Will a Man Rob God Part 2

Malachi 3:4 Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord, as in the days of old, and as in former years.

I saw an article today that said the Jews in Jerusalem prayed for rain and the next day it began to rain and continued for some days.  God is beginning to open His hand and extend His arm to Israel in the midst of her trials.  Scripture says that where sin abounds, grace abounds even more (Romans 5:20).  The world believes that Israel must fall because so many billions speak words of hate and violence toward her.  They feel she must collapse because of a myriad of bombs, missiles and mortars sent against her.  Know this, Israel’s punishments over the years were hers and hers alone but they were not done to destroy her.  If you know God’s word even a little you will know the punishments have come to redeem her; to lead her to repentance.

Never fear the future of Israel; rather fear your own future and your own judgment should you be one of those who move against God’s chosen ones.  We Christians are grafted in, a wild olive branch blended with the tame olives.  Should we forget ourselves and esteem ourselves more highly than we ought (Philippians 2:3), God is well able to trim the wild olives of weeds.  As God opens a door to Israel, the time approaches when He will close the door for the church and receive us into His bosom.  On that day the chosen of God will walk the paths of our Lord Jesus in the land of Judah.

5 And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the Lord of hosts.

There are those in Israel AND the Church who have no understanding of the true grace and requirements of God.  When Jesus walked the earth He opened His heart to a publican named Zacchaeus (Luke 19:2-8).  This man who was short of stature had climbed a tree to see the Son of God.  He didn’t even argue whether or not he was a sinner.  When called to receive the Lord for dinner all the hair splitting hypocrites began to murmur and complain.  Nobody was hated as much as a tax collector and Zacchaeus was chief among them.

You must understand that faith requires action on our part.  It is not enough to feel bad for your sin.  It is not enough to want to hear the truth.  Zacchaeus desired the truth enough to climb a tree…hardly appropriate for a wealthy businessman…right?  Jesus looked up at him and saw his limited faith.  He invited himself to dinner at the man’s house.  Upon hearing the true complaints of his fellow Jews about his tax collecting Zacchaeus chose to take another step of faith. 

Climbing down to open the door of his house was not enough to ensure his salvation.  Christ says, “Behold I stand at the door and knock (Revelation 3:20).”  It is not enough to cry out, “Lord, please come into my heart.”  Zacchaeus did that by simply jumping down out of the tree.  Even Jesus did not say He was saved.  Repentance is not saying you are sorry.  Repentance is not feeling guilty for all your sins.  Repentance means to turn away from what you have been doing and walking a new path altogether. 

Zacchaeus stood before the God of all creation and proclaimed, “Lord, I give half of all I own to the poor and I will restore every penny I have received by improper means or extortion fourfold.  That meant if he received one shekel or dollar or pound or franc or shilling illegally he would repay that person four shekels or dollars or pounds or francs or shillings.  The law said he must restore what he took plus a fifth part.  If he had taken one dollar he had to pay back one dollar and twenty cents.  He went above and beyond in his repentance and promised to pay back four for every one he obtained unlawfully.

Only after hearing his confession and promise did Jesus said, “This day is salvation come to this house.  He declared Zacchaeus to be a son of Abraham and reminded the people that the Son of Man came to save that which is lost.  In Matthew 9:2 Jesus is said to have SEEN someone’s faith.  Faith is an act and action.  You can’t do it by believing alone.  It takes action on your part and that action becomes more specific and more involved the longer you walk with God.  It is because of this requirement that we die to self and live to Christ (Philippians 1:20-21). 

What would have happened if after the crowds left and Jesus went home Zacchaeus had second thoughts?  He might have said, “What was I thinking?  That’s a lot of money!”  This happens every day in the church.  We get excited and promise God everything but then we calm down and begin to say, “What have I done?”  These are the people shown in the parable of the sower (Matthew 13:18-23).  Personally I believe that Jesus, who could see the heart, knew that Zacchaeus was sincere and committed.  I have sworn to my own hurt many times over the years.  Have you ever promised to do something for or give something to someone and then something didn’t work out the way you thought and it would have been difficult to do?  Of course you have and so have I.  This is called swearing to your own hurt (Psalm 15) and though it can be painful to keep your word, God will honor you if you do. 

Finally beloved, whatever our sins (and the list in verse 5 above is just a small portion of those that matter), we must repent of them and press toward the mark of the high calling in Christ Jesus our Lord (Philippians 3:13-14).  We should examine the sins listed: sorcerers, adulterers, false swearers, those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that cheat the stranger from his right, and do not fear God.  That last one will cause much sorrow in eternity to come.  You might think, “I never do those evil things.  I’m faithful to my spouse and have never oppressed or cheated anyone.”  What about God?  “Oh, I don’t believe in that religion stuff.  EVERYONE knows that religion has caused more wars than anything else.”  What will you have to say on that day when God requires every word you have ever spoken be played back.  What will you say when none of them are, “Jesus please forgive my sins and come into my heart.”  What will you say when God says, “You murdered my Son and spit on His sacrifice?”

6 For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.

I was going to stop at the verse above but decided to continue.  Every one of us are under a death sentence.  Whether we are mockers and liars, humanists and intellectuals, murderers and thieves, it does not matter to God.  Why?  Because Christ died for everyone.  There is more to it than that of course.  We discussed it in the verse above.  God requires we change our life and make a conscious decision to obey Him.  Toward this end, God has promised to give us grace and mercy.  There is a timer attached to these gifts.  It can run out when you die or when Jesus returns.  It is because of His grace and mercy that He doesn’t burn us all down to bedrock and scorch the planet.  God has promised to give you an opportunity to be saved and He always keeps His Word.  Most of us have already been offered this grace at least once.  Many of us have denied the gift at least once.  We are people who have been given a new lease on life but we have refused to sign the lease.

God is longsuffering.  The verse actually says, “Yahweh sana ben yakob kala.”  I’m sure you know what Yahweh means and that ben means son.  Yakob is Jacob.  Sana means unchangeable, consistent, constant.  Kala means destroyed, consumed, dissolved, removed.  God isn’t restoring Israel because they deserve it.  He is restoring Israel because He promised and covenanted with Abraham.  Part of His covenant with Abraham took place while Abraham was asleep and unconscious.  Abraham couldn’t sin enough to lose it (the covenant, not individual salvation).  We are spiritually the sons of Abraham.  We Christians aren’t consumed right now because of His longsuffering mercy.  Many of us haven’t even begun to obey Him yet.  He is holding his wrath until the very last moment so we can learn to submit to Him and say, “Yes Lord.”

Keep this longsuffering attitude in mind for the next lesson.

Will A Man Rob God? Part 1

Will A Man Rob God?

Malachi 3:1 Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts.

One truth I have learned in my years of serving God is that God rarely comes to you as you are expecting.  If you can see six ways God can respond to your particular problem, He will come to you the seventh way.  Scripture promises that Elijah must come again to prepare the way of the Lord (Malachi 4:5-6).  The Jews were waiting for someone to come and say, “I am Elijah!  Make a straight path for our Lord!  John the Baptist came eating locusts and wild honey while preaching the very same message.  The Pharisees questioned his purpose, even sending priests to question him; but they really didn’t make the connection.  They weren’t looking for a forerunner of repentance.  They wanted the forerunner of the conquering hero.  Jesus made it clear that John the Baptist came in that spirit of Elijah (Matthew 11:13-14). 

Verse one says that following this messenger who came in the spirit of Elijah, the Lord would come into His temple SUDDENLY.  The word suddenly in this verse is Pithom, the same as the Hebrew name of the city in Egypt that the Jews were forced to build for the Egyptians.  Israel endured 400 years of slavery in Egypt waiting for their Pithom moment.  Israel had waited 430 years total in Egypt before their suddenly moment came.  The first 30 years were as honored guests while Joseph lived and before a new Pharaoh came who was not Egyptian.  When Moses presented himself to his people they did not believe.  They were angry that he caused a rift between the Egyptian slave masters and themselves.  It made their life harder.  Taking a stand for God will often make you unpopular both to those in the world and to those in the church.

Malachi came 430 years before Christ to preach about the coming suddenly moment.  He even wrote that it was a suddenly moment which should have caused the Jews to search the scriptures and discover the other suddenly (pithom) moment in Exodus 1:11.  That should have led them to understand the long wait before that pithom moment came.  Perhaps you think, “How could anyone be prepared for something that will happen in 430 years.  It’s too much to expect.”  Following their attempt to have him killed, Daniel became the head of Babylon’s pagan priesthood which happened even earlier than Malachi’s writing.  Those pagan priests following His instructions, marked the time faithfully for over 430 years and sent the Magi to honor Jesus at His birth.  They weren’t even Jewish Levites and yet they kept track of the dates perfectly in honor of Daniel and his God and arrived at the birth of the infant Jesus.  Some might say, “They followed the star of Bethlehem.”  That event may have confirmed what they were already expecting, but the Jews also had the same warning. Where were they?

Psalm 19:1-3 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.  Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.”  Apparently that last sentence rings true since the Magi understood the words written in the stars but the Jewish priests did not.  One thing is certain; God expected them to be as prepared as these pagan men.  Returning to the suddenly moment of Malachi 3:1, we see that the Lord who appeared suddenly did so at the Temple.  His first arrival was recognized by the prophets but not the priesthood (Luke 2:25-38).  

In that chapter of Luke we read of Simeon and Anna who though of great age, held on until the Messiah arrived.  The priests were nowhere to be found.  Twelve years later (Luke 2:42-49) Jesus appeared before the doctors of the Law at the temple.  He astounded them with his wisdom and understanding but they still did not acknowledge or seek to discover who he was or how he came to be.  Finally, at 30 years of age Jesus presented himself to Jerusalem, entering at the proper gate in the proper manner.  The people all gathered together and proclaimed His purpose and right to be there (Luke 19:29-44).  Once again the priests not only missed the whole point, but told Him to rebuke His disciples so they would not blaspheme.  This was the final suddenly moment.  This moment shut up heaven for two thousand years against the Jews until the time of the gentiles is completed.

Malachi 3:2 But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers 'soap: 3 And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.

In a very real sense Jesus has done all these things through his death and resurrection.  Nothing purges you of sin like His blood.  We always hear wishy washy Christians say that Christ’s work in our hearts is some wonderful fairytale experience that will wash us white as wool.  We picture ourselves as gentle little lambs walking along still waters with nothing to do but eat green clover and think happy thoughts.  The question here is, “Who can stand when Christ appears?” 

In our Christian walk Jesus is a refiner’s fire and fullers’ soap.  You don’t purify grass or weeds.  Flames simply burn those things to ash.  You purify gold and silver by heating it so hot that even the rocks and minerals that may coat or be impregnated in it will burn up.  That means that your attitudes and ideas that have been a part of your life for so long will be purged with the hottest fire you can endure.  Like fullers’ soap you will be scoured and pounded until you are molded into the shape and strength that God requires for the tasks He has determined for your life. 

I’ve never met anyone in the body of Christ who came to Him as an adult that hasn’t been through even worse trials and tribulations than they did before coming to Him (2 Timothy 4:2-3).  We truly discover that Jesus purges, chastens, rebukes and directs us until we are made of pure gold (Hebrews 12:6).  Many leave the faith before they arrive at this place of maturity (2 Thessalonians 2:3).  They fail to understand that God will not accept or tolerate or use a vessel that is tainted and polluted.  Grace may be sufficient for God to wink at your sins and you may make it into heaven smelling of smoke; but for God to fully use you and the gifts and talents He has given you, there is a time of preparation and testing that cannot be avoided.  The thief on the cross beside Jesus might have made it in by his confession of faith, but was he really all he might have been under other circumstances and after the maturing process?

Once you have passed these tests you may present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God (Romans 12:1).  This is your reasonable sacrifice.  It does not make you more exceptional than any other who has made it in.  It is the bare minimum God will accept out of your life.  He will not accept the liars and cheats, those who live for the flesh (Galatians 5:19-21).  If you choose the escape spoken of in 1 Corinthians 10:13, you will simply retake the test in a new location with new instructors.  Understand that it is not always a matter of great sin but is a testing so you will know yourself as well as God does.

I know men or women who categorically state that God does not test His people or allow them to go through things.  They excuse their own personal trials in any number of strange arguments so they won’t have to admit that perhaps there is more to this walk with Jesus than they care to admit.

God wants us to be holy.  He is holy.  His grace is sufficient to overcome your weakness but make no mistake... He will press and purge you until your fruit is clean and your life is pure.

Spice Up Your Anointing

Exodus 30:22 Moreover the Lord spake unto Moses, 23 saying, Take thou also unto thee principal spices, of pure myrrh five hundred shekels, and of sweet cinnamon half so much, even two hundred and fifty shekels, and of sweet calamus two hundred and fifty shekels, 24 And of cassia five hundred shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, and of oil olive an hin:

God speaks of principal spices which are elevated, chief or premier spices.  They are greater than the rest by virtue of their excellence.  These spices were chosen by God to create the holy anointing oil that was held in such esteem by God and the priests.  It was so precious that the death penalty was demanded for anyone who made it outside of the priesthood or used it apart from the priests.  God’s anointing is the chief and premiere need for our walk after the saving grace of Jesus Christ.  Myrrh is our part of the anointing.  It comes directly from our suffering and enduring.  Sweet calamus is the Father’s part and brings vision and growth.  Cinnamon is our Savior’s part as it is written, “The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up (Psalm 69:9, John 2:17).”

Myrrh was costly, today’s equivalent of $4000 per oz.  Myrrh came in distilled drops like tears.  It is a prophetic anticipation of your trials and tears.  An anointing will cost you in tears rather than in laughter.  God takes your pain and uses it toward a purpose.  Your tribulation is used to bring your exaltation in the kingdom.

Sweet calamus grows in the shape of a rod which in biblical terms is always used for measuring.  A rod is a dual purpose instrument in the Bible.  It is used for punishment or measurement.  The anointing is going to stretch you, to increase your measure until you come out of yourself and your abilities into something greater.  You want a greater anointing and more powerful ministry?  Are you willing to be stretched?  You will be stretched in sacrifice, service and faith.  You will be stretched into areas you never imagined.

Sweet cinnamon or Qinamon in Hebrew.  The root word Qina is the same root as the word for zeal.  Do you lack the zeal you need to walk in the ministry God has ordained for you?  Are you fearful, apathetic, passive or lukewarm?  The sweet cinnamon comes into your life and imparts the zeal you need to accomplish God’s purpose.

Consider Psalm 23:5-6 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Notice the myrrh of verse five as you walk through the valley of the shadow of death.  Can you see the sweet calamus of God’s stretching and direction in the rod and staff.  Look at the end of verse six…my cup runneth over.  That is the zeal that will not be contained.  Can you find other psalms or scriptures that show this repeating pattern for the anointing of God?  Is there any doubt that David for all his faults was an anointed man of God?

Exodus 30:25 And thou shalt make it an oil of holy ointment, an ointment compound after the art of the apothecary: it shall be an holy anointing oil. 

I remember helping to prepare anointing oil for ministry.  We would add various spices and oils until the scent was exactly what we wanted.  As a kingdom of priests (Exodus 19:6) we are tasked with preparing the spices of our lives for the oil of anointing.  If our lives have been too controlled and too sheltered, we may lack sufficient Myrrh for the mix.  When we take too few chances for advancement in our lives we will lack the proper sweet calamus for growth.  Finally, our attitude toward God and His Word will increase or limit the amount of cinnamon or zeal to press past the trials and opportunities into spiritual success and a greater anointing. 

Scripture says that the anointing destroys the yokes of bondage plaguing the church (Isaiah 10:27).  Lately more and more articles have been written denying God and any faith that believes in something higher than themselves.  It is reaching toward a crescendo of intolerance and ultimately will  become outright persecution toward the church.  We stand at that threshold of faith or doubt that will lead to the great falling away spoken of in 2 Thessalonians 2:3.

Without this holy anointing oil, this God breathed strength and purpose, we would not be able to stand in that evil day, even after having done all we could (Ephesians 6:13-14).  There is a determined and organized attack on the church of God and all those who would dare try to stand against the tide of godlessness and ‘freedom’ of expression.  That is merely another way of saying, ‘the right to sin.’  As Christians we know our own personal righteousness is nothing (Isaiah 64:6).  Without an anointing we are as weak as those others and in fact many in God’s church fall into sin far too quickly due to a lack of anointing. 

Let me restate this desperately important point.  Without faith it is impossible to please God.  Without God’s anointing it is difficult to stand by faith because faith ACTS in the absence of external evidence.  An anointing is birthed through trials, far reaching vision and zealous encouragement.  If you lack any of these three ingredients you will lack the proper anointing.  You need all three, trials, vision or growth, and zeal.  Those who preach that God does not require all of the above have denied and hobbled His anointing.  If you doubt this need to endure trials then read James chapter one.

Exodus 30:26 And thou shalt anoint the tabernacle of the congregation therewith, and the ark of the testimony, 27 And the table and all his vessels, and the candlestick and his vessels, and the altar of incense, 28 And the altar of burnt offering with all his vessels, and the laver and his foot. 29 And thou shalt sanctify them, that they may be most holy: whatsoever toucheth them shall be holy.

The anointing abides in the presence of the Word and works of God.  Many say correctly that we, the people of God, are the church; but there is also a truth that the building, pews, altar and other furnishings of the church are consecrated and sanctified for the work of God.  I have seen beautiful churches turned into warehouses or even restaurants, bordellos and night clubs.  In some countries this is due to persecution but in others it is caused by apathy within the church itself. 

Church buildings are supposed to give glory to God.  Even storefront churches ought to be maintained in a manner that honors and glorifies God.  I recall entering a Catholic church during a difficult time in my life.  It wasn’t my church or even my faith but it was a building consecrated to God.  Sitting on the front pew in an empty church I prayed and God moved so powerfully that I began to weep.  A building is not doctrine or words or ideas but it can be a place where God’s anointing abides to motivate and encourage the people who gather there.  Living or not, it is part of God’s creation, set aside for His honor, sanctified for His use and anointed for that purpose.

Every church has an anointing, an influence upon the neighborhood it abides in.  That anointing may reach for many miles in all directions or may not even clear the front doors of the church.  It is determined by the doctrine, consecration, prayers and vision of the ministry.  I have been in churches that proclaimed, “Ichabod, the glory of God has departed,” to my spirit by reason of their dead and decaying faith, and in others have not even arrived at the door yet when my spirit became settled and at peace.  How great is the anointing of your church?

Exodus 30:30 And thou shalt anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, that they may minister unto me in the priest's office.

The anointing abides in the priests of God.  Scripture says that we are a kingdom of priests.  Our great high priest who is after the order of Melchizedek (Psalm 110:4) empowers us and sanctifies us for the work of the ministry.  This gives us our position in the kingdom but the true empowerment of God comes from the anointing we receive.  It is impossible to fully enter into the priests office without the anointing of God.

Exodus 30:31 And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, This shall be an holy anointing oil unto me throughout your generations.

The anointing oil passes beyond Moses or the Tabernacle or even Israel as a peculiar nation.  It is God’s gift to those who endure and press on through all the purifying processes.  You don’t have it in you to possess the promise on your own.  God MUST go with you to succeed in your calling.  We must press with all that is in us but God gives us IMPOSSIBLE callings so we will give Him the glory when we succeed. The anointing is holy, poured only upon those who are sanctified for the service of God.

When David said, “You anoint my head with oil,” he meant that when you are in the presence of your enemies you are lifted up above all these trials and tribulations even while in their midst (Psalm 23:5).”

Beloved, I pray you too will press toward the anointing of God so you might accomplish all His will for your life.

Bishop J.

Finding Your Voice - Direction

Your Directional Voice – Who’s your audience? 

WHY AM I HERE?  WHAT IS MY PURPOSE?  WHAT MUST I DO?

God had invited Israel to the wedding and then He sent the bridegroom …Jesus.  In Matthew 22:1-8 we can see what Israel’s response was and what God’s response to them was.  While we know from Romans 11 that this was not a permanent state of grace for Israel (they had been in the penalty box many times before), it did open up the door for the gentiles.  Many Christian apologists believe we have taken Israel’s place and cast their future into Hell but it can be proved in scripture that Israel does indeed have a future in God.  My purpose here however is to discover OUR future and OUR responsibilities as Christians.

Beginning in verse 9 of Matthew 22 we read, “Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. 10 So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.

Here is the reason we Gentiles were received into the kingdom of Heaven.  God the Father, wanting to honor His Son with a large and extravagant wedding, invited EVERYONE to the wedding.  Everyone was compelled to enter into the wedding hall, both good and bad.  Everyone was offered a free wedding garment of righteousness and was encouraged to put it on.  Many did but a few did not.  The righteousness had been paid for and the hall was full.

Matthew 22:11 And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: 12 And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. 13 Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen.

Why do you suppose that some of the wedding guests did not have on their wedding garment?  They were paid for, provided free of charge.  This particular man sat there in the wedding chapel clothed in his own moth eaten, polluted foul smelling garments when the King came through to see if all was ready for His Son’s big day.  First we see that God called him FRIEND.  The Greek word means comrade, partner, dear friend.  The King had not withheld his love or concern for this man; had provided the proper clothing and sat him in a seat of honor.  In response this man disdained the clothing and arrived at the wedding unwashed, uncovered and ultimately…undone. 

Verse 12 says the man couldn’t even answer.  Have you ever met someone who argued about EVERYTHING.  Even when they knew they were wrong they would argue, unwilling to admit their mistakes.  Verse 12 shows us something extremely important.  If we have not partaken of the gift of God and put on Christ’s righteousness and accepted His sacrifice, there will be no arguing or debating between us and God.  Your mouth will be closed and speechless in this circumstance.  There will be no arguments because NO ONE will dare argue with God on that day.  It’s rather like the day after the rapture when those who thought they knew God but didn’t, looked up and wept.

Verse 13 makes God’s serious attitude toward righteousness perfectly clear.  God said unto the angels, “Bind this man hand and foot.  Carry him away from this place of honor, love and joy and cast him into outer darkness.  He will know nothing after this but weeping and gnashing of teeth.  Verse 14 says, “Because many are called, but few are chosen.” 

If you are one of the chosen it is not only because of God’s call, but because of YOUR obedience and YOUR surrender to God’s will.  When God first calls your name, you might not know how to live in Christ; might not know what is expected of you, but if you are willing to surrender your future for His, God will qualify you precept by precept until you are fully clothed in your perfect wedding garments.  The man in verse 11 above was not cast into outer darkness because he didn’t have the same opportunities as everyone else.  He was cast away for refusing the free gift and promises of God.  He was cast away for disobedience to God’s Word and the heavenly calling.

One thing you could say about Saul of Tarsus is that he was a man of faith and conviction.  He fully believed in God’s holy Torah.  He was flawless in his obedience to it.  He knew he was a Pharisee of the Pharisees until he met the man called Jesus on the road to Damascus.  Blinded by our Lord he was forced to reconsider all his beliefs and to his credit was willing to change to serve the risen Savior.  Paul did not have to throw away his faith in God.  He simply discovered that he was incorrect in his doctrine and chose to bring it in line with the Eternal Lord.  He was one of the few Pharisees who would do so and certainly the most open about it.

One of the most important things to keep in mind when you are seeking God’s will is that your opinions and plans may not be in keeping with God’s.  Paul was a Pharisee.  He spoke their language and understood their rules and laws.  After Jesus explained all the connections revealing Him in the Tanakh, the Old Testament, Paul thought he would be the perfect choice to witness to the priesthood and the Jewish people.  He was wrong.

Acts 22:17-21 “When I had returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance 18 and saw him saying to me, ‘Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me.’ 19 And I said, ‘Lord, they themselves know that in one synagogue after another I imprisoned and beat those who believed in you. 20 And when the blood of Stephen your witness was being shed, I myself was standing by and approving and watching over the garments of those who killed him. ’ And he said to me, 21 ‘Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.

Notice that Jesus did not say, “Well, give it a month or two and let’s see what happens.”  He said, “Move it!  Get out of town NOW!”  Paul like many of us felt led to disagree with Him.  God never explained WHY they would not receive Paul.  He simply reiterated His first statement, “GO!  I am sending you FAR AWAY to the Gentiles.”  It was at this moment that Paul blew Jonah’s example out of the water. 

God told Jonah to go to Nineveh and tell them He was going to destroy the city in 40 days.  After running away and being dragged back by a fish he grudgingly did as he was told.  His witnessing technique was kind of like, “Hey scumbag Ninevites!  In 40 days you get yours so burn in hell!”  I don’t recommend that you adopt his technique but from the king on the throne to the donkey in the stable the entire kingdom put on sackcloth and ashes and repented so sincerely that God gave them 100 more years.  Perhaps it was because Jonah was bleached completely white and covered in seaweed but it worked.  This of course irritated Jonah who sulked for days about the grace and mercy of God and argued with God over whether or not he had a right to be angry.  Jonah chapters 2-4.

It is much better to go where God sends you with a good will than grudgingly and of necessity (2 Corinthians 9:7).  If you are a cheerful and giving witness you will be able to walk in all of God’s grace (v. 8-12). 

Ephesians 3:1 For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles— 

Whether Paul wanted to witness or not is irrelevant.  His attitude in Ephesians 3:1 was, “I am a prisoner of Jesus and I will do what I must to get you people saved.  Woe unto me if I preach not this gospel of Christ to you (1 Corinthians 9:16-27).  Verse 27 is one of the most important of the Bible.  Paul could have remained in Jerusalem.  God is unlikely to have sent angels to drag him to Ephesus and Corinth.  Well, I don’t think He would have anyway.  The point is that Paul wanted to please God.  He took all his own passions and loves and desires and made them all subordinate to God. 

Like Jesus and Peter he wanted to hear God say tetelestai, it is finished.  He wanted to hear God say, “Well done thou good and faithful servant.  So do we.  We all long to say, “I did it God!  I did what you asked!”  What passions and loves and desires are you willing to put second or even third behind God’s will.  In the case of flexible morals in the world today, it isn’t that one sin is any worse than the others (usually), but that God has called it sin.  He is the final judge and arbiter and we will answer to Him. 

Since we are all depending on God to finally say, “Well done,” we need to make sure we have obeyed His voice and His purpose in our lives.  To discover what our voice is we need to pray and seek His face.

·      Jesus directional voice was the salvation of all mankind.

·      Paul’s directional voice was the salvation of gentiles.

·      Peter’s directional voice was the salvation of the Jews.

Your directional voice is to:

Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths.”

Do you know His voice?  Have you prayed, fasted, studied His word and obeyed His unctions enough that you are able to say, “Speak Lord, thy servant heareth (1 Samuel 3:9-10)?”  Once you do, even others will begin to understand God’s leading in your life.

Galatians 2:7-9 AMP But on the contrary, when they really saw that I had been entrusted to carry the Gospel to the uncircumcised Gentiles, just as definitely as Peter had been entrusted to proclaim the Gospel to the circumcised Jews, they were agreeable;

 For He Who motivated and fitted Peter and worked effectively through him for the mission to the circumcised, motivated and fitted me and worked through me also for the mission to the Gentiles.

 And when they knew perceived, recognized, understood, and acknowledged the grace God’s unmerited favor and spiritual blessing that had been bestowed upon me, James and Cephas Peter and John, who were reputed to be pillars of the Jerusalem church, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, with the understanding that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised Jews.

Whether someone accepts your call or not, as long as your spirit and God’s Word agree and God is making a way to accomplish it, rejoice in the work.  Not everyone will agree but some will and perhaps help you along your way. 

Finding Your Voice - Doctrine

Your Doctrinal Voice – What is your message?

Hebrew – leqah – Something Received – Old Testament doctrine is not a work of man’s wisdom but something received from God directly, placed in the hearts and minds of those He has chosen.

Moses was a unique individual in Bible history.  God Himself said that there would never come a prophet of His stature who God would speak face to face and breath to breath (Numbers 12:1-8).  He said he would only give the prophets a vision or a dream but Moses was special.  God presented him with the Torah which means the opposite of sin.  Sin means missing the mark.  The root of Torah is yareh which is an archery term and means to HIT THE MARK.  We already know that God’s scripture is inspired BY GOD. 

John 17:17 says, “Sanctify them through thy truth:  thy Word is truth.”  I am perfectly willing to hang my life upon the Hebrew and Greek texts of our holy scripture.  It cannot be proven wrong.  Jesus came to bring us life, light, peace and truth.  Either He was the biggest psychotic around or He truly was the Son of God.  He clearly and personally said, “I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE:  NO MAN COMES TO THE FATHER BUT BY ME.”  That is a pretty clear declaration which requires one to decide, “Do I believe Him?” 

The reason I have explained all this is because if you do not believe the Torah, it makes the New Testament somewhat anemic.  Every single New Testament author built their doctrine and lessons upon the Hebrew Scriptures as revealed directly by Jesus.  This even included Paul who was taught by Jesus while in seclusion.  They took the Hebrew Scriptures as the authoritative Word of God and taught what that means to us born again Christians.  The New Testament is the…

Greek – didache – Something Taught – New Testament doctrine is taught by anointed men of God who stand and teach from the foundation of Old Testament doctrine as revealed by Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

That’s right, the Greek New Testament is something TAUGHT.  The Apostles received it from Jesus personally, not as some new and never before given Word, but a newly revealed depth to the Old Testament Hebrew scriptures that was hidden by God.  Psalm 51:6 says, “Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.”  Other writers (Isaiah 48, Obadiah 1, 1 Corinthians 2:7, Revelation 2:17) have spoken about the hidden truths in scripture.  Paul and Jesus made sure we knew that the book was closed and if revelation comes it will come through what we have already received and will line up with it perfectly.  I write about this later in this lesson but it should be understood that doctrine is FIXED.  God is not doing a new thing unless it is a repeat of an old thing.  Jews understand prophecy to be pattern more than prediction.  If it brings a remez to an earlier scripture then it may well come from God but the remez must be accurate and not a doctrinal change.

The only one to speak about a new commandment was Jesus in John 13:34 where He didn’t really create a new commandment but stated that we should love one another AS HE LOVES US. 

Because New Testament doctrine is something taught it is open to interpretation by those who do not have a strong measure of the Spirit of God.  This is a problem.  I have actually heard of churches in America who say they will take the Homosexual issue under advisement and take a wait and see what God does about it attitude.  Really?  A group whose lifestyle along with IV drug users has brought us AIDS and then politicized it so we dare not speak against their lifestyle?  One pastor of a church recently removed from fellowship with the Southern Baptists feels he made the right decision to marry gays and support homosexuality after prayer, reflection of scripture and discovering his son was gay.  That final fact seems to have made up his mind. 

I hold no hatred in my heart for homosexuals.  I have known those who live that lifestyle and while I do not approve of it from a Biblical doctrinal standpoint, they have been good and decent people.  They have also decided to live a lifestyle that has existed almost as long as mankind which God has declared to be an abomination.  I can love and pray for them and do all I can to win them to the Lord…but…  They must understand their lifestyle is unacceptable to God.  This is sometimes hard and difficult to deal with, especially if someone close to you is in that lifestyle.  God never changes.  If He called it an abomination in the Hebrew scriptures and spoke against it in Christian verses then it is unacceptable.  No man, no matter how honorable or virtuous sounding, can change the mind of God.

Deuteronomy 27:17 says, “A curse on anyone who moves his neighbor's boundary marker.’ All the people are to say, ‘Amen!’”

Doctrine is all about BOUNDARIES.  Christ came that we might have life more abundantly (John 10:10).  That more abundant life comes with some requirements and commandments on our part.  I have heard any number of people say, “Christ has freed us from the curse of the law! (Galatians 3:13)” which to them means that they can do what they want since the ‘law’ is made void.  This is not correct.  Christ has redeemed them from the curse of death for sin which the law could not do.  The law told them what sin was and they were expected to live by the law.  Christ came so they could heap that sin upon Him if they accidentally stumbled and sinned.  This does not cover willfully and purposefully living against God’s commandments.

Romans 6 talks about this in detail.  It goes on to explain that we are baptized into His DEATH and our bodies are to be kept in subjection to the Word of God as dead things which cannot rule and reign over us.  I am purposefully fasting right now in preparation to preaching Sunday because I know my flesh is way too talkative and full of itself if I don’t.  Everyone, preachers, teachers, prophets, sinners, evangelists, pastors…everyone lives in a body of conflicting desires and passions.  We would run around like a bunch of murdering, lying, thieving, loveless terrorists if we allowed our bodies to rule us.

Doctrine is the wall, the fence that says, “This far and no further.”  Doctrine tells us what is allowed and what is not.  Doctrine MUST be according to God’s Word.  One of the things that got the priests of Israel in trouble was that they Midrashed (created oral traditions) the 613 laws of the Torah into an insane number of pseudo-laws and doctrines of man until the average man on the street didn’t know if he was coming or going. 

The Torah, the Old Testament is God’s boundary marker.  He has placed boundaries for our lives.  When we choose to move those boundary markers by calling scripture sin and sin scripture then we are cursed.  You think those Old Testament laws are canceled but Christ Himself said, “I come not to destroy the law but to fulfill it (Matthew 5:17).”  With the exception of dietary restrictions, avoiding dead bodies (of which I am personally in favor), and the like, and a few specified holy days, God’s holy scriptures remain intact. 

Even many of the dietary and sanitary restrictions that the Jews have been observing for more than 4000 years have produced beneficial results.  Are you aware that during the dark ages when disease killed almost half of Europe, the Jews death toll was almost non-existent.  It was so apparent that many accused the Jews of poisoning the people around them when they simply followed the dietary and sanitary rules given in the Torah.  That doctrine, which many Christians mock and ignore, saved them from some of the worse diseases in history.

Go to Genesis 3:1-7

Adam and Eve moved one of God’s boundary markers in Eden.  God was quite specific.  Every fruit in the garden is yours to eat…except one.  The fruit was not poisonous.  It was not bad tasting.  It was not ugly.  It was simply forbidden.  God’s promise was that on the day they ate of that fruit they would surely die. 

…and they did.

Adam and Eve lost much more than eternal life when they sinned against God.  Their bodies no longer functioned perfectly and their spirits were no longer connected to God’s  They spiritually died at that very moment and physically began to die right then.  Look at the example of the temptation that caused Eve to stumble and Adam to sin and ask yourself, “Is this happening in the world today?”

Coming to Eve who was younger and not yet as well taught as Adam, Satan said, “Has God really said you can’t eat it?” 

Sound familiar?  Has God truly said homosexuality is wrong?  Has God said you should tithe?  Has God said you should love your irritating neighbor?  Has God said you can’t get drunk?  Has God said you have to be polite and gracious?  Has God said you must be faithful to your wife? 

Feel free to add your own questions here.  Haven’t you heard these questions from the world and even the church today?  Eve was confused in her doctrine and said, “We can’t eat it or even touch it.”  Let’s go back and look at what God said in Genesis 2:16-17.

And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”

Does it say anywhere in those verses that you may not TOUCH the tree or its fruit?  No.  Now, understand that Eve came after God commanded Adam to leave the tree’s fruit alone.  This meant that Adam had to tell her what was allowed and what was not.  Did Adam tell her not to eat of it or even touch it?  Did she increase the restrictions herself and decide she couldn’t touch it.  The reason this is important is because either Adam or Eve CHANGED GOD’S WORD!  They moved God’s boundary marker. 

God had placed His boundary marker on the “do not eat” line and they moved it way over to the “do not eat or even touch” line.  You might say, “so what?  It’s just strengthening God’s commandment.  This way they would be sure to keep out of sin.”  This premise is incorrect.  By making the command more onerous and difficult you make it more likely that someone will tire of keeping the commandment.  You could tie a ribbon around the trunk of the tree and happily wander around the garden eating anything else, or you might feel you have inadvertently sinned by brushing up against the tree so let’s just eat some.  We humans coined the phrase, “May as well be cursed for a sheep as for a lamb,” which means if you’re going to steal and eat a little lamb, you might as well take a full grown sheep and really enjoy it.”

Genesis 3:5 - Satan’s next tactic was to make her think God was keeping something important from them.  He practically said, “God is cheating you out of your future.”

This started Mary thinking, “I would like being smarter and more important.  I want my husband to be wiser too.  We could both be wise as God!  Yeah!  He’s trying to keep us down, like animals on his little Eden farm.  Yeah!  I’m going to eat it.  Workers of the world arise!!!”

Am I over the top here?  Look at the world today and the things people will kill and murder over.  Am I really over the top?  I don’t think so.  And what happened after she ate it and talked her husband into eating it?  The absolute first brilliant and blinding bit of wisdom they received was, “We’re naked.”  Wow!  Understanding of nakedness is a mark of the pollution of sin.  Without sin, nakedness is not an issue.  They didn’t learn anything to make their lives better or to improve the flawless functioning of the garden.  They discovered they were naked.  Great insight.  They also failed God and destroyed the trust He had in them.  It doesn’t matter that He knew they would mess up.  He had to give them a choice.  He didn’t want slaves, even Satan / Lucifer, had a choice.  Heaven must have grieved that day.

And of course Satan won that battle.

DOCTRINE IS IMPORTANT!  DOCTRINE PROTECTS LIVES! 

Doctrine DOES NOT swell with importance and begin to multiply itself until it makes someone crazy.  We do that to ourselves.

The prophetic New Testament is Christ’s boundary marker and the very same curse applies.  Revelation 22:18-19 says, “I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.”

In Galatians Paul says almost the same thing.

Galatians 1:6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: 7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. 9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

Doctrine brings a moment of clarity in a difficult and changing world.

Deuteronomy 32:1 Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth. 2 My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass:

Doctrine educates and nurtures us as dear children.  It does not abuse us with impossible tasks and rules.

Proverbs 4:1 Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding. 2 For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law.

Doctrine is not poured into us all at once.  It is built up bit by bit and we are able to speed the process or slow it down depending upon how attentive we are to God’s Word.  The opposite is also true.  Doctrine can be torn down commandment by commandment until we become like those during the time of the Judges when, “everyone did what was right in their OWN eyes.”  When God’s doctrine dies, so do His protections and so does the nation.

Notice in the verses below that doctrine is supposed to bring us rest.  You don’t have to wonder what to do in a situation, you will know.  Others (sinners) will argue with you and disagree even though they have no standards of their own, but you will stand upon God’s doctrine and it will sustain you because all the authority of our Lord is behind it.  Verse 13 describes those who spurn God’s doctrine.

Isaiah 28:9 Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. 10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: 11 For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. 12 To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear. 13 But the word of the Lord was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.

I don’t want to belabor this so I will leave you with one last truth. 

Matthew 7:24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: 25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. 26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: 27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it. 28 And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: 29 For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

Jesus IS the one with authority.  Scripture IS the one with authority.  Not pastors, teachers, prophets or apostles.  If they do not present Christ (scripture) to you unpolluted and unchanged then do not follow their examples.  If our scripture is not true and honest and perfect then our faith is nothing. 

Obey God’s Word as perfectly as you are able.