Thirty days of Grace

53:181118

Thirty days of Grace

   Now there were certain men who were defiled by a human corpse, so that they could not keep the Passover on that day; and they came before Moses and Aaron that day. And those men said to him, “We became defiled by a human corpse. Why are we kept from presenting the offering of the Lord at its appointed time among the children of Israel?” And Moses said to them, “Stand still, that I may hear what the Lord will command concerning you.” Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘If anyone of you or your posterity is unclean because of a corpse, or is far away on a journey, he may still keep the Lord’s Passover. On the fourteenth day of the second month, at twilight, they may keep it. They shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. They shall leave none of it until morning, nor break one of its bones. According to all the ordinances of the Passover they shall keep it. But the man who is clean and is not on a journey, and ceases to keep the Passover, that same person shall be cut off from among his people, because he did not bring the offering of the Lord at its appointed time; that man shall bear his sin. ‘And if a stranger dwells among you, and would keep the Lord’s Passover, he must do so according to the rite of the Passover and according to its ceremony; you shall have one ordinance, both for the stranger and the native of the land..”  Numb 9: 6~14

   In the scriptures there is Grace heaped upon Grace, wow just imagine that if you will for moment. What I’m talking about is of cause is the ‘Passover’. From this there is a question raised?...

Q  “ If a man was in a condition to observe that feast on the appointed day, was he to be debarred for a whole year? Some men found in this position were heard saying..’wherefore are we kept back” (V7)

   So, let’s look at FEAR, from 5 different points.

1) Unfitness. . . . . 2) Confession . . . . . 3) Provision . . . . .

4) Warning . . . . . 5)Invitation

   This was now a totally new difficulty, and Moses deal with it, just as in today, how we should deal with it all when it springs up before us. So without any hesitation Moses went out, and called upon our Lord God for direction.

   If any man lacks wisdom, let him ask God who gives to all, literally. The answer was plainly given, there has to be a special ‘Passover feast’, to be held on the fourteenth (14^th) day of the second day of the month. Though this has to be a special case, even all the provisions have been met. What would have to be made known, is that His Grace won’t always mean that these Riches’ are not of money, per-say.

1 Unfitness

“..Certain men were defiled that they could not keep

the ‘Passover’ on that day..”  (V6)

   The cause of their Unfitness to profit by the provision made by God on the fourteenth day of the first month was their uncleanness. There’ll be a number of you who will cry out, and profess they are without blemish. Here’s why we all have al sinned and so fallen short.  It’s what we do next on realization of committing sin. Due to this sin, we’re no longer in a place to receive God’s riches.

 “..If a person touches any unclean thing, whether 

it is the carcass of an unclean beast, or the carcass of unclean livestock … ‘Or if a person swears, speaking thoughtlessly with his lips to do evil or to do good, whatever it is that a man may pronounce by an oath, and he is unaware of it—when he realizes it, then he shall be guilty in any of these matters.." Leviticus 5: 2

   Being already sinners, not them, but only help to show their sinfulness. By the law knowledge of sin, unbelief unfits a man from receiving the benefits of Christ Jesus redeeming death. The defilement has been their own doing/making.  

2 Confession

“..And those men said to him, “We became defiled..” (V7)

   Passover was one of (if not the..) the most important dates on a Jewish Calendar, and today it is still as important. It was and is time they confessed Unfitness, and sought not to justify themselves. So, they presented themselves as ones disqualified because of their defilement, and begged for mercy & grace that these might reach and satisfy their souls.

   So many them can only try and imagine what it must be & feel like to be stoned by you community, even close friends as well as Family! Some would welcome being stoned because then they can try to heal at last the broken bones, with bruises fading over time.

#Confession will finally open the door#

   The grace of God, like a river that flows down into every crevice, or like the light of the Sun, will illuminate every corner, no matter how dark and dirty the corner may be, if only there was an opening toward it? 

#If only there was a man who open the door,

I will come into him#

(1 John 1:9)

“..if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us..” 
(1 John 1:9)

3 Provision

"..Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘If anyone of you or your posterity is unclean because of a corpse, or is far away on a journey, he may still keep the Lord’s Passover. On the fourteenth day of the second month, at twilight, they may keep it. They shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.." (v9~11)

      I know what you’re thinking, boxes of chocolate, sexy clothes for your loved one. Cards professing our everlasting love, and so much more. Gentiles have taken this date ’14 February’, then told on this date told to spend a month’s wages. Just to tell and be told how much it is to be loved on this date.

#When truthfully it is Passover time and 

NOT valentines!# 

   Between the first and the second Passover there are thirty days, these are days of Grace. If you somehow were to manage to miss both, there was no possibility of receiving a Passover blessing for the coming year. That has to be unbearable? This little blessing was instituted for the benefit of those who were disabled, is a beautiful little picture of the grace of God devising a plan of salvation for the helpless sinful man.

   Moses was only able to say in V8 “..Stand still and hear what the Lord will command concerning you..”

#Salvation is of the Lord#

   The law was given unto Moses, but grace and truth come by Jesus Christ. It’s suggestive that this special grace for the defiled, or the man that was ‘a far off’ on an journey, and so could not keep the feast of Passover.

“..that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from

the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the

covenants of promise, having no hope and without God

in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were

far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ..”

Eph 2 : 13/13

  4 Warning

“..the man who is clean and is not on a journey,

and ceases to keep the Passover, that same person shall be

cut off from among his people..” V13

   The Passover speaks of redemption. To those who willingly neglect this there is nothing for them but a fearful attitude towards ‘the Judgement day’.  There is no escaping this time when, all will be stripped bear, and all their life’s actions will be read out. Back then there was another action that was thought to be such a slight, that it would hold back all men that ‘not’ circumcised.

“..And the uncircumcised male child, who is not

circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that person shall be cut

off from his people; he has broken My covenant..” Gen 17: 14

 For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,”says the Lord. And again, “The Lord will judge His people.” It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.  Heb 10: 26/31

  Surely to despise or even to neglect Grace, is to choose death?  Hoe can it have been seen that they would have escaped if they neglected even salvation?

5 Invitation

“.. If a stranger will keep the Passover so..” (V14)

   By invitation a total stranger (Gentile), may come with them and may be a participant of the blessing of this memorable feast. This action denotes of redemption by the blood of the Lamb is offered to all who will come into the camp.

“..Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying,

“This cup is the new covenant in My blood,

which is shed for you..”  Luke 22: 20

   How wonderfully fitting this is a typical of the great salvation, through the blood of the lamb of God. Through the sacrifice of our Lord, being covered by the blood has such power it should be one or the greatest gifts given unto us. But yet even today it still remains one of the most undervalued.

       “..And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.."   Rev 22: 17

  ^“.. And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and 
to those who were near. For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father. Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members 
of the household of God..”

Eph 2: 17/19

Prayer

  In your love let all who are laden with burdens and worries, come freely and find shelter and rest. Let us ofer up our praises to the one true God in Heaven. No matter you concerns for today God has the answer. In our Lord Jesus' Name, Amen.

7 Points for Mose

7 Points for Moses

Exodus 3 v10/11   "Come now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.”But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?”

# 1  A Gods given dream establishes Identity. Moses asked God . . "Who Am I?" . . At this time he was seeking identity. God wanted Moses to become established in his in-identity in Him. Your identity in God is vital to fulfilling your dream. It lets you know that god is the author of your dream and NOT you.

# 2  A God given dream establishes Authority. In Exodus 3 v13/14 "Then Moses said to God, Indeed, when I come to the children of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they say to me, ‘What is His name?’ what shall I say to them?” And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you" . . All the Authority that you need to fulfill your dreams are in God - the 'I AM' is the one who backs you all the way"

#3  A God given dream establishes Credibility. In Exodus 4 v1-5 " . . Then Moses answered and said, “But suppose they will not believe me or listen to my voice; suppose they say, ‘The Lord has not appeared to you. So the Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, “A rod.” And He said, “Cast it on the ground.” So he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from it. Then the Lord said to Moses, “Reach out your hand and take it by the tail” (and he reached out his hand and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand), “that they may believe that the Lord God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.”
   When you have a God given dream and you know your divine destiny. Some people will say what right do you have to doing what you are doing? They may be skeptical of the fact you are endeavoring to accomplish something well beyond your natural means. They may even criticize for you surpassing their expectations for you. However, when you have a dream, whether you have the praise of man or not, you know you have the credibility with God. Because He is the one who gave the dream in the first place.

#4 A God given dream establishes Ability. . Moses had a habit of talking about his inability. But, when God gave him a dream, it established in him ability. When you have a God given dream, then like Moses, you will have God's divine ability to get the job done.

#5  A God given dream establishes Courage. Exodus 4 v18 " . . So Moses went and returned to Jethro his father-in-law, and said to him, “Please let me go and return to my brethren who are in Egypt, and see whether they are still alive. And Jethro said to Moses, “Go in peace . .”
   After a long discussion in which he was extremely honest with God, he finally accepted the dream that God gave him. There for verse 18 tells us, and Moses went... The dream established within Moses the courage to do what God had told him to do. This kind of courage enables us to go after what God says is ours.

#6  A God given dream establishes Boldness. Here is Moses first confrontation with Pharaoh; Afterwards Moses & Aaron went in and told Pharaoh . . (Exodus 5 v1-2)   "Afterward Moses and Aaron went in and told Pharaoh, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel: Let My people go, that they may hold a feast to Me in the wilderness.’ And Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, nor will I let Israel go”
   Moses is no longer fearful. He's not afraid of stepping out in faith. This is not the same man who had been saying . . "I am not . ." or "I can't do . .". This man is now boldly demanding that Pharaoh "Let My people go"!

#7  A God given dream establishes Perseverance. You will see that the story of Moses that he had to continually approach and confront Pharaoh. He (God) had finally developed within him perseverance. He would not give up until he saw God's dream become reality. God is looking for you not to be afraid but to persevere. He is looking for you to be willing to talk more about what He can do, rather than about what you cannot do. God's divine ability is available to you if you will take the first step of faith to follow after what He has called you to, and refuse to quit until His dream if fulfilled. So as Moses was given . . 7 points we also will be given these to complete God's dream for us today.

Are you willing to take that first step?? If so then get ready to see your mission become possible, 

in the Almighty God's name.

Settled in Righteousness ...... 55030820

55030820 

Settled in Righteousness 

   Holiness is a fruit that comes forth out of our acceptance of a thing called ‘Grace’. Grace is a root= Holiness is the fruit. Some will say being Holy and then these things are able to happen to you. Wrong. Being Righteous by faith and then Holiness will be your faith.

   Think about this for a moment … ‘If you don’t believe in what Jesus Christ our Lord has done, you ain’t going to see him. You need to believe in Him, then the by product will be Faith. You should always walk in uprightness, this is why .. You should live a life of holiness, because without Holiness, no-man will see the Lord through your witness.

Here’s something you should say every morning before getting out of bed….. 

“ Jesus Christ is my Everything” 

Romans 5 v 12 (Because of Adams decision he infected the whole human race to follow him). “..Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned..”

AMP - V13 “..Sin was [committed] in the world before the Law [was given], but sin is not charged [against anyone] when there is no law [against it]..”

Q: “So what happened to all the people back then, before the law was given”?
A: Can you only transgress against something to transgress?
ie.. your not speeding when there is a speed limit ..

… But we know that without being told, the faster we go the more dangerous/ wrong it is. We have been taught to know it might not be good, like standing at the cliff face, it’s going to hurt if we jump.

   An important thing to note, not all that we did has not been put on your record when we stand as a Christian before the Lamb of God, before we were saved, as it has all been washed clean by the blood of Christ, when we accepted Him into our lives.

Romans 5: 14 “..Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come..”

   If a free gift given to you, and you turn around and say ‘you don’t deserve it’ OR ‘Your not supposed to deserve it, is this free gift’? V15 “.. much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ..” in other words the unmerited favour from God, especially this free gift, you feel you don’t deserve it. But instead God is telling us that “I know you did nothing really to deserve it, but this free gift I give to you nevertheless.

V16 “..one offense resulted in condemnation..” We see clearly how Adams actions brought about Gods condemnation, so we can see how sin was brought into being, and how every man was born in to sin.

   Then God said I’m going give you a precious gift, even though I know you don’t deserve it, through my Son Jesus Christ you may never ‘earn’ it, but by my graces you can ‘freely’ receive it. V17 .. “..much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ .” If you receive ‘the gift’, called righteousness, you will reign in your life, by the one Jesus Christ. This wonderful gift from Heaven is Gods graces, as we were saved by Gods grace. Now you can receive the gift, that is called ‘righteousness’ though grace.

Amp V17 “..much more surely will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in [eternal] life through the One, Jesus Christ..”

“Will you receive the Gift” 

   Let us pause and take a look at the meaning of the word ‘receive’ to take into ones possession. Something that is offered or delivered.  So to take into possession something that is offered or delivered, we find that it was through ‘Grace’ that offered us the gift of righteousness, which can now be taken into our possession. Please pay attention closely, NO matter what life has to throw at you, DON’T give up this wonderful  gift from God easily. I hear you scream at the screen “..it’s easy for you to say..’’. Let me tell you it has not been easy, as life is a sea of great tempest’s. You can take a ‘physical’ thing into possession, for example: Money – Sofa’s – Cars – Homes etc. So how do we take hold of ‘righteousness’ into our possession? Purely by Faith alone.

   Only when we grasp ‘Righteousness’ fully, in every area of our lives, like ‘Eat/Sleep/Drink', will we see a difference and so will everyone else. Once you realise how good ‘Righteousness’ can be for you in your life, you’ll want to make sure you have it locked down in every area of how you now live. Then everyone will ask you ‘what your on?’ As they now want some, be aware some will be scoffers, and not believe you. All types of crazy things will happen to those who never ‘relinquish’ Gods free gift for you.

If ever in doubt repeat this to yourself daily... 

“I have hold of Gods Righteousness by Faith alone” 

   For, when the Angels in Heaven hear this they come running with all kinds of provisions, for you and yours. There will be NO mistake, let Heaven & Earth & hell know that “I am the Righteousness of God”. From now on no matter how many times you may stumble and fall always get up saying this, and you will get stronger every time. Until one day when you realise that you hardly stumble, or you can’t recall the last time you did.

V18-19 ...”Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. 19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous..” 

   Although we did nothing to be righteous, we were all born into sin by the actions of one couple, Adam & Eve. So to counter what they did in the garden of Eden, Jesus Christ came to correct this. The God of Abraham – Jacob & Moses, His favour will always bless even when you feel have done nothing to warrant such kindness.

Q: “Can I sin away my righteousness?”
A: If you can sin away your righteousness, then it would be a foolish act of your own making.

   If someone came along and gave you the ‘Euro-lotto’ jackpot, would you just leave it laying around for someone to find it? As sinning away Gods righteousness would be the same. When you could be living out your righteousness, which is by faith, and enjoying the glory and manifestation of God.

Q: Why do we keep sinning?
A: Because it keeps bringing about ’Human’, not Gods, natural consequences like .. shame – condemnation, bad feelings, all things we are used to. Be honest, who really wants to willingly live this way? 

   Who wants Shame – Guilt – living under the curse, or would you rather be spending you time being happy and rejoicing over the glory of your relationship God? I know which I choose. That’s not giving you cart-blanch to sinning, but the feeling of wanting to sin will go away eventually. I heard it said that ‘if we were to eat the same amount as we read our Bibles each week, we will be skeletons very quickly and die through malnourishment’.

Slowly but surly sinning will erode away …
..Your confidence in God.. 
..Your beliefs..& 
..Your faith in righteousness. 

   Once your confidence & faith in God goes away, then your going to find it harder to break away from those chains of bondage a second time around, the devil now has you bound down with. So after breaking away from his grasp the first time, would you leave the back door open leaving cookies on the worktop with a personal invite to come back.

   How many times whilst growing up, your (Earthly) father would say ‘don’t be doing that as it will make you unhappy’. But you always seem to know better than him, and so go on to make the mistake anyway. Our (Earthly) father now has to sit around and wait, and be there for you. Well surprise the same thing happens with our Heavenly Father.

Then God will say..
God: You know I love you?
You: Yes Heavenly Father
God: You know I ain't mad at you?
You: Yes Father, now what happens? I am truly sorry I let you down like that,
God: You ain’t let me down
You: Yes, but I want my holiness to be a demonstration of my love to you.

Hebrews 12:14 “..Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord..”

2 Corinthians 7:1 “..Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God..”

   We should want Holiness in our lives so bad, so that our hearts can no longer torment us. We should all want to be Holy and pleasing unto God. Everyday we should want God more & more & more, as much as God wants to love us. We should want to be with Him, not looking for Him do something for us, but just because we want to spend time with Him.

   If we keep doing this, then there will come a time, that NO matter the temptation, it will go straight on pass, because you will not be tempted or see the temptation.

May the Lord bless this to your hearts,

in Jesus Christs name

Amen

Seeing & Believing

 

John 4 v48    Then Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see

 signs and wonders, you will by no means 

believe.”

 

   This verse is part of a tale about a man’s son who is critically ill. And has travelled some distance, in order to try and meet a guy who creates miracles. It’s a long shot, this is the last he has, (The distance, he had walked, means nothing compared to his son’s wellbeing). Making this journey today is nothing as in a car it would only take 15/20 minutes.

 

   Bare with me if will, but, imagine driving this distance to a Hospital, because you heard of a surgeon who can cure your son. Only to be met such a rebuff. You would be staggered to, and probably you would be angered even frustrated. There’s you who has unlimited riches, but would give it all away to have your son made well-made well again. Because of the station in life your wealth has brought, and am used to people saying ‘yes’ to. So how knocked back you would be to have been me by such a rebuff.

 

   All be it was a boy who was sick and knocking on death door. Illness has no respect for persons of wealth or station.  

 

 Isaiah 55 v11   Then Jesus said to him, “Unless you 

people see signs and wonders, you will by no means 

believe.”

 

   Yet there is no doubt there is a little explanation, such is our Lords anxiety to purify and strengthen our faith in Him. The rich man’s faith was such that his faith was rested on the miraculous. In this very moment our Lord Jesus wanted show that His ‘word’ carried the same weight as if He was praying over his son back at home. Today we just call home on the mobile to find out there and then if his son had been cured, instead he had to walk/run home if faith that his son was well made so by Jesus. Wandering all the time is he or not well again, it must have been torture.

“If God wanted me to believe, why does He not put a sign

in the sky?”

 

   Faith is a matter of the heart and not merely of the mind. Real faith though is called into being not by an miraculous sign by the word of our Lord Jesus. For if faith was to depend on the visible sign in the sky, though there is great doubt it would accomplish it’s objective.

 

If the hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they

be persuaded that He rose from the dead.

 

   How precious is Faith in the estimation of our Lord and what pain He must have took to produce ~ purify & strengthen it. What may one explanation of many of His strange dealings with the son of man. His great longing is to lead us into the life of Faith. But what is Faith? Even though most exercise faith in our lives, in various degrees, what we are conscience of or not.

 

Have Faith and believe

 

The first time we see the word believe used is in . .

Genesis 15 v6    “. .And he believed in the Lord, and

He accounted it to him for righteousness. .”

. .according to the literal meaning of the time ‘Believe’ was to mean ~ to stand one self, by leaning on someone or something ~ this being so we lay our weak and changeable selves on Gods strength.

 

   At this point I must bring 2 things to your attention. .

1.     True faith will have God as its Origin & Objective. Remember ‘Abraham believed God’. In John 6 our Lord Jesus refers to it as ‘Work of God’. Hinting that it is God who give the true inclination of mind in complete trust.

2.   Our Faith in God is an act and NOT a mere sentiment. It is not something that easily or simply comes to a man. He must believe in something or someone other than himself.

 

. . I would be a miss if I did not point out that there is a close relationship between Faith & Will. Observe here, that, in the literal and strictest of senses of the word Faith ~ is that we must use effort. Whereas Will ~ is to make it so. My summation comes but in 3 stages, which I hope will cement what Seeing & Believing has been about.. ..

Stage 1 : Belief in Him our Lord

Stage 2 : The Saving belief

Stage 3 : Believing in the Lord

 

Stage 1 : Belief in Him our Lord

…To begin with this would lead us to an acceptance of His Revelation. All be it that it shows us, not, tells us how to be saved. Though many Christians can testify, that the book of Revelation paints a more vivid picture than Michael Angelo’s cysteine chapels ceiling. Of what will happen during the end times. Whilst it is possible for someone to have faith, yet still be lost? I say yes. True faith is something far far more than this. Therefore the 2^nd stage it is far more imperative that this next stage be reached . . via . . simple belief in Him our Lord Christ Jesus our saviour

Stage 2 : The Saving belief . .

Hebrews 10 v39  “. . But we are not of those who

draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the 

saving of the soul. .”

. .This is where the saving comes in. When I go out and by a chair, I have faith without doubt, that when I come in weary from the day it will hold my weight. Merely believing that the chair will not give on me will give peace of mind, but, ‘believing ‘on’ it, that it will bear my weight gives me peace of mind. This is just one of many instances that we show in our modern living that an unconscious belief in . . the cars we drive . . the coats we wear will keep us dry and warm . . or even this very pen . . that they will do what it says on the tin, to coin a phrase here.

 

Stage 3 : Believing in the Lord . .

   I may believe in the chair to help me become rested and restored. Also as I believe in my car and the pen I write, the same way. But still the car pen and I remain separated and distant, though not so with Christ and my Soul. Believing  . . on . . Him will lead to . . believing . . into . . Him. Becoming one with Him, united to Him be ties of Love & life. What a blessed union this has become.

 

Words will forever fall short and are unable

to describe the union fully

 

 

   Lets say a short prayer I have come across to describe my feeling…

“My faith looks up to thee, thou Lamb of Calvary

Saviour divine”