WHEN GOD PREACHED HIS NAME!

Matthew 5:8-10
8 Blessed are the pure in heart,
For they shall see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
For they shall be called sons of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
NKJV

Was meditating early this morning on what the Word will do for us. I was reflecting on the early days of our hiking experiences in being long on walking and sight-seeing in the forest and short on remembering to bring enough water or that snack for the child. It is always looking over the next horizon to get another look of maybe a place no man has walked or even cared about viewing. So many hike just to exercise today. But there was a day when people just wanted to explore and view nature in the moment of life and existence. 

The hallmark for some today is just to walk downtown Seattle and leave some gum on a wall. Saw recently that they had to hot pressure wash the wall for days to get all the decades of gum off, and yet they will allow more people to place their gum on that wall. What is the reason for that? If you know, please leave a comment. I truly welcome knowing why they do that. 

But back to the hiking in the Rocky Mountains, I remember finding water in a nearby stream. Had no objection in thought of taking a sip or two from it. I mean this place was some 50-75 miles out in the Rockies. It was called the long scenic hike. I thought what if we took but a small sip. We were thirsty, you know! But today, no thanks!

Oh my, you read all that is exploded into the atmosphere, and then droughts in some areas of the country, all I can only see is that wildlife huddling up along a dense thicket near a cool, running stream of water. I am sure they keep watch if it is drying up and considering moving on to another watering hole.   Of course, my thoughts I consider today is what is going on in and around the wildlife and what said wildlife might be depositing in the water. And I drank from that back to nature stream so many years ago! Yuck! In the 1980's they talked of the Giardia in that water. And today there are other things as well, like if you are visiting Hawaii, do not drink from their streams either. They have parasites!

 What do we consider safe? What do we look at that we are content with or satisfied with to stay with and continue doing? 

From Matthew 5 and verse 8 we find that the pure in heart, shall see God! I was brought back to the scripture of Moses fleeing into the wilderness when he jumped the gun so to speak, killed an Egyptian and fled for his life to live alone. Being raised an Egyptian, he was raised by all their standards of life and culture. In Exodus 2:11 we see Moses grown up and he goes out to see how his brethren are doing. 

Exodus 2:11-15

11 Now it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out to his brethren and looked at their burdens. And he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his brethren. 12 So he looked this way and that way, and when he saw no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. 13 And when he went out the second day, behold, two Hebrew men were fighting, and he said to the one who did the wrong, "Why are you striking your companion?" 14 Then he said, "Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you intend to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?" So Moses feared and said, "Surely this thing is known!" 15 When Pharaoh heard of this matter, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh and dwelt in the land of Midian; and he sat down by a well. 

NKJV

Yes, an unexpected hike out to the wilderness, but he found a well! Good deal, right? He has now moved from his biological family and from the adoptive family as well. He has moved from almost being destroyed as a child, to being hunted as a fugitive for doing what he thought was right in his own eyes, to living now among a new people. But that which God had placed in him was all the while still in effect and work in Moses. Read below.

Exodus 2:16-22

16 Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters. And they came and drew water, and they filled the troughs to water their father's flock. 17 Then the shepherds came and drove them away; but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock. 18 When they came to Reuel their father, he said, "How is it that you have come so soon today?" 19 And they said, "An Egyptian delivered us from the hand of the shepherds, and he also drew enough water for us and watered the flock." 20 So he said to his daughters, "And where is he? Why is it that you have left the man? Call him, that he may eat bread." 21 Then Moses was content to live with the man, and he gave Zipporah his daughter to Moses. 22 And she bore him a son, and he called his name Gershom; for he said, "I have been a stranger in a foreign land." 

NKJV

Then Moses was content to live with the man. In retrospect, was Moses already running from God? He could not live as the prince in Egypt.  We are told in Exodus 2 and verses 11-12 that he had gone to see the Hebrews of which that was his birthright. He looked on their burdens that they were in bondage to at the time. Yet, what was in his heart was not the way he actually dressed. Moses did not look like a Hebrew. Moses was dressed in that which looked like an Egyptian.  Verse 19 states................" the Egyptian delivered us from the hand of shepherds" and he drew water for them and for their flock. Moses had come to the rescue.

At this time, it was thought that there was little justice as those who delved into idolatry reveled in getting their own way. So too, at the well, those shepherds or those watering cattle probably came and anyone who might have been ahead of them OR first in line, were certainly driven away. The men or women who so produced the labor to get water into the troughs were used by those stronger and more able to use force. Yes, Moses now had another thought to contemplate. He had now had power over those who terrorized at the well! Though this stranger had come, shown up at a time when these daughters of Reuel certainly needed help, they tell their father everything when he questions them. It is then the father then asks his daughters where he the stranger was at? At the father's request Moses is welcomed to come and eat bread!

Exodus 3:1-12

3:1 Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian. And he led the flock to the back of the desert, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 And the Angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. So he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed. 3 Then Moses said, "I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush does not burn." 4 So when the LORD saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, "Moses, Moses!" And he said, "Here I am." 5 Then He said, "Do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground." 6 Moreover He said, "I am the God of your father--the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God. 

7 And the LORD said: "I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. 8 So I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites. 9 Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel has come to Me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. 10 Come now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt." 11 But Moses said to God, "Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?" 12 So He said, "I will certainly be with you. And this shall be a sign to you that I have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain." 

NKJV

Yes, a lot going on here. Moses has left the good life or what looked probably like the good life to some with servants, killed a man, ran to the wilderness, and now is tending sheep for his father-in-law, the priest of Midian. My thought here is when if ever, did they know Moses to be a Hebrew? It is certain God commanded him to go to Pharaoh, to bring the children of Israel out of Egypt. I wonder when did Moses change his clothing, his make-up and the hair-style. For the daughters of  Reuel (Jethro the Midianite), surely saw an EGYPTIAN.
The time in that wilderness area, probably caused him to change his clothes and hair, and become what God planned from the beginning.

We must remember that Moses was brought up to lead, and knew all the ins and outs of that government at the time. He had to face Pharaoh. He had " a mountain" before him.

Moses met destiny in the wilderness. He was called to lead a people who did not want to be led. They loved their meat, hated the wilderness and complained a lot!

Can you imagine leading someone who does not want to go? Can you imagine a million people all wanting to have their voice heard, and do not want to follow any one leader, but that which suits their own fancy?

Imagine now, a moment when you have followed God, obeyed His instructions and set to stay close to Him and hear like in verse 17 below: "Yes, I will do what you have asked, for you have certainly found favor with me, and you are my friend."

The turning point for Moses, is that moment when he saw God.

Exodus 33:12-23

12 Moses talked there with the Lord and said to him, "You have been telling me, 'Take these people to the Promised Land,' but you haven't told me whom you will send with me. You say you are my friend, and that I have found favor before you; 13 please, if this is really so, guide me clearly along the way you want me to travel so that I will understand you and walk acceptably before you. For don't forget that this nation is your people." 

14 And the Lord replied, "I myself will go with you and give you success." 

15 For Moses had said, "If you aren't going with us, don't let us move a step from this place. 16 If you don't go with us, who will ever know that I and my people have found favor with you, and that we are different from any other people upon the face of the earth?" 

17 And the Lord had replied to Moses, "Yes, I will do what you have asked, for you have certainly found favor with me, and you are my friend."  

18 Then Moses asked to see God's glory. 

19 The Lord replied, "I will make my goodness pass before you, and I will announce to you the meaning of my name Jehovah, the Lord. I show kindness and mercy to anyone I want to. 20 But you may not see the glory of my face, for man may not see me and live. 21 However, stand here on this rock beside me. 22 And when my glory goes by, I will put you in the cleft of the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed. 23 Then I will remove my hand, and you shall see my back but not my face." 

TLB

Exodus 34:1-9

34:1 The LORD said to Moses, "Chisel out two stone tablets like the first ones, and I will write on them the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke. 2 Be ready in the morning, and then come up on Mount Sinai. Present yourself to me there on top of the mountain. 3 No one is to come with you or be seen anywhere on the mountain; not even the flocks and herds may graze in front of the mountain." 

4 So Moses chiseled out two stone tablets like the first ones and went up Mount Sinai early in the morning, as the LORD had commanded him; and he carried the two stone tablets in his hands. 5 Then the LORD came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the LORD. 6 And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, "The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, 7 maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation." 

8 Moses bowed to the ground at once and worshiped. 9 "O Lord, if I have found favor in your eyes," he said, "then let the Lord go with us. Although this is a stiff-necked people, forgive our wickedness and our sin, and take us as your inheritance." 

NIV

In Exodus 33 and verse 17: God calls Moses His friend!

In Exodus 33 and verse 19, Moses saw the glory. He was held back in the cleft of the rock and he saw God move before him. God preached to Moses that day and in that moment. God gave Moses a teaching on His name Jehovah. The Lord who showed kindness and mercy was giving Moses a download of the meaning of His name. It was the Great "I Am". In Exodus 34, we see where Moses obeyed God and chiseled out the two stone tablets. In obeying, he Moses, was to present himself to God the next morning. Moses carried the two stone tablets. The LORD God came down in the cloud and stood there with Moses. And He God passed before Moses proclaiming the LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. God also proclaimed that He does not leave the guilty unpunished; He punishes the children and their children for their sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation. Moses at once, bowed and worshiped. He had a teaching on God the LORD. And he replies with: "O Lord, if I have found favor in your eyes, then let the Lord go with us. Although this is a stiff-necked people, forgive our wickedness and our sin, and take us as YOUR inheritance."

Moses found in all this that God was whatever Moses needed for himself and the people. Moses found that when God called him, He had provided the avenue that was the richness of God in mercy, truth and love.  For whatever streams we finding drinking from today, we surely need to find that which flows from the Love of God that is rich in His love and is compassionate. We may truly fall, but we are the forgiven. We may truly slip today in something, but God is abounding in faithfulness to His Word.

Matthew 5:8-10

8 Blessed are the pure in heart,
For they shall see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
For they shall be called sons of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
NKJV

As the pure we are those sanctified in the Word of God. And we hold it in our hearts. They will see God. Not those who spent money to view pornography for 2 1/2 hours, but those who cover their eyes of that which is depravity. Those who see God are those who listen and obey His directions. Those pure in heart, hold that Word and grow by it. When Moses saw the burning bush and it was not consumed, he turned to get a better look. And God spoke to Moses speaking, "Moses, Moses, take your sandals off, for the place where you stand is holy ground. I am the God of your father---the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." 

We then see Moses hide his face for fear of looking upon God. What expressive, and alive power Moses must have started to view and he became frightened. He became aware of himself and probably felt insignificant, yet God called him HIS friend!

Moses now humbled before God, the once Prince in the land of Egypt, now the sheepherder, was being called to lead a multitude. He was being called back to the front. Taking off his shoes, he was removing all that had gone before, all that defiled, and became the reverent when God spoke to him. Humility truly is a gift given from God Himself. For we certainly have nothing good that dwells within us. (Romans 7:18) In letting his past go, and humbling himself to obey, he was ready to receive straight from the Father of Lights, Whom from every good gift flows. The lower, or more humble Moses went, the more powerful the flow of God's presence through Moses and all that he did for God. One surely knew that God was with him.

The pure become the peacemakers before man. They can snuff out that which conflicts with God and truth every time they see it appear on the scene. They are qualified to stop any conflict or contention with dead, never to rear its ugly head again. For those persecuted like Moses from the very beginning of his birth, was going to see God face to face. He was going to behold His glory, and learn more from God than he ever could have learned in Pharaoh's court in several life times.

Moses lived most of his life in the wilderness. From birth, it looked like the devil was trying to kill him! Taken from his family to live in a palace and learn the ways of the Egyptians was a "big cost" to the family who cherished him. As it was, in Pharaoh's court, Moses was taught early by his mother who would nurse him and speak to him about God. Moses was the protected and served God's purposes!

What is your purpose? Where does your destiny with God reside? It will start in your heart where His peace resides, where you hear God preach about His name!

Father, You are the mysterious, the mighty, the Great "I am"! Lord God, it is in Jesus' name, I pray for us to have the ability to move in revelation and understanding of Your ways and purposes. I pray that none of us would be "satisfied with just our peeps, those things on T.V. or at the movies. I pray that we would be those who cry out for the Spirit of Truth. Lord, I pray that we be those who desire to communicate, who seek to touch hearts and lives with Your Word. May we be those who continually go to the Word and stir the fire in us, to pray for others, tells others of our Savior Jesus Christ and commit to make the difference. I not only pray for myself, but any who read this, that the spirit of blindness to be broken off our lives.  Help us to see what we need to see. Open YOUR Word to us continually Lord and may we experience that power everyday of our lives.

Help us to see when YOU are moving through a new pathway and that we will be receptive and quick to move to do "that thing YOU ask us to do!"  Lord, today we repent of doing things our way. We seek the path unhindered and unencumbered. We seek to hear YOU as YOU direct through those You send on our pathway.
Help us not to get in the pit of confusion, that according to Psalm 40:2 that is a place of "noise, uproar, tumult" as of waters, as of men and of war!
That Lord is the place of the dead who reside in graves and the place of destruction. No Lord, we pray to be out of pits and that of miry clay. We are those who have our feet upon the Rock of A firm standing.

Lord, we believe us to be those who walk on solid ground and directed by YOU to the place YOU have prepared for us. As we walk with YOU, our steps are ordered. We stand firm in our trust regarding our safety. You our Redeemer have ended our sorrows and moved of us out of the "danger zone". We pass on today expecting to take firm hold of instruction and to not let go.

According to .....Proverbs 4:13-19.........that we will not choose the path of wicked and will not walk the way of evil.
We avoid it and will not travel on it. Our path is like the shining sun that shines ever brighter to full light of the perfect day. We move to Your light and expect Your peace as we move forward to be  the communicators and the peacemakers for the Kingdom of God that has come. Amen.


You can also visit my Youtube channel The Voice of Prayer for more teaching at http://bit.ly/1tNyBhV

Silent Night?

I keep hearing the Christmas song "Silent Night". I had just written on a previous blog about the shepherds who got the message that night Jesus was born in Bethlehem. I really don't think it was a "silent night" where they were at. Now, if one is thinking of the beauty of the newborn baby and the gentleness of his hands as he moves and stretches with his eyes closed as when he sleeps, yes, the silence of a beauty that only God can create causes one to be silent and drink in that precious beauty! Thinking of our daughter and grand-child, I always reflect on how tiny their hands were and that awesome stretch of the body when they are so relaxed in mommy's arms. I believe for those "not looking for the coming Messiah" probably saw it as just another night, just another year, and just another season passing.
But "silent" never, for those who came looking from the east followed the star that directed them to the Christ Child. I think there was probably a lot of talk going on about what these men were seeing. And dare I mention what the shepherds probably talked about when the angels appeared to them with a heavenly message?

Luke 2:8-20....................................8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 10 Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger." 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:

14 "Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!"

15 So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, "Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us." 16 And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. 17 Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. 18 And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them. NKJV

Now, I cannot say the shepherds were waiting for the consolation to appear. In verse 17 it states that when they had seen HIM, they made it widely known the same which was told to them. AND we find in verse 20 that the shepherds returned glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen as it was told them.

Wow! They experienced it and praised God for it! Could they have gotten "loud" about their praise and thanks to God?

I would think that this is not the time to be all "spiritual" but the time to praise God for sending Jesus and telling others about it! Here is scripture in detail stating that these shepherds certainly went out to tell others about Jesus.

Do we do as much? Do we tell others of Jesus? Do we leave glorifying and praising God for things we have heard about HIM in church or even at home in our study time? Do we tell others or are we not receiving truth of Who He is in "church"? Because we should be fed and encouraged to go out and tell others about Jesus. Do we not learn from our "secret place" time with Him or are we again to busy for prayer time because it is the holiday" season?  These shepherds left their flocks to go and see what they had heard and they returned with praise on their lips.

Is it "silent" at your house during this time of year or do you have your family gathered to give praise to God? Is there the exuberance of the expected package under a tree or the coming One, the Savior of the world? It is not about presents, or how much food to have or what kind of meat or drink, but it is about the "One" who was sent! It is about glorifying God for His goodness and love towards that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us!  For the coming One will return and will put His foot down on Mt. Olive.........and every eye will see HIM! Yes, He is coming again and there will be no "silence".

Romans 5:6-9 ................6 For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. NKJV

I believe there was much more in the truth of the angels appearing to the shepherds that night.  I believe the Great Shepherd was talked about that night to the shepherds who kept their watch on their flocks. If we are in any kind of leadership, we are to guide people into the truth of God's word. We are to have one heart with God! We are to tell our children grand-children, those at church, those at the bus stop, those in the work place, those in the grocery store or shopping center. We are to tell others of the love of God and how He came with power to set all the captives free.

I close with this scripture:

Matthew 4:23-5:2.....23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people. 24 Then His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them. 25 Great multitudes followed Him--from Galilee, and from Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan.   Matthew 5 ..................5:1 And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. 2 Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying: NKJV

We know from scripture that people followed Jesus............and from this verse of Matthew 4:23....and all the way to Chapter 8 of same book ...........Jesus taught. In my estimation, these people sat for a long time to hear this message preached. These were great crowds who came to hear Him teach and speak truth. Yet, today I hear people say, "oh, they cannot give long sermons for the people get nervous, anxious, and will not sit that long to hear." And, "well, the service is to start at 9 am but the people are still coming in and you look around the room and see maybe a half dozen people just standing around and waiting. Yet these people followed Jesus up a mountain and heard Him teach for hours. People were excited, and came with a longing to hear what He was going to say and teach. Jesus taught them and showed them truth of the Word. He guided them by God's love and the importance of obeying. Jesus showed them and us that He is the Bread of Life (John 6:35-51), Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6) , the Good Shepherd (John 10:11-14), Light in the World (John 812; John 9:5), Door of the Sheep (John 10:7-9), Resurrection and the Life (John 11:25), and True Vine (15:1-6)

These people did not have a new SUV or an new cell phone that will do "everything". Yet they heard and they followed. They had to walk or ride the animal that was available at the time. They did not need the new outfit or a limo to get to church.

I pray that I have sparked a fire in many that choose to tell others of God's goodness and love. If we are not corrected and continue down the same ole path, do we fail miserably in not telling others of God's love and how it was expressed through His Son Jesus?

I believe Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit at every turn of His walk with His Father. I believe Him to be obedient even unto death. Are we willing to make the same sacrifice? And our dying to self does not mean we go to the cross, but we do take up the Cross and carry it to remember we have a Savior..............for today we know that a Savior was born.............."Glory to God in the highest and peace on earth, good will toward all men.........."

I pray that we be not the silent majority! I pray that we tell others of God's great love, through giving, through prayer, through teaching, through praise and the love of God to let people know that we have seen a great light! AND HE IS COMING AGAIN!

Matthew 4:16...........16 the people living in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of the shadow of death
a light has dawned."  NIV

Father, I pray that there be no "silent nights" in regard to the coming of Your son Jesus. I pray that we would know that a great Light has come upon those living in the land of the shadow of death and as the Light has dawned............may we be like those shepherds and declare God's glory. Peace on this earth begins with us knowing YOUR peace Almighty God, and I pray that we would recognize it to be a peace that is never passive. Father help us today to know that YOUR peace is meant to demolish every single work of darkness. As we move and have our being in YOU, may YOUR peace invade us, and take over  to drive the chaos out of our lives. Father I praise YOU and thank You for Jesus Who is the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). He delivered the Gospel of Peace to us. Like Jesus, the more we speak the Word, the more Your peace will prevail in our lives. I also pray that we would know that sin is an open door that invites chaos into our lives. Help us to discern to get sin out and keep it rooted out and demolished. The only silence we should have is the one OF A CONFIDENT TRUST IN YOU within our hearts and minds that keeps the guard up! Yes, today our trust is in YOU!
It is in the mighty name of Jesus that I pray for each TO come to know the great light that has come, and may they experience His great peace that can be carried with us everywhere we go. I pray that our hearts today will declare YOU God and will spend the time, no matter the hour or the lateness, but wait on You to hear You speak. I pray that we would be a force of men and women who will go out to tell others of Jesus and His coming again for His believer's. Father make us strong and courageous. Help us to never be afraid or terrified because of anyone else, for You Lord our God goes with us, just like YOU did for Jesus. Amen.

You can also visit my Youtube channel The Voice of Prayer for more teaching at http://bit.ly/1tNyBhV