Lord has in store for us.


I am thinking of the children of Israel when God was leading them into the Promised Land. This was a big step and it took courage to step out into the unknown. Some of the tribes decided to stay on the other side of the Jordan where it was comfortable. They said they we are doing fine. They didn't want to take the risk of going into a new place, even though God had promised them it would be a place of blessing. They said the pasture there was green and their flocks and herds were doing well and they didn't want to risk the move.


The sad thing was they missed out, when they failed to move ahead with God. Years later this land would end up being very paganized. It was the place where Jesus cast the demons out of the man into the pigs. They stayed because they thought it would be best for their families and their livelihood, but God knew the future. If they had only trusted Him instead of what seemed comfortable and good for them in their own eyes.


God knows the future and what lies ahead that's why it's important to trust Him and move with Him. We miss out we when don't and sometimes our families miss out. What they thought would be the best for them and their families ended up being the worst for them.


Yes there are challenges when we decide to take that step of faith and to trust the Lord to lead us into new places of blessing. But He will part the waters as we began to take those steps of faith trusting Him as we walk into the unknown.


The account of their crossing into the Promised Land in Joshua chapter 3 has always meant so much to me. It was harvest time and the waters of the Jordan were overflowing. How often does the enemy come in like a "flood" when God is getting ready to do something new and wonderful in our lives! When this happens we began to get discouraged, because it looks impossible. But God says in Isaiah 59:19, "When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will lift" up a standard against him".


Joshua remembered what the Lord had told Him. "Be strong and courageous, meditate on My Word day and night and I will give you success!"(Joshua 1)


It was the priests carrying the ark of the covenant (represented God and His Word) that they were to follow and keep their eyes on as they stepped into the waters of the Jordan River. God parted those waters as they took those steps of faith.

God has something wonderful for us in every season in our lives. When we choose to stay instead of moving with the flow of the Spirit, we become stagnant. When we move with the flow of the Spirit we will experience new life, and the "river of God will flow out of us.


"Forget the former things, don't dwell in the past, Behold I do a 'new thing'!" Isaiah 43:18-19

WAKE UP CHRISTIANS!!!

Christians are losing ground! The Church must wake up! Now is the time we as Christians must realize who we are and where we are in relation to what is going on in our world today.


We can no longer sit back and be complacent Sunday morning Christians. It is essential that Christians in this hour in history know who they are in Christ because we are facing evil at this point in time like never before. I am reminded of the story of the seven sons of Sceva in Acts 19:14-20 when they tried to cast out the demon. The demon replied "Jesus I know and Paul I know, but who are you?"

We must know who we are and the authority we carry in the name of Jesus Christ! Greater is He that is in us than He that is in the world! We can do all things through Christ who gives us strength!

It is imperative that Christians get into the Word and know the Word of God in order to meet the challenges of today's world. If we are going to survive that's what it is going to take, or we will be mowed over by the enemy in every aspect of our lives. Many Christians have already experienced the invasion of the enemy in their lives. They have allowed him to come in and destroy their home, their marriages and run havoc in the lives of their children.


Unfortunately most of today's Christians have little knowledge of the scriptures. God's people are defeated for lack of knowledge" (Hosea 4:6). It's not just knowing the scriptures (being able to repeat them), but you must know them and know in your heart that God will do what He has promised and be able to stand on them when the enemy attacks.



There is a battle raging right now and Christians are going to have to learn to fight. It's not a physical battle, but a spiritual battle. It's a battle for our country that was once founded on godly principals. Slowly but surely that foundation is being removed. When that foundation is removed, it will no longer stand. Our America as we have known it will no longer exist. Our children and grandchildren will not know the life that we have known.


I am reminded of the scripture in 2Chronicles 7: 19-22 where God warns those whose nations have been blessed by Him, if they forsake Him, He will make what was once a blessed land a "by word" and an "object of ridicule". "And people who pass by will be appalled and say, 'Why has the Lord done such a thing to this land?' People will answer and say, 'because they have forsaken the Lord, the God of their fathers' "


It's also a battle for those we love, our families, our children. We have allowed the enemy to come in and take over oblivious to what is going on. We no longer have to look at the world to see the enemy's destruction, we have opened our doors and allowed him to invade our lives and homes.


But I truly believe that we are on the verge of one of the greatest awakenings in history. I believe we are like the children of Israel when they were on the verge of going into the Promised Land. God told Abraham that they would enter in to His Promised Land of Blessing when the "iniquity" of the Amorites was full (Gen15:16).


I believe most would agree that evil has escalated to a degree never seen before in history. I believe we have come to that point, how could it get any worse?


Just as Moses was preparing the Israelites (Deut. 9) to enter into the Promised Land, by telling them about the giants and the walled cities they were going to be facing, we also need to be prepared. We need to be prepared for battle, because the enemy is not going to give up without a fight. We need to be prepared for spiritual warfare.


Ephesians 6:10-18 tells us to "Put on God's armor". Remember David, when they tried to give him King Saul's armor to fight Goliath, and it didn't work? We are going to be facing some giants (some of us already are) and the world's way of fighting won't work for us either, because it's a spiritual battle.


One of the first battles the Israelites had to face was the city of Jericho. Some of it's walls were 25 feet high and 20 feet thick. It would seem to be impossible to penetrate those walls. But we serve a God of impossible situations. There is nothing that He cannot do! He brought those walls down and He can do the same for us today!


You maybe facing some situations that look as impossible as the walls of Jericho. But we serve a God of impossible situations! When we trust Him and follow His instructions miracles can happen.

When we trust Him and stand on His Word ( that's our sword to fight the enemy, that's why it's important to know God's Word) He will go before us as "a consuming fire and destroy our enemies" Deut 9:3. (our enemies are those things that hinder God's purpose in our lives) He promised He would go before us! And He doesn't go back on His promises (Num.23:19)!


We must remember it's a spiritual battle!


Sometimes we give up too easily when our prayers are not answered in our time frame. Remember Daniel (Daniel 10:12-13). He had prayed and fasted for 3 weeks with no answer, then a messenger from God came to him and told him he had heard his prayer since the first day that he sought God, but he had been detained by a powerful spiritual being for 21 days.


There is a battle going on in the spiritual realm when we pray. The Bible tells us we are praying against spiritual wickedness in high places(Eph. 6:12 )

We must not give up, but as the Word tells us, when we have done everything we can, we must Stand! And then keep Standing!

We walk by faith and not by sight! What we see is subject to change! The seen is temporary and subject to change, but the unseen is eternal!(2Corn.4:18 ) There is a battle going on in the heavenly realm and we must not give up! We must realize "the unseen is more real than the seen"!

Remind the enemy when he points out that your prayers are not being answered, that things are subject to change! We walk by faith and not by sight

It's time for us to rise up be the "Army of God" to take our place in His army, because the battle is raging.

We are not only to pray, but also stand up in the boldness of the Holy Spirit and proclaim our God! Wemust stand up for the godly principals and standards our nation was founded upon!


We can no longer be wimpy, apathetic, complacent Christians! We are the Army of God! We are the Church of God! The living embodiment of Christ on the earth today! The Bride that He is returning for! We must rise up and be people of God He has called us to be!

IT'S NOT ABOUT HERE, IT'S ALL ABOUT THERE

Life can sometimes be confusing . We wonder if our Father loves us so much, why doesn't He stop the hurt, the painful times we have to endure on this earth. We have all said at one time or the other, "God, why are you allowing this? You could stop this because You are Almighty God, and there is nothing too hard for you, so how could You let this happen?"

Things began to take on a little more clarity for me when my little grandson Ryan died. We had prayed and believed God for Ryan's life. I prayed and stood on God's promises right up till the time he passed from this life to the next. I remember that night going home from the hospital, I fought sleep, because I didn't want to wake up to the reality of his death. I guess that sounds silly, but the initial pain was so intense, I didn't want to wake up and realize my precious baby was no longer with us, and go through the initial shock again. I sat up in a chair all night, thinking and praying mainly "God, I don't understand. I am trying to trust You, but I don't understand, help me Lord."

Later standing by his little white coffin, I heard the Lord speak. He said, "Tell them, it's not about here, it's not about this earth, it's about where this child is now. Tell them, it's not about here, but it's about there".


This did not stop the pain I was going through, it did not keep me from missing Ryan and wanting him here with us, but it did help me to see things in a different perspective.


God isn't so interested in my being happy all the time here on this earth, as He is me being prepared for heaven and showing others the need to be prepared. It's through enduring the hard times and allowing His glory to shine through my life that others will see Him in me. Who will be in heaven one day because they saw Jesus in you and me? That's what it's all about, our lives pointing to heaven.


We will spend a very short time here on this earth compared to eternity with Him. So it's not about "here", it's about "there" where all of us who trust in Him will be one day. I heard someone once say that, "when we get heaven and earth in the right perspective, everything else in life will fall into place".


Ryan's life had a purpose, as do all of our lives, and that is to point to Jesus. I believe when I get to heaven, there will be many there enjoying eternity with Jesus as a result of Ryan's short life on this earth. There will be many there also because Ryan's life and death made such an impact on my life, because my faith is so much stronger now.

Help us Lord to understand that as beautiful as this earth is, You have so much more ahead for us. Help us also to realize that we are just camped out here in these earthly tents for a short time compared to eternity with You. One day there will be no more sadness, no more tears, only perfect happiness . Help us to keep our focus on our destination, Heaven, because it's about there, not about here.

"He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." Rev. 21:3-4

Jesus said,"Don't let your hearts be troubled. Trust God, trust also in Me. In My Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with Me that you may also be where I am. " Jn. 14:2-3

WHY DO WE HAVE DIFFICULTY FOLLOWING JESUS' COMMAND TO WASH ONE ANOTHER'S FEET?

Tonight at our church, we will honor the command of Jesus to wash one another's feet.

Jesus said, "Now that I your 'Lord' and 'Teacher,' have washed your feet, you should also wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you." Jn 13:14-15 Jesus goes on to say that we will be "blessed" if we do these things.

True meaning is sometimes lost in ceremony and ritual. I believe this to be true of the Jesus' command to wash one another's feet. In order to comprehend the true meaning of the act of washing one another's feet, we must realize that as with most cases in the scriptures a physical act had a spiritual meaning.

In the physical sense in that day those who traveled in the dirty and dusty conditions of the world necessitated the need to have their feet washed. This job was reserved for the lowliest of servants.

So how do we apply the "Command of Jesus" to wash one another's feet in our lives today?

In our daily lives journey as we journey on this earth we become soiled spiritually from the filth of the world. We pick up worldly attitudes and ways that hinder our spiritual walk with our Lord.


That night before He was to be crucified Jesus had to settle an argument between the disciples as to who was to be the greatest. They walked with Jesus every day and yet the ways of the world crept in. Pride and exaltation of self was a worldly attitude that Jesus knew would divide and separate His "Body of Believers". It was important that they be unified, that they become as one because they would be His representation on this earth.

Jesus prayed in John 17:20, "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray for those who will believe in Me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as You are in Me and I am in You. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that You have sent Me. I have given them the glory that You gave Me, that they may be as one as we are one: I in them and You in Me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that You have sent Me and have loved them even as You have loved Me. "

In order to lift up Jesus we must be unified. We must become "one body" "the Body of Christ", no individual aspirations, but rather submitting to one another in love. Jesus said, "If I be lifted up from the earth I will draw all peoples to Myself." Jn 12:32

Beth Moore, in her Bible Study, "A Woman's Heart", gives several reasons why we like the disciples have difficulty following Jesus' Command to wash one another's feet. (I think she means "truly washing" another's feet, not just the "act of foot washing" but able wash another's feet in our hearts by allowing our selves to become vulnerable).

One reason is because we are forced to confront our egos and we lack the assurance of who we are. Jesus knew His position with the Father. He had nothing to prove; therefore He was not humiliated by humility. We are coheirs with Christ, if you know who you are in Christ, your personal ego is not an issue. Sadly most Christians do not have the confidence in Christ to humble themselves.

She also stated the need to lay aside the outer garments ( take off our mask). It's difficult to hide when you are washing another's feet. True servants are only those who are willing to be vulnerable.

All too often our pitchers are empty. We might wash a few feet, if we had something in our pitchers. When we fail to be filled we have nothing to pour out. We would really rather people just stay behind their sparkling facades that way we could minister to them easier. Facing the worn out calloused areas of others' lives might remind us of our own.

We have to get down on our knees to do it. As John the Baptist said of Christ, "He must increase, but I must decrease." Jn 3:30

Another reason Beth stated, that we cannot bring ourselves to wash another's feet in the (spiritulal sense), is that we refuse to let Christ wash our own. Notice that not until He washed their feet were they enabled to go and wash one another. She said we need to just curl up in the arms of Christ tell Him we need Him. Until we learn to let Him serve us at the point of our need, we will never truly be able to serve others.

Lord as many of us honor your command to wash one another's feet this Easter season, help us not to get caught up in just the ceremony, but to examine our hearts, put aside our personal ego and thoughts of self so that we may minister to one another in Your love. We know that then we will become one, having one goal, and that is that You may be glorified and lifted up for the world to see. Help us to realize that we are "the Church, Your Body" we are the way the world sees You!!!

THE LORD HEARD THEIR PLEA AND GAVE THEM VICTORY!

Trust God and stand on His Word (promises ) and He will give you Victory! His promises to bless us are "Yes and Amen"! His Word is full of His great and precious promises for our loved ones to be saved and for all the many trying situations we face in life. Many times we are like the Israelites in Numbers chapter 20. God will give us His Word saying, "Trust Me I will make a way", but the enemy will say "No that's not going to happen". Instead of trusting God we get discouraged just like they did, and back off.

They had asked the king of Edom to allow them to go through his country into the Promised Land. And he said "No". So instead of facing the enemy, knowing that God would give them victory, because He wanted them to go into the Promised Land where He could bless them, they backed off. They took the long way around instead of the way God told them to go, so their blessing was delayed. They became impatient and discouraged because it took so long. then they began to mummer and complain. Doesn't that sound like us?

God gives us His Word. He tells us He wants to bless us. And the enemy says "No, that's not going to happen". Instead of facing the enemy head on and fighting him with the "Sword of the Spirit", "God's Word, His promises" we back off. Then we get discouraged because our prayers are not being answered.

The next time around in Numbers chapter 21. The Canaanite King of Arad heard the Israelites were coming so he attacked and captured some of them. Don't expect the enemy to roll out the red carpet for you! He doesn't want you blessed, he doesn't want your loved ones saved, he doesn't want your prayers answered. There's going to be a battle unless you get discouraged and back off.


This time the Israelites got serious about inheriting God's promises and they cried out to the Lord. They said, "Lord if you will deliver these people into our hands, we will totally destroy their cities." In other words their enemies would never have a place again.

God knows when we are serious! He knows when we are ready to get down to business and "determine to believe His Word", and not allow the enemy to have any place in our lives or thinking. Then we can expect victory.

Numbers 21:3 says, "The Lord heard their plea and gave them victory!" The only way the enemy can win is when he can convince you with his lies. The only power he has is that you believe him. But when you determine to believe the Word of God, believe what God says about your situation, God will give you victory. Just as the Israelites said, "We will totally destroy their cities",we must say "there will no longer be a place in my mind for the "words of the enemy".

God has promised us victory telling us that, "we are overcomers!" He has given us all that we need to overcome the enemy, "His Blood and His Word." Rev. 11:12 He told Joshua, "Meditate on My Word and you will have victory." Jos. 1:8 Focus on what God says and not what the enemy tries to tell you.

Paul said, in 1Cor 10:6 "Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did."

The Battlefield is our minds. Don't let the enemy have any territory by listening to his words, renew your mind to the what God says about your situation.

"Don't be conformed to this world (Satan is the God of this World), but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is that good and acceptable will of God." Rom. 12:2

IS LIFE A STRUGGLE OR ARE YOU "RESTING IN HIS ARMS"?

I have learned so much from from the Israelites and their journey in the Book of Numbers. For instance, because they didn't trust God and His promises, ended up wandering in the wilderness the rest of their lives with no direction. They went around that same mountain, never gaining victory, getting nowhere, going in circles. How many of us have been there at one time or another in our lives? You say, "I recognize this place, I have been here before, when am I ever going to learn?" Boy I have! I have been there, done that, and got the tee shirt!

I remember a job that I took out of fear. I knew that it wasn't God's will, but financially I couldn't see how we were going to make it. For almost two years I was miserable and getting nowhere. When I finally saw "the light" and quit it was as if a burden had been lifted and it had! There is nothing like getting the blessing of being in His perfect will.

When we face giants or things that seem insurmountable in our lives we often cower in fear. We end up with lost years when we virtually accomplish nothing. Have you ever heard someone say, "I have lost years of my life because God was teaching me something, it was a wandering time for me?" Well as Paul said, "we are given these stories as examples." The Israelites were out of the will of God because they ceased to trust Him so they just wandered for years accomplishing nothing.

God has a plan and a purpose for every life He created. A plan for good and not for evil. He wants to bless us and give us abundant life. Yes, bad things happen, heartache, sickness, brokenness, because we live in a fallen world. But He told us this would be,"In this world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." Jn.16:33 We can overcome any giant, any mountain because He is with us. We don't face the giants alone!!! He says, " Your walls or the things you face are ever before Me." Is. 49:16 He knows what we are facing!

The key is to stay focused on Him for direction. Too many times we, like the Israelites, take our eyes off Him and look at our circumstances. And we say there is no way I am going to be able to get through this. So we do as they did, we try to come up with our own plans and we end up wandering with no purpose or direction, never really getting anywhere.

God has a plan and a purpose specifically for each one of us to accomplish in this life. The main purpose will be accomplished if we have given our lives to Him. That purpose is to spend eternity with Him and we will be blessed beyond our imagination. But when we don't focus on Him during our journey here on this earth, we miss the blessing and purpose He has for us here. The destination may be wonderful, but the journey miserable. It doesn't have to be that way.

His purpose for us, is that our lives revolve around and point to Him. I wonder how many people are miserable because they planned their own lives, instead of seeking God's plan for their lives. They wander around making their own plans seeking their own agenda. "There is a way that seems right to man, but it's end is destruction." Prov. 14:12

Ephesians 1:9 tells us that He has made known to us the mystery of His will, which He purposed in Christ. In the fullness of time all creation will all come together in Christ, all things in heaven and earth will come together in Him.

It is the key to understanding life, God created everything to be brought together in Christ. So if we are not moving in the direction of His will, in the direction in which all creation is going, we are going against the flow.

It is like trying to swim upstream always fighting, always struggling, always in a sweat. I don't know about you, but I don't like fighting , struggling, and sweating. I just want to rest in His arms and seek and fulfill His plan for my life.

The Israelites ended up making it into the Promised Land, that is those 20 years old and younger. So God's purpose was fulfilled, He did get the Israelites in, after 40 years wandering in the wilderness. The blessing was delayed, because of their disobedience and lack of trust, but His purpose was fulfilled!

Our blessing on this earth doesn't have to be delayed if we just trust Him and go with the flow of all creation. And that is focus on Christ, life is all about Him and His will for each one of us.

"Trust in the Lord with all of your heart, lean not to your own understanding, and in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path."Prov. 3:5-6

Trust Him when He has given you direction, keep focused. Meditate on what He has spoken to your heart and then rest in Him. Let Him take care of the giants, the mountains and the walled cities that you face. Stop struggling and go with the flow of all creation, "His will for your life."

GOD WORKS HIS GRACE AND PURPOSE EVEN WHEN WE MAKE BAD CHOICES

Sometimes we think "well I blew it!" We realize we made a bad choice and it probably wasn't God's perfect will for our lives. In the Old Testament story of Jacob, Leah and Rachel, Jacob in looking for a wife didn't consult God, but chose what looked good in his own eyes and got himself into a mess. He ended up with two squabbling women that I am sure made his life miserable and working for 14 years because he was deceived. We reap what we sow, so we may have to go through some miserable times because of our bad choices.

Later Jacob was blessed by God, and his son Judah by Leah was in the lineage of Jesus.
So God's purpose was still fulfilled in Jacob's life. God worked His purpose for Jacob's even in the midst of the mess Jacob had created by his bad choices.

In our Wednesday night Bible Study, Pastor larry applied this to marriages and relationships. If we just continue to trust God, even though we have made a mess of things, God can bring us through and bless us.

WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD?

All we have to know is that God loves us and He holds our future. Knowing that we can step out into His unfailing promises Trusting Him "ONE DAY AT A TIME."

In Numbers 13:1 God told the Israelites to take 12 spies and go into the Land, but this was only after they insisted on having it their way, which was to spy out the land instead of taking God at His Word. As a result they were afraid and they saw all the giants and they looked at themselves as grasshoppers. Instead of seeing how big their God was they saw the greatness of what they were facing.

Isn't that what we do sometimes? We look through human eyes instead of the eyes of the Spirit. God says "Just trust Me,"but the enemy shows us his view of what is ahead and we say there is no way I am going to be able to conquer this. We give in and forfeit all the plans the Lord has for us. A whole generation of people died in the wilderness and never fulfilled the great and wonderful plan God had for their lives.

Yes there may be suffering involved, but God has promised He would never leave nor forsake us. His Amazing grace will get us through times we could never imagine, when we trust Him to fulfill His perfect plan and purpose for our lives.

I remember in 1999 when God called me into ministry. I guess if I had known what was ahead in preparing me for the fulfillment of that call and His purpose for my life, I would have said, "No Way." By His grace I endured things I never thought I would be able to endure. But His wonderful amazing grace brought me through.

The eyes of the enemy may be spying out your future for you today. He is showing you all the giants and the difficult things that lie ahead. God said in Isaiah 40:22, "They are like grasshoppers to Him." Choose instead to look through the eyes of the Spirit, saying "God has given me a purpose, hope and a future, and I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Jermiah 29:11, Phillipians 4:13 (these are His promises).

"Shout Grace! Grace! to that mountain and He will remove it!!! Not by power not by might, but by My Spirit says the Lord will this mountain be removed." Zechariah 4:6 It is His Grace that brings us through the hard times.

Caleb even after he had seen the giants said, "Our God is well and able to take the Land." Be like Caleb and Joshua who were ready to step into the Promised Land trusting the Lord and His love for them and the promise for their future. They chose to step in and take it "ONE DAY AT A TIME" trusting the Lord each step of the way.

BLESSED IS SHE WHO HAS BELIEVED THAT WHAT THE LORD HAS SAID TO HER WILL BE ACCOMPLISHED!!!

The dark day in which we live in is not unlike the time when our Savior first came to the earth, a day where darkness and evil prevails.

King Herod who ruled at that time was a cruel and evil man. It was said that he killed his own children because he feared they would take his throne.

That same evil spirit prevails today as thousands of babies are sacrificed because of the self seeking, self gratification of their parents. Not only are they being aborted in their mothers wombs, but we hear on the news every day countless tales of the cruelty of parents abusing and killing their children.

Just as King Herod sought to kill the baby Jesus, that same spirit is seeking out today those who would truly carry Jesus in their heart. That evil spirit wants to abolish any mention of the name of Jesus. His mission is to stop the birth of Jesus in the lives of those in the earth today just as it was then.

In this day just as it was in the day our Savior was born, the Lord is looking for Marys who will be faithful to Him. In Him there is no gender. "For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to strengthen those hearts who are fully committed to Him." 2Chron. 16:9

Reading the Magnificant in Luke 1:46, we see that Mary was a lover of God who knew the scriptures, she knew His Word. He is looking for those who are lovers of God just like Mary willing to believe that He can do the impossible by the power of the Holy Sprit in their lives.
"Blessed is she who has believed what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!!! " Luke 1:45

TRUSTING GOD IN THE MIDST OF CHANGE

Life is continually changing. The death of a loved one, the loss of a job, an illness,and growing older to mention a few. Then there are changes that appear to be good changes, but require adjustments that can sometimes be difficult, such as marriage, the birth of baby, a new job, moving to a new place. What ever it may be life is continually changing. I read a Christian article recently that said we need to "embrace change." Yet we often resist change. It has been said, "that we are creatures of habit" and change requires that we come out of our comfort zone.

Let's face it we just don't like change. We like to stay where things are comfortable and familiar. Yet God taught His people in the Wilderness to depend upon Him and embrace change instead of resisting it.

Paul tells us this picture of "the children of Israel in the Wilderness" is given to us as an "example" to follow.

They camped out in tents on their way to the Promised Land of Blessing. Each day they would get up and look to see if the cloud had lifted over the Tabernacle which housed the presence of God in the center of their camp. He gave them a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night to lead them. When the cloud lifted they moved, if it stayed they stayed. They never knew from one day to the next whether or not they would be moving to another location on their way to the Promised Blessing God had for them. They could be in one spot for only one day, or it could be months or even years before they would move.

This way God was teaching them to depend on Him. I am sure there were some places where they got comfortable and thought maybe they would like to stay in this place and make it home. And then they would get up the next day and the cloud had lifted. Then there would be places that were uncomfortable, probably where there were snakes and scorpions and they couldn't wait to leave. And they would end up being there for a long time.

Life is like that. We don't know what tomorrow will bring as we camp out in these "tents" called bodies on our way to the Promised Blessing (God has great and precious promises in His Word ).You may not like where you are camped out right now. You may have just experienced a loss in your life, or it maybe an illness you are having to endure. Something may have happened and you feel like your world is falling apart.

Yet when we have the Lord in the center of wherever we are camped we are going to make it through. We look to Him to lead us and guide us into His great and precious promises. He promised He would not leave nor forsake us. He promised us an "abundant life" (Jn.10 :10). He said "I will make a roadway in the Wilderness and give you streams in the desert." Trust ME!!!Is. 43:19

God tells us in His Word that He has come to gives us an abundant, blessed life. Just like a woman when she finds out she is pregnant and God is going to bless her with a child. At first there is no sign that she is going to have a child. To look at her you would never know. Her body begins to CHANGE and actually life gets worse for awhile. She begins to swell, and right before that child is born she becomes quite miserable experiencing a great amount of pain. But then when that baby is born what a blessing!!!

Some of you look at your circumstances right now and there is no sign of blessing. In fact it looks like things are worse and life is painful. But the Lord says "hang in there! Trust Me! Don't look at your situation as it is. Blessing is coming!!!

The Lord says "Before the birth pains began she gave birth and delivered a child? Whoever heard of such a thing? Would I bring to the time of birth and then not cause delivery?" Is. 66:7

Trust Him that even in the midst of the worst circumstances that He is going to do something great in and through your life. Remember there was a whole generation of people who never entered into His "promised blessing" because they didn't listen to Him, believe Him and obey Him. I believe there will be many people in Heaven who never experienced His blessing on this earth, because they chose to dwell on their circumstances instead of trusting God

Make sure that He is in the center of your "camp (life)". Look to Him to lead you and guide you, not at how bad your circumstances are. We serve a God who never changes. He is the same God today who led His children through the Wilderness thousands of years ago. Embrace the change in your life. Know that He who is faithful will bring you though what ever circumstance you face in life. "I am the Lord and I change not." Mal. 3:6

TIMES OF PAIN AND SUFFERING

Losses in life can be extremely painful and hard to understand

Whether it is the the loss of a loved one, a relationship, a job, or an illness that keeps us from experiencing life in it's fullness, we struggle to undrstand why. How could our loving Father allow this to happen? While we know we live in a fallen world and we face an enemy, we also know that there is nothing too hard for our God. There is nothing that can happen that doesn't first filter through His hands. So we cry out for insight and understanding.

In this lifetime we may not find the answer. "All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God knows me now. " 1Cor. 13:12b NLT The best that we can do is trust Him that He has an eternal purpose that we cannot yet see. We give to Him that which we do not understand. We give Him our hurt, our pain our loss to be offered up as a sacrifice, Saying "I don't understand Lord, but I trust You." David said"I will not sacrifice that which cost me nothing."2Sam. 24:24

I think of the woman with the alabaster box. She gave all that she had, the most expensive thing that she could give to anoint His Body. In our brokenness we can do the same thing. There is an anointing that comes with brokenness when we willingly give that which cost us. When we give our hurt our pain, our loss, saying, "Lord I don't understand, but I trust You." There is an anointing that will be used for the glory of God, as we journey toward our Heavenly Home. God uses those who give their all to Him, trusting Him, in the dark painful times in their lives.

When we trust Him in times of great trial and hardship He will bring us through and use what we have offered up to Him that He may be glorified."I will deliver you and you will glorify Me." Ps. 50:15

"For everyone will be seasoned with fire, and every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt." Mark 9:49 Our sacrifices are seasoned with salt, making the world hungry for God. I believe that one day we will see those in Heaven who are there as a result of those painful things we went through in this life and chose to offer up to our Lord. Trusting Him in our deepest darkest times, that eternal purposes are being achieved.

Meanwhile His grace, mercy and love is sufficient to get through any trial or tribulation this life presents. He has promised He would not leave nor forsake us.

"Trust Him when you don't understand. Trust His heart. Trust His purpose. Trust Him when it is your heart that is broken. Trust His goodness. Trust Him beyond the grave. Trust Him to know best. Trust His plan to be bigger than yours. Trust Him to keep His Word. Trust Him to be on time. Trust Him to be enough. Trust Him to set you free. Trust Him and Him alone. The times when you and I can't trace His hand of purpose, we must trust His heart of love." Anne Graham Lotz

Lord, help us as we lift up to you all our hurts, our pain, our loss as a sacrifice. Strengthen us in you. We pray that You will take all the the enemy has used to cause hurt and pain in our lives, and turn it around for Your glory. Let our sacrifices be seasoned with salt and used for eternal purposes. "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." 2Cor. 4:18

IT'S TIME TO FIGHT!!!

It's time for God's people to reailze that we are in a battle!!! Yes the enemy has stolen from us, that is his mission. Remember "The thief comes to kill, to steal and to destroy"?? John 10:10

But now it is time for God's people the "Church of Jesus Christ" "the Army of God" to rise up and put on her armor. Be armed with the Word of God, the sword of the Spirit and take back what the enemy has stolen. "I command you .....be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."Jos.1:9

Yes we have got to be strong! The enemy isn't intimidated by our whinning and crying about what is going on in our lives and in this country. And frankly God isn't impressed with it either. It doesn't mean he isn't a compassionate loving God. He loves us and wants us to be blessed. "I have come that they have life and have it abundantly." Jn 10:10b

He has given us all we need to have victory over the enemy. He has given us his Word and His great and precious promises!!!


The enemy has stolen our children our marriages, our homes, and now it looks as though he has taken over this land. The divorce rate in the church is right up there with the secular world. Many church going families have lost their children to drugs and alcohol. But God has given us all we need to have victoy over the enemy. But is going to take getting into the Word and meditating on the Word as the Lord told Joshua. He told Joshua not to be sidetracked by the enemy "don't look to the right or to the left, but meditate on My Word day and night and then you will succeed." Jos1:8

God was telling Joshua how to fight the enemy because Joshua was the one to lead God's people into the Promised Land. Remember a whole generation died under Moses leadership and never entered into all that God had promised them because of disobedience and unbelief. I believe that many people today will die and go to heaven, and never really receive all the promised blessings that God had for them here on this earth.

God wants us to be blessed. He wants our homes, families, and our children blessed. He wants our land blessed. We must rise up and be the church! We must determine to study the Word, not just by ourselves, but in a good Bible Study. We will never arrive at the place where we can't learn from His Word. There is constant revelation in His Word. His Spirit will constantly reveal to us the deep truthes of His Word. We have to know his Word to have success.

"The thief's purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give life in all it's fullness." John 10:10

"My people are "destroyed" for lack of knowledge." Hos.4:6

THE GOD OF IMPOSSIBLE SITUATIONS

Crossing over the Jordan River into the Promised Land looked like an impossible situation because the river was at flood stage because it was "harvest time". The Bible tells us that the banks of the Jordan always flooded at harvest time.

God told the priests who were carrying the Ark of The Covenant (which represented the presence of God) to go before the people into the Jordan. As the people followed the priests carrying the Ark the waters parted and God's people walked over on dry ground into the Promised Land. Joshua 3

That is the way it is in our lives today. Many times when God is ready to do something wonderful in our lives or fulfill a promise we have been standing on, the enemy comes in like a flood.

God said, "When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him." Isaiah 59:19

That standard is "His Word". Keep your eyes focused on God and His Word, His promise that He wants to fulfill in your life. "My Word that goes forth from My mouth, shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it." Isaiah 55:11

LIFE CAN DEAL SOME HARD BLOWS, BUT JESUS SAID

Life can deal some hard blows, but Jesus said,"You will grieve, but your grief will turn to wonderful joy when you see Me again". You have sorrow now, but I will see you again; then you will rejoice and no one can rob you of that joy. It will be like a woman experiencing the pains of labor. When her child is born, her anguish gives place to joy because she has brought a new person into the world. You have sorrow now, but I will see you again; then you will rejoice, and no one can rob you of that joy." John 16:20b-22

As we journey through life on this earth we will experience times of intense pain and suffering. Jesus compared it to that of a woman in labor, but oh the joy when that baby is born. He has promised us that one day when we see Him again there will be no more sorrow, no more tears, no more good byes, but only endless joy. Until then God has promised us He would never leave nor forsake us.

These words written by my daughter Janet just before the death of my grandson seem to put life and the grief we experience in this world into perspective.

" We live in a fallen world and sickness and disease are a part of this world. But God has promised us that He would never leave nor forsake us. Ryan may be suffering now, but so much more awaits him in heaven because of his suffering here on earth. Whether that be now or 70 years from now. We waste precious prayer time with our Father by asking "why?" Yes, He allows our anger and our questions, It's okay. But remember that our life here whether it be two days or a hundred years, is very brief when you put it next to eternity, and those of us who call Jesus Lord will spend all of that eternity in bliss.

My son has a wonderful spirit that he has been blessed with. That spirit could carry him through anything. When it's all said and done, that's what's important, that our souls are walking with God. My whole heart aches for my baby, but in my heart of hearts, I know that I know that I know that he is blessed of God and that God is carrying him in His hand every step of the way, that has to be enough for me."

Written by Janet Davis Dickinson 2 weeks before her son Ryan's death.

"What we suffer now will be nothing compared to the glory He will give us later. For all creation is eagerly waiting for that future day when God will reveal who His children really are."Romans 8:18

GOD'S WORD IS SO PROFOUND!!!

God's Word is soooo profound!!! I just came across these words "The life of the flesh is in the blood". Lev 17:11 It just seemed to jump out at me! God isn't just talking about human blood or animal blood, but a much deeper meaning.

The life of our flesh is in the Blood of Jesus Christ. His Blood gives us life! It gives us not only eternal life but the life of Christ in us. Just as our physical body cannot live without blood, we cannot live spiritually without his Blood. Even in our fleshly bodies His Blood makes us alive with His Life!!! Praise The Lord!!!

THE DAY IS ALMOST HERE!!!

THE DAY IS ALMOST HERE!!!
"The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber. The night is nearly over the day is almost here." Romans 13:11-12

The dark time in which we live is almost over and "The Day" of the return of the Son is almost here.
Our Father knows us so well. He knew we would be in danger of oversleeping. Like the bride I once saw in a movie who overslept on the day of her wedding. You wouldn't think that would happen, because a bride looks forward to her wedding day most of her life. Could it be that she was so engrossed in things that were going on the night before that she overslept?

Isaiah 52: 1 "Wake up, Wake up, O Zion Clothe yourself with strength! Put on your garments of splendor!"

Romans 13:12-13 Tells us "to get rid of our evil deeds, to shed them like dirty clothes. Clothe yourself with right living being decent and true in everything we do."

We all know that weddings take preparation. The bride needs to take time to prepare herself for her groom. She spends time making sure everything is perfect for her him. She wants to look radiant for the once she loves. So she must spend time in preparation. She wouldn't dare appear with a stained wrinkled dress to meet the one she loves on the most important day of her life.

Please be aware dear ones of the time in which we are living. Jesus said we were not to be like the Scribes and Pharisees who did not understand that it was the season for the Messiah to come. These were educated men who should have known, because there were clear indicators throughout the scriptures describing God's plan for His Son to come. But He was right there with them and they didn't recognize Him.


We are given all the signs for His return. We must realize the urgency of the hour. We must not be so engrossed in the darkness that we are deceived and keep putting off preparation for His Coming. Don be caught off guard!!!

We must WAKE UP, the night is nearly over and The DAY is almost here! The Bride must begin preparation for her Groom!

WHAT A DAY THAT WILL BE!!!

When we stand before Him and realize that all those things we fretted about here on this earth were taken care of. He did it, He brought us through!!! He was faithful to bring us through all those difficult times. We dwelt in these earthly tents traveling on our way to the Promised Land. The journey was long and difficult at times, but He fed us with Manna from Heaven (His Word) to strengthen us. We were given water through His Word when we were dry and thirsty. He gave us His Holy Spirit to guide us so we would not lose our way.

In the Old Testament God's people celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles every year. They built tents or tabernacles to dwell in during these feast. This was so they would recall how God brought them through the wilderness, dwelling in tents on their way to the Promised Land. How he supplied their every need, feeding them with manna from Heaven, giving them water from a rock when they were thirsty, a cloud to guide them by day and fire by night.

I can't help but think about how we today go through our trials just as they did, on the journey of life on this earth on our way to the Promised Land. And one day we will be able to recall how on this earth He brought us through all the difficult times we had in this life. All those trials and circumstances, that at the time we couldn't see how we would make it.....He was faithful and met our every need!!!! He brought us through!!! WHAT A DAY THAT WILL BE!!!!

REASSURANCETHAT GOD KNOWS EVERY SITUATION WE FACE IN LIFE

GOD HAS NOT FORGOTTEN US,WE JUST NEED TO REMEMBER TO CRY OUT TO HIM.

"Can a woman forget her nursing child? Can she feel no love for a child she has borne? But even if that were possible, I would not forget you! See I have your name written on My hand. Isaiah 49: 15-16 NLT

What a wonderful illustration of God's love!!!

We sometimes feel as though God has forgotten us, yet he tells us in this scripture that He could no more forget us than a mother could forget her nursing child. Our name is inscribed on the palm of His Hand. What comfort we can receive from this promise!!!

A nursing child cries out to it's mother upon whom it is dependant for food and nourishment, from which it derives it's strength. There is no way that nursing mother can forget that child when it cries out. When her child cries milk begins to pour from her breast.

God is saying, "when we cry out to Him that nourishment is there, strength is there. He supplies the needs of His children.

He goes on to say in the second part of verse 16: "Your walls are ever before Me" In other words, "I know what you are going through, I know the things that are hindering you, I know every situation you are facing in your life."

The thing is we must not forget to cry out.

The enemy is attacking like never before because he knows his time is short. All we have to do is cry out and trust our God in our personal lives and for our nation. He will bring us through. He promises us that He has not forgotten.

SARAH PALIN "ONLY DEAD FISH GO WITH THE FLOW"

THOUGHTS FROM THE EVENTS OF THIS PAST WEEK:

The response to Sarah Palin's decision to step down from her post as Gov of the State of Alaska should not come as a surprise in view of the results of the 2008 presidential election.

The negative response is only representative of the spiritual regression of our nation. In the 2008 election such crucial issues as Abortion, Stem Cell Research, and Same Sex Marriage, to mention just a few, were considered not as important as the state of our economy, even to many who call themselves evangelical Christians. Instead of looking to the Lord as their provider and depending upon Him, the majority chose to look to a man as their savior, their way out of financial distress. President Obama has been pictured with a crown of thorns and heralded as the one who will get America out of her mess. "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord." PS. 33:12

We cannot blame the world, for they are blind and deaf according to the scriptures. If you will remember, it was not the world that Jesus was speaking to when He was angry with the money changers in the temple .....but it was the religious people, those who should have known better. The Bible tells us "for God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son." We are "the light of the world." Christians are way the world sees Jesus and yet we have become so much like the world that it is hard to differentiate between the two.

We need revival in "the Church." We talk so much of needing revival in our nation, spiritual renewal must begin with "the Church" the "Bride of Christ." You cannot revive something that has never been alive and "the world" is not spiritually alive and never has been. God said, "If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn (repent) from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land" (2Chron. 7:14).

I can't understand why all those people who were friends of Michael Jackson, who professed to be Christians did not help him see Jesus. Yet in his funeral service they were so absolutely sure he was with the Lord. I don't know, I am not Michael's judge. He was a very sick and depraved human being and that is not judging, but obvious by his life. Where were all those good Christian friends when he was having to keep himself drugged all those years just to be able to cope with life?? Maybe some did witness to him and he rejected God, I don't know. Maybe he accepted the Lord Jesus in the end, I hope so.

But to say that he was definitely in the arms of Jesus ...sent a false message to the millions of people who viewed that funeral. I for one would not want to be held responsible for sending such a message. It's like saying, "live your life any way you want and in the end you will end up in the arms of Jesus. " It sounds good, but it is not the truth.

Yes, God is a God of love "He would that none should perish, but have everlasting life." But we can't expect to live a life of sin and end up in heaven. God's word says," The cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolater, all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death" (Rev. 21:8).

Now back to Sarah Palin. As I said the response to her decision does not surprise me, because we have become so attuned to the world' s way of doing things that actually hearing from God on the path that we are to take in life is foreign to us.

Unfortunately most Christians do not know what a "higher Calling" means. I wonder what would have happened if Abraham, when God called him to a land he knew not of, had resisted and listened to those around him who could not see how he could possibly be making the right decision. After all how could someone just pick up and leave their home and drag their family into the unknown? I am sure there were scoffers everywhere who could not understand his reasoning in making such a decision. "Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?" (1Corn 1:20).

Jesus said, "My sheep know My voice and I know them, and they follow Me" (John 10:27).

It takes courage to step out and do what you know God has called you do and in the way He has called you to do it. "Come out from among them and be ye separate," saith the Lord (2Corn. 6:17).

I remember a time in my own life having to step down from a position knowing there was no way if I stayed in that position that God would be glorified. God's work could not be accomplished in light of the strife and lack of unity. I too was told I would be called a quitter. But my purpose was to accomplish the work that God had called me to do and to follow His direction for my life, instead of be manipulated by those who had no understanding of my "higher calling."

"Only Dead Fish Go With The Flow."

Pray with me for revival among God's people, that we we come out and separate ourselves from the world and be "the Church", "the Bride" He's coming back for, a Bride that's passionately in love with her Groom. Lord help rid us of our apathy and lukewarmness(Rev. 3: 15-16). Help us to search our hearts and return to our "first love" (Rev. 2:4). Give us a passion for You instead of "Going Through the Motions."

Listen to the song by Matthew West "Going Through the Motions." Click on Video Bar ( at the right of the screen). What kind of a world would it be if we as Christians gave our all and stepped out to follow His leading??
I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR SOME OF YOUR THOUGHTS.

HAVE YOU CHECKED YOUR HEART LATELY???

Have you checked your heart lately??? There is a disease that usually goes undetected and if not treated could result in death.

It is important to have physical exams and it is also important to have spiritual exams. You could be suffering from heart disease and not realize it. Things that will hinder you spiritually could be lurking in your heart without you having any realization of it being there.

Jer. 17:9 tells us, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?" It is very important to have healthy spiritual lives so that God can work in and through us, so it is very important to ask the Holy Spirit to do a spiritual examination.

It happened to me. I thought I was doing great spiritually. I was doing all the right things (or so I thought), I was ministering to the poor, I was helping those in need as much as I could. I was teaching a Sunday School class and even preaching occasionally. On the outside everything appeared to be fine (just like those people Jesus was preaching to in Matt 23:27, you know the Scribes and the Phairsees).

Then God got my attention. Sometimes "through the pain in our lives God speaks the loudest" (C. S. Lewis). At first I didn't think that it could possibly be anything wrong with my heart. After all I am a minister and I knew God was using me to some extent, working in the church ministering to others etc. After all I was really trying to work hard for the Lord.

Then things began to happen in my life that I just could not understand. I know God has said that we will all have trials and tribulations, but that we are overcomers. But it was during this time that I asked God to examine my heart. That's one thing about trials and hardship, you will either become bitter or you will become better. You will either draw closer to the Lord or go father away. I wanted to draw closer.

When I asked the Holy Spirit to examine my heart, he began to show me that I had some serious heart problems. One infection called "Pride" was one that was severely crippling my walk with the Lord. I also found out that Pride was not easily recognizable. Most people deny it's existence, and it could easily go undetected, possibly causing death. Two more infections that usually go along with Pride were "Envy" and "Jealousy". These were very serious and could be very detrimental to a Christian's life. Another was called "Judgementalism." . These heart infections usually result in something called a "Bad Attitude." Bad Attitudes will crop up from time to time and can really adversely affect your witness for the Lord.

Well Praise the Lord, Jesus the great physician performed heart surgery and transformed my heart. It was painful at first when I realized how I had let my heart go and get into such a bad condition. I realized that without my knowing it, the enemy had probably turned others away from Christ because of me. I think that hurt more than anything. What a deceiver he is! All the time I thought I was the model Christian, he was working havoc in my heart.

I am telling you all of this because I want you to realize how important it is that you ask the Holy Spirit to regularly examine your heart. Your eternal life and the lives of all those close to you could be in danger of spiritual death.

Some one told me of a relative who was a very active church member. She was very much a servant except to those who were in her family. She had family member who said they would not attend church because of the bad treatment they had received from her. I am sure you are thinking, "some people just look for an excuse." But what if this is true, and because of the condition of this person's heart someone is turned away from the Lord? Could this be one of your family members? Could you be standing in the way of them having a relationship with the Lord and not even realize it?

I remember a few years ago working with two people who loved to talk about the church that they both attended. At the same time they were constantly fighting. One day one of them expressed, "she hated the other one and wanted to pinch her head off when she saw her singing in the choir." There were several of their co workers who were not saved, and the remark was made "if that is Christianity I want no part of it." The sad thing was they oblivious to fact that they were a bad reflection on the Lord. They were unaware of the condition of their hearts.

As I said my friend, when we neglect to have our heart examined spiritually, it could result in spiritual death, not only ours, but family members and others close to us. For your sake and the sake of others, please have a regular examination.

Psalm 145:17 tells us that, "the Lord is near to all who call upon him in truth. He will fulfill the desires of those who fear Him: He will also hear their cry and save them."

That is a promise that He gives us. When we truthfully ask him to examine our hearts as the Psalmist said, "Search me O' God, and know my heart; try me, know my thoughts and see if there is any wicked way in me"Psalm 139: 23-24. I thank God that His mercies are new every morning. I thank Him that He forgives even my unintentional sin. He forgives me even when I sinned and didn't realize it.

This is what Chapter 4 in Leviticus is all about, God's provision for unintentional sin. As you study this with me, you will realize again how God left nothing out. These sacrifices would represent what His precious Son would do for us one day at Calvary. He loved us so much He made sure that nothing would stand in the way of His children's fellowship with Him, not even unintentional sin.

How important it is that we ask him to examine our hearts and confess any unintentional sin. We are the only way the world is going to see Jesus.

As I have said in previous blogs posts, God is calling us to a walk of holiness. "Without holiness no one will see the Lord," Heb. 12:14

Again my favorite scripture, that I believe is prophetic for the time in which we are living:

"Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth, and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord arises upon you and His glory appears over you." Isaiah 60:1-3

We must continually ask him to search our hearts. We are that light, the only way this dark world will see Jesus. He said, "If I be lifted up I will draw all men unto Me." John 12:32

LEVITICUS CHAPTER 4

In this chapter we will talk about the "Sin Offering." It was a required offering, remember some offerings were voluntary and some were required.



One of the purposes of this command was to make the Israelites aware of their unintentional sins. It was for those who committed a sin without realizing it. It was a sin committed out of weakness or negligence as opposed to outright rebellion against God.


If you broke the law out of ignorance, you sinned and didn't realize it, this offering would restore fellowship with God.


This reveals an underlying truth, "we are sinners by nature." We are prone to sin even when we don't know it.



Something had to die, blood had to be shed for even unintentional sin.


Isn't it wonderful to know that God took care of everything even when we sin out of ignorance? He loved us so much that he was to let nothing stand in the way of our fellowship with Him. Remember these offerings and sacrifices were a picture of what His precious Son, the Lamb of God would do for us.



I think one of the greatest spiritual awakenings I have had, next to my salvation experience, was when God revealed that I had sinned unintentionally and out of ignorance.


When we truly ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to us the things offend Him and keep us from looking like our Savior, He will. I began a few years ago asking Him to reveal to me anything in my life that was keeping me from having that intimate relationship with Him that I had longed to have.


He began to show to me my life through the eyes of the Holy Spirit. I saw that over the years I had let sins such as pride, arrogance, envy and jealousy creep in. I was unaware of the fact that I was not truly glorifying Him in my life.


Sometimes we can go along in life thinking we're okay if we just do all the right things such as going to church, praying, witnessing, giving, doing good deeds. What looks good on the outside is not always good on the inside. This is one of Satan's biggest deceptions. As long as we are not aware of the sins that have crept into our hearts, he has it made. He is working through us and we don't even know it.

We can become religious if we are not careful, just like the people Jesus was speaking to in Matt. 23:27. They were religious people, He called "hypocrites." "For you are like white washed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness."



God knows when our hearts are not right even when we don't. So what should we do to make sure that we are aware of any sin that might creep into our hearts?


We must continually ask God to search our hearts. This is a must dear friend.


Psalm 139:23-24 "Search me O' God, and know my heart; try me, know my thoughts and see if there is any wicked way in me."


The Psalmist is saying "I am naturally a sinner and there could be some sin there that I don't know or realize."


We must ask God to search us, test us, know our thoughts, because we still have that old sin nature that wants to take over and run things. Unfortunately He will be there till the day we die, so we must continually ask God to search our hearts.


Verse3 discusses the sin of the priest or spiritual leader. God had separated them for leadership and He knew that if the priest went wrong the people would follow. He had to offer the most valuable animal, a young bull with no defects. He is more accountable than the people, therefore more is expected of him.


If you desire to be in any kind of leadership, you must count the cost, because more is expected of those who answer the call to leadership.

James 3:1 " Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged by God with greater strictness."


Verses 5, 6, and 7 talks about the blood that was applied. The blood that was shed restored the fellowship and worship of the priest.


Blood had to be shed, because sin was serious to God. Our sins do not go unnoticed. Our relationship with God is based on the fact that blood was spilled. The blood of His precious Son.

We need to keep saying "Search me and try me O' Lord.


Verses 8-12 God wanted the fat, the fat that covered the inner parts. The fat was considered the best. Here we see again God desires our best. The best that is inside us. He desires "truth in the inward parts." Psalm 51:6


He desired the fat on the inward parts not the hide, the head, the organs that we would consider valuable.


We want to look holy or appear holy on the outside, but it is not the outward, but the inward best that He desired.


The rest would be burned on a wood fire in an ash heap.


Isn't it funny how we concentrate more on the outward (our good deeds and all), and He is more concerned with the inward.


One day the outward will be ashes and dust.


Verses 13-21, talks about when a community or a nation sins. We see here again where sin is important to God. If a nation sins unintentionally, a high price was to be paid. The most valuable animal had to be offered, a young bull. It was the same offering as the priest who had sinned unintentionally.


This shows that just as there is an individual responsibility, there is a corporate responsibility. God judges individuals, but He also judges nations. And when He judges the whole nation we are in it.


This is a scary time for our nation, especially as I heard just yesterday that our President declared that, "we are not a Christian Nation."


The scripture for the repentance of a whole nation is 2Chron. 7:14-15, "If My people, who are called by My name (Christians), will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways( repent), then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. Now My eyes will be opened and My ears attentive to their prayers in this place.


Note that the scripture says, "If My people." I have often thought it odd that we talk so much about needing revival in this nation. You can't revive something that has never lived. Christians have to be revived, but those who are not Christians have never been born spiritually. They are spiritually dead. We need revival among God's people.


We must pray for our nation and our leaders, but first we must pray for God's people to be revived. The condition of our nation is a reflection of the Church. This is why I believe God is calling His people to walk "holy" before Him. And as I said in earlier posts, "those who are hearing from Him are answering this callto holiness."


We tend to get angry when we see all that is going on in our nation. We are not to get angry at the sinner. In fact Jesus said, "forgive them for they know not what they do." They are blinded to the truth. If you will remember Jesus didn't get angry at the sinner, He was angry at the money changers in the temple(the religious people) He said, "My house will be called a house of prayer."


There is little praying going on in Today's churches. If you do have a "prayer night" usually very few show up. I like what Jim Cymballa said in his book, "Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire," "You can tell how popular a church is by who comes on Sunday morning. You can tell how popular the pastor or evangelist is by who comes on Sunday night. But you can tell how popular Jesus is by who comes to the prayer meeting."


We have to, as God's people, humble ourselves and pray and seek his face (ask him to search our hearts as we said earlier) and turn or repent from our wicked ways.


That is what is wrong with the world, they haven't seen Jesus in the Church. What was the scripture I quoted earlier, Jesus said, "If I be lifted up, I will draw all men unto me." When we, as Christians, lift him up for the world to see, we will start seeing people drawn and souls won.


Verses 22- 26 These scriptures speak of the unintentional sins of leadership, not spiritual leadership just leadership. Verses 27-35 speak of the unintentional sins of a member of the community sins. The sin offering for these unintentional sins are less (a male goat and a female goat), but a price had to be paid. Blood had to be shed. Sin causes death.


That is something to think about because sin causes death today. When there is sin in our lives, even what we refer to as little sins or unintentional sin, it causes death. It could be the spiritual death of those close to you. It causes the death of happiness peace and joy and the abundant life God promised us.


Jesus paid the price our sin once and for all on the cross at Calvary. As we are seeing in the sacrifices, God did not leave one thing out, even sin that we do unintentionally. These sacrifices would be a picture His Son the Lamb of God.


Just as the Israelites would lay their hand on the head of the young lamb or bull and slaughter it in payment for their sins, our sin was was laid on the Son of God. He was the "slaughtered Lamb," slaughtered for our sins.


We can have fellowship with our Father because the price has been paid. God loved us so much that He made sure everything was covered in those sacrifices, even unintentional sin. We saw in the sacrifices that everything was exposed as the sacrifice was cut into pieces. Just as our Savior was hanged naked on a cross and every part of Him exposed to the world.


We represent Him to the world. What an awesome responsibility!!! Let us strive to lift Him up and glorify Him in all that we say and do. Let our lives be a "living sacrifice," a sweet smelling savor" to our Lord.