A Dominating Presence

If we are not interested in the Word of God,
can we really be interested in God?
Robert Godfrey





A Dominating Presence

A few weeks ago I met a person who came to me for Godly counsel.
That was encouraging, in that this person openly admitted
that his life was “a mess,”
and that he needed to come back to the Lord with a renewed commitment.

When asked what he wanted to discuss,
he quickly proclaimed that he had been bitterly wronged
by some of his family members,
that he had cut off all relations with them
and that he “hated” them.
He saw no reason, nor had any desire to come back into fellowship with them!

“Wow!,” I thought, “does he hear what he has just said?”
Now this is a man who professes Christ as his savior,
a man who has been ‘churched’ (exposed to the Gospel) for many years…

How could he have such a hardened heart toward his own family?
How could he be so oblivious toward
the fundamental teachings of forgiveness in the scripture?

This unfortunately speaks to the fundamental spiritual condition
of many believers today…
there is a spiritual pandemic that has invaded the church and our culture
with great emphasis and with devastating effect.

Somehow we have become a society and a church
that no longer thinks it is necessary
to press into the presence of God, or His Word;
and we have largely become a people
largely ignorant of the counsel and commands of God.

As a result we blindly come to wrong conclusions
about the circumstances of our lives,
and we wind up in bondage to false ideas
and counterfeit answers to life’s dilemmas.

In the second chapter of Proverbs
we are advised to seek after wisdom (Christ)

as though it (He) were silver or a hidden treasure.

4If you seek her(wisdom) as silver
And search for her as for hidden treasures;
5Then you will discern the fear of the LORD
And discover the knowledge of God.
6For the LORD gives wisdom;
From His mouth come knowledge and understanding.
7He stores up sound wisdom for the upright;
He is a shield to those who walk in integrity,
Proverbs 2:4-7 NAS

God has promised us that if we will seek Him we will find Him,
(Jeremiah 33:3)
and that if we will walk with Him and follow His ways
He will be our shield and protector. (Proverbs 2:7b)

Throughout the scriptures
God continues to call us back to His presence:
‘I will be their God
and they will be My people
and I will dwell in the midst of them…’ (Exodus 29:46)

For the most part, the church today has not sought after the Lord.

Searching out our God’s Word is more that appropriate

if we look at it in the light of history.

Up until the 1900’s it was

assumed and expected of Christians, and our society,

that anything that was worth studying

was worthy of being restudied over and over again.

How blessed is the man
who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,
Nor stand in the path of sinners,
Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!
2But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
And in His law he meditates day and night.
3He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water,
Which yields its fruit in its season
And its leaf does not wither;
And in whatever he does, he prospers.
4The wicked are not so,
But they are like chaff which the wind drives away.
5Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
Nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
6For the LORD knows the way of the righteous,
But the way of the wicked will perish.
Psalm 1:1-6 NAS (my emphasis bold, underlined and red)

Our forefathers did not think that studying or meditating on something

was in the least strange, but rather it was expected.

The word meditate in Hebrew is hâgâh (haw-gaw')

It means to ponder over, murmur through,

to speak to oneself over and over,

to ruminate

(as a cow chews its food, then chews it again after it has been partially digested in its stomach.)

Meditation is a slow and repetitious process!

It is interesting, that if you asked someone what their expectations were

for the surgeon who was about to operate on them,

they of course would want them to have had many years of study.

The same is true for tradesmen who might work on your car,

or provide a service within your home… the more experience the better.

In the early years of the church,

it was assumed you would spend a lifetime

to come to an understanding of the complexity and expanse of God’s kingdom.

On the contrary, today

it is often the case that churches recruit members

as quickly and expediently as possible,

with little or no requirement

that they are expected to study diligently

to ‘show themselves approved to rightly divide the word of truth.’

15Study to shew thyself approved unto God,
a workman that needeth not to be ashamed,
rightly dividing the word of truth.
2 Timothy 2:15 KJV

Understanding anything requires diligent study and reexamination.

Understanding the Word of God or the teachings of our Lord,

certainly require a major effort on the part of believers,

yet few are willing to dedicate themselves to a lifestyle

that requires such an ardent study.

In reality, we are to lead a life

that is focused on the dominant presence of Jesus Christ

as our highest priority.

He is the Alpha and the Omega,

the Beginning and the End,

the First and the Last…

all things will be summed up in and through Him.

15He is the image of the invisible God,
the firstborn of all creation.
16For by Him all things were created,
both in the heavens and on earth,
visible and invisible,
whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—
all things have been created through Him and for Him.
17He is before all things,
and in Him all things hold together.
18He is also head of the body, the church;
and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead,
so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.
Colossians 1:15-18 NAS

-30-

God Sent Me Here

"Our Christian experience
must agree with the Bible.
We will be taught by the Bible
and fed by the Bible.
But we do not believe in Christ
because He is in the Bible:
we believe in the Bible
because Christ is in us."
Claxton Monro









God Sent Me Here:

4Then Joseph said to his brothers,
"Please come closer to me."
And they came closer.
And he said, "I am your brother Joseph,
whom you sold into Egypt.
5"Now do not be grieved or angry with yourselves,
because you sold me here,
for God sent me before you to preserve life.
7"God sent me before you
to preserve for you a remnant in the earth,
and to keep you alive by a great deliverance.
8"Now, therefore, it was not you who sent me here, but God
Genesis 45: 4,5,7,8a NAS

What a change we see in the account of Joseph…
how his character has changed from when we first met this young lad
who had been spoiled by Jacob his father.
He was favored, loved more than his siblings,
which lead to all kinds of family dysfunction.
He wore his special coat as an external sign of his favored status,
and his prideful heart inside –
which couldn’t help but boast of the revelations of his dreams…
“You my family will all bow down to me.”
Now, after a series of adversities, we find a man.
A man of authority, second in command in all of Egypt,
an man of humility, and a man with a compassionate heart
that mirrors his Creator.

Joseph had grown not just chronologically, but spiritually as well.
We often pick on Jacob because he favored his ‘son of old age,’ above his siblings,
and no doubt that caused lots of problems for this family,
the budding nation of Israel.

What isn’t stated in the account of Genesis,
but which is very apparent to me,
is that despite his obvious parental shortcomings,
Jacob had one thing right.
He raised his son to have a reverential awe of God.
He was raised to honor and obey the Lord.

This foundation of his faith sustained him, preserved him (and his family)
and brought him favor with God, and with man.

During the trials of Joseph I can hear him crying out to God…
“Why did You allow my brothers to throw me into this pit?”
“Why did You allow my brothers to sell me to the Midianites?”
“Why did You allow me to be sold into servitude in Egypt?”
“Why did You allow my master’s wife to accuse me falsely?”
“Why did You allow me to be unjustly thrown into jail,
when I have been righteous before You?”
“Why did You allow Pharaoh’s cup-bearer and baker
to forget all my kindnesses to them?”
At the same time that he cried out to God,
(something we all need to do more often)

he saw the faithful hand of God in his every circumstance:
My brothers wanted to kill me,
but God, delivered me from their hands…
I have been sold into slavery to Potiphar,
but God, has given me great favor with him…
I have been unjustly thrown into prison,
but God, has given me great favor with the warden…
But God, but God, but God…
In each one of these circumstances,

Joseph no doubt was tempted to be bitter, angry and offended,
indeed he had been wronged – over and over again.

But God, showed Himself to be faithful in every trial of Joseph’s faith.

2Consider it all joy, my brethren,
when you encounter various trials,
trials = Greek peirasmos (pi-ras-mos')
From G3985; a putting to proof (by experiment [of good], experience [of evil], solicitation, discipline or provocation); by implication adversity: - temptation.

3knowing that the testing of your faith
produces endurance.
4And let endurance [ed:fkj – which comes only through trials]
have its perfect result,
so that you may be perfect and complete,
lacking in nothing.
5But if any of you lacks wisdom,
let him ask of God,
who gives to all generously and without reproach,
reproach: Greek - oneidezō (on-i-did'-zo)
From G3681; to defame, that is, rail at, chide, taunt: - cast in teeth, (suffer) revile, upbraid.

and it will be given to him.
6But he must ask in faith
without any doubting,
for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea,
driven and tossed by the wind.
7For that man ought not to expect
that he will receive anything from the Lord,
8being a double-minded man,
double-minded Greek – dipsuchos (dip'-soo-khos)
From G1364 and G5590; two spirited, that is, vacillating (in opinion or purpose): -
unstable in all his ways.

God is faithful always,
even when the circumstances we face
don’t seem to proclaim His faithfulness.

The truth is that in every circumstance we face,
His abundant mercy and grace are always there for the taking.

If we will press into His presence we will find them…
if we allow our emotions and fears to control us,
we will seldom perceive their presence.

Through our every trial, some small and some great;
we are invited to grow in our understanding of God
and His divine purposes for allowing tribulation to cross our path.
It is all part of the maturation and transformation process.

It is in these times that we come face-to-face with our own…’but God’s’
Here we are molded and shaped by the hand-of-God,
it is here that we become formed a little closer into the image of His dear Son.

God’s intent here is greater than simply blessing Joseph
for his devotion and obedience (not that that isn’t important; it is).

In this demonstration of Gods provision we find:
1- a proclamation to an unbelieving world
about God’s authority and power.
2- the use of this situation to sustain Joseph and his family
3- the preservation of His chosen people –
the nation of Israel

These people at the time of this account
don’t look much like a nation, never mind a mighty nation
as promised in the covenant with Abraham,
which was renewed with Isaac and Jacob.

At the time of this record in Genesis,
Jacob’s family numbered about seventy-five people.

To become a nation they would need:
1 to be a people
2 to have the law
3 to possess a land
None of these things were in place,
but God was working on His covenant promises.

By the time God’s people would leave their captivity,
recorded in the Book of Exodus,
these seventy-five, this remnant of God,
would number over two million!

He would lead them and give them the Law,
and then finally bring them into the Promised Land,
to become a nation of His choosing.

We should note, that there was nothing special about these people.
They were the least of the peoples surrounding them.
That’s precisely why God chose them.
He wanted to demonstrate how they could be made perfect in weakness,
by following and obeying their God.

This is also why he chose us with all our imperfections...

Next time you find yourself in one of these trials,
you might first ask;
“Did God send me here?”

Then seek His face to find out why.
-30-

What's in a Name?

"For the Lord
does not want the sinner to die,
but to return and live.
There is still time for endurance,
time for patience, time for healing,
time for change.
Have you slipped?
Rise up,
Have you sinned?
Cease.
Do not stand among sinners,
but leap aside.
For when you turn back and weep,
then you will be saved. "
Basil


What's In A Name?

Did you ever wonder about the significance
of God’s changing of Abram’s name to Abraham?

“Ab” is father as in Abba Father …
“ram” is exalted or lifted up

so Abram means exalted father

Abraham means father of nations…
but there is another interesting thing about this…

Look at the difference between
Abram and Abraham,
and Sarai and Sarah

What was added to their names …. “h”

The sound of Hhhhhhhh.

What is happening here is
that God is breathing His Spirit into their names.

God is taking that which is flesh
and He is breathing His Spirit into it.

In Genesis when it says that God creates man
in His own image and likeness…
how does He do it?

He breathes… Here is actually what happens…

Man was not created out of dirt or clay…
he was created when God took dust from the ground
and breathed His breath of life into it.

Dust is like baby powder,
if you blow on it, it will scatter…
Dust is anhydrous it has no moisture to hold it together.

It was the very condensation of God’s breath
that held it together and the breath of God’s life
that brought the creation to life.

Breath into your hands and make that sound… what happens?

Spirit and breath are the same Hebrew word.

It is the mixture of the condensation of God’s breath
and dust that forms man.

Why would something like mercy come about…
because
God remembers His breath!

If we want to know how precious we are to God…
we have His breath.
What could be more precious than His breath?

Think about when we praise Him…
what word is used universally to bring praise to God….

hallelujah …
say it slowly hhhhall elujahhhh…

The sound at the beginning and end of hallelujah is an ‘h’
representing the very breath of God.

Our worship is simply returning
the breath of God that was breathed into us
back to Him.

Worship is our exhalation
For His exaltation.

God breathes His Spirit
into each and every human
at the point of conception.
30

Here I Am

“Authority should not be considered
a position of privilege
as much as a responsibility
to be used for service.”
Rick Joyner –
“First Century Church Government”






Here I Am

Abraham is called in the New Testament the “friend of God”
Jesus said the same thing about His disciples:
“I no longer call you servants, but friends.”

Servants don’t know what their master is up to
but friends know all the intimate details of each others lives.
They share everything.

The root of the root of the root of friend is “love”.

After the birth if Isaac
it seems like Abraham has everything all straightened out
They have handled the Ishmael problem and now they have a son Isaac
It seems like everything is right, going along just as God had promised.
Then chapter 22 starts with a big word,
“Now… which is not then, but now!

1Now it came about after these things,
that God tested Abraham, and said to him,
"Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am."
2He said, "Take now your son, your only son,
whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah,
and offer him there as a burnt offering
on one of the mountains of which I will tell you."
3So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey,
and took two of his young men with him and Isaac his son;
and he split wood for the burnt offering,
and arose and went to the place of which God had told him.
4On the third day Abraham raised his eyes
and saw the place from a distance.
5Abraham said to his young men,
"Stay here with the donkey,
and I and the lad will go over there;
and we will worship and return to you."
6Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering
and laid it on Isaac his son,
and he took in his hand the fire and the knife.
So the two of them walked on together.
7Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said,
"My father!" And he said, "Here I am, my son."
And he said, "Behold, the fire and the wood,
but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?"
8Abraham said,
"God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering,
my son." So the two of them walked on together.
9Then they came to the place of which God had told him;
and Abraham built the altar there and arranged the wood,
and bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood.
10Abraham stretched out his hand
and took the knife to slay his son.
11But the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven
and said, "Abraham, Abraham!"
And he said, "Here I am."
12He said, "Do not stretch out your hand against the lad,
and do nothing to him; for now I know that you fear God,
since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me."
13Then Abraham raised his eyes and looked,
and behold, behind him a ram caught in the thicket by his horns;
and Abraham went and took the ram
and offered him up for a burnt offering
in the place of his son.
14Abraham called the name of that place The LORD Will Provide,
as it is said to this day,
"In the mount of the LORD it will be provided."
Genesis 22:1-14 (my emphasis bold)

Just as everything seems to be working out right
God decides to test Abraham. He calls out to him and Abraham answers
“Here I am”

here I am = Hebrew :hinnêh hin-nay'
Prolonged for H2005; lo!: - behold, lo, see, behold, here I am

Abraham is saying:
‘here is the place where he is now,
in the promises of God,
his understanding of God,
his faith in God;
this is where I am right now.’

2He said, "Take now your son, your only son,
whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah,
and offer him there as a burnt offering
on one of the mountains of which I will tell you."

This is a big powerful word…
we can immagine this was just a little unsettling for Abraham.

Just as Abraham thinks he has God all figured out,
God stretches his understanding and faith…

God comes along and says,
O.K., all the stuff that you think is important,
and all the stuff you think you understand,
I want you to take all that
and I want you to offer it back to Me as a burnt offering.

And then we see
one of the most important words in the Bible…
Verse 3… So

3So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey,
and took two of his young men with him and Isaac his son;
and he split wood for the burnt offering,
and arose and went to the place of which God had told him.

So is a big word…
Abraham rose up and did it…
So, means I trust God!
I hear God…
here’s where I am right now,
in my understanding and my revelation of God…
but when God speaks to me
(even when it is beyond my understanding…
so, I begin to act on it.

4 On the third day Abraham raised his eyes
and saw the place from a distance.
5Abraham said to his young men,
"Stay here with the donkey,
and I and the lad will go over there;

(literally I and my son, my prodigy
must go a little farther)

and we will worship and return to you."

Remember at the very beginning Abraham says “Here I am”
But when the voice of God comes to him he says
I and my son must go a little farther…

I must go a little further now
(beyond my understanding)
to the mountain of Moriah

This is the same mountain where Golgotha was…
the same place where another only begotten son
Christ Jesus was going to be crucified…

Here’s what happens…

6Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering

burnt offering = the place where God is seen or revealed

and laid it on Isaac his son,
and he took in his hand the fire and the knife.
So the two of them walked on together.
7Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said,
"My father!" And he said, "Here I am, my son."

Here I am now…
I started over here…
Then the word of the Lord came to me…
And He said I had to go farther…
now here’s a place I’ve come to…
here I am right now in a new place…
now am I really willing to do this!?

And he said, "Behold, the fire and the wood,
but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?"
8Abraham said,
"God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering,
my son." So the two of them walked on together.

God will provide Himself…
all things are God’s provision to us…
but here God is providing for Himself the lamb…
as He would some two thousand years later
provide the Lamb of God

So they go to the place where God called them…
He builds an alter there
He binds his son Isaac… and places him on the alter.

10Abraham stretched out his hand
and took the knife to slay his son.

Then in verse eleven,
we have to understand the way in which this is worded in the Hebrew…
it’s like the knife is coming down…
he is literally about to slay Isaac…

Abraham has gone from the place
of his first understanding of God…
to the place where he heard the word of God
and knew he had to go a little farther…
where he has to explain to his son…
this is where I am now “here I am now”…
and the knife is poised to kill him… it is coming down!
He is about to kill his son… his only son…
who was God’s promise as an heir to build a great nation…

11But the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven
and said, "Abraham, Abraham!"

But…
I get to the place of the end of my own understanding…
my own effort… and a big but comes in there…

But God intervenes…
an angel of the Lord…
the presence of the Lord
calls to him from heaven and says Abraham… Abraham!

And he said, "Here I am."

Abraham says again… “Here I am”…

I’ve now come to the place
where I am ready to withhold nothing from God…
because I realize that everything I have…
including my only son and heir
came from You…
I will withhold nothing, it all belongs to You!
Here I am…
Here I am – I’m going a little farther…
Here I am – On the alter, I’m ready to give my all for You.

The angel of the Lord says,
12He said, "Do not stretch out your hand against the lad,
and do nothing to him; for now I know that you fear God,
since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me."

He’s saying that Abraham has withheld nothing from God!

13Then Abraham raised his eyes and looked,
and behold, behind him a ram caught in the thicket by his horns;
and Abraham went and took the ram
and offered him up for a burnt offering
in the place of his son.

Then Abraham calls the place Jehovah-jireh –
the place of God’s provision… but it also means God is seen.

yehôvâh yir'eh (yeh-ho-vaw' yir-eh')
From H3068 and H7200; Jehovah will see (to it); Jehovah-Jireh,
a symbolical name for Mt. Moriah: - Jehovah-jireh.

3068
yehôvâh (yeh-ho-vaw')
From H1961; (the) self Existent or eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God: -
Jehovah, the Lord. Compare H3050, H3069.
H7200
râ'âh (raw-aw')
A primitive root; to see,

Thus God is seen in this place…

The whole point of this chapter is…
God is not going to be seen
unless we are willing to go a little farther…

It is anti- complacency…
It is saying everything I have:
Belongs to the Lord…
Came from the Lord…
Will go back to the Lord…

This place where Mt. Moriah is
Is also the place
where later on David (who is a type of Jesus)
is going to purchase a threshing floor…
and later Solomon will build the Temple there…

This is the specific place
were the sacrifices would later be made
in the Temple of God

Today, we are the temple of God
and sacrifices must be made
to come into God’s presence…

David said that he will not purchase something
to present to God
that doesn’t cost him something…

24However, the king said to Araunah,
"No, but I will surely buy it from you for a price,
for I will not offer burnt offerings to the LORD my God
which cost me nothing "
So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen
for fifty shekels of silver.
25David built there an altar to the LORD
and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings.
Thus the LORD was moved by prayer for the land,
and the plague was held back from Israel.
2 Samuel 24:24-25 NAS

God is not going to be seen in our lives…
unless we are willing to go farther with Him…
to purchase gold and silver with our obedience to His Word.

God told them… “On this mountain shall you worship Me.”
True worship is reflected in obedience to God’s Word
and sacrifice of our own wants and desires
that we might do His will.


30

I AM WHO I AM

“God has to work in a man,
before he can work through a man.”
Leonard Ravenhill










I AM WHO I AM

In Exodus 3:14 God instructs a reluctant Moses
to tell the children of Israel in Egyptian bondage
that I AM sent him to redeem them.

Redemption is a deep theme of the exodus account
and obviously foretells of our redemption in Christ Jesus.

God says to Moses,
“I AM WHO I AM…
thus you shall say to the sons of Israel,
I AM has sent me to you.”
Exodus 3:14 NAS

The phrase I AM in the Hebrew language
is closely related to God’s personal name given in Exodus 6:3,
YHWH – Yahweh or Jehovah.

Most biblical scholars contend that pronunciation of Yehweh
is more accurate than Jehovah.

Although the meaning of Yehweh is not totally clear,
it seems to suggest
the timelessness of a God
who is the very foundation of all existence.

Perhaps a hint of this is found in this revelation of Christ –
“from Him who is,
and who was,
and who is to come.”
Revelation 1:4 NAS

Jesus was most likely referring to this in John 8:58
when He said,
“Before Abraham was born, I AM.”

“Christ is the same yesterday,
and today,
yes and forever.”
Hebrews 13:8 NAS

30

Let there be Light

The night is almost gone,
and the day is near
Therefore let us lay aside
the deeds of darkness
and put on the armor of light.
Romans 13:12







Let there be Light

"In the beginning
God created the heavens and the earth.
The earth was formless and empty
and darkness covered the deep waters
And the Spirit of God was hovering
over the surface of the waters.
Then God said, “Let there be light
and there was light.
And God was that the light was good."
Genesis 1:1-4 NLT

In the beginning [rê'shı yth - ray-sheeth']
From the same as H7218;
the first, in place, time, order or rank (specifically a firstfruit): -
beginning, chief (-est), first (-fruits, part, time), principal thing.

Demonstrates the commencement of time
and that the matter of the universe had a definite origin –
it didn’t start itself.

God created [bârâ' baw-raw']

A primitive root; (absolutely) to create;
(qualified) to cut down (a wood), select,
feed (as formative processes): -
choose, create (creator), cut down, dispatch, do, make (fat).

Strongly supports the idea of ‘ex nihilo’ = cut from nothing
i.e. God simply called all matter and things
into being from nothing,
including the fundamental elements used in the creation.

God ['ĕlôhıym - el-o-heem']

Plural of H433; gods in the ordinary sense;
but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article)
of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates;
and sometimes as a superlative: - angels, X exceeding, God (gods)
(-dess, -ly), X (very) great, judges, X mighty.

In the Greek language there are three tenses
Singular referring to one
Duo referring to two
Plural referring to three or more

God is used in the plural tense showing the Trinity of the Godhead

God = The Supreme God = Father God
The heart of the Father

The heavens and the earth
The earth was formless and empty

formless and empty [tôhû - to'-hoo]

From an unused root meaning to lie waste;
a desolation (of surface), that is, desert;
figuratively a worthless thing; adverbially in vain: -
confusion, empty place, without form, nothing,
(thing of) nought, vain, vanity, waste, wilderness.

The earth was unfinished and uninhabited
awaiting God’s creative hand.

and darkness covered the deep waters

darkness [chôshek - kho-shek']

From H2821; the dark; hence (literally) darkness;
figuratively misery, destruction, death, ignorance, sorrow,
wickedness: - dark (-ness), night, obscurity.

deep waters [tehôm tehôm - teh-home', teh-home']
(Usually feminine) from H1949;
an abyss (as a surging mass of water),
especially the deep (the main sea or the subterranean water supply): -
deep (place), depth.

The concept here is that there was gross disorder and confusion

And the Spirit of God was hovering

hovering [râchaph raw-khaf']
A primitive root; to brood; by implication to be relaxed: -
flutter, move, shake, vibrate.

The Spirit of God was vibrating over the confusion

The Spirit of God
vibrates over and activates
the desires of the Father’s heart

over the surface of the waters.

Then God said, “Let there be light
and there was light.
And God was that the light was good.

light ['ôr - ore]

From H215; illumination or (concretely) luminary
(in every sense, including lightning, happiness, etc.): -
bright, clear, + day, light

This light
1. separates light from darkness
2. is called good by God

good [ṭôb - tobe]
From H2895; good (as an adjective) in the widest sense;
used likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine,
the singular and the plural (good, a good or good thing,
a good man or woman; the good, goods or good things, good men or women), also

as an adverb (well): - beautiful, best, better, bountiful, cheerful, at ease, X fair (word), (be in) favour, fine, glad, good (deed, -lier, liest, - ly, -ness, -s), graciously, joyful, kindly, kindness, liketh (best), loving, merry, X most, pleasant, + pleaseth, pleasure, precious, prosperity, ready, sweet, wealth, welfare, (be) well

The concept of good here
is not the good we commonly use in the English language
that equates to being just O.K.

This good means perfection, beautiful, bountiful, cheerful…etc.

This light is not the Sun…
The Sun was created on the fourth day (Genesis 1:14)

This perfect light is Christ Jesus
Bringing light to the darkness
Order from disorder

The Son carries out the desires of the Father’s heart.

At the very beginning of time Christ was the light
and at the conclusion of time Christ will be the light.

“And there will be no light no need for lamps or sun
for the Lord God will shine on them.
And they will reign forever and ever.”
Revelation 22:5

The heart of the Father...
The Spirit of God
vibrates over and activates
the desires of the Father’s heart...
The Son carries out the desires of the Father’s heart...

He is the Alpha and the Omega
He is the Beginning and the End
He is the First and the Last
God is Light and in Him there is no darkness. (1 John 1:5)
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Foundations of the Nation - #1

I know not the way He leads me,
but well do I know my Guide.
Martin Luther



Foundations of the Nation - 1

"It was the Lord who put into my mind
(I could feel his hand upon me)
the fact that it would be possible to sail from here to the Indies.
All who heard of my project rejected it with laughter, ridiculing me. There is no question that the inspiration was from the Holy Spirit, because He comforted me with rays
of marvelous inspiration from the Holy Scriptures…

I am a most unworthy sinner,
but have cried out to the Lord for grace and mercy,
and they have covered me completely.
I have found the sweetest consolation since
I made it my whole purpose to enjoy His marvelous presence.
For the execution of the journey to the Indies,
I did mot make use of intelligence, mathematics or maps.
It is simply the fulfillment of what Isaiah had prophesied…

No one should fear to undertake any task in the name of our Savior,
if it is just and if the intention is purely for His holy service.
The working out of all things
has been assigned to each person by our Lord,
but it all happens according to His sovereign will,
even though He gives advice.
He lacks nothing that is in the power of men to give Him.
Oh, what a gracious Lord,
who desires that people should perform for Him
those things for which He holds Himself responsible!
Day and night, moment by moment,
everyone should express their most devoted gratitude to Him."

Christopher Columbus
Columbus’s Book of Prophecies
This book is largely a collection of teachings and prophecies in the Bible on the subject of the earth, distant lands, population movements, and undiscovered tribes. It also addresses some of the writings of the early church fathers. .

Most of American “History” will tell you
that Christopher Columbus simply discovered the Americas by accident
while seeking a trade route to the Indies.
They neglect to mention that his voyages
were inspired not simply by the profit margin
but by the Holy Spirit of God.
It was his faith that inspired him,
which gave him an inner peace,
which gave him his life’s greatest mission;
one he believed was commissioned by God.

"History" also doesn’t record
the fact that his quest was one he believed, was to fulfill Bible prophecy,
nor that on the voyage to the Americas
he believed that he was lead by the Spirit of God every step of the way…
these are Columbus’ own words.

I believe that this historic discovery was part of God’s plan for History… His story;
the discovery and building up of a new Promised Land that would be used by God to bring the Light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the whole world.
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The King of Salem

I was regretting the past and fearing the future.
Suddenly God was speaking: "My name is I am."
I waited and God continued:
"When you live in the past, with its mistakes and regrets, it is hard.
I am not there.
My name is not I was.
When you live in the future, with its problems and fears, it is hard.
I am not there.
My name is not I will be.
When you live in this moment, it is not hard.
I am here.
My name is I AM."
Helen Mellincost

The King of Salem

Genesis 14:18-20 NLT

18 And Melchizedek, the king of Salem (early name for Jerusalem)
and a priest of God Most High, (el – strength, mighty)
brought Abram some bread and wine.
19 Melchizedek blessed Abram (high or exalted father) with this blessing:
“Blessed be Abram by God Most High,
Creator of heaven and earth.
20 And blessed be God Most High,
who has defeated your enemies for you.”
Then Abram gave Melchizedek
a tenth of all the goods he had recovered.

I have heard it suggested that Melchizedek was Shem the son of Noah.

If we allow scripture to interpret scripture,

this is clearly not a realistic choice.

In these verses alone, Melchizedek is identified as:
1. The king of Salem (Salem = complete and perfect peace)
Salem was the early name for Jerusalem
2. priest of God Most High
3. one who blesses…
4. Melchizedek means “king of justice”

Melchizedek is further described in Hebrews chapter 7,

1 This Melchizedek was king of the city of Salem
and also a priest of God Most High.
When Abraham was returning home
after winning a great battle against the kings,
Melchizedek met him and blessed him.
2 Then Abraham took a tenth of all he had captured in battle
and gave it to Melchizedek.
The name Melchizedek means “king of justice,”
(justice – dikaiosune – [dik ah yos oo nay] = equity, justice, righteousness)
and king of Salem means “king of peace.”
(eirene – [I rah nay] = peace and prosperity)
3 There is no record of his father or mother
or any of his ancestors—
no beginning or end to his life.
He remains a priest forever,
resembling the Son of God.

Here we find that Melchizedek:
5. had no record of a mother or father
6. no record of ancestors
7. had no beginning or end to his life
8. remains a priest forever
9. resembles the Son of God

I don’t believe there is any doubt that Melchizedek was indeed, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.
That concluded, we find in these verses the hear of God demonstrated in Melchizedek’s nature.
Note that:
1. He brought bread and wine to Abram
2. He blessed Abram
3. He blessed God Most High
4. He gave God the glory for Abram’s victory
5. He received the tithe of ten percent of all that was captured during the battle.

The bread and wine symbolic of the New Covenant in Christ Jesus
The blessings show the hearts attitude of our God.
The victory symbolic of our victory in Christ Jesus.
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The Bibles Cornerstone

“God has called us to comfort the afflicted,

and to afflict the comfortable.”
Rachael Hickson

The Bibles Cornerstone:

Genesis chapter 12 is the cornerstone of the Bible.

It is here that God selects a man by the name of Abram (Abraham),
and enters into an eternal, unconditional covenant with him,
his descendents…
that would include all the rest of mankind.

Here is another observation from Paul Benware
in A Survey of the Old Testament,
that is foundational to the heart of God:
to be in covenant relationship with all men.

God says,
“I will be their God,
they will be My people,
and I will dwell amongst them.” Exodus 29:46

This is the reassuring call of God’s heart
throughout the scriptures toward all of mankind.
30.

Four Events

The knowledge of Christ's love for us should cause us to love Him in such a way that it is demonstrated in our attitude, conduct, and commitment to serve God. spiritual maturity is marked by spiritual knowledge being put into action.
Edward Bedore

Four Events:

In Genesis 1-11 four important events are included –
1- The creation account
2- The fall of man
3- The great Flood of Noah’s day
4- The division of mankind at the Tower of Babel

These events are briefly recorded so that we understand:
1- Where this material universe came from
2- Where sin and evil came from
3- Why the world of mankind is so fragmented.

This observation of Paul Benware in his Survey of the Old Testament,

can give us a new perspective as to why the world is the way it is.

It provides us with a better understanding of the “Big Picture” of scripture,

and a better understanding of how we can use it

to help bring unbelievers into a better understanding

of their need to come to Jesus Christ.

30.

The Churches Surrender

No one is hopeless who hopes in God.
Hope is faith holding out its hand in the dark. –
George Iles

The Churches Surrender:

Quote from AW Tozer: The Knowledge of the Holy

The Church has surrendered
Her once lofty concept of God
and has substituted for it one
so low, so ignoble,
as to be unworthy of thinking and worshiping men…
The low view of God entertained
almost universally among Christians
is the cause of a hundred lesser evils
everywhere among us.
A whole new philosophy of the Christian life
has resulted from this one basic error
in our religious thinking.

What an indictment against believers.

If there was ever a pressing catalyst for us to study to show ourselves approved,
rightly dividing the Word of Truth - this is it.

It is frightening to comprehend that we in our culture,
and our own apathy,
have sunk to such a low view of God
as to effect or ability to serve in the kingdom.

Lord deliver us of such thinking;
open our eyes that I might see You in all Your splendor!
May we might see You clearly
and so be able to honor and worship You in Spirit and in Truth.

Lead us to an understanding that we may properly fear Your Name
and walk in obedience to Your Word.

30.

God’s Rainbow

“If the Holy Spirit shows us a specific problem in someone’s life,
our response should not be one of getting rid of the person,
but rather pursuing the path of redemption and restoration.”
Rich Worsham - “Marketplace Anointing”

God’s Rainbow:

13 I have placed my rainbow in the clouds.
It is the sign of my covenant with you and with all the earth.
When I see the rainbow in the clouds,
I will remember the eternal covenant between God
and every living creature on earth.”
17 Then God said to Noah,
“Yes, this rainbow is the sign of the covenant
I am confirming with all the creatures on earth.”
Genesis 9:13,16,17 NLT

God is a covenant making God;

and One who keeps His covenant promises.

God made a covenant with man from the very beginning

when he gave Adam and Eve the command to “be fruitful and multiply” –

then telling them that they had “dominion” over all the earth,

and all that lived upon the earth. (Genesis 1:28-29)

After the fall, God renewed His covenant with them,

covering their nakedness with the skins of animals

(the first recorded covenant sacrifice).

Within this covenant is the amazing promise of a redeemer.

The Messiah would come from the line of

Seth, Noah, Shem, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah, and David.

In this covenant marked by God’s rainbow in the sky,
1- the sanctity of life is established – (9:5)
2- man’s dominion over earth and animals confirmed (9:2,10)
3- man’s responsibility to protect life is established even to the point of capital punishment for the taking of a life. (9:5-6)
4- man, presumably a vegetarian before the flood, is now allowed to eat meat. (9:3)

In covenant relationships God confirms His heart toward all mankind.
His desire is to have fellowship with all men at His covenant table.

When men walk away from His table,

His reaction is always to call them back to the table.
30.

Habits are to the soul
what the veins and arteries are to the blood,
the courses in which it moves.
Horace Bushnell

The Best of the Firstborn Lambs:

You will be accepted if you do what is right.
But if you refuse to do what is right,
then watch out!
Sin is crouching at the door,
eager to control you.
But you must subdue it and be its master.
Genesis 4:7 NLT

This verse of Scripture is God’s response to Cain after he became angry because his offering of “some of his crops” were rejected by God, while his brother Abel’s offering “the best of the firstborn lambs” was accepted by God.
It is interesting to note that Abel offered “the best” while Cain offered “some of,” which would indicate that it was most likely not the “best” part of his crop.
Another quite obvious thing is that Abel’s offering of “the best of his firstborn lambs,” is symbolic of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, an act that would later become a part of the Mosaic Law for sacrificing to God.
This leads me to believe that God had given Adam and Eve some instruction about the need and proper way of sacrificing to Him; which would have been passed on to Abel and Cain. Why else would God say to Cain: “You will be accepted if you do what is right.”? This seems to indicate that Cain had knowledge of what was a proper sacrifice to God, and that he chose to disobey and offer his own inappropriate sacrifice. He chose to “do it his way” rather that “God’s way.” This attitude is abundantly obvious in our own culture today; people choosing what is convenient or expedient to give to God, rather than what is required by God.
The principle of the text is clear and exemplifies God’s heart. Following the ways of God leads one to acceptance in His sight and following our own ways leads to sin and captivity.

There is a way that seems right to a man,
but its end is the way of death.
Proverbs 14:12 NAS

The choice is ours to make, just as it was for Adam and Eve in the garden. The enemy of our souls is still asking: “Did God really say…?”
Sin desires to control us, as Satan’s agenda continues to be to ‘kill, steal and destroy’ all that is holy and righteous – (John 10:10a)
God has given us authority over all the enemies tactics and lies; but it is up to us to subdue them and be masters over them.
God’s heart is that we follow His ways, because His desire for us is that we would be free from every obstacle of sin, so that we may glorify Him fully and be lights in the darkness. He desires us to enjoy, and become, life and life abundant in Christ Jesus. (John 10:10b)
30

Just Like Him

No man is uneducated who knows the Bible,
and no one is wise who is ignorant of its teachings .
Samuel Chadwick

Just Like Him:

So God (Elohiym- pl. The Supreme God- Mighty God) created human beings
in his own image (twelem –[ tsch lem] resemblance)
In the image of God he created them
Male and female he created them.
Genesis 1:27 NLT

Everything that God created was in some fashion a reflection of Himself; something in the physical appearance, the character or other aspect either in a literal of figurative way, displays the nature of God.
This is of course not a bodily likeness, for God is Spirit. His likeness is bourn in us by our soul and spirit. We were created to bear his likeness in mind, will, emotions and through our spirit man.
We were created as spirit, soul and body, reflecting the triune nature of the Trinity; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We were created to glorify and emulate the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
It fascinates me to reflect upon and imagine this creative state of man prior to the fall. Adam and Eve were created in the purity of God’s image. They would have had Divine understanding to see everything in Spirit and Truth. They would have been in perfect harmony with God’s will and perfectly submitted for His plans, purposes and promises for their lives. Their affections would have been wholly set on God – they had no propensity toward sin or any unhealthy appetites. They would have simply been holy as God is holy, and totally content in their relationship with Him.
Another aspect of their creation catches my attention in this verse. They were created in the image of God as male and female. This means that the character traits that we are so fond of designating as either “male” or “female” all originated in God Himself. This speaks to the fact that in the marriage covenant between husband and wife, there is a uniting of two to become one. There is a completeness in the marriage covenant of the very natures (male and female) of God being reunited as one.
There is something within our creation that begs to be replicated – “be fruitful and multiply!” I have seen it in my own heart as I reflect on my children and grandchildren. There is a joy and satisfaction in seeing your own spiritual, soulful, and even physical traits being passed on to succeeding generations. This is a reflection of the heart of God in us that desires to see all of His attributes and characteristics carried throughout His creation. To see His very nature emblazoned on all of creation, from generation to generation. This is the heart of God toward us – that we would be just like Him.
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