The First Commandment

Who can quote the First Commandment? Probably many people can, and even those who are not of the Christian Faith.  Sometimes we hear things so often that the depth of such a statement becomes a very common place and so shallow.  Jesus proclaimed this Commandment when He was asked “Master, which is the great Commandment in the Law?”  Jesus answered: “Thou shalt Love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart, and with all thy Soul, and with all thy Strength, and with all thy Mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.” Luke 10:27 everything we do stand on this Commandment of God. How we serve one another, how we Minister, how we live our life as an example of God’s way! Love today is a common word, rarely meaning what it is to activate God’s Love. What moves the hand of God in regards to Love?  A good look at 1 Cor. 13 should cause a “selah” in our spirit, that is to stop and give some depth of thought to the meaning of Love; for we are given a “First & Great Commandment” to Love God! To be brief: If we speak in tongues, have a gift of prophecy, knowledge, and great Faith that even moves mountains and feeds the poor ... we are nothing if we do not have God’s Kind of Love. What is God’s explanation of Love?  Well, it suffers long, it is kind, it does not envy, nor display boastfully vainglory, does not behave itself unseemly [act indecent in sacred matters], is not self-centered, not easily angry, and thinks no evil. God’s kind of Love rejoices in Truth, Believes, Hopes, and endures the trials of life. Such Love never fails and abides in Faith, Hope, Charity, and the greatest of all is Charity! Charity defined by Webster’s Dictionary is: “Christian Love!” Christian Love can only come by sensing the depth of God’s Love, a Love that would send His Only Begotten Son to die for OUR sins. What will we do for those who trespass against us? To trespass is a violation of moral or social ethics, or to put it simply “hurt our feelings or disagree with us, etc.”  This is truly a day of moral decay and could the God kind of Love have lost it’s valuable meaning in our lives? Let the Church of the Living God arise and truly display His Love!  For such “Love will cover a multitude of sins.”  -1Peter 4:8 “Above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.”  Not that God will overlook sin, but He will give us the Grace to overlook the faults in one another and not hold grudges!
Loving you, Pastor

Who Shall Prosper?

A lot has been said in the Christian world regarding Prosperity so I thought we might see what the God’s Word has to say about it. We are truly living at a point in time where we need to have the knowledge of God in respect to Prospering.  Scripture has a lot to say about those who desire to Prosper. In the above Scripture it talks about Meditating in the Law of God day and night. The Promise that comes with Meditating in the Laws of God is a Fruitful Season in your life, without any withering. I think that “Selah” should follow that thought! The Word of God is an awesome power that strengthens one and causes them to Prosper!  The emphasis here is not to Prosper in ‘monies’ but to Prosper in the things of God, which is the Power of His Word and the Spiritual strength that comes from Meditating in the Scriptures. An admonition was given to Joshua [1:8-9] – Joshua 1:8-9 Again we hear that the Law of God “Thou shalt meditate therein day and night,” and “observe to do according to all that is written: for then thou shalt make thy way Prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.”  The Promise here as to “Who Shall Prosper” is one who Meditates in the Word of god and observes to follow it – they shall have good success!  How great is the Word of God, it is such a powerful strength to our life, if only we would Meditate upon it! Meditation in the ‘night watches’ is talked about in Ps 63. Such Meditation begins with Blessing God and being satisfied with Him; having a mouth filled with Praise and Joyful lips! Remembering Him, meditating upon Him as sense sleep in near–remembering He has been your help, you have been in the shadow of His wings, this brings forth more rejoicing and causes your soul to follow hard after Him as you fall asleep! We note God’s desire toward us in 3 John 2 “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.” Loving you, Pastor

“He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth

and forsaketh them shall have Mercy.  Happy is the man that feareth

alway: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief.”  ~ Prov. 28:13-14

God Be Merciful Unto Us!

Today we move into the Psalms and explore a Psalm that was given to the Chief Musician on Neginoth. Neginoth is an ‘epigram’ which is to simply say:  it is a Psalm or song, on a Stringed Instrument; dealing with a single thought or event.  It is always good to know in depth the meaning of Hebrew. The single thought here set to Worship music is God’s Mercy is Blessing us! It is awesome, as we look into the depth the Word Mercy and the Word Blessing!  We know our God is Merciful, but to have a greater understanding of Mercy is needful. When we truly have a knowledge of Mercy we will be a humble people! A very brief statement regarding Mercy is: ‘Compassion that forbears punishment even when justice demands it.’ With Mercy comes with Blessing! The Biblical Blessing is: ‘to be consecrated by Blood, that is set-aside for Eternal Life in Heaven through our Lord and Savoiur’s Sacrifice!  Sense we live in a fast paced society we are prone to not take time to ‘meditate’ upon the depth of the Word of God! 267 times Mercy is mentioned in the Word of God, not to count Mercies, and merciful. Meditate upon this: “Mercy triumphs Judgment!” Where would we be without the Mercy of God?  The first of 86 times this phrase is heard — “His Mercy endureth for ever,” is found in 1 Chron. 16:34 “O give thanks unto the Lord; for He is good; for His Mercy endureth for ever.” Sometimes I think the Body of Christ truly believes this because we often forsake righteousness knowing that God is Merciful.  Three requests is found in this Psalm: [1] Be Merciful unto to us; [2] Bless us; [3] Cause Your Face to shine upon us; All three requests are found in the first verse and followed by a “Selah!” There are varied explanations of “Selah!” – A Pause – a da capo in music directing reputation – the subject should be meditated on by the reader.  O how we need to “Meditate” upon the Mercy and Blessings of our God!    Loving you, Pastor

“Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.” ~ 1 Tim. 4:15

Partakers of His Divine Nature Part 2

“We are given exceeding great and Precious Promises: that by these ye might be Partakers of the Divine Nature – Give diligence to your Faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, kindness, and Love. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you fruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” See 2 Peter 1.

  

Hebrews 3:14 says “We are made Partakers of Christ.” To be a “Partaker” means we are a Part of Christ, for God sent Him for us, that we might Share in His Life and receive Eternal Life! To be “a Part” of Him; Scripture tells us we are Partakers of His sufferings, Partakers of a Heavenly Calling, Partakers Hope, and Partakers of the Glory that one day shall be revealed! In all this we have a Faithful High Priest. We are being ‘called’ away from the elements of this world into a heavenly calling. There are desires that overtake us and keep us from fulfilling our commission to be a “Partaker of Christ’s Divine Nature.  Yes the Lord is calling His people away from the things of the world, the lust of the eyes, the pride of life; the sins of the flesh lest we reap the consequences of our fleshly nature. We have a Heavenly Calling to be Partakers of our Lord & Saviour! He has given us exceeding great and Precious Promises; that we might truly be “Partakers of Christ’s Example; His life in the flesh is an example to us: He walked in the midst of humanity–He experience the flesh that we now live in. It is eminent that we appropriate this Divine Nature for it assists us in escaping the corruption and the lusts of this world! Our Lord has Promised that He has made us to be “Partakers of an Inheritance!”  Such Inheritance Redeems us, forgives us and delivers us from the powers of darkness and prepares for a future in the Kingdom of God. There may be suffering and affliction in serving Christ; 

“Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But Rejoice, inasmuch as ye are Partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when His Glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding Joy.”   Loving you, Pastor