Is Anyone Sorry?
Then
Forgive. Please

My 22 year marriage ended in divorce. My mind was made up I didn’t want to ever be married again. I had been single for 6 years,when the Lord began to empress upon my heart He had something more for me. More for me Lord! I thought. I really hadn’t the slightest desire to talk, think nor could I even imagine getting married ever again. I couldn’t even pray about it. My heart had been wounded I thought beyond repair,but the Lord Jesus had the power to heal me. The Holy Spirit would want me to pray, all I had were tears. So guess what happened? No you’ll never guess. I’ll just have to tell you. The Lord called me to a forty day fast. Yes that’s right. You heard me. I had done many fasts before but never a liquid fast for 40 days. Oh I made it. I survived. On day 37 I woke up , my heart was changed, renewed, and all the hurt was gone. I felt clean and alive. The fast was over, God was with me all the way. He helped me to press through, I was free, and to this day I do not look back, or do I remember the hurt anymore. Praise you Jesus. For those He sets free are free indeed. I had a desire to get married.

Dennis and I met in Church neither one of us were looking for each other, it was all God. I found out from my Pastor that Dennis had a good heart, he really loved the Lord. That was my main concern. I wanted to be yoked with a Christian, someone I could relate to, pray with, and study God’s word with. A person that would take me to Church. The Lord gave me scripture that really helped me to trust that the Lord would help us as we began our relationship and or our new life together. Matt.19:10-12 10 Jesus’ disciples then said to him, “If that is how it is, it is better not to marry!” 11 “Not everyone can accept this statement,” Jesus said. “Only those whom God helps. 12 Some are born without the ability to marry, and some are disabled by men, and some refuse to marry for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven. Let anyone who can, accept my statement.” TLB Those whom God helps. That’s what stuck in my mind, all the time. I would remind God all the time, Your Word says, “Only those whom God helps. I must tell you here we are 6 years later, God not only helped us, He is helping us still to this very day. Not only did Matt 19 help but also 1 Cor. 7 this chapter is all about marriage, and would be a very good chapter to study. Not only for those that are already married, but also for those that are single.
Dennis and I have learned a lot of important things in our 6 years together. Not only about each other, but about Gods Word and how we could apply it to our relationship together. First we had to learn about what The Word thought about love. We began to read 1 Cor. 13 The Love Chapter.
1 Cor 13:1-13 1 If I had the gift of being able to speak in other languages without learning them and could speak in every language there is in all of heaven and earth, but didn’t love others, I would only be making noise. 2 If I had the gift of prophecy and knew all about what is going to happen in the future, knew everything about everything, but didn’t love others, what good would it do? Even if I had the gift of faith so that I could speak to a mountain and make it move, I would still be worth nothing at all without love. 3 If I gave everything I have to poor people, and if I were burned alive for preaching the Gospel but didn’t love others, it would be of no value whatever. 4 Love is very patient and kind, never jealous or envious, never boastful or proud, 5 never haughty or selfish or rude. Love does not demand its own way. It is not irritable or touchy. It does not hold grudges and will hardly even notice when others do it wrong. 6 It is never glad about injustice, but rejoices whenever truth wins out. 7 If you love someone, you will be loyal to him no matter what the cost. You will always believe in him, always expect the best of him, and always stand your ground in defending him. 8 All the special gifts and powers from God will someday come to an end, but love goes on forever. Someday prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge-these gifts will disappear. 9 Now we know so little, even with our special gifts, and the preaching of those most gifted is still so poor. 10 But when we have been made perfect and complete, then the need for these inadequate special gifts will come to an end, and they will disappear. 11 It’s like this: when I was a child I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child does. But when I became a man my thoughts grew far beyond those of my childhood, and now I have put away the childish things. 12 In the same way, we can see and understand only a little about God now, as if we were peering at his reflection in a poor mirror; but someday we are going to see him in his completeness, face to face. Now all that I know is hazy and blurred, but then I will see everything clearly, just as clearly as God sees into my heart right now. 13 There are three things that remain-faith, hope, and love-and the greatest of these is love. TLB We have read this together many times. As we studied this chapter, we realized how precious love is, and how it acts towards one another. The Word of God allowed us to see that fine line between good and evil. An unkind word or action from the person you love and care about can literally crush you. Not only did we need to learn about love, but also about forgiveness. Matthew 18:22 says “We must forgive 70 times 7.” Which means we need to forgive all the time. We realized that if we didn’t stay in a humble attitude of forgiveness, we would be angry and bitter all the time. We realized , when we were angry and bitter that opened us up for Satan to come in and cause even greater discord. Not only that but it grieved The Holy Spirit with our ungodly actions.
The Bible says in Ephesians 6:12 That we fight not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers of the air, rulers or darkness who rule this world; and against huge numbers of wicked spirits in the spirit world. When all hell would break loose in our relationship, no longer would we look at each other. But, we discovered that Satan and his demonic cohort were setting their little traps and snares. When you know the Word of God, and the power of The Holy spirit you have ammo to work with. We also realized that to fear the Lord was the beginning of wisdom. Prov. 19:10. We also realized that God corrects the ones he loves. Dennis and I didn’t like it when we found ourselves in God’s wood shed. We found that it was more productive to be obedient then disobedient. God also blesses those that are obedient. Is.1:19 IN the Living Bible says “If you will only let me help you, if you will only obey, then I will make you rich! But if you keep on turning your backs and refusing to listen to me, you will be killed by your enemies; I, the Lord, have spoken.”
My advice to any married couple or single person is to research The Word. Read it, study it, and memorize it. So that when Satan tries to come in like a flood, you can raise up ad standard. Dennis and I are trying to live out the Word. That way Satan won’t have any ground for battle. When we resist Satan, he must flee. Eccl.4:12. Says “You see one standing alone can be attacked and defeated but two standing back to back can conquer; three is even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.” Stand your ground. Stand together as a family, in love, and forgiveness toward one another. Study, that you will stand approved. Allow The Holy Spirit to bare his fruit in you. Gal.5:22-24 But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control; and here there is no conflict with Jewish laws. Those who belong to Christ have nailed their natural evil desires to his cross and crucified them there.
We need to remember its’ not about us anymore, but about Christ who lives within us. Put away self. Pick up the Holy Spirit. Get out of the way and allow the Word of God to be effective. Let it go forth with power. Then the flesh doesn’t have its’ way and neither does Satan.

Lord Help!
Hazel

I want to take a walk in the book of Ezekiel. Let us look at chapter 40:1- 44:23. I want to show you or explain what God has revealed to me. First of all it starts with the East Gate and why the East Gate?…

De 6:4 “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one!

Ezek 40:3-6
3 He took me there, and I saw a man whose appearance was like bronze; he was standing in the gateway with a linen cord and a measuring rod in his hand. 4 The man said to me, “Son of man, look with your eyes and hear with your ears and pay attention to everything I am going to show you, for that is why you have been brought here. Tell the house of Israel everything you see.” 5 I saw a wall completely surrounding the temple area. The length of the measuring rod in the man’s hand was six long cubits, each of which was a cubit and a handbreadth. He measured the wall; it was one measuring rod thick and one rod high. 6 Then he went to the gate facing east. NIV

I want to take a walk in the book of Ezekiel. Let us look at chapter 40:1- 44:23. I want to show you or explain what God has revealed to me. First of all it starts with the East Gate and why the East Gate? Because we know that when Christ comes again to establish the New Jerusalem He will enter through the East Gate. If you will notice, Ezekiel is given a very distinct description of the East Gate. The North, The South, and The West Gate, they all have the very same dimensions. They are all alike. They are not similar but exact to the cubit. A mirror image of each other. Why? Because when God calls His people home, He is going to call us from the North, South, East, and West. Just as the gates are the same, God looks at you and I the same. Another words we are all equal in God’s eyes. God sees us through the blood of Christ. God is not a respecter of persons. We will enter through the North, the South, the East, and the West gate to worship the Lord. As we enter, we will be worshiping and praising our Lord, an our God, and our King. We will be sing and shouting Hosanna. We will be joining with the angels crying Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord our God. We will come into His Courts and into His Temple to serve Him.
We have the Outer Court which leads to the Inner Court, the Inner Court which leads to the Temple. The Temple has an outer sanctuary, an inner sanctuary, and the Most Holy Place. At no time is the Outer Court mention as the court of the Gentiles. Why? We who were Gentiles, strangers, and aliens are no more because of the death and resurrection of Jesus. We have now accepted Him as our Lord and Savior. We have asked Him into our heart. We have accepted Jesus before the rapture and those who ask him into their heart during tribulation. There is also no mention of the Holy of Holies. Why?Because Jesus tore the veil that separated the Inner Courts from the Holy of Holies. The Holy of Holies no longer exist. Jesus is the Holy of Holies and He lives inside of you and I. I most mention that you have to remember this is taking place during the thousand year millennium.
The reason for the outer court is for those who are born during the thousand year do not have permission to come into the inner court. The outer court is where people who have not accepted Christ as their Lord must bring their sacrifice to be offered for their sins. The inner court is where the priest cleanses themselves and the animals are prepared for sacrifice. The inner court is where the priest take off their streets clothes, they cleanses themselves and then they change into their priestly clothing. They then prepare the sacrifices on the alter and then they serve the Lord
There are six steps that lead from the Outer Court up to the Inner Court. There are eight steps that lead from the Outer Court up to the Inner Court. There are ten steps that lead from the Inner Court up to the Temple. Why the different steps 6,8, and10? I believe it is the steps of accountability. For those that inter the Outer Court from the common area have a certain amount of accountability of leading those to Jesus Christ. For the Priest who now leave the Outer Court and now enter the Inner Court have a greater accountability of leading the people in a Holy life. We have a responsibility of teaching and showing what is right and what is correct. We have a responsibility of not just saying it but living it. We must not lead the children of Jesus Christ a stray. We must not cause one of these little ones in to sin. We all will beheld accountable for our action. We who have positions of authority in the Church from Bishops, Pastors, Elders, Deacons, to Sunday School Teachers, will be held accountable because of the knowledge of the Word of God and our personal relationship with God. The more authority the more accountability. Now let us address people in Civil authority. From the President of the USA to those in the Senate and in Congress. The Governor of our State to those in State Legislature. The Mayor of our City to those in City Council all will be held for their accountability. It goes back to the more authority the more accountability. Let us address those in power of making and interpreting the Law. From the U.S. Supreme Court Justices, to the State Supreme Court, to the local magistrate, the more authority the more accountability. We will all be held accountable for our actions but it will be different degrees. Let us understand something, sin is still sin. But we who are in power know better, thus we are held to a higher standing because of a higher calling. Those who are CEO s of companies and corporations will beheld accountable for their actions. They will be judged because of not taking care of the poor, the widows, and orphans. Those who do take care of them will be rewarded for their compassion and obeying God’s law. Because of their power they hold over people, they will be held accountable for their actions or lack of actions. The more authority the more accountability.
Heb 6:20 Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek. NIV
Jesus is the high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek and for those who have accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior are priest in the same order of Melchizedek. We are a Royal Priesthood because of Jesus Christ. That is a reason why you and I are called to be Holy. If we are not walking in righteousness and we are not striving to be holy we can not serve God. God says that we are to be holy because He is Holy. We are created in His Image. All God has wanted from the time that He called Israel into a mighty nation was for them to be a nation of priests. He still wants that today. He wants you and I to be that nation of priests, a Royal Priesthood. He wants us walking in Holiness.
When the priest entered the inner court, they would change from their regular clothes to their Holy Garments to serve the Lord. But first they would have to bath and cleans themselves with water to wait upon the Lord. The Priest garments would be made of linen not wool. They were to wear linen garments, linen undergarments, and linen turbans. Linen would not cause one to sweat. Thus, you would not stink and be an unpleasant smell before the Lord. Once they past through the outer court and entered the inner court and change into their priestly garment they were not allowed to go back out into the outer court and mingle with or wait on the people. When they waited on the Lord they were sanctified and holy. The Lord instructed them about being holy and about being common. If they went out into the outer court they must change their clothing. They most leave their priestly garments in the inner court. You and I most keep ourself holy. I am not saying we must be pious. No what I am saying that we must set an example by the way we live and the way we conduct our self whether it be at home or in public. We must separate what is holy vs what is common. We must show them. We must be the light.
The Lord is in the Most Holy Place. The reason it is called the Most Holy Place because that is where the Lord Jesus Christ lives and reins. But for right now the Most Holy Place is in you, because Jesus lives inside of you and I. But until that time comes you and I need to set and live a Godly example for the people around us. We need to remember that we are a Royal Priesthood after the order Melchizedek. We are called to be Holy. We are to worship and to serve the Living God.
God Bless
Receive the benediction.
Um 6:24-26 24 “‘”The LORD bless you and keep you; 25 the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; 26 the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.” ‘
Dennis

De 6:4 “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one!

Prov 15:4 4 The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life,but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.
NIV

There is mighty power in the tongue. There is creative power in the tongue. In the very beginning Gen 1:3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. NIV God spoke our very being into existence. All of creation was spoken into existence by God just saying let there be and there was and still is and still to come. There was not one thing created that God did not speak into existence. Since we are created in His image we have the same power that He has to move mountains into the sea if we have faith. That is why it is very important in what we say to people or what we speak over them. How would you feel if a person’s soul was committed to hell just by your tongue? That is what happens when we tell a person “go to hell.” Some of you might think that I am going a little overboard but that is the reason why we must guard our tongue. We must be careful in what we say or what we speak over people. How many people’s destiny has been shaped or formed by what their parents have said over them. For example; “You won’t amount to anything. Your no good How come you’re so dumb? You’re so ugly.” When you and I speak negative words over our children and speak negative words over people you and I release curses over them. But when you and I speak positive words over our children and we speak positive words over people we are speaking blessings over them. For example; You are so smart. You are so beautiful. Do you know that you are a blessing from God and we love you? Do you know that you are created in the image of God. God has a plan for you. When you pray out loud you release the creative power of God to move in your life. When you pray out loud, you release the creative power of God to move in other people’s life.

God made a covenant with Abraham Gen 15:9-10 9 So the LORD said to him, “Bring me a heifer, a goat and a ram, each three years old, along with a dove and a young pigeon.” NIV God gave instructions by speaking them. Gen 17:9 Then God said to Abraham, “As for you, you must keep my covenant, you and your descendants after you for the generations to come. NIV When God spoke it was for blessings, for instructions, or for encouragement. Ex 4:6-8 6 Then the LORD said, “Put your hand inside your cloak.” So Moses put his hand into his cloak, and when he took it out, it was leprous, like snow. 7 “Now put it back into your cloak,” he said. So Moses put his hand back into his cloak, and when he took it out, it was restored, like the rest of his flesh. NIV What I mean by encouragement is that God wanted to show Moses that He was with him and there wasn’t anything impossible for Him to do. That He was going to go before him and He would deliver them from the bondage of Pharaoh. Ex 33:1 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Leave this place, you and the people you brought up out of Egypt, and go up to the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your descendants. NIV We should take our example after God. By the power of the tongue or in other words by the words we speak we are to uplift, encourage, and edify the people around us and for our self too. God will give us the words to speak to uplift, to encourage, and to edify. Isa 50:4 The Sovereign LORD has given me an instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. NIV
Blessings were passed from to generation to generation. Gen 27:25-29 26 Then his father Isaac said to him, “Come here, my son, and kiss me.” 27 So he went to him and kissed him. When Isaac caught the smell of his clothes, he blessed him and said, “Ah, the smell of my son is like the smell of a field that the LORD has blessed. 28 May God give you of heaven’s dew and of earth’s richness–an abundance of grain and new wine. 29 May nations serve you and peoples bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers,and may the sons of your mother bow down to you. May those who curse you be cursed and those who bless you be blessed.” NIV There is so much power in the tongue. There is so much power that we don’t understand it. People are saved and set free just by the Gospel being preached and people hearing it. Even today blessings are passed down from generation to generation. We as parents are to bless our children.
We can bring curses upon our self and on our family members by the words we speak. We can even speak death over ourselves. Ps 5:9 Not a word from their mouth can be trusted; their heart is filled with destruction. Their throat is an open grave; with their tongue they speak deceit. NIV Jer 9:8 Their tongue is a deadly arrow; it speaks with deceit. We can bring death to our self by telling lies and what is worse is by believing those lies.
Prov 18:21 The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit. NIV What Solomon was saying what we speak is what we are going to receive. Those who love life will enjoy life because of what they speak and by what they say. For example; When people ask my wife, Hazel, and I “how are you today” we answer “Blessed.” Because we know we walk in God’s blessings. His word says that we are blessed. By our mouth we confess and we speak into existence what God’s word says. We speak life into our life. We speak health and healing into our life. By confessing what the word of God says in the Bible we speak and we pray the word into our life. We release God’s written and His spoken word in to our lives. We confess our sins and we ask for forgiveness for our sins. By speaking God’s words we allow the Holy Spirit to move in our lives’ by faith and that God hears our prayers.
We must praise God for what He is doing in our life’s. Ps 16:9-10 9 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, 10 because you will not abandon me to the grave, NIV We must praise Him by the spoken word from mouth. NIV Ps 66:17 I cried out to him with my mouth; his praise was on my tongue. NIV We must praise Him by singing about His greatness and His love. By praising with our tongue, we remember where our help comes from and we give thanks.
The psalmist gives instructions of how to live a long life. Ps 34:12-13 12 Whoever of you loves life
and desires to see many good days, 13 keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies. NIV Solomon gives instructions on how to avoid sinning by controlling our tongue and the words that we speak. Prov 10:19 When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise. NIV I know that it is hard to walk away and say nothing even in an argument but a gentle word avoids a fight. Prov 15:1 A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. NIV We can even avoid calamity or another words an accident by guarding what we say because we don’t even want to speak what we are thinking under our breath or say it quietly to our self. Prov 21:23 He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity. NIV That is how much power in a spoken word.
I think James 3:3- 10 says it all in the nut shell. 3 When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. 4 Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. 5 Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. 7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, 8 but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. NIV We can put bits in a horses mouth to control them but we can’t even control our own tongue or the words that come out of our mouth. But we can work at it and ask the Holy Spirit to help us. We are instructed to work at controlling our tongue. Thus we will avoid arguments, confrontation, fights, and wars. It says that boats are steered by a small rudder, don’t you know that your destiny and my destiny are set by our tongue. By the words that we confess and we speak we set the Holy Spirit moving in our behave. We can either walk in God’s blessings and salvation or we can walk in curses and a life bond for hell. It is true we bless and praise God and out of the same mouth with the same tongue we curse man or in other words we curse God because man is made in His image or likeness
I do know this much that every knee shall bow and every tongue will confess and give an account of himself. We give an account for the words that came out of mouth. The words may be words of blessings and encouragement. They may be words for curses and for tearing down, but we will give an account of our self. Rom 14:10-12 10 You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. 11 It is written: “‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow before me; every tongue will confess to God.’” 12 So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God. NIV Let us choose our words wisely.

Now receive God’s blessing.

Num 6:24-27 24 “The LORD bless you and keep you; 25 the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; 26 the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.” 27 “So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.” NIV This blessing is for you also.

Dennis

De 6:4 “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one!

Matt 18:21-35
21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?” 22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. 23 “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like…

a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. 25 Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt. 26 “The servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ 27 The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. 28 “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded. 29 “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’ 30 “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. 31 When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened. 32 “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33 Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ 34 In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. 35 “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.” NIV

We have Peter coming to Jesus and asking, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jewish law says that one only has to forgive his brother twice. Peter is saying look a what a good Jew or what a good person I am. Look how great I am because I will forgive my brother seven times. But Jesus comes back and tells him a different answer. 22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. Jesus wants you and I to go farther than what man’s law or what religion says we must do. He want us to walk in forgiveness, Why? Because He knows what unforgiveness will do to a person. How unforgiveness will effect ones health, how unforgiveness will effect your relationship with your spouse and with another person, and more importantly how it will effect your relationship with God the Father.
Because of unforgiveness Satan will build upon that sin and he will whisper more lies into your head. You wouldn’t be able to sleep at night because you keep playing over and over the conversation in your mind. Thus, your immune system gets out of balance and sickness can set in because of the lack of a deep sleep. You can not shut down your thoughts at night because you plot about getting even with the person who has hurt you. Because of the hurt and internal pain, one does not sleep at night. If you are married and you don’t forgive your spouse of their sin committed against you, the pain will just keep on growing and growing. The Bible says that the relationship is doomed.
When a person sins against you, and another person sins against you that hurt will build upon another and another. Now that hurt becomes a sore. This sore now becomes infected and cancerous. Now your body is sick and contagious. All you want to do is to react to the hurt. When you speak poison comes out in your words and out in your actions. All you want to do is to hurt and to kill anything and everything around you. The only person that you hurt and kill is your self.
Because of sin God can not hear your prayer Do you know that unforgiveness effects your relationship with the Holy Spirit. Unforgiveness grieves the Holy Spirit, and thus keeps the Holy Spirit form moving in your life. When you die the sin of unforgiveness will keep you from entering heaven. There will be no sinners in Heaven. When you walk in unforgiveness and you refuse to forgive you will allow a spirit of bitterness to enter into your life. You open yourself to tormenting spirits.
Satan is out to destroy the marriage and the family unit as we know it as today. Satan knows that marriage and children pleases the heart of the Father. He knows that when the husband and wife prays together that there is power in their prayer. That when a family comes together to study His Word, to pray, and to worship God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit there is exploding power. This is the kind of power that moves heaven and earth. We come united with one heart and one purpose to do the will of the Father.
Satan knows that if he can keep us fighting and bickering in the Church he has us defeated. That is why he wants you and I to be walking in unforgiveness towards one another in the Church. He knows that if we would become more forgiving and walking in love towards one another and toward the people around us the Church would explode in the power of the Holy Spirit. We would come together with one heart, one Spirit, and one mind. We who call ourself the Church of the Living Christ need to come together and cross denominational barriers. We need to unite as the body of Christ. Thus, we would supply all the needs to the body. We would get souls saved for the kingdom of God. We would be able to move in love and power of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus gives us this parable about king. 23 “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. 25 Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt. 26 “The servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ 27 The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. 28 “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded. 29 “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’ 30 “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. 31 When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened. 32 “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33 Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ 34 In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. 35 “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.” NIV God the Father is king in this story. God is full of love, grace, and mercy. He is ready to forgive us of our sin. You and I forget that we sin and we hurt Him. When we sin we hurt Him and the Lord Jesus Christ. They are ready to forgive us when we hurt them but we are not ready to forgive others when they hurt us. Therefore we need to put on the mind of Christ We need to look at our brothers and sisters in Christ and those who are around us with eyes of God. We need to see them as the Father sees them. We need to walk in forgiveness, grace, and mercy. We need to walk in the love of Christ. Maybe you might be the one who has hurt someone. You need to ask them to forgive you. You need to ask the Father in Heaven to forgive you. Then you need to forgive yourself. Right now you are the one that is hurt and in pain because someone has hurt you by their words and by their action. Time has passed and the pain now has become so great that you don’t know where to begin. You don’t know how to forgive and the pain is so great that it seems like forty pound weight is on your chest. You start with a very simple prayer, and when you pray, pray from a sincere heart. Father help me to forgive those that have hurt me and used me. Get ready because God is going to peel you like an onion. Layer after layer will come off until He gets to the core of your heart. That forty pound weight has now been lifted off your chest. Now God can bring healing to your spirit, mind, and body.
When we walk in the Spirit of forgiveness and we practice the act of forgiving it will become easier and easier to forgive. Thus, when somebody offends you and sins against you it will become almost automatic coming out of your mouth “Father forgive them for they do not know what they do. Father Bless them and watch over them.” Because now you and I are walking in the Spirit of forgiveness and reconciliation. By asking and allowing God to forgive those who hurt us we now give Him permission to move in our life. We also allow God to move in the person who committed the sin. Thus, we allow God to bless us and to bless them also. Go in peace.

Now receive the benediction.
Num 6:24-26 24 “‘”The LORD bless you and keep you; 25 the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; 26 the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.” ‘
Dennis

She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.” 22 “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said to them. “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?” “We can,” they answered. 23 Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father.” 24 When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers. 25 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 26 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave- 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” NIV
When one looks at this piece of scripture one can see that even in Jesus’ day there was a rivalry going on among them, a division among his followers and his disciples. He even had disciples struggling for position and recognition . Who was going to sit at his right side? Who was going to sit at his left? Everybody wanted a seat of importance. May be they wanted to boast of their importance among themselves. They wanted to climb the ladder of success and man made achievements. To believe it started with a mother, why does that not surprise me. Even in Jesus’ time parents were trying to give their children a leg up. What I mean is that you have parents today trying to make sure that their children go to the best Daycare Center, the best High School, and the best College. Why? To become somebody of importance? To be able to brag among their friends about their children’s achievements, look how great my child is. Maybe they are afraid if their child does not succeed it will be a reflection on themselves? I don’t know? But lets get back to the scripture message. What bothers me that the sons of Zebedee didn’t have the courage to ask Him for themselves. May be that they didn’t feel worthy to ask Him for themselves? May be they were afraid of the answer that they might receive? May be they were afraid of the response from the other disciples? I don’t know? Could it have been that the brothers talked among themselves and their mother was present and she decided to take it upon herself ask Him? May be she felt that Jesus would not refuse her because she was a mother. I don’t know? One thing we do know is that they were present when she asked Him. Because in vs 22 “”You don’t know what you are asking,””Jesus said to them. “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?” “We can,” they answered.”” What they fell to understand and realize that all the disciples were worthy to drink from that cup. That cup was the cup of bitterness and a martyrs death. But in return they found salvation and a resurrected life in Christ. They gave their life for the cause.
The ten disciples did find out about what was asked of Jesus by the sons of Zebedee’s mother. They were upset with the two brothers and I wouldn’t be surprised if they did shun them a little. It wouldn’t surprise me that they were a little rude and a little mean to them. But Jesus stepped in and took control of the situation. Jesus has taught us by example that we are to reconcile one to another and one to Him. 25 “Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 26 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave-” He basically said we are going to do it a little different then how the gentiles do it. We are not going to do it how the world does it. In other words we who are in control or in power are not going to oppress the poor, the widows, the orphans. or the stranger. We are going to show a different way. Better than show, we are going to be an example in how we are to treat one another. Jesus said, “whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant.” Now that is a new twist on becoming great. Now one must humble him or her self and become a servant to one another and a servant to the world. Boy now that is radical thinking and teaching. We are not going to be just servants in the Church body but in our work place too. We just don’t work for our employer but we really work for Jesus and we are a representative of Jesus Christ. Now, Jesus has taken the concept of being great a step farther. 27 “and whoever wants to be first must be your slave- 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”” Now who wants to be first must now become a slave. There are two ways in which one could become a slave in Jesus’ time. One was sold into slavery when one could not pay his or her debt. That person or even his whole family could be sold into slavery. They had to work until the debt was paid or until a certain time period was served. The other way was the person sold himself into slavery or in other words he or she became a bond servant. Once he sold himself into slavery as a bond servant he was bound for life. One would place his ear to the door post and a sharp object pierced the ear lob. Then an earring was placed in the ear and one served his master for life.
Nothing has changed, we have people in the Church and outside the Church, who want to be great and powerful. We have people trying to climb the corporate ladder of success. We have ministers who want to feel important and look powerful. We have people who are in the Church who are trying to impress the people around them by how many committees they serve on. They will backbite and destroy the people around them. They will hurt or even kill the people they are trying to serve. Let me give you a radical challenge and a radical thought, let’s get back to the teaching of Jesus. First, can we drink the cup that Jesus’ drank? The answer is yes! If you have accepted Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior, then you can and you will drink from His cup. You and I will be persecuted for our beliefs. But here is the neat part, we will also partake in His resurrection. Isn’t that great? Now who among you wants to be great? If you answered I do, than here is your challenge. You must become a servant among the people around you. You must become a servant at home, at work, and at Church. You will become a servant to the world for Jesus. You must become a servant or even a slave in the Church that you attend. That means there will be no lime light or spot light. There will be no reward or recognition of your achievements on earth but think about the rewards recorded in Heaven. Believe me the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit is keeping a accurate record of what you and I are doing or not doing. I am not trying to promote works but what I am promoting is faith put into action. Their will be no plaque or pen with your name on it but there will be a crown in heaven with jewels of service and souls won to Jesus. We will lay our crown down at feet of Jesus and worship Him.
I challenge you, do as my wife. as some of my friends, and I have done. Take up the servant’s yoke or the yoke of Jesus’. See yourself placing it around your neck and locking it in place. Take the steps that you need to sell yourself wholly to Jesus and to no one else. Remember He already brought you and I with a price. That price was His death on the Cross for our sins. Better yet see yourself placing your ear against the door post and allowing the ear to be pierced as a bond servant. Also allow your heart to be circumcise or pierced to the very core. Come let us serve our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ. Not so that we will become great or we will take the seat on His left or on His right. But because He is our example. He is our Lord. Remember Jesus didn’t come to be served but to serve and give His life as a ransom for many. I don’t know about you but I don’t want to be first. I just want to see souls won to Jesus. Let us give our life freely in the service of our Lord. I want to see people worship Him. I mean truly worship Him. Thats another message with in it’s self. May God Bless you and may the Holy Spirit indwell with in you. Now receive the benediction.
Num 6:24-26 24 “‘”The LORD bless you and keep you; 25 the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; 26 the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.” ‘
Dennis

of the Law in the temple of the LORD.” He gave it to Shaphan. 16 Then Shaphan took the book to the king and reported to him: “Your officials are doing everything that has been committed to them. 17 They have paid out the money that was in the temple of the LORD and have entrusted it to the supervisors and workers.” 18 Then Shaphan the secretary informed the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” And Shaphan read from it in the presence of the king. 19 When the king heard the words of the Law, he tore his robes. 20 He gave these orders to Hilkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Abdon son of Micah, Shaphan the secretary and Asaiah the king’s attendant: 21 “Go and inquire of the LORD for me and for the remnant in Israel and Judah about what is written in this book that has been found. Great is the LORD’s anger that is poured out on us because our fathers have not kept the word of the LORD; they have not acted in accordance with all that is written in this book.” 22 Hilkiah and those the king had sent with him went to speak to the prophetess Huldah, who was the wife of Shallum son of Tokhath, the son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem, in the Second District. 23 She said to them, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Tell the man who sent you to me, 24′This is what the LORD says: I am going to bring disaster on this place and its people-all the curses written in the book that has been read in the presence of the king of Judah. 25 Because they have forsaken me and burned incense to other gods and provoked me to anger by all that their hands have made, my anger will be poured out on this place and will not be quenched.’ 26 Tell the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the LORD, ‘This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says concerning the words you heard: 27 Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before God when you heard what he spoke against this place and its people, and because you humbled yourself before me and tore your robes and wept in my presence, I have heard you, declares the LORD. 29 Then the king called together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. 30 He went up to the temple of the LORD with the men of Judah, the people of Jerusalem, the priests and the Levities-all the people from the least to the greatest. He read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant, which had been found in the temple of the LORD. 31 The king stood by his pillar and renewed the covenant in the presence of the LORD-to follow the LORD and keep his commands, regulations and decrees with all his heart and all his soul, and to obey the words of the covenant written in this book.
32 Then he had everyone in Jerusalem and Benjamin pledge themselves to it; the people of Jerusalem did this in accordance with the covenant of God, the God of their fathers. 33 Josiah removed all the detestable idols from all the territory belonging to the Israelites, and he had all who were present in Israel serve the LORD their God. As long as he lived, they did not fail to follow the LORD, the God of their fathers. NIV
De 6:4 “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one!”

The Book of the Law of the Lord deals with the first five Books of the Old Testament. They were given to Moses by God. Moses put them to pen and scroll to record them for all of mankind. When Moses was off alone with God, God would talk to him and give him instructions. Moses recorded his conversations with God and the journey of the Hebrew children in the wilderness of sin. It is a recorded history of their journey from Egypt to the promise land. The Book of the Law was the Bible for them just as the Old and New Testament is the Bible for us today. The Book of the Law gave instructions in how one was to live with man to God and man to man. This Book told about ones heritage, ones history, ones promises,and ones covenants. God made covenants with man for mankind’s sake, and He gave instruction of how to receive blessings and how to avoid curses. Just think that The Book of Law had not been read or used for a long period of time. How would that affect that generation of people? How would that affect the morality of that generation and for the generations to come? Does it seem like somehow, somewhere we have misplaced our Bible? Is there much importance placed today on reading the Word of God? How about living by the word of God? The sad part for some people is that their Bible is not hidden, it is just sitting right in front of them on their coffee table. They just don’t see the importance or the benefits of reading and studying the word of God. I don’t know why they chose to do that. Where is your Bible? Let’s take the time to dust it off and read a little of it today.
I need to back up and touch on this piece of scripture.2 Chron 34:1111“They also gave money to the carpenters and builders to purchase dressed stone, and timber for joists and beams for the buildings that the kings of Judah had allowed to fall into ruin.” NIV
Joshia repaired the temple with new cut stones and timber for joists and beams. Is your temple in need of repair? This is a type and shadow for in this verse, the cut stones represents the words of Jesus Christ and the timber for joists represents prayer and fasting, and the timber for support beams represents praise and worship. I know in the last two messages, that I really been pushing for us to read more and to pray more. We need to have a stronger relationship with God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. The reason for this is because as time goes on our economy will get more out of whack. Things will get a little more uncertain. The only thing that will give you hope and peace is your relationship with Jesus. By reading more and praying more you will have strengthen yourself and enriched yourself in the word of God. You will have built your house on the rock and not on the sand.
vs 18 “Then Shaphan the secretary informed the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” And Shaphan read from it in the presence of the king. 19 When the king heard the words of the Law, he tore his robes. 20 He gave these orders to Hilkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Abdon son of Micah, Shaphan the secretary and Asaiah the king’s attendant: 21 “Go and inquire of the LORD for me and for the remnant in Israel and Judah about what is written in this book that has been found. Great is the LORD’s anger that is poured out on us because our fathers have not kept the word of the LORD; they have not acted in accordance with all that is written in this book.” 22 Hilkiah and those the king had sent with him went to speak to the prophetess Huldah, who was the wife of Shallum son of Tokhath, the son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem, in the Second District. 23 She said to them, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Tell the man who sent you to me, 24′This is what the LORD says: I am going to bring disaster on this place and its people-all the curses written in the book that has been read in the presence of the king of Judah. 25 Because they have forsaken me and burned incense to other gods and provoked me to anger by all that their hands have made, my anger will be poured out on this place and will not be quenched.’ 26 Tell the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the LORD, ‘This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says concerning the words you heard: 27 Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before God when you heard what he spoke against this place and its people, and because you humbled yourself before me and tore your robes and wept in my presence, I have heard you, declares the LORD. 29 Then the king called together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. 30 He went up to the temple of the LORD with the men of Judah, the people of Jerusalem, the priests and the Levites-all the people from the least to the greatest. He read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant, which had been found in the temple of the LORD. 31 The king stood by his pillar and renewed the covenant in the presence of the LORD-to follow the LORD and keep his commands, regulations and decrees with all his heart and all his soul, and to obey the words of the covenant written in this book. ” The Book of Law was hidden or laid aside. Therefore, The Law has not been read and the covenants were not kept by man for a period of time. When the Law was read it still had the power to convict and cause Josiah and the others to repent. Just as today the Word of God still has the power to convict and to cause one to repent. The Word of God has not lost it power nor has it lost its promise for mankind. God has always has kept a remnant for himself from the beginning of time until today. A remnant is a person or a body of people who kept themselves Holy who had not bent their knees to worship Baal or Satan. If you go back to Genesis you have Able and Seth. Then you have Jezebel trying to kill Elijah, Elijah finds a remnant of one hundred prophets fifty prophets in two caves. When you read the Book of Revelation you find that God has a remnant there too.
Josiah sent some attendant to inquire about the meaning for what was written in the Law. They came to a prophetess named, Huldah, . She informed them what God had planned for the nation of Israel. That because of the sins of the fathers, God was going to bring disasters and the curses written in the book on to the people and on to the land. But because you, King Josiah, repented for the sins of your fathers and wept before me I have changed my mind. In America and through out the world today, God has kept a remnant for Himself. They have been praying and interceding for the sins of the fathers. They have been holding back the wrath of God. They have been holding back the judgment of God on our nation. We as nation and we as a world of believers need to be praying and seeking forgiveness for our sins and for our fathers’ sins. God is not pleased with the sins of the fathers.
The King called all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. He went to the Temple of the Lord and read to all the people, to the elders, to the priests, to the Levities, and to the common people. He renewed the covenant in the presence of the Lord- to follow the Word and the decrees with all his heart and soul. He also pledge to obey the words of the covenant written in this book. Then he had all the people to pledge also to renewal the covenant with the God of their fathers. The reason for all the people to be gathered together the elders, the priest, the Levites, and the common people was, because then no one could deny that they didn’t know or they didn’t hear. Just as today no one can deny that they didn’t hear about Jesus or they didn’t accept Him as Lord and Savior. We are all called to a place of accountability for our walk and for our life. There will come a time when we die and come before the Great White Throne of Judgment, that Jesus will say go away I don’t know you or He will say come on in my good and faithful servant. Josiah sparked one of the greatest revivals in the history of the nation of Israel. We need to spark a revival in America and in the world as a whole. We will be held accountable for our action. Let’s pray for a revival in America and across the world. Lord Jesus start with me and my household. Please now receive the benediction.

Num 6:24-26 24 “‘”The LORD bless you and keep you; 25 the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; 26 the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.” ‘
Amen and Amen
Dennis

he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of high places, Asherah poles, carved idols and cast images. 4 Under his direction the altars of the Baals were torn down; he cut to pieces the incense altars that were above them, and smashed the Asherah poles, the idols and the images. These he broke to pieces and scattered over the graves of those who had sacrificed to them. 5 He burned the bones of the priests on their altars, and so he purged Judah and Jerusalem. 6 In the towns of Manasseh, Ephraim and Simeon, as far as Naphtali, and in the ruins around them, 7 he tore down the altars and the Asherah poles and crushed the idols to powder and cut to pieces all the incense altars throughout Israel. Then he went back to Jerusalem. 8 In the eighteenth year of Josiah’s reign, to purify the land and the temple, he sent Shaphan son of Azaliah and Maaseiah the ruler of the city, with Joah son of Joahaz, the recorder, to repair the temple of the LORD his God.
9 They went to Hilkiah the high priest and gave him the money that had been brought into the temple of God, which the Levites who were the doorkeepers had collected from the people of Manasseh, Ephraim and the entire remnant of Israel and from all the people of Judah and Benjamin and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 10 Then they entrusted it to the men appointed to supervise the work on the LORD’s temple. These men paid the workers who repaired and restored the temple. 11 They also gave money to the carpenters and builders to purchase dressed stone, and timber for joists and beams for the buildings that the kings of Judah had allowed to fall into ruin. 12 The men did the work faithfully. Over them to direct them were Jahath and Obadiah, Levites descended from Merari, and Zechariah and Meshullam, descended from Kohath. The Levites-all who were skilled in playing musical instruments- 13 had charge of the laborers and supervised all the workers from job to job. Some of the Levites were secretaries, scribes and doorkeepers.”
NIV
It says that Josiah was eight years old when he became king, that he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. He walked in the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left. When Josiah turned 16 years old, he started seeking the God of his fathers. In the beginning of his reign, one must conclude that Josiah must have received some form of training and teaching about his God. Those that surrounded him, gave him council and advice. They knew God and they brought him up in the ways of Him. It is a funny thing when one starts looking for God one usually finds Him. They must of trained him in how to be a King too. At the age of 20 Josiah started to tear down the shrines, the alters of the false gods that his forefathers allowed to be put up and practiced and worship. He tore them down and took the ash and scattered the ash over the graves of those who sacrificed to them. He went even as far as burning the bones of the priest on their altars to purge the sins of the people and the sins of the priest from the land. He tore down the altars of Baal. He crushed the idols to powder and cut to pieces all the incense altars throughout Israel. Josiah took personal responsibility for the cleansing of the land and the temple. Josiah didn’t send somebody else to do it, but he saw that the job was done. When he turned 26 years old he sent people and money to see about the repair of the temple of the Lord his God.
Do you know that God is not a respecter of person and He doesn’t care how old you are to reveal Himself to you. Look at Josiah, he was only eight years old when God started revealing Himself to him. All I know is that God wants to talk to you and I. I want to take the time to challenge you about your faith, your Christian walk, and your relationship with God. How many of us can say that we have a personal relationship with God? That we can call the Lord of Heaven and Earth our own personal God. He is not your mama’s God. He is not your daddy’s God. You can not depend on their personal relationship to get you to heaven. He needs to be your personal God. To have a personal relationship with God takes a little work, a little time, and a little sacrifice. To find God may take a little more time in prayer, a little more time studying His Word, and a commitment to a life altering life style change. To start out with one must know Jesus Christ as his or her Savior. Lets say that you don’t know Jesus or you don’t know if you are even saved. Please lets take the time to solve this situation. Just repeat this prayer and repent of your sins. To repent means to turn away from or make a 180 degree change in your life style. Let us pray. Dear Jesus, “I know that I am a sinner and I ask that you forgive me of my sins. I repent for my wrong doings and I ask you to come into my life and into my heart. I make you Lord of my life. I thank you that you are my Lord and Savior. I thank you for dieing for me.” If you prayed this prayer you now need to tell someone that you have accepted Christ as your Lord and Savior. If you live in a third world country and this may cause you harm tell it to another Christian whom you can trust and rejoice with you.
Now that we have that base covered let’s move on. I want you and I in the year 2008 make a conscience decision to read our Bible more. Let’s make an effort to pray more and allow God have His time in the conversation. Let us take time to hear that small still voice. Let the Holy Spirit lead and direct us. The reason I want to encourage you to do this is because I am afraid that from some of the pulpits we are getting a watered down theology. The word of God is not allowed to take it’s place in the house of God. Therefore we need to have a stronger or deeper knowledge of the word of God. We need to examine the Bible to know what does God say about this and that. You and I need to look in our heart and in our life to see where we may have allowed some idols to come in. We need to examine and see if we have built any alters for false gods. If we have built any alters or have allowed any idols to creep in, then we need to be like Josiah and we need to tear them down, crush them up into powder and scatter the ashes over the ground. Then we need to repent and ask Jesus to let His blood cover us and to cleans us to make us whole. We are accountable for our action and for our Christian walk. We need to judge ourself so that God doesn’t have to. The reason I am trying to encourage you to do all of this is because the people that I have been talking to believe that we are in the last days before the second coming of Christ. I believe this too. It’s not just believe but we know that we are getting closer for that great event to happen. I know that no man knows the hour or the day but one can know and discern the seasons. Matt 16:2-3 2 “He replied, “When evening comes, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,’ 3 and in the morning, ‘Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.” Mark 13:3-8 13 “As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John and Andrew asked him privately, 4 “Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are all about to be fulfilled?” 5 Jesus said to them: “Watch out that no one deceives you. 6 Many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and will deceive many. 7 When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 8 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains. Mark 13:23-37 23 ”So be on your guard; I have told you everything ahead of time. 24 “But in those days, following that distress, “‘the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; 25 the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’ 26 “At that time men will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. 27 And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens. 28 “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. 29 Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that it is near, right at the door. 30 I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. 31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. 32 “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. 34 It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with his assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch. 35 “Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back-whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. 36 If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. 37 What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’” “ NIV
Just as Josiah took personal responsibility in cleansing the land and the temple, we too must take personal responsibility for cleansing ourselves, for cleansing our land, and for cleansing our church. I want to you to have a strong relationship with God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. I want you to be able to say with confidence my God and know that He is your God. I know this may sound stupid or even a little crazy but I would like for to say “My God”, “ My God.” The reason I want you to do this is because you need to take ownership, and to personify and make this a personal relationship with Him. For in Jer 24:6-7 “says I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the LORD. They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me with all their heart.” NIV I want you and I to be walking in boldness, confidence, and humility because I want God to heal our land and our hearts also. 2 Chron 7:13-1413 “When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, 14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” NIV Just as Josiah brought healing to the land and he purified the temple. I want God the Father to do the same for us.
When Josiah sent money for the restoration and the repair of the temple, he found the workers and laborers to be faithful in their work. He also found the doorkeepers, ones skilled in playing musical instruments, secretaries, and scribes going about their business. The point I am trying to make is that you and I need to be going about our Fathers’ business in the Churches that we attend. You and I need to be taking an active role in serving in the House of God. We need to pray and ask God to show us where we can serve Him in His house. For example you could be a greeter, host or hostess, intercessor, Sunday School teacher, janitor, or you can go around and make strangers feel welcomed and loved. You could sing in the choir and if you are real bold sing a solo. The possibilities are endless. Just make yourself available and let God lead you and use you. Because I want to hear the Lord God say well done my good and faithful servant and I want you to be able to hear the same. Please now receive the benediction.

Num 6:24-26 24 “‘”The LORD bless you and keep you; 25 the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; 26 the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.” ‘
Amen and Amen
Dennis

Therefore I am not afraid. I pray your spirit would bare witness to the truth of the Word of Jesus Christ. He has risen with power in His wings of healing to confound the wicked. He has marked us with His presence of The person of The precious Holy Spirit. I shall not deny Him. He walks with me. In His presence, do I walk and have my being. He is my provision, my portion, my peace, my all. I am content with Him. My life is full. I Know where I have been and where I am going. I trust Him, for He careth for me. He hides me under the shadow of of His wings. I am not afraid. For I soar with my Lord. The earth is my bed, the sky is my blanket, He cares for me. He goes out before me. He is there where ever I go. Again He cares for me. When I am asleep, He is there ministering to me. Oh, He is precious, I love Him so. “Come”…. He says, “come into my Holy place. Speak, for my ears are ready to hear the sweetness of your heart. Come sweetly, come softly. I am ready for you to worship me. Ask of me and I will give thee the desires of thine heart. Death has no sting because I am near. Hovering, singing, being so dear.” I love you Holy Spirit. I cling to your voice. Draw close to me so I can hear your soft gentle whispers oh so clear. I hunger for you in the quietness, oh Holy Spirit come draw near. I feel your presence. You are right here. In the quietness you are so dear. I honor you. My Holy one clothed in righteousness. Showered in glory, arrayed in splendor. Bright is the day when you are here.

It is time for you and I to put the right perspective on Christmas. We are celebrating a holiday in which we give gifts and we expect to receive gifts. But at the time of Jesus’ birth the wise men brought gifts to honor his birth and they expected nothing in return but just to be able to stand before him. Just to bask in his glory and his purity of a simple birth. They came to honor and to respect him as the Messiah. What do you bring to him to honor his birth? Have you gave him your heart? Have you gave him obedience to his words and by living as his example? What have you gave to him and what do you expect in return? I want to drive something home. We have everything to give but we have no right to expect anything in return. Why should we celebrate this wonderful Holy day. It is like a math equation, A+B+C+D=E. A is the birth of Christ, Bis the life of Christ, C is the death Christ, D is the resurrection of Christ, and E is our gift of salvation. If one part is missing then the rest of the equation is false. We should celebrate the birth in which we receive his gift of salvation. By celebrating this wonderful miracle we give honor to his birth. By celebrating this birth we say thanks for what he has done for you and I. By giving gifts to people in need and expect nothing in return we can put the love back into Christmas.

I want to take a different approach or a different way at looking at the birth of Christ. I want to approach it from the aspect of kinsman redeemer.

REDEEMER

(See RANSOM). Redeem, Hebrew padhah and ga’al. The go’eel, nearest of kin, had three rights: (1) To purchase back the forfeited inheritance for an Israelite who, through poverty, had sold his land; as Boaz (= might in him; the name of one of the two temple pillars; type of Christ) did for Ruth (Ruth 4:3-5); or to hold land in possession for an impoverished kinsman until the year of jubilee, when it should revert to the original owner (Lev 25:10,13-16,24-28). Antitypically, man the heir of all things bartered his magnificent birthright for vanity; Christ, by assuming our manhood, became our go’eel, and saved us from being disinherited forever (Heb 2:9-15); the full restoration of the inheritance is to be at “the times of restitution of all things” (Acts 3:21; Matt 19:28), the grand last jubilee (Isa 61:2-4); ushered in, as the Israelite jubilee, with the great trumpet (Rev 11:15; 1 Cor 15:52; 1 Thess 4:16; Isa 27:13). (2) The go’eel ransomed his kinsman from bondage to the foreigner (Lev 25:47-49).

(from Fausset’s Bible Dictionary, Electronic Database Copyright (c)1998 by Biblesoft)

A kinsman redeemer by definition had to be the nearest kin in which they had obligation or a responsibility to help make it right. They had the right to purchase back a forfeited inheritance because the one in debt had to sell his land. One had to sell his family into slavery to pay off a debt. The kinsman redeemer could purchase the debt. He then would hold the land in possession until the year of jubilee or the year of Golden Jubilee or the debt was paid off. Then he restores the property back to rightful owners at that time. If one sells themselves or family members in to slavery a kinsman redeemer has an obligation to purchases their debt and that person serves that person as a slave until the debt is paid off or jubilee.

You and I were sold into slavery or into bondage at the fall of Adam. We fell into the bondage of sin. There was no way that we could be set free. There was no way that we could be redeemed. The blood of sheep, goat, ox, or dove could not set us free. No one nor no thing could pay the price to set us free from the bondage of sin. We needed a kinsman redeemer to purchase our debt of sin. That kinsman was Jesus. He purchased your sin and my sin by hanging on the cross. He purchased your freedom and my freedom by shedding of his blood. You and I have received the gift of salvation. We come together to celebrate the birth of our Lord. We come together to celebrate the birth of our King. We come to celebrate the birth or our kinsman redeemer. Jesus is all of that and we come to celebrate the birth of our brother. That is the reason that we put the mas back into Christmas. We need to share the love of Christ and to give thanks for what he has done for us.

Remember that God is still in control and He is still the ruler over His creation. Satan the thief comes to steal, to kill, and to destroy. John 10: 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. NIV Satan has come to steal your joy and your strength but Jesus came so that you and I could have life and live it to the fullest. Satan used the greed of man to set all this into motion and to surmise the down fall of our economy and the world’s economy also. God allowed this to happen so that you and I would draw closer to Him. Satan uses fear to cripple us and he wants us to worry about the future. He also wants us to worry about tomorrow.
Luke 12:27-32 27 “Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 28 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! 29 And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. 30 For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31 But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. 32 “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. NIV You and I need to keep our focus on God the Father. We need to keep running towards the prize and that is Jesus Christ. We need to put our trust in Jesus and not in man. Satan wants us to walk in fear. The fear of the unknown, the fear about tomorrow, and the fear of the uncertainty that is to come. When the spirit of fear comes in to our spiritual walk, it opens the door for the spirit of oppression to come upon us. From the spirit oppression lead to the spirit of depression and thus leads to the spirit of suicide in which the person takes their life because they have no hope. If you find yourself as one that has no hope call on the name of Jesus. Cry out to Him! Cry out Jesus! Satan comes to kill, steal, and destroy. Satan comes to steal our joy. Neh 8:10 Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.
NIV The joy of the Lord is our strength. That is the reason that we need to spend time in his word and time in prayer. We need to spend time with Jesus. One needs to be listening to Christian music and one needs to spend time enjoying the Book of Psalms. We need to be feeding our spirit man with the Good News instead of letting the Newspaper fill us with doom and gloom. Listening to the evening news report does nothing but feeds our fears. Turn to God for he is the source of your strength. Allow the Holy Spirit to come in like a flood and fill you up with his very presence. If God is for you who can be against you? Rom 8:31-32 31 What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all-how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? NIV No weapon formed against shall prosper. Trust is this God is for you. Stand confident that He wants the very best for you and I.