WTFMT 40 FROM 24 FEB HGM

WILDERNESS TRUTHS FOR MODERN TIMES-40 TEXT: "Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him. Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit." (Proverbs 26:4-5)

 

I. KEEP IT SIMPLE

A. We must simply believe the Bible and take it for what it says. Man seeks a nicely laid out arrangement of answers, exactly defined. That arrangement is illusive in the Bible as the Bible itself tries to communicate.

B. There is not much in the Bible that is neatly packaged to fit into man's logical arrangement. Man cannot find a set of rules which will satisfy his intellectual mechanism. Each application God makes will move under its own set of circumstances, as Proverbs 26:4-5 implies.

C. Just because someone is afflicted does not in itself reveal to anyone the conditions relating to it. In fact when a person refers to the word "afflict" in the Bible they do not really grasp the idea -- no fault of theirs. There are no less than 12 different Hebrew words in the OT which are translated "afflict" and its derivatives. The word "afflict" could mean "discomfort" or "humbled" or a number of other meanings.

D. Affliction can be many things brought about by many causes and for different reasons. The only way you will know what's really going on, is for the Lord to tell you.

E. Sickness in one case may be related to biblical affliction as a result of what God must accomplish in the person. The very same sickness in another person can be directly from the enemy with no relationship to its being God's arrangement, but contrary to the will of God. The complexity of God and life transcends the simple mind of man.

F. God shared with Adam the knowledge of good and evil. Adam was told what he should do (good) , and what he should not do (evil). But when the knowledge of good and evil came through another source, it was sin.

G. Moses numbered the people. That was obedience. King David did the same thing, and that was sin. (See Numbers 1:19 and II Samuel 24:10-17)

H. Many believers seek to know the complexities of the Kingdom of God through rules and definitions. Since man has had little success in living a natural life through attempting to know its complexities, there is little hope for the believer's success in the spiritual life when using this same method. If it's life eternal you seek, lay aside a quest to know its complexities, and seek to know the Giver. Jesus said, "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." (John 17:3)

I. "Let Reuben live, and not die." This is God's concern for life as expressed in Deuteronomy 33:6 in the wilderness. It was God's concern even for Ishmael when he was in the wilderness, threatened with death (Genesis 21:14-20).

J. God is the Giver of life. He is not out to kill anyone. Sometimes we image that He is out to kill us when he is killing our flesh. But if God doesn't kill our flesh, our flesh will kill us. Our flesh is our worst and most dangerous enemy. "And this is the blessing of Judah: and he said, Hear, LORD, the voice of Judah, and bring him unto his people: let his hands be sufficient for him; and be thou an help to him from his enemies." (Deuteronomy 33:7) The theme of help is carried further in verse 11, smite through the loins of them that rise against him [Israel]; strike his foes till they rise no more" (NIV) and of them that hate him, that they rise not again. (KJV)

K. Given a chance, God will kill the enemies within us, and insure our life. If we do not fight against God in His destruction of our flesh, we will be able to live in victory.

II. PARTING THOUGHTS

 

A. There is no defeat in God, only victory. If there is defeat in the life of a believer, it must come through unbelief, disobedience, or some such condition. God ordains victory in the lives of His children. He does not ordain defeat; that is not part of His arrangement for us.

B. You bring about your own defeat. Once defeat comes to your life, God will work with the situation the best He can, and try to use that defeat to teach and strengthen us. Failure is not sin. Defeat is not sin. Sin is sin. Failure and defeat become sin when we get stuck in it.

C. Remember, failure is a better teacher than success, and so defeat can be a teacher, if we allow God to work in our lives. Hopefully, He will be able to bring you us of defeat into victory.

D. This theme continues in Deuteronomy 33; "The beloved of the LORD shall dwell in safety by him; and the LORD shall cover him all the day long, and he shall dwell between his shoulders." (Deuteronomy 33:12) His divine care and dedication toward us insure us a life of victory. E. Blessing upon blessings are directed by God toward Israel at the end of their wilderness experience. Through the rest of Chapter 33 of Deuteronomy they continue to be stated. And they continue today for His children.

A LIFE OF PRAYER

One of the things the LORD is impressing on me for 2017 is to increase my time of prayer. Prayer should be a natural function of our everyday life and at the very heart of our relationship with our LORD. The heart of our prayers should always be the expression of our love for the LORD, and of our desire to personally know Him. The LORD said in Proverbs, “I love them that love Me, and those that seek Me early shall find Me.” (Proverbs 8:17) I can think of nothing more important in our walk with the LORD for 2017 than to spend more time in prayer. Our need is not to be better informed about the methods and principles of prayer, but rather to be stirred to spend quality time in prayer. Our prayers should always include the expression of our total dependence upon the LORD. We were created to live in a dependent relationship to Jesus - to look to Him in an attitude of worship and prayer for all things. “I am the vine, you are the branches: He that abides in Me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit: for without Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5) Prayer is the means whereby this dependent relationship finds its outworking and completion. It is through this union with Jesus in prayer that the LORD meets our needs. Thus prayer is at the very heart of our Christian experience and growth. If we are searching for some new revelation, personality, or fad to follow we will find it and then be easily led into some form of deception. The foundation of our spiritual life must be established on an active, personal prayer relationship with Jesus as being the LORD of our lives and all that pertains to us. Our calling is to work WITH the LORD rather than for the LORD. Therefore, there must be a time of preparation before we can be effective in serving the LORD. Doing the things (ministry, etc.) God needs for us to do will follow as the normal outworking of a life of prayer and communion with Him. If this were practiced as the LORD taught most of the problems that we have in our Christian experience would vanish. At this critical hour in which we live the LORD is calling His people apart, to serious times of prayer. Throughout the Body of Christ the glitter and charisma of personalities and special ministries must fade away. At the same time the door into the prayer closet is opening wider for those who desire something more from the Lord and are willing to enter and pray. It is here that the battle must be won. We begin by acknowledging our relationship to our Heavenly Father and worshipping Him. Only then can we pray for His will to be done and share our needs. Prayer is more than telling the LORD what we think He should do, and all the wonderful things that would happen if only He would do as we ask. Real prayer begins when we enter into such communion with Jesus that the Holy Spirit can pray the will of the Father through us. There are three different and distinct patterns or forms of our prayer life. The first is duty prayer where we pray over our food, prayer before we close our eyes at night, opening and/or closing a church service, meeting all of the traditions and responsibilities that man defines we must do in prayer and yes these are fine, but the LORD is looking for more. The next is a prayer life where we stop our living to pray. Where we "get alone" with the LORD, where we go into our prayer closet and spend time with Him. Fanny Crosby wrote a song, "Sweet Hour of Prayer" today it would be titled "Sweet Five Minutes of Prayer." Most Christians spend on average (from resent surveys) less than 10 minutes a week in prayer. Jesus received direction and power from the Father when He prayed. Time and time again Jesus would separate Himself from the disciples and His living to receive from the Father. So I ask are the servants greater than the Master? As important as having a prayer life is the LORD is still looking for something more in our lives and that is a life of prayer where we do not stop our living, but 24 hours a day prayer comes out of our lives. This is how we can "pray without ceasing" as Paul instructed the Christians at the Church in at Thessalonica, "Rejoice evermore. 17 Pray without ceasing.18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) If we can get to this place in God He then will be able to bring us into righteous living one of His grand goals in our lives. Ah righteous living where we just live righteous like breathing. No one has to think about breathing we just breathe it is automatic, well in righteous living we do not think about doing right or not sinning we just live and our living is righteous. Our living (words, and deeds) automatically become righteous and there is no condemnation in our lives, but if we get off track then the precious Holy Spirit will help (sometimes this can be very painful) get us back on track. This was the attraction (and not the miracles) of Jesus that drew the people to Him as He walked this earth. Righteous living will lead us to a greater love for God (always the beginning of all things in God) and a greater understanding of who we are and how we fit into the LORD's big picture for our lives. We need not wonder about the LORD's big picture for the world until we can learn of what God has for us. We then can learn about ALL God has for us and in ALL matters taking hold of the willingness of the LORD not overcoming His reluctance. An area many Christians have trouble with. Be careful our wants (even in God) will get us in trouble sometimes faster than sin. He may reluctantly give us something that we continually press Him for to our own hurt. Note the children of Israel who pressed Him for meat, rather than being satisfied with the Manna that He had provided. The Palmist said, "They soon forgat his works; they waited not for his counsel: 14 But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tempted God in the desert. 15 And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul." (Palms 106:15) God gave them quail, but they needed something for the soul. Their trade was something physical (meat) instead of something spiritual. And why? They "soon forgat his works; they waited not for his counsel." In other words no time spent inquiring of God. The result then was they "lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tempted God in the desert." So God answered their request for the physical (the meat), but "sent leanness into their soul" to give them a hunger that the quail would not satisfy. God has His ways of getting our attention and usually He will use physical means to touch our spiritual lack. What a cry we hear in the church for physical healing and financial blessings when in reality the problem is the lack of spiritual understanding and discipline. There are no shortcuts or push-button methods of entering into His presence. Prayer means spending quality time with the LORD. When the LORD's people come to an understanding of the value of having a set apart place of prayer for communion with Him and often enter into this place they will be on their way to a life of fruitfulness in His purpose. That way is the same way Jesus walked a life of prayer and relationship with His Father.

A MEDITATION ON CHRISTMAS

When I meditate on this time of the year and on what we call the Christmas (word not found in the KJV of the Bible) season I must conclude this is the most divisive time of the year just ahead of Easter. I wonder why these two holidays divide so many people in the world. Now I will tell you from the start Karen and I do not celebrate Christmas how can we the word is not in the KJV Bible, but we do celebrate the birth of our precious LORD and Savior Jesus Christ. As Christianity began to spread many were alarmed by the continuing celebration of pagan customs among their converts. We even see this throughout the New Testament Church as Paul constantly battled against pagan and cultural traditions from taking root in the young Church. At first the Church forbade this kind of celebration. But it was to no avail. Bible historians claim that the Christmas celebration was invented to compete against the pagan celebrations of December. The 25th was not only sacred to the Romans but also to the Persians (Babylonian Chaldeans) whose religion Mithraism was one of Christianity's main rivals at that time. Oddly enough it was during this period the three Wise Men (also Magi) (Matthew 2:1) learned of the Star of Bethlehem by reading the prophecies of Daniel the Great Magi (Daniel 1:1-7). Sadly this religious deception continues today, even though the faces and names has been changed the spirit and intent has not. We Christians seem to be good at making up things to satisfy our flesh for fulfillment. Now as I said Karen and I do celebrate the birth of Christ, there is a huge difference. As we watch the news we cannot believe all of the fighting to keep Christ in Christmas. Where in the Bible did Jesus ask us to remember His birth? Now I can find plenty of Scriptures in the Bible where Jesus has asked us to remember His death, “And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. 25After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. 26For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.” (1 Corinthians 11:24-26) Who wants to remember Jesus’ death when we can remember His birth? Yet few Christians really remember His death (Romans 6:3) while they go crazy in remembering His birth. I wonder why? Yes there is a wonderful story about the birth of Jesus in the Bible, but where are we commanded to make His birth an annual holiday like we in American have made: Independence, Veterans, or Valentine Day even Halloween? And when you merge religious with traditions and customs you have an unbeatable national money maker. Is not Jesus’ birth much more? Yes my friend I am afraid we have gotten off track and the merchants of the day (and for 100s of years) have capitalized on our selfish greed (maybe only in America, but I think not) and great presumption. The same way Hollywood has recently discovered the untapped market for Christian movies. I find it really strange how many Christians today would rather go to a movie then to Church to hear about Jesus. I wonder why? It is not about fighting to keep Christ in Christmas or even about a baby in the manger. You know we really like seeing baby Jesus in the manger, but you know my friend Jesus is not a baby any more, “Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.” (Romans 8:34) Today Jesus is not a defenseless baby in the manger He is our victorious King of kings, Lord of lords, and some day soon He is coming back to earth not as a baby, but as a judge (to kick butt) and rule (to set righteousness in order) in the earth. Something else we are puzzled about is why Christians want to beat up on the Atheist in Washington State who put a sign beside a manger display in the Capitol building. I thought we were to witness to them and tell them about Jesus? There is not much of a Christian witness when we shake our fist and gnash our teeth at someone over a wooden display. How can this sign destroy the eternal timeless message of our precious savior Jesus Christ? It cannot and will not. Has the love of God been displaced by Christians wanting their traditional religious symbols? I too can speak for God and sadly I must say yes. Jesus did not come so that we could decorate our trees and yard with gold and silver balls or blinking lights. Jesus did not come so Christians could deck the halls with a blow up Santa Claus and reindeer on their roofs and lawn. What do we do with these verses? “Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them. 3For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. 4They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers that it move not.” (Jeremiah 10:2-4) Maybe we should ignore them or maybe the Holy Spirit made a mistake? I think God is very clear in what He is saying, but we continue in the lie with Christmas trees (a German custom) out from our American tradition (now transported to the world) and because we do not want to offend family members. Just look at the Christmas trees in churches today? What do we do with these verses? The answer will be what we do with Jesus. Never forget the Gospel message of Christ is very offensive and at times even divisive to the non-believers, but truth is truth. Either we will stand for truth or compromise for the lie for the sake of peace on earth. The truth is Jesus did not come so we could have songs to sing at our annual Christmas musicals. It is amazing how old Christmas recordings from people long ago come back to life every Christmas. Jesus did not come so we could run ourselves to death, buying presents for people, while going further into debt. It is no wonder support in America for missionaries and humanitarian programs dwindle to almost to nothing this season of the year. I am afraid the true character and nature of man comes out during Christmas. We even plug in a written list to a jolly fat man in a red suit that drives a sleigh of reindeer around the world in one night to make sure we get want we what for Christmas. Why do we think we should get a present on some one else’s birthday? Our selfishness and self-centered nature really comes shining through. Oh Lord please forgive us for the indulgence of our wrong attitudes, greed, and lust. Jesus did not come to give us a Christmas season to feed our passions. The Bible is very clear why Jesus came. Jesus tells us in His own words, “The thief (not the devil) cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10) Jesus came so that we “might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” not to get a bunch of Christmas presents to satisfy our flesh. Jesus came so that we might (our choice not His) have the life of God dwelling within our heart and lives. The creative eternal life of God moving in us and out from us to the world. Also in John Jesus tells us, “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” (John 17:3) Jesus came so that we might have life eternal (one part of salvation) which is knowing His Father (and ours), so that we too could “know the only true God” as Jesus did. So we too could know the sublime unity of knowing God as Jesus did. I would think that would be worth far more than anything we can buy each other. Did you know, Jesus (even though the Prince of Peace) did not come into the world to bring peace as many of the major denominations and religions of the world tell us. Religious deception always leads us away from Christ into the traditional religious worship of the customs of man (like Christmas and Easter) and into a good works salvation thinking. Oh no Jesus Himself said, “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. 35For I am come to set a man at variance (Strong’s #1639 to cut into two parts, cleave asunder, sever) against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. 36And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household. 37He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. 39He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.” (Matthew 10:34-39) Jesus has come to cut our hearts out of the world with His word, the sword. Jesus has “come to set man at variance against” or sever every relationship where we love someone or something more than Him. Jesus came so that we could take up our cross (not Jesus’) and follow Him. Jesus came so we could lose our life so that we could then find our life in Him. We know and are persuaded if we lose our life for His sake we shall find it. We also know many of our friends will disagree (we hope and pray this is not the case) with this article, but that is okay getting the truth of the Gospel message out is more important than our friends getting offended at us. If they get offended at us over this article we know they probably are not our friends anyway. We have learned this truth the hard way. Please do not allow yourself to be deceived (your choice) by any pastor or person that says, “it is not a Heaven or Hell issue or it does not really matter” oh really? This thinking my friend is just spiritually wrong and a very subtle form of deception that has been carried on for 100s maybe 1,000s of years by the religious denominations and merchants both working hand-n-hand to get customers. Sadly at the heart of why we focus on the Christmas story and baby Jesus in the manger is so we do not have to deal with a risen Savior. How much more religious can we (like the Rich Young Ruler (Mark 10:17)) who could not totally sell out be than to bow down and worship the Christmas story and the sweet little baby Jesus in the manger? This satisfies our religious flesh and helps to ease our guilt and feeling of disobedience from rejecting God’s word to us. Who wants to allow God to deal and judge in their hearts exposing areas where we must allow Him to work? It is much easier singing another song about Christmas as we buy presents for our family or even as we buy a present for some poor people who live down the street who we neglect the rest of the year. It is far less painful to go to every church musical and spend all we have than for God to be able to show us who we really are. Who wants to allow God free rein in our heart and lives to conform us into the image (icon) and character of Jesus Christ? Very few people do and the rest continue in this traditional religious lie year after year. I think I will end with a very sobering word; if you need a traditional religious holiday to know God sadly my friend your heart is very far from Him and you will never come to know Him. Let us turn our hearts away from the religious traditions of Christmas and allow God to bring the truth of His character and nature to us. It is our choice whether we desire presents on Christmas morning or the knowledge of God, we cannot have both.

WTFMT-39 HGM on 20 Dec 2016

WILDERNESS TRUTHS FOR MODERN TIMES-39   (Without Margin Notes)

TEXT: "Ye have compassed this mountain long enough: turn you northward. And command thou the people, saying, Ye are to pass through the coast of your brethren the children of Esau, which dwell in Seir; and they shall be afraid of you: take ye good heed unto yourselves therefore: Meddle not with them; for I will not give you of their land, no, not so much as a foot breadth; because I have given mount Seir unto Esau for a possession. Ye shall buy meat of them for money, that ye may eat; and ye shall also buy water of them for money, that ye may drink. For the LORD thy God hath blessed thee in all the works of thy hand: he knoweth thy walking through this great wilderness: these forty years the LORD thy God hath been with thee; thou hast lacked nothing." (Deuteronomy-7)

 

I. THE CHANGING OF PATTERNS

A. When God, in training us, calls us from a particular situation, do not be overjoyed. He may be calling us to even a more difficult situations.

B. God will bring us from one pattern to another. The children of Israel never had to buy water; they never had to buy meat. But now they do. Things are not as easy as they used to be. Training does not get easier; it gets harder. But, as we are being trained, we are gaining strength and are growing in Him.

C. Do not allow changing patterns to discourage your dedication to the Lord. Changing patterns are an absolute necessary. Today you wear size 10. Tomorrow you will wear size 12. God will change your patterns to suit your growing needs.

D. In addition to patterns changes in circumstances and training, even prayer patterns will change. As there are changes in the outward natural and physical patterns, there will be changes in the outward and inner spiritual patterns.

E. As our patterns change so does our understanding and knowledge of God. We then see His love in a greater way, as such as never seen before.

F. This love of God for His people contains a tremendous desire to give. His ultimate giving is not seen in the things He provides, but in His giving Himself. God wants to share Himself with His people to such an extent that we become partakers of His divine nature. This is what the Peter expresses, "Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust." (II Peter 1:4)

G. This is quite a task God has, getting into us His own character. Partaking of the divine nature lays the foundation for the partaking of His character. Partaking of the divine nature is instantaneous at the new birth, the divine character, however, takes a lifetime.

H. God must put a divine character in one who is filled with "undivine" characteristics. In order for the love of God to become characteristics in us, hate must be eliminated. In order for the dedication of God to become characteristic in us dedication to self must be eliminated. In order for God's spirit of giving to become characteristic in us, selfishness must be eliminated.

I. God puts the squeeze on us, to squeeze out certain juices in order to make room for other kinds.

J. If we know what God is up to when the pressure is on, when the fire is burning the dross, we can better maintain our personal dedication. When we understand what God is doing and why, we will more readily endure the fire and the valley of the shadow of death.

K. God's peace will not characterize one is whom there is unrest. In order for God to work divine trust into us, He must squeeze out that "undivine" doubt. This is the reason for the wilderness and the trials. Every trial, every circumstance, every experience, will be tailored our personal being and needs.

L. Through all the testings and times of enlargement of God is translating truth into our life and living. Know this and be faithful to Him. Know the Truth for the Truth will make us free to live it.

II. PARTING THOUGHTS

A. There is so much to know of the things of God. But knowing is not enough. Someone may explain faith to you. You may read six books on faith. But all that does not cause you to live it, nor even to have it. God by His Spirit must translate that truth to our life. Do not be to concerned about how He does it. We just be willing to endure whatever it takes to get these things of God into our everyday living.

B. God's work within us, in order to develop us into His image, may at times be unpleasant. Some believers consider these unpleasantries evil. I wonder where they get this. It does not come from the Bible.

C. The thinking that adversity is evil comes from certain logical conclusions drawn from particular truths. But God does not operate on logical conclusions. The apostle Paul certainly did not come to such a logical conclusion. Paul saw glory in the suffering, rather than evil. "But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man." (Hebrews 2:9) Paul saw that the suffering works a very great glory in us.

REACHING GOD

The "nominal" church (remember we are the true church, the Bride of Christ not a denomination or organization) today has done a poor job at best in helping the people get to God. Paul in Ephesians shared this truth to the Church at Ephesus to establish a base line of thinking and to lay a foundation in them that would enable them to rightly understand the functioning and the power of this mystical body. Paul writes, "And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:" (Ephesians 4:11-13) Notice the giving of "apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers" was not for the edifying of the church, but for "the body of Christ." There is a huge difference. And the job of the "apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers" was for "the perfecting of the saints" to enable and empower (through teaching and personal example) the people to be able to reach God not be entertained. Again not the perfecting of the church. The goal was for us to come "unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:" God's idea was for us to be conformed into the stature and character of Jesus Christ not build some organization. We my friend are the church, "we are the workmanship of God . . . " (Ephesians 2:10) Sadly, we (the apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists, and some, pastors, and teachers) have taught the people how to sing, dance, do skits and dramas, pray (to a certain degree), give money to the church, do good works (feeding and clothing the poor), even traveling the world in missions under the banner of the "great commission," but have miserably failed to teach the people how to reach God for themselves. And why? Well if the people can reach God for themselves there is no need for a pastor to call when they need something from God. There will be no need for a pastor to pray over them or even intercede on their behalf in their time of crisis or time of need. Now there are times when we must come for prayer, but this is often a stop gap method and should never be the norm in our daily Christian walk. At times the LORD will direct us to someone who does have a call on their life in spiritual gifts, but that is a very very small portion of the Body of Christ. Most Spiritual gifts I would say 90% of the Spiritual gifts are for the administration (see 1 Corinthians 12:28) of the day to day running and operation of a local body of Believers. Somehow (I am sure due to our self-important thinking) we all have gotten it backwards thinking we all have Spiritual gifts listed in 1 Corinthians 12:7-10 for the Body of Christ. This is an old trick to keep people involved and coming to church like giving people certain jobs just to keep them at the church. I have seen this for years. Now the LORD will use us, but very few are called by God to be "apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers," but the rest are called to be pew sitters and the better pew sitters we are the better God can be to the Body of Christ. Back in the late 70s there was a notable shift in the delivery of the Gospel message from evangelism to teaching. Everyone was suddenly teachers and scholars. It was like when we had our church in Germany many of the African pastors living in Africa were just that pastors or lay leaders, but somewhere over the Mediterranean Sea they became apostles, prophets, and bishops. Magically they were transformed in the Spirit so they could have a bigger title (how the church is influenced by titles) and name to fleece the flock more completely. The title Jesus gave Himself knowing He was the Son of God was the "Son of man." Is the servant greater than the Master? How we like to have Dr. and letters added behind our name. Funny how we can help plant a church and now we are called bishop or "Bish" by our close friends. Do we really think adding titles to our names is going to help us get people to know God? The goal is not to add to our selves, but to help people come to know God. When we started our church in Germany after every service I would "open up the altar" (not sure what that really means) for those who wanted prayer, well Sunday after Sunday the same people would come forward asking for the same things week after week. After a while of this and getting phone calls in the middle of the night I saw I was teaching the people to bypass God and come to me or come to me to get to God. Either way both are 100% wrong. God must be first in our lives and first on our lips when we reach out. This what Jesus taught the disciples in Luke in what we call the LORD's prayer. "And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples. 2 And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. 3 Give us day by day our daily bread. 4And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil." (Luke 11:1-4) I always found it odd that John the Baptist could teach His disciples to pray before Jesus could teach his disciples. Jesus taught the disciples to pray "abba Father" or direct address to the Father. Now the disciples thought this to be strange because they as good Jews have been taught to pray "avia Father" or around through to the Father. Every Christmas season many folks sing a song called "Avia Maria" which means salvation through Maria. Jesus was teaching His disciples prayer it is not around through to the Father, but direct address to the Father. This too is what we need to teach our folks to pray (which is translated many ways: comforter, asking, beseeching, but most translated direct address) directly to the Father and do not go through anyone that means your pastor, teacher, mentor, friend, whomever. I saw in reality my job was to work myself out of a job. The more I could do to get our folks to do for themselves the better off they were in God and the more time I had for my time with the LORD and my family. How liberating this was. So that is what I did. I took my hands off the reins and let the folks do what God had called them to do. It was wonderful. I would come to service at 10:45 (unless I wanted to go to Sunday School) and take my place in the audience and when I was called by Joseph (our assistant pastor) to minister the word or talk about something we are doing. If not I did not need to be seen or get involved. Everyone knew who and what I was, no need to tell everyone. Anyway how else are the leaders of Christliche Gemeinde Stuttgart (our church) going to learn how to be better leaders? How else are they going to learn how to succeed or fail? My Bible Teacher Charles Haun said he was not a teacher (only the Holy Spirit can teach us), but a dispenser. I have thought about that over these many years and you know he is right. We can teach no one anything. All we can do is dispense to other to one another what God has put in us. That should be our goal. To dispense God out from our lives helping others reach God is some way. As we look forward to 2017 and beyond we better be able to get to God on our own if not we will never make it and then what will we do?

POWER FOR TRUTH

We just returned from 14 days in Bulgaria, Macedonia, and Romania and while away my mind was often on the ministry of the Holy Spirit. It seemed to me the nominal church and the many denominations in general have seem to have put the Holy Spirit up on the shelf so He could just watch. In Corinthians Paul writes (and this verse really scares me), "But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway." (1 Corinthians 9:27) The word "castaway" here means not to throw away, but to be put up on the shelf so that you can watch. It is sad to be put up on the shelf and not be used of God, but having to watch what is going on and not being able to engage with what God is doing could be a fate worse than death to some people. I hope this never happens to anyone I know, but if it does it is because the choice was made to not get involved with what the Holy Spirit is doing. Today it seems to me the Holy Spirit is used for miracles, prosperity, to soften life's hardships, things to feed our flesh and senses, but these are not God's intent in giving us the Holy Spirit. God's intention for the Holy Spirit was to give us power and boldness to stand up against the wiles of this world and to be able to speak the truth in love. It was given not for material and physical things of life, but to be able stand with boldness and stubbornness in direct opposition to the world's way and system of doing things. But "truly" truth today is lost to a world that is full of its self and full of what self wants to do. No one hardly wants to hear or even know the truth, most people would rather hear a good lie it is much more entertaining. Maybe that is why churches today would rather entertain people instead of telling them the truth they do not have the stomach for the truth. Paul told the Church at Ephesus, "But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love." (Ephesians 4:15-16) Sadly today even in the church we cannot speak the truth, even in love without being called a racist, homophobe, or just a hater in general. And why? People do not want to "grow up" into Christ. They want to make up their own truth so they can do, go, and even vote for candidates who resist the Holy Spirit and reject the word of God. We saw this in the election of 2016, many so called Christians voted for candidates like Hillary Clinton who would stand and shake their fist in the face of God and His word so that they could support a social ungodly agenda that is in direct rebellion to God and His word. I for one will mark these so called Christians and keep my distance. At the heart of this rebellion is the rejection of the Holy Spirit Himself. It is not about the ungodly agenda of Hillary Clinton and those who supported her, but about the deception to the truth of God and His word. And to the open deception of the working of the Holy Spirit. Paul told the Church at Corinth (do not you know both churches were really messed up?), "Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." (1 Corinthians 2:13-14) "The natural man (or the carnal, fleshly man) receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God" that is the Holy Spirit. Why does the "natural man" NOT receive the Spirit of God, because of open and willful deception. It has to be willful and open for God would not intentionally deceive someone from the truth. Growing up as a child in mostly Pentecostal churches I remember the power of God suddenly dropping unannounced and in a holy and sovereign way, people were crying, repenting, asking each other for forgiveness, but it has been a long long times since I have seen such a manifestation of God. I know God changes not so I guess is it man who has changed to be able to receive the things of God. Some time ago I asked the LORD why the manifestation of His power is not seen today as it was in times past and He told me my people have lost the love for the truth. Not that they did not know truth they do truth is something we all know when we hear and see it, but what is lost is a love for the truth, this brings with it a respect and reverence for God and His ways. You know most pastors and Christians are not operating in the intent of the Holy Spirit where they wait to hear what the Holy Spirit is saying to the church or even their family. Most pastors are busy caring for the people (hospital visits, weddings, funerals, etc.) and find little time to wait before the LORD to hear from the Holy Spirit instead they get an old word from someone else online or worse in some Bible commentary or teaching notes. They too have rejected the Holy Spirit. Jesus tells us in Acts, "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." (Acts 1:8) It is interesting to know the word "witness" here means martyr. God gives us power to lay our life down for His sake. Do not you know we need power to die to our self, our ambitions, even our deception? Well this will happen "after the Holy Ghost is come upon you." Which means we need the power from the Holy Spirit. In John Jesus Himself tells us, "Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. 8And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:9 Of sin, because they believe not on me; 10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; 11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. 12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. 13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come." (John 16:7-13) This is truth Jesus said. How can we expect to make decisions in our lives, our families, in our world without the power of the Holy Spirit? It is no wonder most churches and this world is so messed up they reject the power and all of the benefits Holy Spirit offers. How can things in America and this world and even individual lives ever get straight? By the injection of the power of the Holy Spirit as we walk in the truth that comes from the power. The depth of the Holy Spirit's power is unlimited it even goes beyond our ability to reason and think. In Luke (Jesus again here) we read, "And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say: 12 For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say." (Luke 12:11-12) Now I know what Jesus was saying here. There has been times in my many travels that I have been at a loss for words when before authorities then suddenly out of nowhere God would speak to my mind what to say. Things I would never have thought of or dared to say. Things that cover the situation and make a way where seemed none. Notice it says, "shall teach you in the same hour" there is a process you go though to allow the Holy Spirit to teach you (and it can be painful at times) to be able to be quiet to hear Him leading and guiding you. I am amazed how the early church was used of God. They did not have the 100s of versions of the Bible, a church on every corner, or 24 seven so called Christian TV telling you what to do in every area of your life. We seem to find comfort in other people when in fact they too suffer from the same problems and issues that plague us. We think because they are on TV they have some special in with God, when this is so far from the truth. The special in is not with people, but with the Holy Spirit. Where did Jason find this ability? "And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also;" (Acts 17:6) Only in the power of the Holy Spirit!

WTFMT 38 (TAUGHT ON 22 NOV 16)

WILDERNESS TRUTHS FOR MODERN TIMES-38 TEXT: " For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:30)

I. TWO IN ONE YOKE

A. The yoke is for two. Truth always has two aspects. The believer must always be tied in to God. It is strange this hookup between God and man.
B. The Amalekites were killing the Israelites. But when Moses held up his hand Israel prevailed; when he dropped his hands Amalek prevailed (Exodus 17:11). It was not just Moses swaying the battle and it was not Just God. It was both yoked together. God is not going to plow the whole field alone.
C. Take His yoke upon you and learn to move together with the Lord. The Lord knows His place in the yoke. The Lord works with man. "And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen" (Mark 16:20) Mark didn't say, "they worked with the Lord." The reason why the Lord can work with them and us is that we are in the yoke. The reason why the Lord cannot work with some is that they are not in the yoke. The Lord does not work alone. Jesus and God occupied the same yoke during Christ's earthly ministry. It takes two-- God and you.
D. A covenant is made between two parties. It is to be kept both sides. Both parties are responsible. If either party fails to comply, the covenant will not work. The correctness of one party in the covenant does not insure the correctness of the other party. God is faithful. That does not guarantee the faithfulness of the other party. The very fact that God made a covenant with man and does not guarantee its success.
E. The Apostle Paul speaks of two covenants in Galatians, "Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar." (Galatians 4:24) But when God instituted this covenant in the Wilderness of Sinai, He did not intend it to lead to bondage. Nevertheless the covenant failed. God did not fail. God completed all His responsibilities in this situation. Even though God accomplished His part, the very thing He instituted for life brought death. Why? Because the children of Israel did not keep their part in the covenant.
F. The common theme of every covenant which God made with anyone was life. Outside of God's covenant there is no life. If one chooses to negate his part in the covenant, he has forfeited life, and has gone into bondage.
G. For him there is no fulfillment of the covenant of God. The failure of man's part destroys the full intentions of the covenant of God, resulting in bondage and death. God never fails; upon this foundation man can write his own guarantee.
H. God is sure; "And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand." (John 10:28) The success of the covenant between you and God does not depend upon what an enemy does. The third party, the enemy, or even your brother or sister in the Lord, has not the power to make your covenant with God succeed, nor does he have the power to make it fail.
I. We are responsible for making God's covenant with you a success or a failure. The fulfillment of our responsibility will be found in a dedication to the Lord. If we remain dedicated to Him, rather than to the world, rather than to our self, our success is assured.
J. The difficulty in maintaining our dedication is in the trials, the difficult situations, the testings, the training, the learning, the becoming conformed into the image of Christ Jesus.
K. There is one thing to keep in mind. The trials, the testings, the training are not permanent. "Joy comes in the morning." We are in constant transitions. All the mechanics of our spiritual training and learning are on the scene for only a short time.
L. They are tools used by God to bring us onward to greater spiritual heights. When the job is done, the tool is put away, but the work the tool did is taken with you. The work is that God worked in you is what He uses to continue to build we into the image of His dear Son.
M. When the children of Israel left Sinai, they left behind their trials and testings, but they took with them all that God had established.

II. PARTING THOUGHTS

A. God may have us under pressure where there is no water, no spiritual blessings. We are there for a special work. When God completed this work in us, we leave behind all the unpleasantries, and take with us God's work of art, which is eternal.
B. Upon completion of a set of fine kitchen cabinets, the cabinet maker installs the finished product in your kitchen. He does not bring his tools to mount them in your kitchen as show pieces, his tools have been put away. The trials and tribulations are not going to last forever. They are simply tools used to build something which will last forever. Paul said it this way, "For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." (Romans 8:18)