Walk With a Pure Heart (Long)

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The Word of God is perfect and without error or flaw.  There are no verses that cannot be explained by someone who has taken the time to approach God prayerfully and through revelation and an understanding of God’s principles.  Is it coincidence that Psalm 19 says, “7 The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul:  the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.  8 The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart:  the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.  9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever:  the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.  10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold:  sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb?”  No, because there are NO coincidences in God.  Scripture says the lot is in the lap of the Lord; in other words, “The dice are rigged in God’s favor at all times.”

Perhaps that is why our base scripture says seven times, “I am the Lord!”  God has chosen us to serve Him.  Everything about Him is without end.  His intelligence cannot be measured; it is limitless.  Consider that God loves us so much that though we are beneath Him in ability more than an insect is beneath us He still loves us to an extraordinary degree.  God lowered Himself to become a man who was then mocked and murdered for our sakes though He could have said we weren’t worth it at any time.

Lesson Scripture:  Leviticus 19:1-19 (bold text) AND THE Lord said to Moses, say to all the assembly of the Israelites,

1.      You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.

Spiritual things might be holy or unholy.  I have frequently heard someone say, “They’re so spiritual.”  What does that mean exactly.  Someone who conducts séances or worships the devil is spiritual but not holy.  A friend who used to be a bank teller said that to her money is just dirty paper.  Can dirty paper be holy?  It can if given to ministry, to help someone in need or to fund a good cause, but not if used to buy illegal drugs or pay for illicit affairs.  Things can be holy or unholy and some can be both during their useful lifetimes. 

I remember when Faith Temple moved from Loma Linda into Riverside and we rented an old run down storefront to worship in.  Several years earlier that property used to house a nightclub where dancing, drinking and many other lower purposes were observed.  One day the nightclub went out of business and after sitting abandoned for a time was rented to the church.  That property went from unholy to holy.  Some rabbis believe that everything on earth is endowed with a divine spark that is only released when used for service to God.  All matter that makes up our universe is created by the Word of God so all matter has the potential to be holy.

You have the ability to change something from holy to unholy simply by use.  This is mentioned in Romans 9: 21-- Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honor, and another unto dishonor?  Of course God has this power, but did you know that you also possess this divine ability.  We are kings and priests of our God and have the God given right to change something from its former use to a greater use and release this ‘spark’ of divine purpose.  When I move into a home or even an apartment I anoint every window with blessed oil and every exterior door.  I bless my residence and it becomes a place of holiness and honor.  The divine spark which until now had been dormant in that place has been released.  When you place a sign outside your door or Jews place a mezuzah there and it says in effect, “bless all who enter here,” then faith is released and guests WILL be blessed.  All God’s children have this honor to release the divine spark of holiness contained in all of God’s creation.

Matthew 7:6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.

The act of changing the unholy into the holy is a great gift but it is not appreciated by the world at large.  You might well be accused of having a ‘holier than thou’ attitude toward them.  If you anoint your beloved but unsaved relative’s chair with blessed oil so the divine spark might light a fire in their life it is better to do it without fanfare and let the Spirit of God do His work without causing a forewarned sinner to dig his feet into the sand and fight against you.  While his or her curses might not have power over you if you tell them pointedly, and some might say rudely, that they are lost, it will nonetheless damage the relationship with that lost loved one.  Scripture says to be wise as serpent but harmless as doves.  Pray for them.  Let words of encouragement drop around them.  Let them believe once the Spirit of God has finished his work, that they came to God of their own accord.  It doesn’t matter who gets the praise as long as God does.

1 Corinthians 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? 17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

Pretty clear isn’t it?  Ye are the temple of God.  Keep your temple holy.  If you do not God will warn, punish or even destroy you because you have tainted HIS temple.  If you do not keep your temple you DESERVE to be destroyed.  We can thank God for His mercy and grace when we do sin and He forgives us but take care that you do not make failing God a habit.  I have known of preachers who were taken home early for refusing to clean up their own act.

1 Peter 1:14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: 15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation.

God acknowledges that we were ignorant and foolish before we came to Him.  We need to PRESS TOWARD THE MARK of the HIGH CALLING.  The word press means to persecute, to battle and fight with every fiber of your being to attain the mark God has placed on your life, like a finish-line in the mountain.  He is pointing to that line and saying, “Don’t stop till you cross this point!”  That point may be so far away that it seems hopeless but do not despair.  God will give you the strength to make it.  A word of warning though; it will take ALL of your effort and a portion of His to get there.

Revelation 22:11 He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. 12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. 13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.

There comes a time when it is too late.  No matter how hard you press; no matter how much you plead and beg it will not help.  On that day when God says ‘time!’ it is done.  There are no last minute reprieves and no opportunities to fix it after your heart stops beating.  Later I’ll talk about the thief who died beside Jesus and how he chose that last moment of rational thinking to plead for his eternal soul.  Talk about waiting until the last moment.  Someone once said that he did more in his life to win souls to the Lord than most of us do in a lifetime.  It wasn’t that he preached or witnessed because after that act of crying out to God he died.  He became a great soul winner because every sinner who comes to the end of their life and the end of their rope at the same time is able to see his example and cry out at that very end.  I hope after years of ministry and a life serving God that I will have as many works to show God as that man has from his one act of repentance.

2.      Ye shall fear every man his mother, and his father,

Attitude, attitude, attitude; do you have one?  My parents were terrible, they failed me time after time and they hurt me. 

And?

They stand in an important place in our lives as the representatives of our God.  Even if they have lived their lives totally opposite of God’s will, we should honor them for bringing us into the world and for being a symbol of God the Father in our lives.  When I was in the military we used to say you don’t salute the man, you salute the uniform.  Whether you are General Jerk or General Noble you will still get a salute.  Ultimately God will judge your parent’s days as father or mother but in the meantime, show a little respect for the uniform.

As I have said before, nothing is by accident in scripture.  Why does it say mother before father in the verse above?  Everyone fears their father more than their mother yet in this instance God makes certain that a mother gets the same fear and honor as the father.  Any household where a mother gets less fear and respect than the father is completely out of line with God’s word.  In a two-parent home both parents should receive the same reverence.  Exodus 20:12, Deuteronomy 5:16 and Matthew 15:4 & 6 all say to honor your father and mother.  Why in that order?  Because a mother is always honored over the father because she is the one who brings words of love and calms the fears of a child.  God expects BOTH your parents to be equally respected and loved by you regardless which one seems to deserve it more.  If you don’t think there is a problem in today’s society or even in the church just watch to see how much effort your church puts into the Mother’s Day celebration and how much goes into the Father’s Day celebration.  Wow, what a difference!

Proverbs 1:8 My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother: 9 For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.

If you are blessed to have godly parents and in their struggles to raise you they do a pretty good job, then listen to them when they speak.  It takes a distinct lack of grace to be rude to your parents, especially if you are a believer.  It is just possible that you have the parents you have because God knew you were a bit hard headed and needed more school of hard knocks and less Mary and Joseph.  Always bear in mind that God will honor you for your actions and no matter how much frustration you try to heap on your parents for their shortcomings, God will hold your actions over your head just as much as He holds their actions over theirs.

Colossians 3:20 Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.

An obedient child is a great comfort to a parent.  Consider how Cain brought flax and vegetables to God (from the dirt and earth) and Abel brought a holy blood sacrifice of choice lambs.  Cain was a child of the earth by his own choice and Abel was a son of his parents.  In Israel, children who refused to obey their parents could be taken out and stoned.  We might say, “That’s horrible!”  Really?  How much worse is our society where there is no respect for leadership or parents and parents and church leaders are more likely to be accused of abuse or molestation.  Even the innocents now fear for their safety in the face of lies and innuendo. 

Ephesians 6:2 Honor thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) 3 That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.

Why wouldn’t you honor your father or mother?  Perhaps your dad was not in the home and you are angry for all the lost opportunities to bond.  Perhaps your mother isn’t a Proverbs 31 woman but the reason to honor them is for your blessing not theirs.  God will lengthen your days.

3.      Keep My Sabbaths holy:

When I was a kid growing up there were certain things you could be sure of.  One was that there would be fish at school on Fridays and the other was that most stores were closed or had greatly reduced hours on Sunday.  Sunday was a family day and you planned for it so you would have food at home to eat after church.  Even if you weren’t particularly religious you planned that day around family because there wasn’t anything else to do.  Most theaters were closed as well.  Bit by bit over the decades that honor of God and blessing for man has been done away with.  We are so shocked at a business that is closed on Sundays or business owners who have Christian attitudes that this year the homosexual lobby tried to break Chic-fil-a restaurants when the owner’s personal and Biblical attitude toward homosexuality was revealed.  It didn’t even matter that he had numerous homosexuals working for him and they all said he didn’t discriminate against them; he wasn’t allowed to have a personal opinion.

Throughout Israel’s history nothing was as ubiquitous as the Sabbath or Shabbat in Hebrew.  Travel was restricted on Shabbat and you were not allowed to do any work.  Meals had to be prepared the day before and you would gather for a family meal which honors God and on Saturday go to the temple or synagogue to hear the word of God.  After service you would rest most of the day since Sabbath is sunset Friday until Sunset Saturday.  It was a wonderful time to enjoy family and appreciate the Lord your God.  In Christianity the original Friday evening to Saturday evening Sabbath was changed to Sunday for fear of Roman persecution.  With few exceptions most Christians have kept Sunday as the ‘Christian Sabbath.’ 

According to scripture, during the thousand years reign of Christ on the Earth the temple in Jerusalem will ONLY be open on the Sabbath day.  There was never a valid reason to change from Friday/Saturday to Sunday except for persecution.  Should we worship on the Sabbath instead?  That is a question I have not spent a lot of time debating with myself.  There is no longer great persecution for worshipping on the proper Sabbath and yet it is obvious from scripture that the true Sabbath is from sunset Friday to sunset Saturday.  Persecution against Jews is as prevalent in our world as it has ever been.  Even now Israel is hounded by all their neighbors whose stated purpose is the destruction of all Jews.  In this country I have often heard men and women state their anger toward the Jews for stirring up trouble in the Middle East when it is obvious the surrounding Arabs are the instigators. 

In this SPIRITUAL hatred of God’s chosen people by large groups of the world’s inhabitants it is unlikely that a majority of the body of Christ will change their formal day of worship from Sunday to the Sabbath.  We are often just as moved by this unseen spiritual undercurrent as the lost masses around us.  It will take a great move of the Holy Spirit in the hearts and minds of His people to change these perceptions.  In my walk with the Lord I have learned one immutable fact.  God may not be pressing for this change right now because there are too many other more pressing needs but He will get around to it eventually.  The Sabbath WILL be restored.

Matthew 12:1 At that time Jesus went on the Sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat. 2 But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the Sabbath day. 3 But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him; 4 How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests? 5 Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the Sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath, and are blameless? 6 But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple. 7 But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless. 8 For the Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath day. 9 And when he was departed thence, he went into their synagogue: 10 And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath days? that they might accuse him. 11 And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the Sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out? 12 How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the Sabbath days. 13 Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other.

I understand the frustrations of the purists who worship on the Sabbath day when they watch the body of Christ walk in apparent disregard of this important day.  Prior to Christ’s appearance as a child of man two thousand years ago there were two great rabbis, Hillel and Schammai.  Jesus taught almost exclusively from the opinions of Hillel who was the rabbi of grace.  Schammai was the rabbi of legalism.  If the law said you couldn’t work on the Sabbath then you could not heal or pull an ox out of a pit on the Sabbath either.  When Jesus railed at the priests for, “straining at a gnat and swallowing a camel” he was speaking of those who followed the teachings of the House of Schammai.  Jesus taught that man was not made to be ruled by the strict interpretations of the Sabbath laws but that the Sabbath was made to afford man an opportunity to worship God and to be rested. 

If God created the Sabbath so we might worship Him and enter into His rest then why are we attacking the brethren about which day of the week we choose to worship God.  Have you chosen a day for worship and rest?  Whatever our position we hold it toward God.  When Israel wanted a king they were not offending Samuel but God.  When we say grace we are saying it (or not saying it) to God.  Whatever we do we are doing in the eyes and ears of our God and it is from Him that we stand or fall. 

One day the Sabbath will be fully restored to the original day.  This is scripture and prophecy; it will come to pass.  Until then I hope we will worship our God and win souls into the kingdom.  As Peter said in Acts 15:10-11, “Why place others in bondage to rules and laws that even we cannot follow.  Ye are saved by grace through faith.”

I am the Lord your God.

Jesus said, “Before Abraham was, I am.”  Immediately after that the Jews tried to stone Him.  They knew He was making Himself equal to God.  God told Moses out of the burning bush, “I am that I am.”  Seven times in this short passage God restates, “I am the Lord your God,” or “I am the Lord.”  I AM is the one who always is, was and shall be.  Lord is Yahweh or Jehovah, the self-existent one.  He doesn’t need anything or anyone else.  He is sufficient alone.  God is Elohim, the exceeding great one.  He is worthy of your worship and adoration.

As Christians we often say, “Wow!  Our Father in Heaven is awesome!!  I love Jesus too.”  Jesus on the other hand said, “I and my Father are One.”  Ask yourself this question, when you read the statement above do you think of God the Father or God the Son?  I ask because it seems that we Christians appear to place them in different boxes as if they are separate and deserve a different level of worship or respect.  The only one in the trinity who we do not generally pray to is the Holy Spirit.  He does not speak of Himself but brings action to all God does.  He does not speak and yet scripture warns us not to offend Him because you cannot be saved since the Holy Spirit will bring us to repentance.

In John 15:5 Jesus said, “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.”  God is ONE.  He is not divided into three people but He is THREE as well as ONE.  Deuteronomy 6:4 says, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord: 5 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.”  God is ONE and yet the word translated into God is Elohim.  In Hebrew when a word ends in ‘im’ it is plural.  You could translated it as, “The Lord our Gods is one Lord,” and yet it is always translated singular.  Why?  Because our God is one.  Are you confused yet?  Join the club…and yet if we expect to rise to the level of faith God expects we need to get a handle on this because it effects us as well.

Now…if God is one and Jesus is the vine and we are the branches then we and God are one as well.  We are kings and priests just as He, Jesus, is our great High Priest.  The authority He has in the trinity is the same authority we have in Him.  His authority is based on his total integration with the Father and the Spirit.  Our authority is based on our total (as much as we are able) integration to Him.  Without Him we can do NOTHING.

4.      Do not turn to idols and things of nought or make for yourselves molten gods.

Let me ask you a question.  What do you need to be complete?  No, don’t keep reading.  Stop for a moment and consider the question.

Okay, most of you are trying except the one in the odd colored office.

Just kidding.  I can’t really see you even if that is an odd shade of pink.

Now, what do you need to be complete?  A wife or husband?  A car?  House?  Large bank account?  Better clothes?  Come-on, you know there are things you need to feel okay about yourself.  I know people who feel depressed if they don’t have at least a few dollars in their pocket and others who need a car with class.  Whatever those things are that make you feel more at peace, are idols, every bit as much as the golden calf that Israel worshipped.  Don’t get me wrong; I would love to have that golden calf.  I’d melt that puppy down and sell it for the gold. 

Actually, no I wouldn’t. 

It was so offensive to God that after making the people drink the polluted water from the ashes of it I would rather keep walking and try to forget about that moment of insanity.

My point is that we all have an ability to work or achieve the ‘things’ we want in life to one degree or another.  People talk of the gold-digger woman who marries a man for his money because she hates being poor.  What she doesn’t consider is that after the wedding she is still poor in faith and poor in love.  Men and women have stepped over and on others for centuries to get what they wanted, and yet when all was said and done, they are long dead and in the grave.  What do they have to show for it?  Paul said in 1 Timothy 6:17, “Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; 18 That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; 19 Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.” 

Achan’s greed cost him his life and that of his family.  It also caused several Israelites to die because he took the accursed thing. 

Our trust needs to be in God.  He knows your gifts and abilities because He gave them to you.  He knows what He wants you to do with them and has a plan all laid out for your life.  Do you really believe your plan is better than His?  All your needs, wants and desires are nothing next to what God has chosen for you.  Not only will you be able to live a life of peace and joy but you will know that your eternal purpose is in good hands.  Don’t let the devil cheat you or steal from you by making your mind wander about in different directions.  Trust God for your life’s direction.  Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all those things will be added to you.

1 Corinthians 5:9 I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: 10 Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. 11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.

Paul is trying to help the Corinthian church to focus on this life we must live in the here and now.  We must live in this world so it is not likely you will be able to totally avoid fornicators, covetous persons, extortioners, idolaters and other sinners.  Point of fact is that we must reach out to these people to witness the Gospel of Jesus Christ to them.  What Paul is trying to get across is that we must not so much as eat a meal with someone who is called a brother or sister in Christ and yet does these things. 

I know circumstances where families have broken up because of a husband or wife’s cheating and yet the offending partner is still working in ministry at their local church.  How can that be?  We have taken the grace of God to extremes where there is no cost, no punishment for breaking God’s law.  In the parable of the two sons, the father considered his youngest son to be dead until his son came to himself and repented of his sins.  On that day he cried out and said, “My son who was dead is now alive.”  That is a far cry from our wimpy churches today where a tithe-paying member can sin like the devil as long as the money keeps flowing in and still sing in the choir or work as a deacon. 

1 Corinthians 8:4 As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one. 5 For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,) 6 But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him

An idol is simply any item you choose to put before God.  It can be something alive like a person or dead like a house or car.  It can even be some goofy golden calf that you choose to worship in ignorance to the truth.  The world is full of idol worshipping religions.  We need to be sure they never enter the house of Christ. 

I am the Lord your God.

Never forget.  Never accept less.  Never stop believing.

5.      When you offer a sacrifice of peace offering to the Lord, you shall offer it so that you may be accepted.  It shall be eaten the same day you offer it and on the day following; and if anything remains until the third day, it shall be burned in the fire.  If it is eaten at all the third day, it is loathsome; it will not be accepted.  But everyone who eats it shall bear his iniquity, for he has profaned a holy thing of the Lord; and that soul shall be cut off from his people [and not be included in the atonement made for them].

Whatever God asks of you … do.  Don’t add to it or subtract from it because you aren’t comfortable doing it.  Scripture says in the face of two or three witnesses let every word be established.  If God is asking you to do something ‘questionable’ then search the scripture until you find two or three that make it clear it was God.  Do not add to or subtract from scripture.  God told Adam and Eve not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  She told Satan that God said they weren’t supposed to eat or even touch the tree.  God didn’t say that.  He said don’t eat…period. 

God told the Jews not to eat a baby goat boiled in its own mother’s milk, which was the practice of idol worshippers in the area.  Devout Jews have two refrigerators so they don’t ever store milk and meat in the same place.  This waste of electricity comes from our need to expand on a simple commandment of God.  In Israel there are Shabbat elevators that will stop at every floor.  Why?  Because touching a button for your specific floor can be considered doing work, which is a sin.  I wonder what God thinks when He sees someone taking an extra ten minutes to stop at every floor in the building to get to the top rather than lightly touching a button to stop at your specific floor and be able to rest that much sooner. 

He told the Jews to gather twice the Manna on Friday morning so they would not have to on Saturday morning.  Many did not and he was greatly angered when they were out looking.  He told them to throw out whatever was left after they finished eating.  Many did not and it bred maggots.  Again, God was angry.  Jesus said, “I desire obedience more than sacrifice.”  Just do what you’re told and God will make sure it works.  Many Catholics flog themselves with whips to walk the Via Dolorosa, the way of suffering.  Jesus didn’t say we should be whipped as He was but that we should obey His word.  I believe that for some it is easier to be flogged than to try to live before God properly day in and day out.  Be that as it may, He expects us to do just that, live for Him each day.

Isaiah 53:4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

HE hath borne our griefs, HE hath carried our sorrows.  At the time WE believed God was smiting HIM and afflicting HIM for HIS sins rather than OURS.  Not so.  HE was wounded for OUR transgressions and bruised for OUR iniquities.  The suffering for OUR peace was upon Him and by His whip marks WE are healed. 

He is our peace offering and we ought to partake of it the day it is offered, not much later after it has begun to grate on God’s nerves.  It IS a sin to wait to serve God until after we are old and gray.  NOW is the acceptable time.  NOW is the day of salvation.

Ephesians 2:14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; 15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; 16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: 17 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.

Can an idol be our peace?  Does wood or stone bring joy or can even gold and silver save you?  We were in separate rooms from the only true God and now that wall … that veil … over the holy of holies has been removed from between the Father and us.  Jesus fought the battle in His flesh that we were unworthy to fight in ours.  We are no longer sons of Adam if we have cried out to God in Christ.  We are the sons of God!  He came for Jews and Greeks, Circumcised and Uncircumcised, the free and the bound so that all might be set free.  Peace I bring to you, my peace I give unto you; not as the world gives but a new and living way of peace.

6.      And when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field to its very corners, neither shall you gather the fallen ears or gleanings of your harvest.  And you shall not glean your vineyard bare, neither shall you gather its fallen grapes; you shall leave them for the poor and the stranger.

When you get an unexpected amount of money do you cringe when you pay tithes or rejoice?  If you are a farmer, do you sell every last grain of wheat or give away a portion to the poor?  Whether you grow wheat, grapes or figs, you ought not reap every last morsel.  It is greedy and shows a lack of faith in God.  In the vineyard of your life, did you accidentally miss harvesting one tree or exploiting one gift?  What would you do if God brought that opportunity to you and it brought you another ten percent?  According to this verse you ought to take that profit and give it totally to the poor.  Most of us are no longer farmers but we can still gain a special blessing by donating unexpected blessings to the poor. 

In Israel, if a farmer carried all his wheat into the barn and realized he left a full sack of grain in the field, it belonged to the poor.  If they missed an entire row of vines after the harvest, those grapes belonged to the poor.  If one or two trees were missed, their fruit belonged to the poor.  The question to ask is, what can you do in your life to obtain these same opportunities for blessing? 

Matthew 7:6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.

I mentioned before that not everyone would respect your gifts.  The poor need help and if you are blessed to be able to help, wonderful.  If your gift is not received however, do not make a big deal out of it but move along and bless someone who is more worthy.  God even expects good manners from the poor.  There are words we use to describe those with no manners and most of them, like ghetto or country, third-world, often refer to those who are poor.  We have no right to mock the poor in their estate but neither do the poor have a right to curse the wealthy whose heart is moved to help. 

God expects us all to walk in the light of graciousness.

Matthew 19:21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. 22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions. 23 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Queen Elizabeth said she was saved by an “M.”  Scripture says that not many rich or noble will be saved.  It goes on to say that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to find salvation.  With God all things are possible but to receive this blessing the wealthy as well as the poor must learn to TRUST God in all that they do.  During the depression many wealthy men jumped to their deaths after the stock markets fell.  They could not imagine life without money.  I say they had no faith in God and could not see any hope.  Those who trusted in God either remade their fortunes or found a better way of faith to live where they were.

Luke 14:13 But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind: 14 And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.

In the marriage supper of the Lamb, the poor, maimed, lame and blind were called to attend.  How wonderful.  Even those with no resources, those who were not the beautiful people, the crippled and even the blind would receive an invitation.  We often speak of these people in altruistic terms, stating that we support their inclusion in all things but how often in all honesty does a pastor want a church full of …dare I say it…undesirables.  Don’t pastors want the pillars of society and those in business?  It’s donations that keep the doors open and the lights on, right?

It does indeed require funds to finance ministry.  Being poor is not a great honor and being less than one of the “beautiful people” does not make you noble.  God’s plan is that the poor will become wealthy and the plain be beautified with salvation.  He does not expect you to stay in a lower estate.

But then again…

One can find their way into the kingdom of Heaven is an easier road if you MUST trust God from day to day.  Those poor souls have to trust God for the food they eat where the wealthy do not. 

You do have a commandment to make their road easier.  Someone who has lost their home and is renting a one-bedroom apartment while taking the bus is still much better off than the homeless.  There is ALWAYS someone you can allow to glean in the fields of your life; just be sure they are safe fields because thieves and robbers will try to come.  Satan’s children will often try to take the children of God unaware.  This is why we must be aware of their devices.  If you know someone is a thief and a liar but also starving then you can meet the need without unlocking the door to your life. 

I am the Lord your God.

These are not requests or suggestions.  They are commandments to be obeyed with passion and wisdom.

7.      You shall not steal,

David wrote, “Lord don’t let me be so wealthy that I forget you or so poor that I steal.”  Hopefully our last verse will have us so busy helping the poor in our lives that they will not fall into this category.  One thing is certain; it is the responsibility of each individual to reach higher in the work of God’s will.  God may understand the reasoning behind stealing but no matter how poor and no matter how hurt, He will not prosper the thief.  We all have our moments of moral and emotional weakness and yet God expects us to take a higher path.  It is required.

John 10:10 The thief 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. 11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

Jesus gave His life for the sheep.  He does not allow His sheep to steal.  He expects His sheep to live by the gifts of the Spirit and not to follow the works of the flesh.  God will punish those children of this world who take advantage of His beloved children but the sin had better not come from within the household of faith. 

Romans 13:9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.

Do you…love your neighbor as yourself?  I’m just curious.  We know from scripture that our neighbor is the one we come in contact with whether they are sinner or saint.  If you love your neighbor as yourself then you will not take advantage of those less fortunate nor will they take advantage of you.

I know there are many weak willed and shady (living in and around the shadows of sin) saints in the kingdom of God.  You would have to live an extremely sheltered life to have never been hurt.  As a Christian, being hurt is not an excuse to take advantage of anyone; not in the household of faith where you might milk their largess for all its worth, or in the world of sinners where you might turn a seeking sinner into a hateful adversary by your shady deeds.

Ephesians 4:28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

God never tells us to do something that He will not empower us to accomplish.  Not only will He work it out so you have enough but will continue until you have an abundance to meet the needs of others.  If you can’t see it now, begin to pray, “Lord!  Increase my skills!!”

8.      or deal falsely,

You’re just a big cheater!

Acts 5: 1 But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, 2 And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles 'feet. 3 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? 4 Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. 5 And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.

Most of you know this passage well.  The problem wasn’t how much they got for the land, but that they thought they could lie to God.  God is not stupid nor is He blind.  God knows everything you do or think.  Had Ananias said to his wife, “Hey, let’s sell the north forty acres and give half of the money to the church and take a vacation with the rest,” then the disciples and God would have honored them and been thrilled.  But you can’t cheat God. 

You can probably cheat me.  I’m not endowed with discerning of spirits and I might believe your bald-faced lie, but God will know.  If you cheat me you cheat God.  If you lie to me you lie to God.  I may not BE God but I am on his tree.  Treat everyone with respect and you have no fear of reprisals. 

Galatians 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. 2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

Here’s the thing.  We all make mistakes and sometimes they are WHOPPERS!  Your brothers and sisters do too.  On the one hand you shouldn’t expect more from others than you are capable of producing and on the other, even if you are stronger, that makes you more RESPONSIBLE to do the right thing.  One thing I have learned over the years is that if I continue to fuss at someone for his or her mote, God will turn a spotlight on my beam (Matthew 7:3). 

Revelation 3:14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; 15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth.

Toward the end of this lesson we will see some other examples of lukewarm.  I’m someone who likes HOT coffee.  I drink ice-cold sodas as well.  The only thing I like room temperature is water.  When the aromatic oils swirl atop the coffee and the steam swirls around the cup it shows a hint of promise and good taste; but after it cools it reminds you of crust covered muddy water. 

Are the words you speak hot and lively or dirty and dead.

9.      or lie one to another.

Ahhhhh!!!!!  I HATE LIES!!!!!  Brother, can you spare ten dollars?  Sorry, I’m broke (and you have fifty in your pocket.)  If you don’t want to part with the ten dollars, don’t.  If you have to tape a stick to your back to grow a spine then do it.  Stop lying because you are too weak to say no.  Stop lying because you know they will be mad.  Stop lying because you are embarrassed.  TELL THE TRUTH and it will make you free (John 8:32).  I have known people who lied their way into hot water when it would have only been a little uncomfortable if they had told the truth.  Presidents have been impeached for lying, not for a crime; for lying.  In every one of these cases I’ve mentioned the person would have been embarrassed or had to pay a small fine…but for the LIE.  Eventually you will learn not to do the things that make you want to lie and you won’t even want to lie any more.

John 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

What a great reason not to lie.  Satan is the father of lies.  I don’t want that red leotard wearing murderer to have any part of my life; especially not my tongue.  What a wonderful example that would be; God sitting on His throne and decides to check on Bishop J’s level of integrity.  How terrible would it be to find out that five percent of my tongue belonged to the devil?  Where’s the knife?  Let me cut that part out right now!  I used to be a child of the devil and he owned my tongue lock, stock and deceit.  I could lie with the best and in most cases give lessons.  There are things from my past that even I don’t know if they are true or not. 

I NEVER want to go back to that life.

1 John 1:4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. 5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

We must walk in the light.  Truth is light.  Integrity is light.  Love is light.  Faith is light.  Joy is light.  Darkness is sin and we need to know that Jesus has cleansed us from that sin.  Are you mature in your honesty?  It doesn’t mean you need to be rude or blunt with people.  You can be gracious and honest.  Someone once said you could cuss out a general if you did it respectfully enough.  You can be totally honest with someone about his or her shortcomings while still being loving and kind.  You just need to practice that for a change.

Revelation 3:9 Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.

One day Jesus will take all the sinners who call themselves saints and all their lies will finally come to roost.  They will bow down to you as their overseer under the mighty force of God’s will.  On that day they will know you are beloved of God. 

I love you beloved and I hope you will be ready on that day.  Never let the fears and doubts of this life cost you your place in the halls of faith.  Believe and stand.  Let your words be full of light and truth.  Let love continue and your words will stand the test of truth and time.

10.     And you shall not swear by My name falsely

I SWEAR TO GOD that…  Stop right there!!!  Do not continue.  If you must be dramatic or cocky then swear by your grandmother or some equally inane person or thing.  Do not swear by God unless it is ABSOLUTELY true or you will accomplish the deed or die.  No…don’t do it at all.  It is too easy to miss God.  We are flawed and weak.  We make mistakes.  Just be honest like the man whose child was sick, “Lord I believe, help thou my unbelief (Mark 9:24).”  Press toward the mark and if you ever come upon a time where you must swear by God’s name then let it be to affirm the truth that you ALWAYS speak.

Matthew 5:33 Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths: 34 But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne: 35 Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. 36 Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.  37 But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.

God is trying to tell you something here.  He knows we are weak.  No matter how hard we try we find it difficult to do the right thing all the time.  In Romans Paul cried out, “Lord why can’t I do what I should do!!!”  Sin is in the world and it is EASY to fall short.  God is quite gracious to forgive us our sin and cleanse us from all iniquity BUT He is not so quick to ignore us swearing by His name that we will or will not do a thing.  Joshua swore by the name of God that he would not destroy a people because they deceived him.  God didn’t swear, Joshua did; but because he swore in God’s name and because he belonged to God, God was forced to honor the word. 

God honors us by lending power to our prayers and words.  He expects us to be as careful with our tongue as He is with His.  If God kept your word every time you spoke it, would the world be a better place or would people be dropping dead all around you.  Think about it.  If you mumbled under your breath that you wish someone would just fall off of the earth and they did, how would you feel?  If you would feel empowered you scare me.  You should be horrified and embarrassed.  Our desire for those around us ought to reflect the gracious, merciful and longsuffering views of the God we serve.

Matthew 23:18 And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty. 19 Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift? 20 Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon. 21 And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein. 22 And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.

If you must swear, never forget where the true power is.  The altar where sins are cleansed and Jesus died; the temple where God dwells; heaven where his throne resides and God Himself who sits on the throne.  We don’t swear by our mother, father, sister or brother.  We don’t swear by the president or king.  If you must swear, then swear by the God who you know and believe will send you to Hell for lying.  That will keep the swearing down to a minimum and your focus crystal clear.

11.     Neither shall you profane the name of your God.

Have you ever heard the person tittering to themselves, “Tee hee hee, God understands I’m just that way.  Hee hee.”  Yes He does.  I also know that without faith it is impossible to please God.  The person who is constantly cussing in God’s name or lying in God’s name will likely BUST HELL WIDE OPEN when they fall in. 

2 Timothy 2:16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. 17 And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus; 18 Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some. 19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

You ever get a canker sore in your mouth?  They often get even larger before they begin to heal.  You teach false scripture because you are not comfortable with the powerful reality that is the Word of God.  You call Jesus an ordinary man who was just a good teacher because you have no faith to believe He was the son of God.  Your weak knees and heart of water make your words limp and useless.  Does God even know your name?  Unlikely.  It takes faith to believe in God and more still to accept that His Word is totally true and not just some allegory.  He means what He says and says what He means.  Even if all your friends mock you…STAND on His Word.

I am the Lord.

He makes no apologies and offers no excuses.  He alone is God.  His name is not Allah or Buddha.  He has many names and yet none of the false religions on the earth use those names for their gods.  He alone is the Great I AM.

12.     You shall not defraud or oppress your neighbor or rob him.

Really?!  This seems like a no brainer except that the Jews often were a bit flexible when it came to dealing with us gentiles.  There is a picture painted by Norman Rockwell that shows a butcher with some meat on a scale.  The butcher is pushing down on the scale while the buyer is pushing up; both trying to get an advantage over the other.  Do not try to get an advantage over your neighbor.  Be honest; God will honor it.  Do not try to harm your neighbor; God will not honor you.  Do not try to rob your neighbor or God will take whatever you got out of your backside.  Have integrity.  If we behave as spiritually and emotionally mature Christian adults God will treat us as such.  If we behave as brawling children, like a good parent He is perfectly capable of chastening His loved ones.

Mathew 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

If you have just read the scripture above are your lips pursed tightly together and is your brow furled in distaste?  Has your neck begun to wobble back and forth like a snake preparing to strike?  If so you have some work to do on your attitude.  You know who you are and with all due respect, so do most of the people around you.  Go ahead and read it again.  As you read, pause on loving enemies, blessing cursers, doing kind acts for the haters and praying for the despisers and persecutors. 

Are you still frowning?

If it was easy to serve the Lord then any sinner could or would do it.  The very fact that God has called the weak and unworthy means that He must have some plan to enable this ability in you.  If my past life is any example I would say your greatest difficulty is letting go of your hurts and anger.  When God said, “As much as you are able, live in peace with all men,” does not mean that your ability is static and unmoving.  If you have been stuck in a position of indigestion and irritation for decades over ‘others’ then you simply have not been trying to let go because God says that with Him all things are possible.  For the most part you simply do not want to let go.  As Jonah discovered, God in His mercy and grace will bless the saved and unsaved.  We must endeavor to do the same.

Galatians 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. 10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

God is not stupid.  He knows perfectly well that it is easier to slap a fool than to help them.  Fortunately for us that isn’t His way.  He prefers to draw us with bands of love and much mercy.  We ought to be doubly encouraging toward those who profess a love of God and His Word.

Hebrews 13:16 But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

See…He knows it is a sacrifice to be loving and kind; after all, that’s how He came to cherish and appreciate you when you were in your mess.  He sacrificed His son for that purpose and you should never forget it; He certainly won’t.  Be gracious and uplifting toward the mule headed and difficult.  It will put a smile on your Father’s face and make a huge difference in your life.

13.     The wages of a hired servant shall not remain with you all night until morning.

Usually when I work for someone they pay me as soon as the work is complete but there have been times…  If you don’t pay the workman immediately upon the completion of work you often have no idea the hardship they may be under.  They may have hungry children at home who hope daddy or mommy will bring home the bacon today.  Businesses and companies who deliberately hold on to your money for a week or four after the job is complete on some bogus pretext are usually doing it so the funds can remain in the bank for interest sake a few days longer.  The bigger the business the more prevalent this practice is. 

God understands that people trust Him for their day to day needs and He does not appreciate it when you make His children go hungry for a day so you might get a few cents interest on that last transaction.  I guarantee the negative spiritual connotations of that deal will far surpass any interest you might have gained.

Deuteronomy 15:9 Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and thine eye be evil against thy poor brother, and thou givest him nought; and he cry unto the Lord against thee, and it be sin unto thee. 10 Thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him: because that for this thing the Lord thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto. 11 For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land.

…THY WICKED HEART…  God doesn’t see it as good business.  Jews don’t cheat people to get wealth because that is bad for business.  They are frequently accused of stealing from others or cheating non-believers and yet as one well-known Jewish businessman said, “I stay in business because I am honorable in business and most of it is repeat customers.” 

If my name is Rockefeller, Jobs or Gates I can speak to the mayor or city officials and voice my grievances.  They will take notice because I do millions of dollars of business with their city.  If I am John Smith of Podunk, Arizona and I live in a studio apartment with my wife and child, whom can I call on for help.  God always hears the prayers of the righteous poor.  He will plead their case even if you won’t.  What God is trying to say here wicked man, is that it doesn’t matter what this years or next years bottom line is; ultimately the poor will mature and be blessed and you will see your bottom fall out beneath you.

Deuteronomy 24:10 When thou dost lend thy brother any thing, thou shalt not go into his house to fetch his pledge. 11 Thou shalt stand abroad, and the man to whom thou dost lend shall bring out the pledge abroad unto thee. 12 And if the man be poor, thou shalt not sleep with his pledge: 13 In any case thou shalt deliver him the pledge again when the sun goeth down, that he may sleep in his own raiment, and bless thee: and it shall be righteousness unto thee before the Lord thy God. 14 Thou shalt not oppress an hired servant that is poor and needy, whether he be of thy brethren, or of thy strangers that are in thy land within thy gates: 15 At his day thou shalt give him his hire, neither shall the sun go down upon it; for he is poor, and setteth his heart upon it: lest he cry against thee unto the Lord, and it be sin unto thee

The first part of this verse is, “Don’t shame the person you are lending to.  You knew they were poor when you lent to them.  Be respectful.  The second part is – in today’s parlance – if you lend to someone and have their cloak or car or boat as collateral, make sure they have the use of it so they can continue to live and make an income.  Whatever you do to help someone be sure it does not interfere with his or her ability to make a living.

14.     You shall not curse the deaf

The deaf can be someone who doesn’t hear and may not respond to you the way you might like.  It can also be someone who does not understand things as well as you do.  In either case you may not allow your frustrations to color your actions toward them.  They are as God has made them and if He is pleased with them then your opinion of their fitness or ability is unimportant.  They can accomplish His will just fine and the fact that they don’t understand your part is unimportant.

Exodus 4:10 And Moses said unto the Lord, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue. 11 And the Lord said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the Lord? 12 Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.

Moses made many excuses for his inability to serve God in the early days.  He had integrity but was not eloquent while Aaron could rattle out words with the best of them but had little integrity.  Once Moses began to see how God could give him the words he needed, even if they were just basic words, he ceased to need Aaron’s help in that area.  Ultimately, using Aaron caused him more harm than good.  It would be far better to believe in yourself for God’s sake and trust yourself to do what He has commanded for your life.

Isaiah 34:3 Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. 4 Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompense; he will come and save you. 5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. 6 Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.

I have known those in the church whose actions made you scratch your head in bewilderment.  It appeared they didn’t have a clue what God expected of them.  Once I LEARNED TO TRUST IN GOD I realized that He didn’t need me to fix that person.  He was perfectly capable of arranging their life.  What I learned is that with my help they might grow more quickly and it was to my benefit to assist them in that growth.  With the unparalleled Spirit of God and my meager assistance THEY could accomplish ANYTHING.

15.     or put a stumbling block before the blind,

Isaiah 59: 8 The way of peace they know not; and there is no judgment in their goings: they have made them crooked paths: whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace. 9 Therefore is judgment far from us, neither doth justice overtake us: we wait for light, but behold obscurity; for brightness, but we walk in darkness. 10 We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes: we stumble at noonday as in the night; we are in desolate places as dead men.

Do you ever sin, or fall short of God’s requirements?  Of course you do.  I am grateful for Lamentations 3:22-23 which says that because of God’s mercies we are not consumed.  They are new every morning.  My point here is that when we have fallen short we walk as blind men.  Any man or woman in sin is suffering from blindness.  Even if you know this you still cannot seem to find your way out.  Have you ever wondered why so many criminals didn’t just stop before they stepped over the legal cliff?  It is because we become blind when we choose to continue to sin and in that blindness we are unable to find the door of wisdom.  Our good judgment is taken from us. 

God’s mercies are new every morning.  He doesn’t want us to walk in obscurity and darkness.  Even when we sin he would rather we repent and be healed.  The verse portion above tells us not to put a stumbling block before the blind.  We think of a man or woman walking down the street with a white cane and say, “I wouldn’t do that.  I’m not that kind of person.” 

Really?

When someone has angered you and you see them heading for a figurative cliff in their life; do you warn them?  If you detest the life choices they have made and can’t stand the effect it has on you or those you love what is your response.  Do you wash your hands of it like Pilate did after ruling against Jesus?  If so you just placed a stumbling block in front of the blind.  Your silence has doomed them to wander in dangerous places with no sight.

What if you reached out to them in Christ’s love and mercy and helped them to get their feet back on solid ground?  Every one of us have been saved in the midst of our sin…every one.  WHILE WE WERE YET SINNERS…Christ died.  YOU weren’t worth the effort to keep YOU from tumbling off that cliff and yet the Holy Spirit kept sending those irritating saints to chip away at your blindness until you finally saw a glimmer of the light and the horror of the pit.  Are you so holy and pure now that you can’t even remember your past and what God saved YOU from?  If you can remember then maybe it is time to help the blind around the obstacles until the scales are lifted.

Apostle Paul said he was the least of all the Apostles because he wasted the church.  By his word men and women were thrown in prison for loving Christ; some were even killed.  Only when the scales were lifted, when Ananias removed the stumbling block by praying for his sight, did he see again.  I know some of you would not have hesitated to obey the Lord and pray for Paul in love.  I know some of you would not have.  Some would have spoken against him and said it was just what the man deserved.  Others would simply have remained silent.  Ananias was different.  After making sure he wasn’t missing God he said simply, “brother” Saul, receive thy sight.

He might have simply said, Brother Saul, receive my love and acceptance.  In the name of my Lord, I forgive you and love you unconditionally as a brother.  Whatever words he used, those were the thoughts of his heart.  Because of that love, a blind terror of the church was made whole and three quarters of our New Testament was gloriously written by the born again priest.

Matthew 11:5 The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. 6 And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.

If you are blind you cannot find Jesus.  If you are lame you cannot get to Him.  If you are diseased you may not approach Him; or deaf, you cannot hear Him; and the dead have no hope at all.  As for the poor, my late Apostle sought to reach a people who he believed were being ignored by mainstream churches.  How were poor neighborhoods going to draw the anointed generals of the faith?  Some were lucky to get a buck private pastor to touch their lives.  How many famous televangelists are going to go to the ghettos of New York to hold camp meetings?  There is one I saw that had hundreds of buildings and each building held more than a thousand souls.  A hundred thousand people might be touched by a single tent meeting if a brave and loving soul answered the call.

Satan wouldn’t like that though.  The spiritual wickedness in heavenly places that we have allowed to make the rules for so long in this and other countries will resist any attack on the welfare state by getting people to trust the Lord.  You see, the people who live in these places are largely blind and have no way to get out of the trap they are in.  God could bring great deliverance to the pimps, prostitutes, drug dealers and gang bangers.  Satan doesn’t want that.  He likes them being blind.  He likes the lifeblood of our God’s legacy to be spilled in futile pursuits. 

Will you lend a hand to lead just one of the irritating and frustrating blind?  I know you would never place a stumbling block before the physically blind but I pray you would clear paths for those who are spiritually so.

16.     but you shall [reverently] fear your God.

Ecclesiastes 8:12 Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him: 13 But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a shadow; because he feareth not before God.

Fear God.  My dear brother in Christ, Bishop Greg McGinnis once said, “I know we often say that this word fear means reverential awe of God but I think we should just FEAR GOD.”  I agree.  There are too many places in scripture where God punishes His kids for us to get the idea that God doesn’t believe in corporal punishment or chastening.  He will not have wild olive branches producing sour grapes in His body.  God will often allow a sinner to live a long and fruitful life while trying to reach that person for His kingdom.  Perhaps some of the sinners are given a pass because it takes us too long to reach out to them and win their trust so God can win their souls.

Luke 23: 39 And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. 40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. 42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. 43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.

Two men were hanged on either side of Jesus; both were guilty of the crimes they were about to die for.  One railed at Jesus and said, “If you’re so powerful, save us!”  The other said, “Lord, I admit I’m guilty.  Please remember me.  One was angry and one was fearful and repentant.  That one got saved and was carried into Abraham’s Bosom.  I hope none of you are cocky or demanding toward the Lord.  As it says below, He is the Lord.  God had no requirement to humble Himself except that He is great enough that He has nothing to prove…not to you or to me.  You need not prove God is real; your life should show it, your humility should proclaim it and your love should confirm it.

I am the Lord.

So let the church say with all due respect and reverence…amen.

17      You shall do no injustice in judging a case.  You shall not be partial to the poor or show a preference for the mighty, but in righteousness and according to the merits of the case judge your neighbor.

You are a judge and wealthy.  Your nephew is a rich snot but he is your nephew.  He steals a car from the cranky old guy across town that has no other transportation and wrecks it.  It seems he left his keys in the car in his driveway.  Who do you judge in this circumstance?  You have imagination.  Do you protect the innocent or increase the guilty?  In the military we call submission to a superior officer who is in the wrong, awe of rank.  You shouldn’t have submitted but you were afraid.  God expects His kids to have some backbone and judge righteous judgment (John 7:24).

Deuteronomy1:16 And I charged your judges at that time, saying, Hear the causes between your brethren, and judge righteously between every man and his brother, and the stranger that is with him. 17 Ye shall not respect persons in judgment; but ye shall hear the small as well as the great; ye shall not be afraid of the face of man; for the judgment is God's: and the cause that is too hard for you, bring it unto me, and I will hear it. 18 And I commanded you at that time all the things which ye should do.

Nepotism is alive and well.  It stems from the Italian word for nephew.  There is nothing wrong with hiring someone you know…if they are qualified… or even hiring them if your intent is to train and make something of them.  It is rather like hiring an ex-con and working with them until they have learned to work within the law for their needs.  In either case you know there might be setbacks, but if you are doing it as a project for the Lord and not simply looking for the best employee then okay. 

Justice on the other hand is not that way.  Right is right.  If you know the wealthy one is guilty and the poor one has been stepped on, then by all means give the poor justice.  God will require it of you and you will answer for each decision.

1 Corinthians 6:1 Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints? 2 Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? 3 Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life? 4 If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church. 5 I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren? 6 But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers.

It’s bad enough that saints sue saints, but even worse when we let the ‘world’ be judge.  Several years ago my late apostle had graciously allowed a pastor to use one of our halls for a time to hold meetings.  After some years occupying the space for free we asked him to begin to pay rent.  He immediately sued us, not just for the hall he was using, but also for the entire property.  When we came before the judge she asked us if there wasn’t something two churches could do to work it out privately.  The difficulty in this scripture is that both parties must have their treasure established in Heaven and they must live by the fruit of the Spirit and not the lusts of the flesh.  We eventually were able to remove him from the property but it changed forever the way we do business.  Now it is handled with a contract so no lie can turn a good deed into an assault. 

How sad.

We are the light of the world and if through a lack of integrity we cover ourselves with a bushel then how dark are we.  We are the city on a hill; everyone watches us and jumps on our every failure.  We are the salt of the Earth and if we no longer preserve or season those around us then what good are we.  Well does God say in 2 Chronicles 7:14, “If my people which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 15 Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place. 16 For now have I chosen and sanctified this house, that my name may be there for ever: and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.”

If we expect our Lord and Savior to hear our cry then it must be clothed in righteousness, directed by love and empowered by faith.

18.     You shall not go up and down as a dispenser of gossip and scandal among your people,

This was a difficult one for me to get a handle on.  I loved a good story and wanted to share it with others.  After years of damaging my reputation with others I finally learned that it was far more painful to cause others pain than it was enjoyable to tell the tale.  I am not proud of my past in this area but at least it is one that I have worked to quench.  How about you?

Proverbs 20:19 He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.

Some people have learned the art to learning secrets.  You must appear noble and concerned for the one you are stabbing in the back.  After all, you’re all just discussing what you can do to help…right?  You’re going to pray for them…all the while preying on them.  You take the tidbit of knowledge you have and flatter someone in the know so you can add their little piece to yours.  A man or woman of wisdom will see this for what it is and if they have been properly instructed will shun you and walk away.

Proverbs 26:20 Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth. 21 As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife. 22 The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.

It’s not just gossips but rabble-rousers.  Someone once said that man is smart until you get him in a group.  A rabble-rouser will seek a cause; it doesn’t matter whether they believe in the cause or not; and they will hammer the people with emotional rhetoric until emotions are enflamed.  Once this happens the intelligence of the group begins to fall while the emotions explode, often into violence. 

A couple of weeks ago after some sporting event, a man began to stir up the crowd upon leaving the ballpark.  Emotions were high and intelligence was low.  The man took a stick or something and struck a city bus whereupon some others struck the bus and began climbing on it.  The driver and people within the bus fled and ultimately it was burned to the ground.  This same man in his emotionally lobotomized state forgot we live in the time of the cell phone.  Everything was filmed and sent out on the Internet.  How long do you think it will be before law enforcement tracks him down to see if he can personally afford to pay for the recently refurbished 1.5 million dollar bus?  Not long I think, they probably know who he is now.  He was very photogenic. 

19.     nor shall you [secure yourself by false testimony or by silence and] endanger the life of your neighbor.

None of these commandments matter if you are not a child of God.  When you are afraid and have no hope, when you believe in nothing but what you can see or hear, then you will do whatever you need to be safe.  Integrity is a powerful force in someone’s life but it is like a broken tooth to those who are always doing the wrong thing.  It is better to grow up and cease from sin than to constantly lie and be doubly cursed for it.

Genesis 4:9 And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?

I don’t know what is wrong with me but I have never been able to lie to myself or to God.  Obviously God always knows what we have done but I have never been able to deceive myself to think He didn’t know.  That said, Cain knew God and still chose to lie.  This brings us back to the previous word about blindness.  Lying and sinning makes you blind and unable to see the truth.  A lack of truth will always keep you bound.  Take responsibility for what you do.  It is no honor to win a case against someone when you know you were wrong. 

1 Corinthians 13:4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things

Suffers long and is kind.  Seeks not her own (but the good of another.)  Stays calm and thinks good thoughts.  Love constrains us to do the right thing whether we want to for our own sakes it makes us want to for the sake of another.  As we see from the proclamation below, we do these things for the love of God.  We ought to make our decisions based not just on whether it is good for us but whether it is good for us AND helps others.  Money for money or fame for fame is a waste of energy and does nothing to increase the eternal account. 

In Matthew 28:18, Jesus said, “All power is given unto me both in heaven and in Earth.”  He continued to say we should go out therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.  His final admonition was to say, “Pay attention!  I am with you always; even to the end of the planet.”  He will NEVER leave you or forsake you.  You cannot live for yourself.  He will never abandon you.  You cannot make decisions just to serve yourself. 

One day, after the church is removed and Israel is on their own, Satan will send a world leader so miraculous and so supernatural that he will convince the leaders of the entire world to attack God.  Jesus’ admonition to us is that we do not allow ourselves to be tricked.  One of the greatest tricks of Satan even now is that church people live like the sinners around them and when they fail to experience the miracles of God on a daily basis they begin to believe that all those promises are just allegories. 

All God’s promises and all His Word are true.  They are yea and amen.

I am the Lord.

Hebrews 6:18 says that it is impossible for God to lie.  Why?  Because He is His Word and His Word is TRUE!

20.     You shall not hate your brother in your heart;

I consider it a sad testimony to the human condition that God even had to put this in.  Of course you can’t hate your brother.  Not if you have an ounce of love or compassion.  Having said that I realize that this condition is not unusual.  It happens all the time, even in the church.

1 John 3:14 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. 15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.

All the struggles and trials we endure for Christ’s sake are explained in Romans 5:3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope: 5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.  If you are born again the love of God is shed abroad in your heart.  The Holy Spirit shows you how to love and then gives you the love to use.  If you hate your brother then you are not a believer. 

Pastor Kenneth Hagin explained it to a woman once who insisted she hated her brother (or sister).  He told her to say she hated her brother so she did.  He then asked her what she felt inside when she said that.  She said she felt a scratching in her heart like indigestion.  He explained to her that the Holy Spirit was scratching her to let her know that she doesn’t really hate her brother or sister but that she is emotionally angry with them.  Scripture says we can be angry but not sin.  We aren’t allowed to withhold our love.  We aren’t allowed to break our promises.  You might not fellowship closely with someone who constantly hurts you but you must continue to fulfill your obligation of love.

In the woman’s case she realized that if she did indeed love the person but was angry and that she could deal with that and be healed.  Jesus explained that our neighbor is whoever needs our help and God brings into our life.  We are supposed to love our neighbor as ourselves.  As long as we know that God’s love will never fail we should never doubt that God will make all things work out for our good; even with our brother.

Philimon 1:7 For we have great joy and consolation in thy love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother

This is what brotherhood is all about.  We ought to refresh and encourage one another.  There is joy and consolation.  Things actually happen to our benefit if we love our brother.  God makes it so.

21.     but you shall surely confront your neighbor directly, lest you incur blame for his sin.

“I don’t want to get involved.”  Ever hear someone say that?  The truth is if you know some evil is being perpetrated then God will hold you responsible for your silence.  When the priests brought the woman caught in adultery to Jesus for judgment they didn’t want to embarrass the man who was also caught.  Israeli law condemned both to death.  In their failure to bring both man and woman they failed to nip sin in the bud in Israel.  I doubt it would have made a difference to the decision Jesus rendered since He was speaking grace and mercy and not judgment, but the absence of the second party is glaring.  Had Jesus been of the other camp, He might have had the woman stoned but in judgment He would have demanded the ones who hid the name of the man be punished in his place.

Do not be a partaker of another’s sin; not by action or inaction.

Proverbs 9: 8 Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee. 9 Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning. 10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

If you warn a wise man of his sin he will thank you for the revelation and repent.  If you tell a fool and a mocker he will curse at you and hate you.  You can’t correct everyone, just those who will accept it.  Wisdom begets wisdom and foolishness a fool.  If you fear God you will stop before your foolishness takes hold and begin to walk in wisdom.  It is not easy but it is imperative.

2 Timothy 4: 1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; 2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. 5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

Welcome to America or wherever.  A majority will not be saved…ever.  It is always the few who wake up and realize they need something greater than themselves.  For this reason we always need to preach the word of God.  Be ready in an instant to give account of God’s love whether it is convenient or not.  Warn them, chasten them and encourage them with all longsuffering attitude and good well-reasoned doctrine.  One day they will no longer be willing to hear.  They will have gone too far and actively take a stand against God.  They will find teachers they like with a message they find comfortable.  Your words will be children’s fables to them.  Keep your eyes open at all times and be willing to put up with all things for the sake of God.  Evangelize and accomplish your whole ministry.

22.     You shall not take revenge or bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself.

Taking revenge is an active thing.  You must actually do something to that person.  Bearing a grudge is insidious.  It sits there on your heart and soul and eats you alive from the inside like acid.  You wind up like the man who shot two teens who broke into his house and then upon discovering they weren’t dead, finished them off.  Where does acid begin to destroy in a life like that?  He had a sign on his driveway saying, “Keep Out!”  Satan tells us we are right and the people who wound us need to be taken out.  We don’t forgive and forget so we keep reliving it and want to lash out.  Instead of being healed we are turned out of the way and made lame in heart and mind.

Romans 12:17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. 18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. 19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. 20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. 21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

That’s pretty plain isn’t it?  “Recompense no man evil for evil.”  Do good to those who despitefully use you and persecute you.  Love your enemies.  Live at peace with one another.  Take no vengeance.  Feed the hater.  Clothe the angry man.  Overcome the evil Satan has established in that other heart with good.  Do not allow the evil to find refuge in your heart.

I am the Lord.

Again we are reminded why we must do these things and think these thoughts.

23.     You shall keep My statutes.

Did you know there are laws in the New Testament?  What do you think Romans 12 above is?  God has commandments even now.  If you don’t think you are under the law, think again.  You are now under the law of life in Christ Jesus but it requires a lot of you.  You might not be under the law of Moses though they rarely came close to the spirit of those laws; but you ARE under the law of love, grace and mercy.  At times it can cost you more to obey those laws than any of the Old Testament laws.

Deuteronomy 5:10 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments.

God DEMANDS certain things of us.  God DESIRES certain things of us.  God DELIGHTS in certain things from us.  Will you do them because He demands and threatens?  Will you do them because He desires and wishes it?  Will you do them out of a pure heart because He delights and loves it?  I maintain that it is not to your benefit if you do it because of the demand nearly as much as if you do it for His delight.

John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. 18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

This is madness!  Madness I say!!!  There can be no law, no commands in the New Testament!!  Oops, I guess there are.  Sorry, but I can’t tell you how many people have tried to tell me that we are free from EVERYTHING in Christ.  We do have commandments to follow and most of His commands are of the ‘heart’ variety.  Anybody can follow along and do what is expected while in your heart you have cut them off at the knees.  We call this passive aggressive.  My mouth says it’s okay but my heart says drop dead.  Jesus promises to comfort you no matter how much you mess up and miss Him.  Simply repent and He will reestablish your link. Then He will turn around to you and say, “Now, you do the same.”  He expects you to forgive and comfort the other party from the depths of your heart of hearts.

John 15:10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. 11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. 12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. 13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. 14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.

Jesus is not like the person who treats you right as long as you do right.  He loves you no matter what but says that if you choose to work against Him then YOU have removed yourself from the benefits of His love.  He doesn’t say He won’t love you if you fail to keep His commandments but that you no longer LIVE in that love.  YOU have changed YOUR address; Christ has not thrown you out.  You choose.  If you choose to live in that love then you will have a full measure of His joy.  He laid down His life for you.  Now He wants to know how many of you are His friends.

In Matthew 15:4-7 Jesus says we must LIVE in His words.  If I visit your house I don’t live there.  I may not even have the freedom to use the bathroom depending on how little I know you.  I LIVE in my house.  Every room is mine to enter and when I am tired I need not ask to use the bed.  When I am hungry I need not seek permission to raid the fridge.  I just open it up and eat. 

If you live in Christ Jesus then you will obey His commandments because they are the rooms of YOUR house.  You live there, and only a fool knocks holes in the walls of his own home or tracks dirt onto his own carpet.  If your house is cluttered with trash then it is your responsibility to clean it out and keep it that way.  Sitting here on my favorite chair I am thinking of how my house looks.  I just finished painting my backyard deck (and it rained) because I want it to look nice.  You don’t want the neighbors to say a sinner lives in your body do you?  Following Jesus isn’t so much as keeping the Hebrew laws (though some try), but it is more like keeping the Hebrew feasts which were designed more for the sake of the heart than the flesh. 

24.     You shall not let your domestic animals breed with a different kind [of animal]; you shall not sow your field with mixed seed, neither wear a garment of linen mixed with wool.

With the exception of mules (male donkey and female horse), I’m not sure how many animals are interbred.  I do know that Absalom was undone when his mule ran under some trees and he became entangled in the branches.  All of David’s sons rode on mules, as did David.  There are plenty of examples of this on the spiritual side.  There was so much superstition in the beginning of the nation of Israel and false gods requiring strange things that God wished His people to be separate.  Ultimately the reasons were clearly spiritual and a visible example of the separation of Jew or Greek, saved and unsaved.

Matthew 13: 24 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: 25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. 26 But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. 27 So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? 28 He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? 29 But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

Saints of God need to live separated lives for their sake and the sake of the kingdom.  God is not in danger of contamination because He simply will not allow it.  We are in danger of becoming so tainted or diluted in our spirits that He may not recognize us.  It is certain that many others no longer recognize anything special about the church.  Consider the pain that Joseph and Jacob endured by their brothers.  True, Jacob bore some of the blame, but God had already cut off Esau from His plan.  We need people in our lives that will support us in whatever work God has required.  There is nothing worse than having a mocker in the midst when you are trying to hear the whisper and still small voice of the Holy Spirit.  It is like the braying of a donkey while trying to hear the whisper of a lover.

2 Corinthians 6:14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? 15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? 16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

I remember President Jimmy Carter trying to lead an entire nation while his brother Billy was using the family name to make money selling “Billy Beer.”  So many over the years have been sunk by those who should have helped you remain strong.  Whitney Houston was an amazing woman of God who loved the Lord and loved to sing.  Her only real problem was a lack of self-esteem.  Had the men in her life been more interested in her welfare, rather than control or money, they could have strengthened her against the drugs that finally damaged her health leading to her death.  Where would she be today had she married a godly man who cherished the gift that God placed in her.

I hope you really read the previous scripture.  It is so clear and equally frustrating to many in the church.  We marry sinners and think, “I’ll change him or her.”  I have heard of couples who married and the spouse finally came to the Lord and it was wonderful; but I have heard far more in counseling where the spouse dragged the saint down to their level and they wavered there off and on for years.  I would rather see two sinners marry and come to the Lord from there than a saint and a sinner who are trying to change the other.  How many times have I heard someone tell a young man, “You want a wife, go to the church and get one.  You can get that religion stuff out of her head later.”

Churches often have more women than men and this creates a problem for a woman seeking a mate.  I have no real answer for you except to trust God to work it out.  I’ve seen the divorces and separations because you have two people who live for totally different purposes.  Like I said in a previous lesson, don’t let the devil get you into a life where he can rob you blind.  Come out from among them and be separate.

Bishop J