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Sunday's Ministry Notes Send The Rain
Joel 2:18-29
 Elder Deborah Merritt
May 16, 2010
When we talk about celebrating the feast, if we don’t have the information, we will have a lot emotion and a good time through our emotion, but it won’t last. When we talk about Pentecost, it is a real experience; we are summoned by God to experience it in our appointed time. Let’s take the time to hear what the Lord has to say. We are listening to the prophet Joel. Peter repeated what was said by the prophet Joel when Pentecost had fully come. If you read Joel 1: you will understand that there was great devastation in the land. But in Joel chapter 2, he began to prophesy the reversals. There had been a devastating army that had attacked. This army is directly talking about the worm that eaten the crop. When we talk about celebrating Jesus, Jehovah, Father God, we are talking about celebrating our harvest. There is no celebration without a harvest. Every feast, celebration was because Jehovah has given a harvest. God promised to take care of his people. I’m not a God that will not provide and nurture my people; I will always give seed to the sower. How many got something to sow and recognize that I need to sow my seed and in order to fully celebrate Jehovah? I have got to have my harvest. We are ok with living from paycheck to paycheck. God does not provide like that. He wanted all the nations to look around and see what He had done for his people. Israel was serving an invisible God, to be believable; he chose to serve his people. You don’t need a statue or an idol, just look at how I served my people!
When Joel was prophesying about the army of worms – he named them different worm that had come in and consumed the harvest; consumed the harvest. The palmer worm, canker worm. What did the worms do in different stages? It’s a great army I sent them. If I don’t reverse it, you can’t come to the feast. Its God’s appointed time and I want to see you celebrate. I sent the army because of your hard heart, because when I provided it, you gambled it away on the boat; when I provided for you, you thought it was you and not me; you couldn’t work in ministry; suddenly you think you are the great I Am, you forgot Jehovah. God says I am God, I provide the seed, you sow, you till the land and I will send the rain. I’ve given you instruction, but the one thing you can’t control is the rain. We can’t control the weather pattern. We got a cloud in the air, oil in the water, we got flooding, all kinds of weather patterns that you can report, warn the people with all the sirens, flash it on the TV, talk about the devastation; calculate when it will hit; build your shelter that will save you, but you can't stop it from coming!
Anytime the bible talks about the agriculture and drought in the land; it’s talking about the economic situation. America is in an economic crisis. We’re not just happening to celebrate Pentecost. You never came to a feast empty-handed. Jehovah provided for you, and you’ve always got something. The question is what you did with it. No harvest no celebration. We need production in America. In CECF we need production. God says he will have to help you along the way.
Waiting for God and waiting to see something he has never done before. We calculate now and know what class we should take; how many Wednesdays we can miss; we got it in our mind how it should be, if it runs by our plan. God is shaking it up. Look and see how many worms are in your land. Verse 11 he says how? Do a little more than cry out – scream a little bit. When was the last time you cried out to God to reverse things that were going on in the life of your family? You are tilling the land, but the worms are reversing it. When have we howled for God? What are we willing to do to get it?
God always promised he would restore, revisit and renew. The locust is well known insect. It commits terrible devastation to vegetation; produces famine and make the land inhabitable. Palmer worm means to clip, to shear, to cut. It gnaws at the tender branches of the tree to the bark. The Canker worm preys on the fruit so you can’t eat tit. The palmer worm has the characteristics of the horse because it gallops to its prey; they are without wings and it looks like its flying; they come in tribes and are carried by the wind, and climb up stone. They make a sound that destroys and distracts you from what you are supposed to do. The sound lets you know that they are control. There lifespan is short. They do damage, lay eggs and die and when they die, the other egg have hatched and that is the pattern. The only thing that will rid them out of the land is that the rain has to come. They prey on the dryness.
The only thing that that can truly stop the destruction of the locust is that they are swept away into the ocean by the rain. Locusts have an appetite to destroy. Even when Jehovah uses them; they still have an appetite to destroy. They show up again when the land has been overused. After every year of planting, let the land rest for two years. But we continue, God has blessed you, but it is never enough. I’m wearing myself out and the situation because we want more, more, more.
God says I’m going to give you back the year. We’ve all been guilty. I will send you the former rain and the latter rain in the first month. If you’ve been dry and you’re not producing, you’ll just be excited that God is going to send the rain. We have the first rainy season in the fall – that’s the former rain. You plant in the fall; from October through November is planting time. We got a word from the Lord in early November that said prepare yourself we’re crossing over. We always want to play catch-up when we don’t heed the prophetic word of the Lord. God has given his word, but are we listening? That’s when you should have been digging up the ground. You had some seed in your hand and you should have been planting in the earth. But since you didn’t, he said I'll destroy the worm anyway. Be prepared because I was coming to visit you in Passover three months down the line. You had 90 days. I was trying to get to Passover. You’re saying I crossed over, but why am I not any different? Did you plant any seed? I can’t worship because I’ve been seeking God; my harvest didn’t show up. You should have planted like I said. If he withholds the rain it’s because you didn’t know what you were supposed to do. You should always be celebrating! It will always be a good time in Jesus – always a Halleluiah and thank you Jesus. God put in operation three times, tell me thank you three time a year. I want to see you celebrating!
How do we get there? We need the rain! Resurrection Sunday we should have been waving. When was the last time you worshipped because you just see God; I see a turning place in my life; my kids are coming back to the word that I planted years ago. I see it with a prophetic insight, with the eyes of the Lord. I see by the Holy Ghost. I see CECF coming back to a place in God that he has called us to; soul saving, people receiving the Holy Ghost; great miracles. It’s always about a harvest. Sowing time; seed in the ground; dark time; the seed is doing its work. I can’t see the seed, but it’s in the ground. Now I’ve got the faith to wait and see what God’s gonna do.
Cold season and then harvest; once the fall starts it ain’t nothing but harvest. When you get your first feast and Passover. Now at Pentecost and you gotta got out there and take the stuff that is coming back to you, the Holy Ghost gave instruction; he said pick it up and bring it into the house; let the fire of the house purify it then bring it and wave it before the Lord. Pentecost is the celebration of the harvest of the wheat. You’ve eaten better than you’ve ever eaten. I’m hot hungry and my seed ain’t begging bread; I got a house; got clothes; I paid my bills; I don’t have unnecessary debt; my children are getting what they need; I’ve stepped into my dream, not all, but a little bit at a time. That’s why if you’re in trouble and you didn’t celebrate Passover you need the former and the latter rain in the same month. That’s what I like about God: I still can mess up, but he don’t give up on you! You’ve got another day to get it right. Zechariah said ask for the latter rain. That means I didn’t do what was right in the former right, but I ‘m asking you to do what you do and send an overabundance of rain and wipe out the worms. Only rain can kill the eggs. If he don’t send the rain, the worms will remain and show up again. Send the rain! Send the rain!
He said I’m giving back to you all the years that the worm destroyed you that you’ve been in a dry place. It’s over because I’m getting ready to rain. It’s raining. Hosea 10:12 Sew to yourselves in righteous, etc Live your best live; sow giving God your best you will reap mercy so when you miss it you’ve got some mercy; you’ll get another day to get it right. It’ time to seek the Lord. Before we do outreach, we have to do up reach! Before you can have genuine outreach you’ve got to have genuine up reach. I’m ok, but I’m not the best I can be. There is a revival for you. He’ll send a teacher of righteousness and that teacher is the Holy Ghost. I don’t care how many times you’ve been filled; or how well you speak in tongues; it don’t take much faith to speak but we need a new filling of the Holy Ghost. I want the 2010 version of the Holy Ghost. We have a progressive Creator. God will not skip over the modern technology! The economic situation of the church is not bound by what happened in the bank. The Holy Ghost is just as current today a he was in 1906. Truth be told it was the Holy Ghost that moved so that we can have Microsoft; internet, the Holy Ghost is doing his work in the earth. And while you’re complaining and being confused, the Holy Ghost is doing what he needs to do. I decree more people will be saved by the internet than was ever saved in 1906. The Holy Ghost will do its job in the air way. You just got to be ready for the rain when it comes. When it comes it will be bigger, stronger, and heavier; the difference is between the former and the latter is the intensity of the rain. The latter rain at Pentecost was bigger, stronger and did more because the harvest had to come. Send the rain!
You never come to the feast of the Lord empty handed. We can’t celebrate without bringing something from our harvest. Come waving it. I believe at least it had to be over and above the tithe. Separate from the tithe. First fruit at least $50.00 come at the beginning of service. It’s directly related to what God has blessed you with. I want us to come in the door giving it. You have to bring it when you come in the door – don’t come in socializing; complaining; don’t drag yourself in the house.
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The Coming of the Holy Spirit
Joel 2:18-21
 Bishop Michael E. Dantley
What surrounds God’s promise of sending the Holy Ghost? What’s in the promise? The coming of the Holy Ghost is the fulfillment of one of the promises of God to his people. The promise of the Holy Ghost was here in Joel, not just the New Testament. While you are taking back what the devil has stolen and reaping the promise, part of that promise is the Holy Spirit. The coming of the Holy Ghost is as sure as any other promise. 2 Corinthians 1:20 (all the promises of God in him are yea and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us). Understand that whatever he promised it is going to come to pass – no matter what happens or what you go through – his promises are yea and amen. Ezekiel 12:25 (for I am the Lord: I will speak, and the word that I shall speak shall come to pass; it shall be no more prolonged: for in your days, O rebellious house, will I say the word, and will perform it, saith the Lord GOD). God just doesn’t say things, he performs them; when he says things they are performed. He is performing some things in your life right now. The actual coming into the lives of men and women is the result of God’s promise. You will keep being filled with the Holy Ghost forever! While there is an earth, people will continue to be blessed forever! We don’t have just a seasonal God! Lets Review Joel 2:18 “…then will the Lord be jealous for his land, and pity his people”. The time for God’s people in this verse is about to change. Why? Because the Lord will show pity on his people. Whenever God – the mighty God – the only true and living God – when God shows any kind of emotion toward his people, then know that your destiny is about to change! You start with life – life happens and then an intervention comes that God rejects! It is because the devil has gotten you to agree with him, and you are living that out, but that’s not God’s very best. Then God demonstrates an opposing emotion; sometimes that is pity, grace, mercy, or forgiveness. God is ready to undo what you did! So the devil’s trying to kill you, God speaks life; the devil tries to depress you and God speaks joy! So that brings about a life change! When the Lord decides he is going to intervene with an opposing emotion, get ready for a life change. Take that prophetically! When God releases pity, grace and mercy, your whole life changes. Nothing stays the same when God decides to put an opposing emotion into what you’re living through and your entire life changes. That’s why you have to be willing to say yes to God.
In Joel 2: 19 the Lord promises physical sustenance (corn, wine and oil). The Lord is promising you that your physical needs are met in Jesus name. When your physical sustenance needs are met, you will be satisfied. You will not have any wants! The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. There is no lack in God. ! You have a shepherd who is determined that you walk in a place where you do not want!
Exodus 23:25 Praise God for what you do have! You have your needs met, and you will walk in increase – increase. Your barns will overflow – this is the promise of God. “And ye shall serve the Lord your God, and he shall bless the bread, and they water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee”. God will take what you need and exponentially increase it – your bread and your water. There’s more. AND a conjunction that joins two fragments to make the sentence whole. And I will…take sickness! No more say I will be healed – say I AM healed and then walk it out. Philippians 3:19 “But my God shall supply all my needs accordingly to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. If you are really the people of God, you shall be satisfied. Your begging to have something to plant that leads to increase is over because the Lord has emotionally intervened. God will always love you and provide, but sometimes he does extra to get you to a better pasture. I’ve gotta believe that where I was going wasn’t going to be the best for me. God is in complete control and he always answers prayer – some times he says no.
Somebody in here is about to know that something that has burdened you and made you ashamed and filled you with guilt is about to be lifted off you. It’s part of God’s promise. (Joel2:19) “…and you will no more be a reproach among the heathen. People will no longer look at you with disgust, scorn, or derision. The Lord is lifting off of you the shame of your life. It’s in the promise! God will lift the condemnation, the guilt. Everyone has done something that people can hold against you, but God will shut their mouths. God is taking you to a place where he has so much better for you. There are exploits you have talked yourself out of because you thought you were disqualified, but that feeling the Lord is lifting up off you TODAY because God is moving you and your life out of condemnation; you thought you weren’t smart enough – but favor can take you where intelligence can’t! You will now walk in a place where your former shame held you back! So you get the promises and the sustenance of God mixed in with the promise of the Holy Ghost. Joel 2:20 (But I will remove off from you the northern army, and will drive him into a land barren and desolate with his face toward the east sea, and his hinder part toward the utmost sea, and his stink shall come up, and his ill savor shall come up, because he hath done great things). The Lord is driving away the army of your enemies! The Lord is driving away everything that is determined to destroy you – and wipe you out. God is pushing that army away from you. Psalm 91: He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most high shall abide under the shadow of the almighty. 91:1-3 (…He shall deliver you from the trap of the fowler…) – they are out to get you, but no weapon formed against you will prosper. He has also delivered you from noisome pestilence. Did you hear, did you hear, - did you know, chatter, chatter – the noisome pestilence – the stuff you hear in your ear that’s getting on your last nerve. Psalm 91:1-7 BUT is a conjunction; and what “and” does, “but does not do”. AND brings to fragments together, and BUT pulls them apart. You will have enemies everywhere, but they shall not come nigh thee, they talk, but they can’t get you. Joel 2:21 Everything that has been put in your life to kill you; right now in Jesus name take authority over that – and that which the devil intended for evil, God is turning it around for your good! The bible says that your enemy has done great things, but now Joel 2:21 says” …for the Lord will do great things.”) The enemy has done great things. God will match for match, great thing for great thing and then he will outdo your enemy. God says bring it on! God says I got his match – that’s why he started off with fear not!
Remember 1Samuel 17:37 – remember your lion deliverance – when the Lord delivered you from your lion that was determined to eat you up and destroy you. Now remember your bear deliverance when the big grizzly bear had decided to take you out, but God snatched you out of the hands of the bear. Keep in your head that the Lord will deliver you out of the hand of any philistine anything that is determined to wipe you out. Don’t be afraid to be great – walk in a great space. There are witty inventions and new ideas that need to manifest in a spirit of greatness. Today I release a spirit of greatness and I snatch from off of you a spirit of mediocrity and being OK with average. Your sphere of influence is going to be so happy you are there because you bring a new perspective. Greatness.
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It Pays to Serve Jesus
Hebrews 11:32-34, Hebrews 8:1-6
Bishop Michael E. Dantley
April 25, 2010
Kingdoms have been subdued by people of faith! The promises of God are sure, they are yeah and amen. They may not come when you want them, but shout for your promise is coming. The people of God, the believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are in a position – you and I are in a position to be blessed by God forever! Grab hold of that – you and I are in a position to be blessed by God forever. Even when it doesn’t look like you’re being blessed. The Lord has committed himself through an everlasting covenant – a legal document; a legal binding agreement to bless you and me forever – you might be going through a little something right now. He will forever be our God and we will forever be his people. This is a permanent condition – you are blessed permanently! I’m not talking about your circumstance. God can’t help but bless you – he made a covenant to bless you. Many of us have no clue about the gospel – what the good news is – we base our relationship on God by feeling good, or getting our bills paid, but that’s not the essence of why we are in the Lord. Salvation will always be available! So your knuckle head children that you are ready to give up on are available to them – you ain’t always been in church on a Sunday morning, or always done things right. It wasn’t over when you got saved! Deliverance will always be accessible – redemption from the hand of the enemy so that going to hell is no longer an option is always provided. Standing in right fellowship with the father is always available. Walking in the abundant life will always be accessible. The forgiveness of our sins and the washing away of our iniquities are never never in doubt! You know how tore up you can be and still be forgiven? That’s a done deal – your forgiveness is a done deal. If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and to cleanse us of all unrighteousness. You can’t out sin his forgiveness. You can’t walk so far away from the blood that the blood can’t reach you! The blood of Jesus can reach you wherever you are. You have been in a place where you ain’t got no business and the blood of Jesus found you there. Living free from condemnation is a benefit that the Lord always provides. Walking in our weakness, but his strength is ours forever!
Hebrews 7: 18- One of the major pieces is the new covenant that has become open to us throught the priesthood of Jesus Christ. The tabernacle has three parts to it – the outer court, the inner court and the most holy place. Human priests went into the most holy place once a year, but he had to go every year and carry with him the blood of animals to cover the mercy seat to atone for his sins and the sins of the people. It was a religious ritual that they did. He could not stay in the presence of the Lord too long and had to be dragged out when he realized that the lord was ready to get rid of him he had to shake his foot and bells would ring on his foot andthat was the signal to the people outside to get him out. He was the only one (the high priest) that could be in the presence of the Lord. All of these traditions were written in the law. Some of you think that the 10 commandments was the law; but that was just a part of the law. You gotta read geneisus exodus Leviticus and numbers, Deuteronomy the five books of the Pentatuch – to find out what the law really was. There was a law about everything – what kind of meat to eat, not to eat, what to wear and not wear – do this do that – how to get in the presence of the Lord was all in the law. They did it this way because they thought that God would not be angry if they did it this way because of their sin and he would bless them.
Hebrews 7:19 (nothing perfect) The process of the law – fully prescribed did not ultimately please God. Religion never did please God! Doing things over and over again and don’t know why you’re doing it never pleases God. I believe God is looking for some radical folk who are willing to worship him in all kinds of situations. What the hight priest and the law and tradition could not do, Jesus came and brought a better hope so that you and I could draw close to God. I recognize there are times when you can’t pray – you’re confused – that’s why you need to be filled with the holy ghost and you can pray in tongues. That shouldn’t be all the time – you shouldn’t have to find the elders for everything – to pray for your headache. Get some Crisco if you have to and use it in the name of Jesus and anoint yourself in the name of Jesus and believe that with your stripes you are healed. Use the power that is in you. Do you suffer from migraines? You beg God to kill you with a migraine – take me now Jesus – this pain is more than I can bear – get him to the hospital and give him demeral. But for a regular headache – go to God for yourself. Don’t wait until you get here, worship him everyday! We couldn’t be in the Lord’s presence under the law. The old way was to use human priests to atone for our sins. The old religious system did not work. So God himself because of his love for us, instituted a new and better system by having himself please himself, thrugh the priesthood of himself. Our older grandson wants to know about the trinity – he’s saved – that’s his lineage. Speak that over your children and grandchildren – it doesn’t matter if they walk away, they will be back! If you are really saved, sanctified and filled, so will they be – believe that into existence. There was no question that everyone in my house would be saved. You will fundamentally get baptized and speak in tongues. Parents you expect your children to graduate? Expect them to speak in tongues! Their spiritual life is more important – do they know Jesus? Our children may not always be the saint – you ain’t always crossing your Is and jotting your Ts, but make sure they know Jesus – that’s your responsibility and the church builds on that. If you have given them the gospel, they might start smoking, drinking and fornicating and we don’t want them to do those things, lying and backbiting, but then they do hear you and you saved and you gossip! If you have given them the gospel message they will come back. The smoking business is not the sin, it’what they are doing to their body, the temple of the holy ghost. If you stop, they will stop because you will set the example. There’s lots of things we do that destroys peoples lives – how about lying? Just make up a lie – you create a lie and then you believe it and start telling other people about it and you are trying to destroy peoples lives. The bible says we have faith to close the mouth of the lion.
Hebrews 7:22 The first covenant couldn’t do it, so Jesus mediated put into place a better covenant. (23) The other priests kept dying (they got old). The priesthood was dependent on some old guys dying. Pleasing the Lord could not rest on human frailty. (24) The priesthood of Jesus never ends, because he doesn’t. (25) This system works forever because it’s all God; he’s able to save completely. Your salvation is complete – Jesus is not going to die on the cross again – when he died he said it is finished! I didn’t ask if you’re perfect, are you completely saved. You equate your level of holiness with your salvation and they are different. You work out your salvation with fear and trembling, but you’re complete. What Jesus did for you is done – it’s a done deal. Your lifestyle should change because you are saved. When I received the Lord as my saviour at 7, it was done. How many of you are going to heaven? Jesus went into the mostly holy place, how many times? One – Your sins and mine, your failure and mine were all washed away because of the blood. This ain’t about grape juice and crackers!
All of us have room to grow – we have areas that we need to deal with – we are all saved and we got areas we struggle with.
Jesus Christ the son of God – he came to earth through a virgin named Mary. Virgin means she had never been with a man and yet Jesus was formed in her womb. He was born in a manger and wrapped in swaddling clothes which was prophetic for how he was going to die.Swaddling are death clothes, so he was born to die. So Jesus grew up with favor with God and man. He was a carpenter’s son, so he had a trade. He worked for a living. There was another man, his cousin, his name was John. His mother’s name was Elizabeth – one day Mary came to visit Elizabeth while they were both pregnant and when Mary came into the same womb, her baby leaped in her womb. One day Jesus was led by the holy ghost after he had been baptized by his cousin, John. John said behold, here comes my cousin Jesus. I’m not even worthy to lace up his shoes and he is asking me to baptize him. Jesus said, John I need you to do this to fulfill scripture. So when John dipped Jesus, not sprinkle him, and when he came up out of the water, the heavens parted and said this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased, hear ye him. The holy ghost then took him into the desert to be tempted for 40 days and 40 nights. The devil tempted him three days and Jesus said, It is written – use the word. He came out of the wilderness filled with the holy spirit and began his ministry. Jesus found 12 working men – no one lazy. He went around doing good – healed the sick, raised the dead, fed 5000, cast out devils, but all the time he was condemned to die. He went to court and was accused wrongfully – he was a roman, so it was an unjust system. They found him guilty and they beat and scourged him; they put him over a stoop and beat him – blood spattered everywhere and when he had no strength, they had him carry a cross to Golgotha – the place of the skull – where he was to be crucified. A black man – Simeon of Cyrene, Africa – that’s were all this took place in Africa – not the Middle East. There is no Middle East continent, it’s on Africa. He got to Golgotha and they continued to beat him and they pierced him in his side and thorns on his head, they nailed his hand and feet to the cross. It wasn’t the nails that killed him, he was asphyxiated – his lungs collapsed – he could not breathe. And in the midst of him on the cross in all that pain, he said father, forgive them, he interceded for us because they know not what they do. He laid his had to the side and gave up the ghost. They took him down. Mary, John and the other Mary and they watched him and they put him in a borrowed tomb. Joseph of Aramathea had a tomb, but they asked if they could use it (just three days). And on the 3rd day, John and peter ran to the sepulcher and behold the stone had been rolled away. They looked inside and Jesus being a man of order had put the grave clothes in neat order. Some other people had come to anoint his body and they ran into him and thought he was the gardener, but he told Mary not to touch him because he had not been to the Father. He came and spent time with his disciples and then he was taken up into heaven. And the same way he went up, he’s coming back again.
Do you believe that, what I just told you, with all your heart? If you believe it, then you are saved! Thank God for being saved!
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God Can’t Help Himself
Isaiah 54:10
Bishop Michael E. Dantley
April 18, 2010
10 For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee.
A covenant is a type of contract what the person involved has promised to do or not to do something. God has legally committed Himself to be in a certain kind of relationship with us.
God has entered into a binding agreement with us, and intends to do all that is contained in that binding agreement. He has entered into this binding agreement FOREVER!
He has even established a remedy for those multiple times when we fail to keep our end of the agreement. He will always fulfill His end even when we don't keep our end of the agreement.
1 Kings 8:56
56 Blessed be the LORD that hath given rest unto his people Israel, according to all that he promised: there hath not failed one word of all his good promise, which he promised by the hand of Moses his servant.
IF GOD SAID IT, IT IS GOING TO COME TO PASS!
If He said it and it has not come to pass, keep living and WAIT! It will come to pass. You might get tired or feel like giving up, just wait. Praise God while you wait.
Not one word of His promise has ever failed!
20 For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.
The promises in HIM are "so be it". "Let's get at it", "let's go for it". "Get on with it".
We can count on the promises of God because they are part of the covenant.
You don’t get in and out of covenant. Friendships maybe; covenants you keep.
Praise GOD for a covenant keeping GOD! He is bound to bless you!
Romans 8:26-28
(The Message)
26-28Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God's Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don't know how or what to pray, it doesn't matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That's why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.
(The Amplified Bible)
26So too the [Holy] Spirit comes to our aid and bears us up in our weakness; for we do not know what prayer to offer nor how to offer it worthily as we ought, but the Spirit Himself goes to meet our supplication and pleads in our behalf with unspeakable yearnings and groanings too deep for utterance.
27And He Who searches the hearts of men knows what is in the mind of the [Holy] Spirit [what His intent is], because the Spirit intercedes and pleads [before God] in behalf of the saints according to and in harmony with God's will. (F)
28We are assured and know that [[j] God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose.
Thanks God that when you could not say a word, that "OH" was translated to Him to be just what you needed.
Jeremiah 32:40-
40 And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me.
41 Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soul.
42 For thus saith the Lord; Like as I have brought all this great evil upon this people, so will I bring upon them all the good that I have promised them.
43 And fields shall be bought in this land, whereof ye say, it is desolate without man or beast; it is given into the hand of the Chaldeans.
(YOU WILL PROSPER WHERE YOU ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE!!!)
Why? Because it is the promise and covenant of God. You will be able to speak the truth of the Lord under the anointing of the Holy Ghost!
31 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: 32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord: 33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.
He said that you messed up with him, but he is going to be with you anyway. AND, I will forgive you and remember you sin no more.
(The Message Bible)
31-32"That's right. The time is coming when I will make a brand-new covenant with Israel and Judah. It won't be a repeat of the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took their hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt. They broke that covenant even though I did my part as their Master." God's Decree.
33-34"This is the brand-new covenant that I will make with Israel when the time comes. I will put my law within them—write it on their hearts!—and be their God. And they will be my people. They will no longer go around setting up schools to teach each other about God. They'll know me firsthand, the dull and the bright, the smart and the slow. I'll wipe the slate clean for each of them. I'll forget they ever sinned!" God's Decree.
Hebrews 9 (the 1st 10 verses)
(The Message Bible)
1-5That first plan contained directions for worship, and a specially designed place of worship. A large outer tent was set up. The lamp stand, the table, and "the bread of presence" were placed in it. This was called "the Holy Place." Then a curtain was stretched, and behind it a smaller, inside tent set up. This was called "the Holy of Holies." In it were placed the gold incense altar and the gold-covered Ark of the Covenant containing the gold urn of manna, Aaron's rod that budded, the covenant tablets, and the angel-wing-shadowed mercy seat. But we don't have time to comment on these now.
6-10After this was set up, the priests went about their duties in the large tent. Only the high priest entered the smaller, inside tent, and then only once a year, offering a blood sacrifice for his own sins and the people's accumulated sins. This was the Holy Spirit's way of showing with a visible parable that as long as the large tent stands, people can't just walk in on God. Under this system, the gifts and sacrifices can't really get to the heart of the matter, can't assuage the conscience of the people, but are limited to matters of ritual and behavior. It's essentially a temporary arrangement until a complete overhaul could be made.
v11.
11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;
Heb 9:11 (KJV)
Jesus went into the eternal tabernacle of Heaven ONCE! For US! TO ATONE FOR OUR SINS! FOREVER!
v15.
15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the New Testament that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.
Heb 9:15 (KJV)
May god make you intelligent and you eyes clear sot hat you may see what it is the He is calling you to do. This world is going to be changed by you. And may you wrestle with God until He tells you why you are here.
May you know YOUR relationship with God, and you go to Him for yourself and be very assured that He hears you.
And May the eyes of your enlightenment let you know why it is that you are here
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Shout for the Lord has Given Us the City
Joshua 6:1-5
Bishop Michael E. Dantley
April 11, 2010
This morning we have to deal with how to live in our new place; new space, now that we have crossed over; how do we live in this new arena; what is my behavior supposed to belike in this new place. 6 things that happened when you crossed over: crossed over and I’m not going back! 1) You began a new life where the Lord is at the center. 2) You left behind an old lifestyle and old belief system (believe God in spite of everything); we divorced fear and we are not taking it back. 3) Living a life of purpose and calling; not just existing, there’s calling on your life; and even if there is disappointment, you’ve got purpose. Some of the things you go through is because of the purpose on your life and the devil don’t like you – he’s not trying to annoy you; he’s trying to kill you and when you have purpose, you are a bigger target for the devil! But greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world. Everything that you go through is leading up to what God has called you to do. God has separated you and pulled you out from all kinds of stuff. If your old friends don’t like you, too bad – you have destiny on your life; things to do. 4) Growing or maturing in your walk with God. Recognize that what you do affects everyone else – you gotta live holy – even if you don’t want to. The Holy Ghost will keep you when you don’t want to be kept. You will be sanctified. 5) You have decided that you will experience the blessing and the increase of God. We are through being poor! We will have all our needs met according to his riches in glory; live like the royalty that we are and we won’t take it back. All our needs will be met, even if God has to do it with favor! Because of the authority on our lives we will speak to mountains and they will be cast into the sea; either this is true or it ain’t! The best way to find out that you’re blessed is when you ain’t got nothing – down, down to nothing and don’t know how you are gonna make it; your money is gone and God finds a way. God finds a way to bless you anyhow! 6) Now living without the shame, guilt and contempt of your past. People will remind you of who you were and you can admit, yes I was – that will take the wind out of it for them – and yes; I was good at it too. And now I’m good at being saved, sanctified, holy. Praise God for passing over!
Today we will deal with the strategies that will help us deal. God is speaking to Joshua a fact that the people would live out in the future. In verse2 God tells him, see I have given into thine hand Jericho and the king and the mighty men of valor. I have past tense. God speaks to Joshua what the Lord sees as a done deal. Bu Joshua has to live what God sees and declares in the future. God speaks what will happen, but in his mind, it’s already done. Often the Lord speaks those things that be not in the earth realm as though they were; they are already accomplished in the spirit realm, but when God speaks it it’s done. The Lord will declare in our lives things that we will experience, but we have not experienced them yet. Keep living! If God has given you a promise, keep living – through the disappointment, keep living because it may not come right then, but it is coming to pass! What God declares is often prophetic and his people have to walk into it! You cannot do it just standing still, you gotta keep walking; by faith keep walking and I’m getting weak, but I still believe what you say, so keep walking into it. The prophetic declaration of God is always true and it’s gotta come to pass! If God declares it, it will come to pass; it may take time, be a journey, still it will come to pass! Waiting is the hard part! You look around and what you asked God for everybody else got and so you ask God when is it my turn. It may take some time, but it will come to pass. If God’s word declared it, it will accomplish what he sent it to accomplish. God will not send a word to play with you.
To walk in the now of God is our future; our future is God’s past. God is not in time; he’s eternal. When he speaks, he’s done with it. This demands the extension of our faith. The now of God is a phenomenon we have to catch up with. He speaks it and he is done, but we have to live it. So we have to catch up with it. Verse 2 “see I have given, etc”. Now Joshua has to do the steps. So we need a now faith to deal with the now of God. God says this is what I have decided for you. And you say I ain’t there yet, but that’s where you’re gonna be. Hebrews 11:1 3 (message bible). God has created a reality for you that you don’t see yet, but your faith creates it and brings it into existence. Our realities come into existence by faith in his word. We are able to create reality because according to John 1:3 says all things were made by him and without him was not anything made that was made. The word created all things – even things in your life the word created. You’ve gotta believe the word for your life. You gotta believe the word for all things created for your life. Jesus is the word. When we believe in the Lord Jesus, we believe the created work of the word. The word is creative. We believe that our deliverance is wrapped up in the word; our joy is wrapped up in the word; our victory, our overcoming are all wrapped up in the word; our benefits; our blessings, and the meeting of our needs is wrapped up in the word. When the Lord spoke to Joshua and told him the word, the audible word of God – see I have given you, etc and the requirement was for Joshua to believe it. S
Sometimes it’s hard to believe, but it’s necessary! I Kings 8:56 Not one word has failed. Live long enough you will see it come to pass. Not one word from God has misfired. Not one has he wasted on you! Just wait on the Lord and be of good courage and he will strengthen your heart. That’s why I’ll say yes to the Lord because not one word of his promise has fallen to the ground. Ezekiel12:25. Here the Lord is saying you have been tore up and I have delayed sending you a word to straighten you out, but now ‘m speaking the word and your rebellion is going to be over. God is sending you a word that is line upon line and precept upon precept, and it won’t be prolonged. God can rush the manifestation of his word. God can speak and it becomes right now! Where are the delivered people? God spoke and you were delivered; you were healed; you were saved! When you tell bishop to preach, it’s like waving a red cloth in front of a bull! Now when you believe the prophetic word or declaration form the mouth of god, you walk it out, but you need instruction. The lord told Joshua I’ve got some instruction or you and they don’t make sense. Sometimes when god is trying to get you somewhere – to a lace where you’ve never been before, he gives you some crazy instruction. God says walk around the city of Jericho God said play the trumpet; he said go around 1 time for 6 days, but on the 7th day go around 7 times and I want to hear the rams horn. The rams’ horn did one of two things; either prepared you for worship or for war, when you hear the horn everyone paid attention and had to wait for instruction for either worship or war. I hear a trumpet and then I hear a loud blast of the trumpet and the bible says when you hear the blast of the trumpet, you gotta shout! The walls of your city – the walls are coming down! The walls that have kept you out; the walls that have kept you out are falling down; that have been in your way are falling down; the walls that have been obstacles for you are falling; the walls that said you could never get in; that said you would never be victorious; said that nothing good would come your way; the walls to your vision is falling. Shout for the Lord has given us the city! There are too many modern people; not enough desperate people because shouting will bring down your city.
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Pastor John Gray
March 28, 2010
The problem with prophets is that you aren’t late, you’re early, and people don’t see the vision until years later. This house has a prophetic ability to catapult people into destiny. I’m sitting here the last Sunday of the 3rd month, before you walk into April and the fullness of spring Isaiah, now it shall spring forth, do you not perceive it that somebody’s vision is about to shift into overdrive this very Sunday.
There’s something in the atmosphere – a shift in the atmosphere. There’s an accumulated worship and prayers of generation of people that we are sitting in. And that just like me you can walk into the fullness of your destiny– I don’t care how old you are, if you’re retired, you can’t retire from the kingdom; you can have grey hair and produce green fruit.
The end of renting is upon you; some of you can’t worship like you want cause you renting,; the promise is houses and land. Have faith enough to believe that you are less than 90 days away from your own house in an economy that says it’s impossible with a credit score that’s comedic, but God is not playing games with the devil? If you could do it with your own credit, then God could not get the glory. Go get a real estate book and drive around until you see the house that you want and then say Daddy, I want it.
There are some adults in the room and it was hard for them to celebrate the young people because this ceremony brings back the moment where they missed it; where they made a mistake. This is for the ones who wanted to celebrate but your heart was broke because you made a mistake in your past and you felt it disqualified you. Joel 2:25: And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpillar, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you. The locust did not eat your harvest, he ate your time! Your harvest is in the spirit. So what you need is for God to restore the years. So God is supernaturally rewinding the clock to the day before you met the man that took you out of your destiny., God is rewinding the clock to the day before you met the woman that took you out of God’s purpose. God is now repositioning you with his global positioning system and he has recalculated your route. You had a destiny and you got off track but God has GPS and he is recalculating your route. You are getting ready to walk into everything that has been held up in your life for 15 years, 22 years, for seven years. God is giving you harvest, accumulated with interest, and if you believe that God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all you can ask or think according to the power that worketh in you, then praise the Lord.
Something is breaking in the atmosphere. Something is breaking in the atmosphere. This is a blessed generation.
Cincinnati is a battleground state in the natural and the spirit. Most presidential elections boil down to State of Ohio and the county of Hamilton; which means we have the ability to elect world leaders. And you can’t do that is not in your nature; you can’t reproduce that which you are not, so there must be world leaders in Hamilton County for us to decide. But the enemy has blinded us, and we did not realize but we are presidential in this region! We walk in a regal and royal anointing because we can declare presidents, because we birth presidents.
There are some in this room that are living far beneath your privilege and if you did one thing, God would open up many things; you’re not living the life you dreamed about; you are hungry for more, and God says today is your day. Generation blessed generation rest. God said to Noah, take you and your family and come inside the ark, because you have been found righteous in this generation. Noah means rest and ark means chest. It’s not a boat, it’s a chest and it carries the presence of God. When he said get in the ark he meant get in my chest, get inside my heart, listen to my heartbeat, and get the purpose and the function for humanity because you have been found righteous. Righteous means to be justified by who is able to justify you to himself by virtue of his choice – you are a son by birth, not worth; you couldn’t earn the title, you had to be born that way. We understand IPeter 2:9 you are royal priesthood – I believe God is going to bless you.
We already know Generation Blessed - I Peter 2:9 – But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, not separated from, but you are separated to God for his purpose; it’s not a burden to live holy; its right and privilege; it’s an honor to live holy; holiness is not a denomination; it is God’s character.
Generation rest – this generation is restless – have visual and emotional stimulus every day; So many options and opportunities – what do you know with a generation that is always moving everyone as ADHD – you don’t need pills you need a belt. Beat the child, save their soul from death – it’s in proverbs. How do we get them to rest? How we rest the restless? Looking for friends, validation, something to connect to someone who understands you; and so the enemy offers false places of intimacy and connection in illegal relationships. You have to monitor their content. This is a two-fold miracle that I’m asking for. You work two jobs just to pay those bills; to get the American dream, but the American dream doesn’t look like the word of God. God will supernaturally increase you in your income that you will able to meet your children at home.
How do you rest a restless generation? We’ve dealt with purity, but if you don’t monitor what they intake; the lust of the yes, the lust of the flesh, the pride of life; if you don’t guard their eye and ear gates, you already know what’s going to come out. Romans 13:14 don’t have a Ziploc bag of lust or hate or insecurity. There are three things that will help us all. Some of us haven’t slept in years. You lay down, but when you get up, you’re still tired, body’s aching, sides hurt, stomach and chest congested; sleep apnea. That’s not physical first, it’s spiritual. You haven’t been able to rest because you haven’t been in the presence of Him who can cause you to rest. God is concerned with this generation has had more people standing in the gap on their behalf. They need adults to teach them. Psalm 95:11 I swore on my wrath they will never enter my wrath. Wrath means anger, hate, and rage, furious. Wrong, the Hebrew word for wrath is nose, nostrils, face. God swore by my nose, my nostrils face would never enter my rest. He was angry because that the thing that he breathed into their nostrils, created in his image that was created in his image, that he breathed into does not function like him; doesn’t look like him. So since your face is disfigured I swear by my face you won’t enter my rest until you recognize that you are disfigured. Since you won’t face me; won’t worship me, you won’t rest until you do.
We need new vision; keys to rest deny, declare, defeat. Mark 8:34 what do you have to deny to live holy and pure? It’s a cross that looks like you; in your size; one size does not fit all; your burden. Each person has their own cross to bear; deny yourself and then follow Jesus. Declare. Psalm 118:17 Declare God’s word over your life. The enemy doesn’t have to listen to anything but God’s word. Stop talking to your enemy in your emotions – that’s why he is not bowed down. Proverbs 16:3 Jeremiah 1: 29:11; Roman 8:18-19. Defeat – Joshua 8:1 Children of Israel had been defeated by the people of Ai; In Joshua 8:1, God told them to go back and take everything. Ai is symbolic of artificial intelligence. It looks official, but it’s not intelligent. Its carnal knowledge – what the world tries to teach you; those things that lift themselves against the knowledge of God.
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Bishop Michael E. Dantley
March 21, 2010
The Manna Ceased
Joshua 5:13-15 13 And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries? 14 And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the Lord am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant? 15 And the captain of the Lord'S host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so. The reason you are going to be blessed forever is because we have an eternal God. He has covenanted to bless you forever. Settle that the Lord has ordained ordered and orchestrated that you will walk in greatness. You are literally going to be great. YOU ARE GREAT. Not because of your won achievement, but because God wants you to be great. Book on cultural trauma: That a group begin to live out of a trauma that was experienced generations ago. And it impacts the way people think. This may be true, but when I got born again; the trauma still exists but I do not have to live with a slave mentality or a holocaust mentality, because of the blood of Jesus. When you walk into a place, you have to walk in there like you own it. WHEN YOU RECOGNIZE THAT YOU ARE GREAT:
Some of you will never become a millionaire because you do not share. Some will be millionaires because it doesn't bother you to give your money away.
YOU POSSESS THE LAND TO BE BLESSED AND TO BE A BLESSING. You have to be able to give in order to be blessed. We have adopted a new way of thinking and the reproach has been lifted because of your GIlgal experience. 10 For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee. 37 Behold, I will gather them out of all countries, whither I have driven them in mine anger, and in my fury, and in great wrath; and I will bring them again unto this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely: 38 And they shall be my people, and I will be their God: 39 And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them: 40 And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me. 41 Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soul.
God is gathering His people to a place of safety, so that they will dwell there. You will find God's peace and His protection. Those that He gathers will be His people and give them access to His invisible Kingdom. And He will release the resources of Heaven sot hat you will be able to prosper in the earth. People will come against you BUT they cannot win! No weapon that shall be formed against you will be able to prosper. You will be able to resist the devil and he will have to flee. He is: YOUR EVERYTHING! Provision, Protection, ... You will not be double minded! YOU WILL HAVE SINGLENESS OF HEART! You will be in covenant with him! Every time you call Him he will be there listening. You are in an everlasting covenant with Him, He will not turn away from His people and He will do you good! He will bring you peace, favor, delight in you, make your enemies your footstools, and he will also do good for your children, your seed. Your children can expect to reap the benefits of you being in covenant with God. Until they make the decision to be in covenant, they will be covered by your covenant with God. v13. and angel visits Joshua and he has a personal encounter with the spirit realm. When you worship and praise prepare for the visitation of the spirit realm. Expect the healing, etc. The warring angel came to fight!
God has released some "fighting" angels on your behalf! To fight FOR you! And, will fight YOU, if you try to go back to where you've been delivered from! 5 I called upon the Lord in distress: the Lord answered me, and set me in a large place. You will be in a place where you can multiply and grow, where you can soar, no walls can hold you and you can see the vision of God. 6 The Lord is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me? What can they do to you when the Lord is on your side? 7 The Lord taketh my part with them that help me: therefore shall I see my desire upon them that hate me. 8 It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man. Ps 34:19-20
19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivered him out of them all. 20 He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken. 21 Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate. 22 The Lord redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate. Ps 34:19-22 (the message bible) 19 Disciples so often get into trouble;
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Bishop Michael E. Dantely
The Circumcision of the Heart March 14, 2010
1 And it came to pass, when all the kings of the Amorites, which were on the side of Jordan westward, and all the kings of the Canaanites, which were by the sea, heard that the Lord had dried up the waters of Jordan from before the children of Israel, until we were passed over, that their heart melted, neither was there spirit in them any more, because of the children of Israel. 2 At that time the Lord said unto Joshua, Make thee sharp knives, and circumcise again the children of Israel the second time. 3 And Joshua made him sharp knives, and circumcised the children of Israel at the hill of the foreskins. 4 And this is the cause why Joshua did circumcise: All the people that came out of Egypt, that were males, even all the men of war, died in the wilderness by the way, after they came out of Egypt. 5 Now all the people that came out were circumcised: but all the people that were born in the wilderness by the way as they came forth out of Egypt, them they had not circumcised. 6 For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, till all the people that were men of war, which came out of Egypt, were consumed, because they obeyed not the voice of the Lord: unto whom the Lord sware that he would not shew them the land, which the Lord sware unto their fathers that he would give us, a land that floweth with milk and honey. 7 And their children, whom he raised up in their stead, them Joshua circumcised: for they were uncircumcised, because they had not circumcised them by the way. 8 And it came to pass, when they had done circumcising all the people, that they abode in their places in the camp, till they were whole. 9 And the Lord said unto Joshua, This day have I rolled away the reproach of Egypt from off you. Wherefore the name of the place is called Gilgal unto this day. Today we are going to learn how to keep our inheritance, because by faith we are in a new realm, a new dimension. A space where all our need are met. We are not worried. I see blessing on top of blessing. Blessings that are running after you. And some of you are going to be caught. The first time the Lord blesses you, watch out for the second. Because, you will be blessed again.
3 things you will be able to do:
First, According to the text: The cannanites were drained of their courage.
Joshua 5(The Message) 1 When all the Amorite kings west of the Jordan and the Canaanite kings along the seacoast heard how God had stopped the Jordan River before the People of Israel until they had crossed over, their hearts sank; the courage drained out of them just thinking about the People of Israel.
Since you have crossed over you have to decide that you are not going to settle. You are looking for substance. You are looking for more.
Some of you are looking for value in your relationships. On the other side you were settling with looks and mediocre, flesh driven inconsequential relationships.
You have to let people know that I don't necessarily need you. All my needs are met in the Lord. You are not going to keep me from going where I need to go.
In this season people are going to be attracted to you but you are not going to be attracted to them. You have to ask: What are you bringing? You will be able to ask the hard questions.
Expect people to say: "You are acting new". They no longer know what makes you tick. Keep them guessing, you don't owe them anything.
Second, Joshua told all the people to circumcise. It marked the covenant or the alliance that the people had with God. (the CUT Covenant) - The covenant, with the cutting of the foreskin of the male child was that they would abide with the covenant that they had with God. We are called now that we have crossed over to undergo spiritual circumcision. 12 And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, 13 To keep the commandments of the Lord, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good? 14 Behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens is the Lord'S thy God, the earth also, with all that therein is. 15 Only the Lord had a delight in thy fathers to love them, and he chose their seed after them, even you above all people, as it is this day. 16 Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked. 17 For the Lord your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward: 18 He doth execute the judgment of the fatherless and widow, and loveth the stranger, in giving him food and raiment.
The Message Bible: Deut 10:12-21 12-13 So now Israel, what do you think God expects from you? Just this: Live in his presence in holy reverence, follow the road he sets out for you, love him, serve God, your God, with everything you have in you, obey the commandments and regulations of God that I'm commanding you today—live a good life. 14-18 Look around you: Everything you see is God's—the heavens above and beyond, the Earth, and everything on it. But it was your ancestors who God fell in love with; he picked their children—that's you!—out of all the other peoples. That's where we are right now. So cut away the thick calluses from your heart and stop being so willfully hardheaded. God, your God, is the God of all gods, he's the Master of all masters, a God immense and powerful and awesome. He doesn't play favorites, takes no bribes, makes sure orphans and widows are treated fairly, takes loving care of foreigners by seeing that they get food and clothing. We have to:
v15. The lord delighteth in past generations.... Greatness is for you and your seed. It is ordained for you and your seed not to be common. God has commanded you to be GREAT! - to live there you have to be circumcised and do not be stubborn. You are going to sense God in many different ways. You will sense the presence of the Lord with great sensitivity. When we have circumcised the heart we have removed any covering that will keep you out of the will of God. You can come to God uncovered. When you want to produce, in an intimate relationship. You cannot be covered. If the intention is to produce out of intimacy to cannot be covered. You and the person you are going to produce with have decided to produce out of intimacy. So GOD is always uncovered. When your heart is circumcised you can be in intimate relationship with God. You have to say "My body is the temple of the Holy Ghost", you cannot be in tainted relationships. You are not going to settle with little trists, or little sexual escapades. You will be able to have the wherewithal to say: "I'm going to have to leave you alone". YOU CANNOT HAVE CROSSED OVER AND MAINTAINED THE SAME HEART. You have to decide that you will have dominion over things and not be ruled by them.
To walk in your land you have to:
More people are going to be influenced by you than ever before. When people come in contact with you, the only thing that they walk away with is "being blessed". They will come in depressed and leave jumping for Joy. Come in confused and leave with clarity. BLESSED PEOPLE, BLESS PEOPLE! You are going to use the gift and skill and anointing that you have on your life to bless someone else. People will be able to say that because they met you, they know that they are fearfully and wonderfully made. You are a blessing because you are being blessed. You are blessing people from your overflow. You are not blessed from moment to moment, you are blessed for the rest of your life. The people of God are always going to have an OVERFLOW. Because when you plant a seed you don't get the seed back, you get a harvest! You plant an apple seed and get a TREE! You will always have an OVERFLOW! This is not just a seasonal thing, God is going to bless your life forever! SAY IT! "I AM BLESSED FOREVER".
Joshua 5:9 After the circumcision, comes the end of the reproach. There is a releasing of your mind. That you are no longer controlled by those old thoughts of bondage. You are not a mistake. You are not the black sheep of your family. You are not a misfit. You are not ugly and unattractive. You are not abandoned and violated. You are not an embarrassment. You are not a failure with no future, You are not a bastard, you are not a loser. You are not unforgiven. You are not outside of the reach of the blood of Jesus! Today is your Gilgal! The reproach is taken off of you. Everything that you have lived through that has caused embarrassment, is taken away! This is the place where the shame and the scorn and the contempt that you have internalized, is taken away! The blood of Jesus is covering you and the curse has been lifted! The shame is gone. As long as you walked in shame you were unable to fulfill the will of God because you felt like you were undeserved. But all that is over.
(The Message) 1 When all the Amorite kings west of the Jordan and the Canaanite kings along the seacoast heard how God had stopped the Jordan River before the People of Israel until they had crossed over, their hearts sank; the courage drained out of them just thinking about the People of Israel.Since you have crossed over you have to decide that you are not going to settle. You are looking for substance. You are looking for more.
Some of you are looking for value in your relationships. On the other side you were settling with looks and mediocre, flesh driven inconsequential relationships.
You have to let people know that I don't necessarily need you. All my needs are met in the Lord. You are not going to keep me from going where I need to go.
In this season people are going to be attracted to you but you are not going to be attracted to them. You have to ask: What are you bringing? You will be able to ask the hard questions.
Expect people to say: "You are acting new". They no longer know what makes you tick. Keep them guessing, you don't owe them anything.
Second, Joshua told all the people to circumcise. It marked the covenant or the alliance that the people had with God. (the CUT Covenant) - The covenant, with the cutting of the foreskin of the male child was that they would abide with the covenant that they had with God. We are called now that we have crossed over to undergo spiritual circumcision.
12 And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, 13 To keep the commandments of the Lord, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good? 14 Behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens is the Lord'S thy God, the earth also, with all that therein is. 15 Only the Lord had a delight in thy fathers to love them, and he chose their seed after them, even you above all people, as it is this day. 16 Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked. 17 For the Lord your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward: 18 He doth execute the judgment of the fatherless and widow, and loveth the stranger, in giving him food and raiment.
The Message Bible: 12-13 So now Israel, what do you think God expects from you? Just this: Live in his presence in holy reverence, follow the road he sets out for you, love him, serve God, your God, with everything you have in you, obey the commandments and regulations of God that I'm commanding you today—live a good life. 14-18 Look around you: Everything you see is God's—the heavens above and beyond, the Earth, and everything on it. But it was your ancestors who God fell in love with; he picked their children—that's you!—out of all the other peoples. That's where we are right now. So cut away the thick calluses from your heart and stop being so willfully hardheaded. God, your God, is the God of all gods, he's the Master of all masters, a God immense and powerful and awesome. He doesn't play favorites, takes no bribes, makes sure orphans and widows are treated fairly, takes loving care of foreigners by seeing that they get food and clothing. We have to:
v15. The lord delighteth in past generations.... Greatness is for you and your seed.
Greatness is for YOU AND YOUR SEED. It is ordained for you and your seed not to be common. God has commanded you to be GREAT! - to live there you have to be circumcised and do not be stubborn. You are going to sense God in many different ways. You will sense the presence of the Lord with great sensitivity. When we have circumcised the heart we have removed any covering that will keep you out of the will of God. You can come to God uncovered. When you want to produce, in an intimate relationship. You cannot be covered. If the intention is to produce out of intimacy to cannot be covered. You and the person you are going to produce with have decided to produce out of intimacy. So GOD is always uncovered. When your heart is circumcised you can be in intimate relationship with God. You have to say "My body is the temple of the Holy Ghost", you cannot be in tainted relationships. You are not going to settle with little trists, or little sexual escapades. You will be able to have the wherewithal to say: "I'm going to have to leave you alone". YOU CANNOT HAVE CROSSED OVER AND MAINTAINED THE SAME HEART. You have to decide that you will have dominion over things and not be ruled by them.
To walk in your land you have to:
More people are going to be influenced by you than ever before. When people come in contact with you, the only that they walk away with is being blessed. They will come in depressed and leave jumping for Joy. Come in confused and leave with clarity. BLESSED PEOPLE, BLESS PEOPLE! You are going to use the gift and skill and anointing that you have on your life to bless someone else. People will be bale to say that because they met you, they know that they are fearfully and wonderfully made. You are a blessing because you are being blessed. You are blessing people from your overflow. You are not blessed from moment to moment, you are blessed for the rest of your life. The people of God are always going to have an OVERFLOW. Because when you plant a seed you don;t get the seed back, you get a harvest! You plant an apple seed and get a TREE! You will always have an OVERFLOW! This is not just a seasonal thing, God is going to bless your life forever!
I AM BLESSED FOREVER.
Today is your Gilgal! The reproach is taken off of you. Everything that you have lived through that has caused embarrassment, is taken away! This is the place where the shame and the scorn and the contempt that you have internalized. The blood of Jesus is covering you and the curse has been lifted! The shame is gone. As long as you walked in shame you were unable to fulfill the will of God because you felt like you were undeserved. But all that is over.
(The Message) 1 When all the Amorite kings west of the Jordan and the Canaanite kings along the seacoast heard how God had stopped the Jordan River before the People of Israel until they had crossed over, their hearts sank; the courage drained out of them just thinking about the People of Israel.Since you have crossed over you have to decide that you are not going to settle. You are looking for substance. You are looking for more.
Some of you are looking for value in your relationships. On the other side you were settling with looks and mediocre, flesh driven inconsequential relationships.
You have to let people know that I don't necessarily need you. All my needs are met in the Lord. You are not going to keep me from going where I need to go.
In this season people are going to be attracted to you but you are not going to be attracted to them. You have to ask: What are you bringing? You will be able to ask the hard questions.
Expect people to say: "You are acting new". They no longer know what makes you tick. Keep them guessing, you don't owe them anything.
Second, Joshua told all the people to circumcise. It marked the covenant or the alliance that the people had with God. (the CUT Covenant) - The covenant, with the cutting of the foreskin of the male child was that they would abide with the covenant that they had with God. We are called now that we have crossed over to undergo spiritual circumcision.
12 And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, 13 To keep the commandments of the Lord, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good? 14 Behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens is the Lord'S thy God, the earth also, with all that therein is. 15 Only the Lord had a delight in thy fathers to love them, and he chose their seed after them, even you above all people, as it is this day. 16 Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked. 17 For the Lord your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward: 18 He doth execute the judgment of the fatherless and widow, and loveth the stranger, in giving him food and raiment.
The Message Bible: 12-13 So now Israel, what do you think God expects from you? Just this: Live in his presence in holy reverence, follow the road he sets out for you, love him, serve God, your God, with everything you have in you, obey the commandments and regulations of God that I'm commanding you today—live a good life. 14-18 Look around you: Everything you see is God's—the heavens above and beyond, the Earth, and everything on it. But it was your ancestors who God fell in love with; he picked their children—that's you!—out of all the other peoples. That's where we are right now. So cut away the thick calluses from your heart and stop being so willfully hardheaded. God, your God, is the God of all gods, he's the Master of all masters, a God immense and powerful and awesome. He doesn't play favorites, takes no bribes, makes sure orphans and widows are treated fairly, takes loving care of foreigners by seeing that they get food and clothing. We have to:
v15. The lord delighteth in past generations.... Greatness is for you and your seed.
Greatness is for YOU AND YOUR SEED. It is ordained for you and your seed not to be common. God has commanded you to be GREAT! - to live there you have to be circumcised and do not be stubborn. You are going to sense God in many different ways. You will sense the presence of the Lord with great sensitivity. When we have circumcised the heart we have removed any covering that will keep you out of the will of God. You can come to God uncovered. When you want to produce, in an intimate relationship. You cannot be covered. If the intention is to produce out of intimacy to cannot be covered. You and the person you are going to produce with have decided to produce out of intimacy. So GOD is always uncovered. When your heart is circumcised you can be in intimate relationship with God. You have to say "My body is the temple of the Holy Ghost", you cannot be in tainted relationships. You are not going to settle with little trists, or little sexual escapades. You will be able to have the wherewithal to say: "I'm going to have to leave you alone". YOU CANNOT HAVE CROSSED OVER AND MAINTAINED THE SAME HEART. You have to decide that you will have dominion over things and not be ruled by them.
To walk in your land you have to:
More people are going to be influenced by you than ever before. When people come in contact with you, the only that they walk away with is being blessed. They will come in depressed and leave jumping for Joy. Come in confused and leave with clarity. BLESSED PEOPLE, BLESS PEOPLE! You are going to use the gift and skill and anointing that you have on your life to bless someone else. People will be bale to say that because they met you, they know that they are fearfully and wonderfully made. You are a blessing because you are being blessed. You are blessing people from your overflow. You are not blessed from moment to moment, you are blessed for the rest of your life. The people of God are always going to have an OVERFLOW. Because when you plant a seed you don;t get the seed back, you get a harvest! You plant an apple seed and get a TREE! You will always have an OVERFLOW! This is not just a seasonal thing, God is going to bless your life forever!
I AM BLESSED FOREVER.
Today is your Gilgal! The reproach is taken off of you. Everything that you have lived through that has caused embarrassment, is taken away! This is the place where the shame and the scorn and the contempt that you have internalized. The blood of Jesus is covering you and the curse has been lifted! The shame is gone. As long as you walked in shame you were unable to fulfill the will of God because you felt like you were undeserved. But all that is over.
Joshua 5Joshua 5Deut 10:12 Deut 10:12 Deut 10:12-21Deut 10:12-21Joshua 5:9 After the circumcision, comes the end of the reproach. There is a releasing of your mind. That you are no longer controlled by those old thoughts of bondage. You are not a mistake. You are not the black sheep of your family. You are not a misfit. You are not ugly and unattractive. You are not abandoned and violated. You are not an embarrassment. You are not a failure with no future, You are not a bastard, you are not a loser. You are not unforgiven. You are not outside of the reach of the blood of Jesus!Joshua 5:9 After the circumcision, comes the end of the reproach. There is a releasing of your mind. That you are no longer controlled by those old thoughts of bondage. You are not a mistake. You are not the black sheep of your family. You are not a misfit. You are not ugly and unattractive. You are not abandoned and violated. You are not an embarrassment. You are not a failure with no future, You are not a bastard, you are not a loser. You are not unforgiven. You are not outside of the reach of the blood of Jesus! |
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