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.

Our Divine Possessions

 

Our Divine Possessions

V1 Forgiveness V5 Assurance V7 Protection V7 Deliverance

V8 Guidance V9 Warning V11 Joy

V1 : Forgiveness
   When we fest up to God that you.ve messed up, no matter how bad God will forgive you, just don’t lie! When I was a kid there were times when I sought my earthly father’s forgiveness, these would have been better if I had not lied. The thing is when you lie, there will come a time when you are found out. So as to divert the wrath you need to tell another lie to cover up the original lie.

   Now because I answer to my Heavenly Father, so when I ask for forgiveness of my lie/sin He forgives...

Mathew 9:2 “. .Son be of good cheer, your sins are forgiven. .”
Luke 7:45/9 “. . You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little. ”Then He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” And those who sat at the table with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?. . “

   The one thing that can forgive all our sins is God’s love. He’ll forgive us because God’s love is how He truly forgives us . .with love. If you’re wondering about sin’s that were committed ‘before’ became a Christian, well they were forgiven and taken away. God dealt with them when you gave your heart to the Lord. That is also what you were baptised in the water. This signifies being washed clean, cleansed, made a new. When you have been out in the garden, you wash – why? Because you were sweaty and covered in mud. You would not sit down and have lunch covered in mud and smelling bad. You would have a shower and make yourself clean, then out on clean fresh clothes. This is what it means to be born again, cleansed of all sin!

   When we have that shower, we are in the belief that it will make us clean, spotless. This is faith, why because it makes us clean. We use soap with a fragrance, to show others, we come into contact with, we are clean without having to tell people that we have washed today. Just like having a shower we should outwardly show others that ‘ALL’ our sins have been forgiven for all eternity. Too many Christians have given their lives to Christ, become washed clean, then go back to their old lives and ways.

V5 : Assurance
   If Your working on a large and awkward job, we like to have that what we are doing is correct. Assurance could be from that the boat we are crossing on will NOT sink. This means we don’t have any fear in using it The same way that faith needs to be shown.

Colossians 2:2   “..that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and[a] of Christ..”

   Our Lord is telling us that, don’t be discouraged. That we are be ‘knit-together ‘, so we can have all the riches of full, not part or a little bit, but full assurance of understanding from God. Life could not possibly get any better than this.

Hebrews 10:22 “..let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water..“

   The Lord has given us faith, that we can have no fears, as we have a living God. Because of this we can stand assured in faith that it is not for yesterday, but in full knowledge that our faith is for Eternity. With our Lords forgiveness and blessed Assurance we stand tall knowing that we are under His protection. Being under our Lords protection we have assurance that

   With our Lords forgiveness and blessed assurance we can stand tall in the knowledge we are under His ‘Protection’. Being under our Lords protection, we have assurance that. .

Psalm 23:4   “..Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me..”

   Having this ‘protection’ we all should have more confidence in our daily lives. The best way we can have ‘full protection’ for God is to put on the full amour . .

Ephesians 6:13/18   “..Therefore take up the whole armour of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil..”
Verse -14   "..having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness..”
Verse -15 “..shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace..”
Verse – 16  “..above all, taking the shield of faith..”
Verse – 17   “..take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God..”
Verse – 18   “..praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance..”

   We should always remember that that if we discard just ‘one’ of these items, it render the rest ‘Void’. You would not go to war without your body armour, or, helmet, this would be just madness. You might as well paint a massive ‘bulls-eye’ on yourself.

   Have you had to ever make a snap judgement about a situation? Many would call this a ‘gut reaction/feeling that you should not go to a place, or, have a feeling about someone. At this moment we ask to be ‘Delivered’ from . .

V7 Deliverance
What does it mean to have Deliverance? Well, the best way is to let Daniel describe just what it means . .

• For your people and for your holy city,
• To finish the transgression,
• To make an end of sins,
• To make reconciliation for iniquity,
• To bring in everlasting righteousness,
• To seal up vision and prophecy,
• And to anoint the Most Holy.   

... I feel it could not be more clearly pointed out what it truly means to be Delivered Before we go much further I want to ask – ‘What you thought it might be like?’ Let me take you back to the time I gave my heart to Jesus. It was a Sunday evening, as I walked into the Church it felt like a heaviness had been lifted from me. Have you ever seen a shire at work with all those bridals, harnesses as well as the weight of whatever it had been pulling the day? Then to have all this taken off at the end of the day, you’ll see the shire horse buck – jump & and run around now it is free. Well that is how my spirit felt that Sunday evening back in 1998, just by walking into my Church.

   To have ‘Deliverance’ also means to be freed from your old sinful life. We have the most precious gift of all, we wont to tarnish it all? John tells it on a little more serious note, in a warning to the unbeliever of the consequence of NOT taking His deliverance . .
John 3:18   “..he who believes in Him is not condemned but he who does not believe is already condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten son of God..“

   Deliverance is truly the greatest gift of all, we have been pulled out of darkness into a light that is pure and has no shadows. Mathew here really spells out the dangers of IT NO receiving ‘deliverance’, and yet tells of the Security/Safety we have, how wondrous. Whilst we are being Delivered we God’s compos to safely guide us through life.

V8 Guidance
“..I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go, I will guide you with My eye..“

   Once saved by God’s mercy and now Delivered, we need to be shown how to believe, and what is expected of us. God dose this through His Love & Mercy. . .
Psalms 48:14  “..for this God is our god forever and ever ,He will be our guide even to the end..“
. . God will be with us till the end being a guide unto our feet. When being guided by someone else we will be quite, otherwise we will miss important information. So, when asking God for direction we need to be still and quite. If not our walk with God will come of the rails.

   From time to time there will one’s who feel they are the one to guide/lead. Some of these will be carful and a ‘hot-line’ to God. Hence these will guide us directly because they are being led by God. What we must be weary of is one’s who want to pretend to guide you only for personal gratification and NOT the Lords. These need to shown up before they do much harm.

   The only way to know we are being led by Jesus, is to pray and ask for guidance, for Him to shine a lamp unto your feet. This will come from knowing Jesus in a personal level and thus know when He is leading. This will by many hours of prayer and building up an connection . .
Isaiah 29:29  “..who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in guidance..“
. . .we may well find the going tough at times as well as challenging. Always remember while these trials will test your faith, God only let the times come because He knew you could with stand these trials. Keep these words steadfast in your heart. . .

V8   “..I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go. I will guild you with my eye..”

God’s light is pure and darkness can’t with stand it. .
Luke 1 v79 “ . .to give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. .”

Come Come Come into the light let the Lord God be the lamp unto your feet. Once we are being guided by God, Having a close relationship we will know/hear God’s Warning.

V9 Warning
   Warnings come in many guises. Whilst growing up we are told by our earthly parents not to this or that because we get hurt. Whilst grieving there are traffic lights which stop us with a red light, everyone who was taught to drive knows to stop a red light. Or, become badly hurt or even dead. The same applies to walking on the pavement, that when we need to cross the road we need to wait for the green man to be lit, then we know it is safe to cross the road.

   All around us there are many ‘Warnings’ to many to list in their forms, examples like . .

• Road signs
• The markings on the road,
• the warning the comes on the PC to tell us when we are being attacked by a virus

. . these were but a few of them. A small observation, over the next 24hrs try and see how ‘various forms’ of Warnings you can find or come across in your normal day.

Ezekiel 33 v5  “..he heard the sound of the trumpet, but did not take warning, his blood shall be upon himself. But who takes warning save his life..“

The Message bible spells it so clear anyone can understands. .
Ezekiel 33 v1-6  “..God’s Message came to me: “Son of man, speak to your people. Tell them, ‘If I bring war on this land and the people take one of their citizens and make him their watchman, and if the watchman sees war coming and blows the trumpet, warning the people, then if anyone hears the sound of the trumpet and ignores it and war he ignored it—it’s his own fault. If he had listened, he would have saved his life. ‘But if the watchman sees war coming and doesn’t blow the trumpet, warning the people, and war comes and takes anyone off, I’ll hold the watchman responsible for the bloodshed of any unwarned sinner..“

   God tells us clearly we need to be walking with Him. If we do this then we will not only hear/see God’s Warnings for our lives we will be able to correct the waywardness.

V11 Joy
   With the way the world is hit hard by Counties going through times. The average Joe Bloggs is struggling with the price of everything, causing them to struggle. So where are they to find joy? When being able to do all the things in their spare time they used to once be able to do!

   You may not have the disposable income you had. May you will stand outside the supermarket as I did and wonder ‘how am I going to afford to eat this month’? I hear you saying this is all we and good, waffling dose not feed my family for the following month let alone pay bills and put fuel in the car to get to work.

   I hear you, it was the month of my Baptism, I had to drive my parents in a round trip of 500 miles, and feed them. That month I sat in the congregation down to my last pound. I prayed to God I will give Him my last pound and prayed for His provision. Well, God is good, I had fuel and food to bring my parents to my baptism as well as for work for next 3 months. I saw my bank manager, he cleared the 185.00 I owed the bank, and he also gave me a clean slate as well. This gave me time to sort out my finances. Who says God does not bring them JOY

Pslam 132:15/16
(The Message) “ . . I’ll shower blessings on the pilgrims who come here, and give supper to those who arrive hungry; I’ll dress my priests in salvation clothes; the holy people will sing their hearts out. . “
(The King James)” . .I will abundantly bless her provision; I will satisfy her poor with bread. I will also clothe her priests with salvation, And her saints shall shout aloud for joy. . “

   It dose not matter how it is said the with faith that god will meet our need’s. This small 5 letter word, will bring JOY beyond measure . .

Gen 22:14  “ . .Abraham named that place God-Yireh (God-Sees-to-It). That’s where we get the saying, “On the mountain of God, he sees to it.”
. . so do we believe in the flesh or the spirit that will bring JOY beyond measure?

Pslam 16:11 “ . . in your _ulfil_e there is fullness of JOY . .”
Isaiah 12:3   “ . . Therefore with joy you will draw water From the wells of salvation. .”

   I we just are willing to step out in faith our needs will be met with His fullness and JOY. I know it may be the hardest thing is believing that once again JOY will return.

Summary

   Today All these gifts from God, we call this ‘hind site’, can it be? Or, should we call this God’s multifaceted ‘Grace’. Yet we still underestimate the influence it can have, if, we just open up.

   Instead saying ‘woe-is-me’, say ‘how rich am I’. Yes we all go through times when we really can’t see all that we have because the devil the devil is stood right in front of our faces. It’s time not just to ‘claim’ our Divine Possessions, but to own them. The moments we open up our hearts and invite Jesus we have had all of those possessions. Some have not realised it and some have forgot. Not sure what is worse to forget or not to know? At least if you never realised you had had these wonderful gifts you might be forgiven. To have this wealth, and still decide to struggle, then that is just plain sad.

   Daniel lays out so clearly our deliverance so why hesitate? In our bank you may only have a few pounds left, but, in our heavenly bank account it will always have a wealth beyond measure, it will never be ‘over-drawn’. Infact the more we tap into it the wealthier we become. These possessions are just sitting there waiting for us to tap into.

   I’m almost unable to imagine what my life was like before I asked God into my life. So ask the mirror next time you see your reflection . . .
Can I live without God’s - Forgiveness
Can I live without God’s - Assurance

Can I live without God’s - Protection
Can I live without God’s - Deliverance
Can I live without God’s - Guidance
Can I live without God’s - Warning
Can I live without God’s - Joy
. . . We can have all these things, as they are God’s blessings. I leave you with this last Question ; “Which Bank account would you like to have”?

     We thank the Lord our God for His living word, that guids us, for His Forgiveness, for His Assurance, for His  Protection, for His Deliverance, Warning in times of trouble, and the Joy He brings to us with His graces.  Amen