Bible Trivia Answer (week 1)

How Many Years Was Israel Enslaved by Egypt?

Below is the detailed answer to Friday’s Bible trivia question.

It is important to understand and read questions to know exactly what is being asked. The question was: How many years was Israel enslaved by Egypt. The answer is 144 years. Most people have taken scripture such as Genesis 15:13 to mean that Israel’s entire sojourn was under the rule Egypt, but that simply is not the case.

God said to Abram, “Know for certain that ^(P)your^[q]descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, ^[r]where^(Q)they will be enslaved and oppressed ^(R)four hundred years. (Gen. 15:13, NASB)

This scripture reflects God’s promise and the ultimate prophesy that Abram, who would be renamed Abraham by God, would be the progenitor of an elect people that would serve as a client nation to God. They would be sojourners in a strange land that was not their own for a period of 400 years. The scriptural text reveals that Abraham’s seed (Israel) would become a rich nation and defeat the Amorites. The promise was fulfilled with the exodus from Egypt and the settlement of Canaan under the leadership of Moses and then Joshua (Ex. 7:1-14, 31; Num. 21:21-25; Josh. 12)

The actual time that Abraham’s seed spent in Egypt was only 215 years. There were a number of other countries that made up the land of sojourn (Gen. 12:1-30; 13:1-18; 15:13-14; 20:1-18; 21:22-34; 23:4; 26:3-35; 28:10; 29:1; 31:13-55; 35:6; 37:1; 46:1-7; 47:27; 50:22-26; Ex. 1-12; Heb. 11:8-10). The actual 400 years of Genesis 15:13 and Acts 7:6 date back to the time when Isaac was weaned and confirmed as the seed, and Ishmael and Haggar were cast away from the home (Gen. 21:12; Gal. 4:30). At the time, Isaac was 5 years old.

To make things even more confusing are other scriptures that speak of the sojourn as 430 years (Ex. 12:40; Gal. 3:14-17), and the reckoning of this figure dates back farther to take in the 5 years of Isaac’s life before he was weaned and the 25 years prior to his birth to the date of the actual promise.

Below is a brief informal outline that breaks down the entire 430 years:

1.      From the 75^th year of Abraham’s life to the Birth of Isaac                              25 years

2.      From Isaac’s birth to that of Jacob (Gen. 25:26)                                            60 years

3.      From Jacob’s Birth to his death (Gen. 47:28)                                               147 years

4.      From Jacob’s death to the death of Joseph

(Gen. 37:2; 41:46; 47:28; 50:22)                                                                   54 years

5.      From Joseph’s death to the exodus from Egypt (Ex. 12:40; Gal. 3:14-17)    144 years

Total           430 years           

One of the reasons that The Odyssey Project is conducting these Bible trivia questions is to challenge believers to go deeper in the Word. It is my hope that you will continue to participate in these trivia quests.

Never Alone

Scripture Reference: Exodus 3:7-9The Lord said, "I have surely seen the affliction of My people who are in Egypt, and have given heed to their cry because of their taskmasters, for I am aware of their sufferings.8 "So I have come down to deliver them from the power of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and spacious land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanite and the Hittite and the Amorite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite.9 "Now, behold, the cry of the sons of Israel has come to Me; furthermore, I have seen the oppression with which the Egyptians are oppressing them. (NASB)

In this ethereal journey we will traverse many trials and afflictions. We will engage many challenges and undergo multitudinous transformations as we progress towards spiritual maturity. The enemy will, in these instances, attempt to convince us that we are alone. He would have us believe that God has, in some way, forsaken us. However, in this scriptural passage, we find that God had not forgotten Israel. He had not become aloof or indifferent to their plight.

By the time that God speaks to Moses in this passage, the Israelites had been in bondage in Egypt for 144 years (the amount of time from Joseph’s death to the Exodus. The 400 years mentioned in Genesis 15:13 and Acts 7:6 date back to the time when Isaac weaned and confirmed as the seed and Ishmael was cast out [Genesis 21:12; Gal. 4:30). They had fallen from a position of prosperity and reverence among the Egyptians to one of oppression and servitude. They had come to a point in which it seemed to them that the hand of God no longer acted on their behalf. They spent many a hot day in the desert heat, under the fear of the task master’s whip, only to see the sun go down without even an inkling of deliverance. It is in this atmosphere of perceived hopelessness that God began the process of deliverance. It is when all except those who knew Him personally had written off the Israelites as nothing more than a slave race did God show Himself mighty on their behalf.

It is in this moment of despair that God inserts Himself. Some might say that God had left them to fend for themselves for four centuries. Some might postulate that they had traveled this journey alone. Yet if we study the Character of God, if we investigate His commitment to His covenantal promises, we will find that he is a constant help in the time of trouble (Ps. 46:1) It is through the power of God that the Israelites maintained the power to endure this perpetual and egregious struggle. They had not been left alone, but were a part of God’s plan. God had been there through every beating, through every heat scorched day, through every misdeed that they had suffered. He was completely cognizant of their pain and suffering and now He was about to move in a way that would be unmistakably God.

"I have surely seen the affliction of My people who are in Egypt, and have given heed to their cry because of their taskmasters, for I am aware of their sufferings (verse 7).”

God is telling Moses, “I have certainly seen every misdeed. I have witnessed every lash from the taskmaster’s whip. I have seen every tear fall from their eyes. I have not been unaware of their struggles. I hear their cries and I have come because of their cries. Let my people know that their prayers have been heard. Let my people know that delay was not an indication of desertion. I have been working even their pain for their good. From this group of slaves, I will raise a mighty people. From this group of slaves shall descend kings. From this group of slaves shall ascend the messiah, the one who will save the world. In their suffering I have created a testimony of my power.”

The God that moved on behalf of the Israelites then is the same God now. I know that there of those of you who are struggling in your own world of enslavement. Some of you are in abusive relationships that you can’t seem to escape. Some of you have been battling the pain of abandonment by parents and loved ones. Some of you have found yourselves encapsulated by the fear of uncertainty. Some of you have become engrossed in the cares of this life and have found peace to be quite allusive. I want you to know that you are not alone. I want you to apprehend the fact that you belong to a purpose greater than yourself. It is imperative that you understand that God is a God of deliverance and power. The enemy is trying to convince you that you are defeated, but you are more than a conqueror. The enemy is telling you that you have met your demise, but you are at your moment of elevation. God is speaking into your situation, “Be still and know that I am God (Ps. 46:10).” God is saying that I hear your cries, and I have come because of your cries.

Listen to what David had to say on the matter:

Dr. Rick Wallace 

“I waited patiently on the Lord; And he inclined to me and heard my cry. He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay. And he set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm. He put a new song in my mouth… (Ps. 40:1-3).”

Praise God, for He is about to reach into your situation and give you a new song. He is about to pull you out of the pit of destruction and place your feet firmly on a rock of stability. He is about to rescue you from that dysfunctional relationship. He is about to speak peace into the tumultuous existence in which you now reside. He is about to calm the billows of your stormy seas. Shake free of the feelings of despair for God is about to bust a move in your life. The Bible says that David encouraged himself in the Lord. So begin to speak the promises of God into your situation. Stand on your faith and trust God to honor his Word. May you be blessed in the Lord. Dr. Rick Wallace 

Lukewarm Lovers

Luke Warm Lovers

“I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot.  I could wish you were cold or hot.  So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.”(Rev. 3:15, 16)

I will begin by pointing to the fact that the Word of God is eternal.  Although the Apostle John wrote this passage nearly two thousand years ago, it is still very relevant and applicable today.  The message it confers is yet true.  Though Christ here is speaking to the local church in Laodicea, a dispensational interpretation reveals that the local church in Laodicea represents the church in the final days prior to its pre-tribulation rapture.

“These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True witness, the Beginning of the creation of God:” (Rev. 3:14)

Christ is the embodiment of faithfulness and truth and the guarantor and fulfiller of all God promises.  He is the source of creation and He is about to assess the state of the church in Laodicea.  His existence as truth guarantees the veracity and accuracy of the assessment.

Although here, Christ ascribes a state of lethargy to the Laodicean church.  I would venture to say that the church in Laodicea was once a thriving and fervent congregation.  Paul wrote at least one letter to the church as well as made mention of it in his letter to the Colossians.  The manner at which Paul mentions them gives no reason to believe that at that time there were any major issues or concerns.  The question then arises; what happened to bring this church to a state of being lukewarm? 

Based on the subsequent verses, it would seem that the church fell victim to their own prosperity.

“Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’ —and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, and poor, blind, and naked-”(Rev. 3:17)

Laodicea was noted for being a banking center, producer of (textiles) a glossy wool used to make clothing and carpets, and for producing eye salve for curing eye disorders.  Jesus counseled that their material prosperity had weakened their spiritual state.  He required that they become rich in spirit, and be clothed with the garments of righteousness.  Though they were responsible for improving the physical sight of many, they themselves were spiritually blind.

Experiencing prosperity can be a dangerous endeavor!  Not many Christians are cognizant of this fact, but prosperity not only arrives as a reward and blessing for the believer but also serves as a test of the believer’s momentum toward spiritual maturity.  Can the believer successfully manage his prosperity or will he become consumed with the gift and lose sight of the giver?  It is my belief that the pitfalls of prosperity are pride, ignorance self-sufficiency, and complacency.  Falling victim to these vices can place you in a very hazardous state of mind.

In any aspect of life, the moment someone becomes complacent, they regress; lose ground.  A complacent person no longer has the fervor and passion that propelled them to that current position and they soon begin their descent.

“I know your works...” (Rev. 3:15)

The beginning of verse fifteen serves notice that Christ is completely cognizant of our works.  You may have convinced those in your periphery that you are an all-together Christian.  You may talk the talk and be readily received by the congregation, but God knows the truth.  There are many churches and individual members, who give the outside appearance of being on point; however, inwardly, they are no longer passionately seeking God.  Without passion, there is no fire; without fire there is no heat.

“You are neither cold nor hot.”(Rev. 3:15)

As Christ assesses the condition of the Laodicean Church, His assessment describes a condition of indifference and carelessness.  They were not infidels, yet they were not earnest believers; they did not oppose the gospel, neither did they defend it; they were not working mischief, neither were they doing any great good; they were not of disreputable character, but they were not distinguished in holiness.  They were no longer radical in their faith.  They were what contemporary believers would call moderates —another word for lukewarm.  In the late seventies the O’Jays sang a song with the lyrics: “Your body’s here with me, but your mind is on the other side of town.”  This song was expressive of someone that was physically present, but simply going through the motions.  This is what the lukewarm Christian does.  He physically remains in close proximity to the church and its functions, but his heart is distant and aloof to his lover, Jesus Christ.

“Because you are lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of my mouth.” (Rev. 3:16)

Here, Christ uses the notorious Laodicean water supply as the analogy for his admonishment.  The water had to be piped in from a neighboring hot spring and by the time it arrived it was lukewarm and mineral rich, which gave it a very bad taste as well as a nauseating affect once swallowed.  So, the Laodicean Church could relate very well to the analogy.  Hot mineral rich water is medicinal, cold water is refreshing, but lukewarm water is just plain nauseating.

Let it be far removed from our account that God would ever access us the title of “lukewarm lover”.  With all that he has done for each of us, we should be fulminating with a passion.  A passion to serve, a passion to praise, a passion to become more intimate with our Lord and Savior!

“Because you say, ‘I am rich, and have become wealthy and have need of nothing.’”(Rev. 3:17)

Though here, Christ could have been speaking of the fact that the Laodiceans had become engrossed and enamored with their material prosperity, it speaks of the fact that they had become arrogantly submersed in religion, legalism, and liturgical procedure.  They had become convinced through their faulty self-appraisals that they were all that and then some.  They gave an appearance of fervor and passion, but inwardly they were lethargic and complacent.  By declaring themselves to be rich, wealthy, and in need of nothing they were self-glorifying themselves instead of objectively self-evaluating themselves.

Self-evaluation on a daily basis is a must.  This evaluation must not be subjective in nature, but objective in purpose —meaning we cannot measure ourselves by our own inflated ego, but juxtaposed to the standard revealed in the infallible Word of God.

The next question is: Why does Christ prefer the church to be either cold or hot?  The designation to be hot and its purpose is apparent, but why cold?  A cold Christian is much more aware of his shortcomings; he knows he is in need of a change.  The pangs of spiritual inadequacy throb within him daily.  He is not illusionistically trapped inside the cocoon of arrogance.  Whereas the lukewarm Christian goes to church; a lukewarm Christian has some form of a prayer life, he gives to the church, he even serves in prominent positions within the church, so he has convinced himself that all is well on the Christian front.  Yet, his works are empty; his prayers are perfunctory in nature.  There’s a great deal of pastors preaching to a sleeping church.

There is no doubt that some of those reading this sermon will assume that it could not possibly be meant for them, but are as lukewarm as they come.  My friend, lukewarm won’t do!

There are far too many half-hearted Christians moving about today, they have the semblance of holiness, but are empty shells.  They have come to tolerate the gospel instead of yearn for it.  Lukewarm won’t do!

There are multitudinous masses of you who have become lethargic, undecided, and unconcerned. Lukewarm won’t do!

If you find yourself at peace with the world, you are a lukewarm Christian.  If you feel you have far more important things to do than worship, you are a lukewarm Christian.  If you can find every reason in the world to fall short of the mark, you are a lukewarm Christian.  I’m here to tell you, lukewarm won’t do!  Christ has become sick to the stomach because of the lack of passion and commitment displayed by believers.  He has read you like a novel.  Lukewarm won’t do.

There are too many that are inadequate in their prayer life.  There are too many that feel they have arrived, but have not come close.  There are too many that have a false sense of prosperity, but are poor in spirit.  There are too many that are content with their spirituality.  I’m afraid that just won’t do!

I pray that a new passion is ignited by this message; a passion to seek his face; a passion to humble yourselves before him; a passion to stand up for Christ.  Until this passion comes in your life, you will remain lukewarm and lukewarm won’t do.

Dr. Rick Wallace

How can we look at all that God has done for us and remain lukewarm and lethargic in service.  How dare we sleep on our faithful lover.  Today, I offer a challenge.  I dare you to stand up for Christ.  I dare you to live each day for Christ.  I dare you to call on His name with an expectancy.  I dare you to catch on fire with His purpose.  When you do, watch God move.

It’s time to get hot for the Lord, it’s time to experience God at a level never before attained.  It’s time to catch fire!

God is waiting on your commitment.  God is waiting to see you take a stand.  He is waiting to bless you.

“For I know my thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil; to give you a future and a hope.  Then you will call upon me and go and pray to me, and I will listen to you.”(Jer. 27:11,12)

This is God’s promise and desire for us, to bless and prosper us, but we must be aligned with His will for our lives.  There is no place for the lukewarm lover.  There is no place for the uncommitted soldier.  This is not the time to succumb to the paralyzing force of mediocrity.  This is not the time to slip into a comatose trance induced by the tranquilizing drug of gradualism, nor become sedated by the soothing balm of complacency.  It is time to stand up.  It is time to lift our voice in praise.  It is time to resist our innate proclivity to give in to temptation.  My friends, it’s time for a revolution; a spiritual revolution.  Look within yourself; do you have what it takes to burn hot for the Lord?

                                                                                             

Be warned; There is no room for lukewarm lovers!

Cinnamon & Honey (Health Cures)

Folk remedies have been around a long time for a very good reason-- they work!

Here is another for the folks: CINNAMON & HONEY
See update of this article at: http://www.newrealities.com/index.php/articles-on-health/item/2933-the-healing-benefits-of-cinnamon-honey

Honey is the only food on the planet that will not spoil or rot. It will do what some call turning to sugar.  Never boil honey or put it in a microwave. To do so will kill the enzymes in the honey. Make sure your honey is untreated, unprocessed and not heated, in other words get as raw as possible. This will have the greatest benefit. Caution: Too much honey of any kind is not good for the body. But a little bit will help some of the following conditions.

The Cinnamon should be organic. Chinese medicine says it is warming and nourishing for the Kidneys.
See about different types of Cinnamon: http://www.newrealities.com/index.php/articles-on-health/item/2934-how-to-differentiate-between-ceylon-and-cassia-cinnamon

Weekly World News, a magazine in  Canada has given the following list of diseases that can be cured by honey and cinnamon as researched by western scientists:

ARTHRITIS: Arthritis patients may take daily, morning and night, one cup of hot water with two tablespoons of honey and one small teaspoon of cinnamon powder. If taken regularly even chronic arthritis can be cured. In a recent research conducted at the Copenhagen University, it was found that when the doctors treated their patients with a mixture of one tablespoon Honey and half teaspoon Cinnamon powder before breakfast, they found that within a week, out of the 200 people so treated, practically 73 patients were totally relieved of pain, and within a month, mostly all the patients who could not walk or move around because of arthritis started walking without pain.

BLADDER INFECTIONS: Take two tablespoons of cinnamon powder and one teaspoon of honey in a glass of lukewarm water and drink it.  It destroys the germs in the bladder.

CHOLESTEROL: Two tablespoons of honey and three teaspoons of Cinnamon Powder mixed in 16 ounces of tea water, given to a cholesterol patient, was found to reduce the level of cholesterol in the blood by 10 percent within two hours.  As mentioned for arthritic patients, if taken three times a day, any chronic cholesterol is cured.  According to information received in the said Journal, pure honey taken with food daily relieves complaints of cholesterol.

COLDS: Those suffering from common or severe colds should take one tablespoon lukewarm honey with 1/4 spoon cinnamon powder daily for three days. This process will cure most chronic cough, cold, and clear the sinuses.  To make it lukewarm, place it in a small jar and let it set in warm water for a while.

HEART DISEASES: Make a paste of honey and cinnamon powder, apply on bread, instead of jelly and jam, and eat it regularly for breakfast. It reduces the cholesterol in the arteries and saves the patient from heart attack.

Regular use of the above process relieves loss of breath and strengthens the heartbeat.   In America and Canada, various nursing homes have treated patients successfully and have found that as you age, the arteries and veins lose their flexibility and get clogged; honey and cinnamon revitalize the arteries and veins.

UPSET STOMACH: Honey taken with cinnamon powder cures stomach ache and also clears stomach ulcers from the root.

GAS: According to the studies done in India and Japan, it is revealed that if Honey is taken with cinnamon powder the stomach is relieved of gas.

IMMUNE SYSTEM: Daily use of honey and cinnamon powder strengthens the immune system and protects the body from bacterial and viral attacks. Scientists have found that honey has various vitamins and iron in large amounts. Constant use of Honey strengthens the white blood corpuscles to fight bacterial and viral diseases.

INDIGESTION: Cinnamon powder sprinkled on two tablespoons of honey taken before food relieves acidity and digests the heaviest of meals.

INFLUENZA – FLU: A scientist in Spain has proved that honey contains a natural ' Ingredient' which kills the influenza germs and saves the patient from flu.

LONGEVITY: Tea made with honey and cinnamon powder, when taken regularly, arrests the ravages of old age. Take four spoons of honey, one spoon of cinnamon powder, and three cups of water and boil to make like tea. Drink 1/4 cup, three to four times a day. It keeps the skin fresh and soft and arrests old age. Life spans also increase and even a 100 year old might start performing the chores of a 20-year-old.

PIMPLES: Three tablespoons of honey and one teaspoon of cinnamon powder paste. Apply this paste on the pimples before sleeping and wash it next morning with warm water.  If done daily for two weeks, it removes pimples from the root.

WEIGHT LOSS: Daily in the morning one half hour before breakfast on an empty stomach, and at night before sleeping, drink honey and cinnamon powder.  Do not boil, but pour one cup of boiling water onto the mixture of honey and cinnamon. Generally start off with a teaspoon of each, and then adjust depending on taste. Remember honey is a sugar based product, so teaspoon is best to start with. If taken regularly, it reduces the weight of even the most obese person. Also, drinking this mixture regularly does not allow the fat to accumulate in the body even though the person may eat a high calorie diet.

SKIN INFECTIONS: Applying honey and cinnamon powder in equal parts on the affected parts cures eczema, ringworm and all types of skin infections.

FATIGUE: Recent studies have shown that the sugar content of honey is more helpful rather than being detrimental to the strength of the body. Senior citizens, who take honey and cinnamon powder in equal parts, are more alert and flexible. Dr. Milton, who has done research, says that a half tablespoon of honey taken in a glass of water and sprinkled with cinnamon powder, taken daily after brushing and in the afternoon at about 3:00 P.M. when the vitality of the body starts to decrease, increases the vitality of the body within a week.

CANCER: Research in Japan and Australia has revealed that advanced cancer of the stomach and bones have been cured successfully. Patients suffering from these kinds of cancer should daily take one tablespoon of honey with one teaspoon of cinnamon powder for one month three times a day.

BAD BREATH: People in South America first thing in the morning, gargle with one teaspoon of honey and cinnamon powder mixed in hot water, so their breath stays fresh throughout the day.

HEARING LOSS: Daily morning and night honey and cinnamon powder, taken in equal parts helps restore hearing.

CONCLUSION:
It is good to take some sort of mixture of cinnamon and honey daily!

At Your Word

RWM SERMON- 04-08-09 At Your Word

Foundation Scripture: “But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your “Word” I will let down the net.” (Luke 5:5)

Faith doesn't rely on empirical or pragmatic matter.

“At Your Word”; one of the most powerful statements in human history.  Yet, it is more than a statement.  It is an illuminated and erudite state of mind.  It is not supported nor justified by rationale or intellect.  It cannot be attained and cultivated by the empiricist nor the pragmatist.  This state of mind is not esoterically associated with sight walking.  It is spiritually empowered and sustained in faith.

If we are to ever live our lives in the abundance and awesome power we were created to live in, we must take on an “At Your Word” state of mind.  Proverbs 3:5,6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not to your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”  

This type of state of mind requisites a total commitment of the heart.  I’m not speaking of the heart in a sentimental nor emotional type of way, but as the center of your existence; that force at the center of your soul that guides your every action.

This type of state of mind also calls for us to move away from our natural proclivity to intellectualize, anatomize, and rationalize every situation.  We are told not to lean to our own understanding.  This ethereal journey of Christianity calls for faith, make no mistake about it.  Not faith in the superficial sense of the word, but that faith that says, “If God said it, I believe it, and that settles it.  The faith that is not deterred by circumstance.  The faith that refuses to acknowledge the illusionistic portraits of despair painted by the enemy.  When we truly trust God’s word, we will be able to stand in the midst of the storm and respond,” at your word”.

This state of mind does not consider nor tolerate difficulties and thrives in the cul-de-sac of impossibilities.  This is the ultimate in trust.  It says all things are possible if we only believe.

In our scriptural passage, Christ asks Peter to cast out his net.  This, in and of itself may seem somewhat insignificant, however, let us look a little closer.  First, Peter and his partners had been fishing the entire evening (the best time to fish) but had caught nothing.  Peter and his partners were professional fishermen and Jesus a carpenter.  Jesus had already commandeered Peter’s boat and transformed it into His pulpit.  Peter could have responded to Jesus’ directive with the arrogance of expertise; he was in fact the professional when it came to fishing. Yet, we see something completely different; Peter’s surrendered spirit.  Peter points out the obvious, we’ve fished all night and we’ve caught nothing.  Then there appears the conjunctive adverb, “Nevertheless”, in spite of or irregardless.  Nevertheless negates the preceding statement and points to the subsequent statement.  “At Your Word” -there is no logic or rationale, but at Your Word.  All of the evidence says the opposite, but at Your Word.  Peter’s response reveals his servility, teachability and implicit obedience.  These virtues are the bridges to the blessing.

The scriptures tell us that the nets were filled with so many fish that they began to break.  When Peter’s partners brought their boat over to help, both boats were so overloaded by the catch that they began to sink.  This constitutes exceedingly abundantly above all that Peter could have asked or imagined.  If Peter would have trusted his own intellect or expertise, he would have never experienced the awesome power of God to provide.  He would have missed his overflow moment.  That moment in which the Red Sea is divided in all its splendor.  That moment when the sun stands still as time yields to prayer.  That moment when dry dead bones become living flesh.  That moment when you say Lord, I cannot understand, but at Your Word.

You’ve been praying for a breakthrough; you’ve been searching for that place of overflow.  God is saying to you now, “Step out on the water.  I know what the circumstances reveal, I know what your friends are saying, I am cognizant of the things that have happened in the past.  I am God, step out on the water.”  You have spent too much time rationalizing, contemplating, and procrastinating.  You have wondered around too long in the fruitlessness of empirical confirmation.  You have struggled mightily under the opaque shadows of inevitability.  It is time to say to the Master, “At Your Word.”  At Your Word, I will stand, at Your Word I will press on; at Your Word I will rejoice.  At Your Word, I will have the audacity to praise you in the midst of the storm.  

It was Peter who led the disciples on the day of Pentecost.  It was Peter that healed the lame man at the Gate Beautiful.  It was Peter that contributed three letters to the Biblical Cannon.  None of this would have been possible if he would not have stepped out from behind human viewpoint and into the phosphorescent light of divine guidance.

“And the Lord will continually guide you, and satisfy your desire in scorched places, and give strength to your bones; and you will be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water whose waters do not fail.”  (Isaiah 58:11)

In the preceding scripture we find promises of strengthened bones, watered gardens, and unfailing springs; these are similes for sustaining power, prosperity, and the blessings of God’s saving grace.  However, the first thing we notice here is that God will guide you.  Only when you submit to the guidance of the almighty will his power flow fully through you.  The question then arises; in the time in which we live, how does God guide us?  There are numerous ways that we are guided by God in our Christian lives: Through the filling of the Holy-Spirit; the Holy-Spirit convicts and prompts us in our actions; Through the Word of God inculcated into the mentality of our souls; the Word of God is the will of God.  Through prayer; when the believer prays to God for Guidance, which is a legitimate Christian right, God answers.  God guides us through providential circumstances; providence is the molding of events by God to obtain the fulfillment of His divine purpose.  In whatever manner God chooses to guide and lead you, it is your Christian duty to respond.

In 2 Peter 1:19, Peter alludes to the profitability of heeding God’s prophetic Word.

Right now, God is calling us to step out, stand up, and be sure.  This is not a time for sight walking.  This is not a time for rationalization.  No, this is a time to stand in faith, walk in faith, speak in faith, and live in faith.  This is a time to say, “At Your Word.”  This is done without regard to current circumstances, without consideration to past situations, without contemplation of the negative conjecture of naysayers.

It is time to cast out your nets.  God is calling you to reap the bountiful blessings of obedience.  There is someone out there god has called to step into the arena of entrepreneurship, yet, you are thinking, “I’ve tried this before and it was a disaster, experts are saying that this is not the time, the economy is not conducive to the successful launching of a business.  Nevertheless, “At Your Word.” 

Someone has been called to relocate to a new city, to follow a dream, to fulfill their destiny, but there’s uncertainty with a new environment, the anxiety associated with change rears its ugly head, the support of friends and loved ones seems sporadic at best.  Nevertheless, “At Your Word”.

God has called you to vacate that abusive relationship, to walk in the liberty of emancipation, to stand in the sufficiency of His power and grace, to live in the fullness of purpose, however, this situation is all you have ever known, there is no family support in place, you suffer from a fear of being alone. Nevertheless, “At Your Word”.

At Your Word says, “Lord, I see nothing but you!  The moment is dark, but You are able.”  At Your Word says, My friends have forsaken me, but I trust Your Word to heal.”  It’s time to step up and step out.

You keep gazing back into your past for confirmation.  You keep consulting the circumstances for authentication and corroboration.  It's time to view things through a different lens.  You have been viewing life through the lens of empiricism.  You have been viewing life through the lens of popular opinion.  You have been viewing life through the lens of social acceptance.  You have been viewing life through the lens of retrospective inquiry.  It is time for a paradigm shift.  It is time to start viewing things through the spiritual lens of faith.

Dr. Rick Wallace

But Bishop, I’ve never been successful in this area of my life.  My life has been one big failure after another; everyone says that I’m in over my head; they say that I’m reaching beyond my abilities.  I say that God’s Word is true.  His word says, “Things that are not possible with men are possible with God.”(Luke 18:27)  His Word says, he is “able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us”.

Let go of the past failures; God desires to open up the windows of heaven.  God desires to send excessive blessings, an overflow of power, a surplus of abundance and peace, over and above what you seek, extraordinary favor and a superabundance of joy.  Take Him at His Word.  Stand on His promises.  Live in His awesome power.  Cast out your net and become the head and not the tail.  Cast out your net, become the lender and not the borrower.  Cast out your net and be above and not beneath.  Cast out your net and see the glory of God revealed in your life.  I promise you if you cast out your net your life will never be the same.

I invite you to simply tell God, "At Your Word". ~ Dr. Rick Wallace 

Be Still I've Got it From Here!

Psalms 46:1-10

 

There are times when the vicissitudes of life are rolling in like the tides of a tsunami; there are times when the dark clouds of depression have settled overhead; and there are those times when your house just does not seem like a home. In those times when the problem seems to be much larger than you. It is in this moment that God simply says, "BE STILL, I've got it from here!"

As Christians, we are not promised that there will not be botherations, complications, and enigmatic conundrums that are sometimes stiffling. We are not given a guarantee of effortless progression; on the contrary, we are told that without question, trials are going to come. In John 16:33, Jesus says, "These things have I spoken unto you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulations; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."

The joy and peace does not come in the absence of struggle, but despite it.

Paul tells us that we are to "glory in our tribulations", and James admonishes us to "count it all Joy when we fall into vairous trials.' Each of these passages are written under the postulation that the trials are inevitable. There is no circumvention of the trials of this life. There is never a question as to if, just when.

The writer of Psalm 46 gets right to the point in verse one; "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." There is a wealth of doctrinal truth embedded in this one scripture.

First, we find that God is our refuge. This means he provides shelter from the dangers that surround us. He is our covering and comforter.

Next, we see that he is the source of our strength. It is in God that we live, move, and have our being. No matter how weak we may seem at any given moment of difficulty, we know that in God our weakness is the means by which God's strength is revealed and released. God shows up in the midst of our weaknesses and provides the strength necessary to emerge triumphantly.

The next couple of verses point to the fact that the writer is not willing to be moved by his circumstances. Though the enemy may be closing in, though the economy may be in decline, though relational situations are in flux, my unerstanding of who God is and who I am in Him, will not allow me to waver. I cannot be shaken by the outward circumstance because the inward man has been fed by the Spirit. The inward man (my spirit) is in constant communication with the Holy Spirit that resides within me and the Holy Spirit speaks to my spirit and says peace. 

Dr. Rick Wallace

Jesus said that the Holy Spirit would bring to remembrance all that we had been taught. So, when the burdens of life begin to press us down, there should be something in our spirit that reminds us that NO WEAPON FORMED AGAINST US SHALL PROSPER, it should bring to our remembrance that WE ARE MORE THAN CONQUERORS, it should remind us that GOD WILL NEVER LEAVE US NOR FORSAKE US. There should be something in our spirit that disagrees with our circumstances.

To close things out, the writer speaks God's admonishment, "Be still". Sometimes the battle has worn you down. Sometimes you look up and there is nothing left. No matter how hard you try, you can't press forward. By all accounts, it seems as if the enemy has finally won.

You try to pray, but the words don't flow forward with any fluency. You turn to friends, but you find them complaining too. You turn to mother, but mother is incapable of producing any relief. At this moment of coliginous despair, God steps in and simply says, "BE STILL, I've got it from here.  Dr. Rick Wallace

You Will Get Through This

Deliverance
by Max Lucado

You’ll get through this! You fear you won’t.  We all do. We feel stuck, trapped, locked in.  Will we ever exit this pit?  Yes!  Deliverance is to the Bible what jazz music is to Mardi Gras: bold, brassy, and everywhere. Out of the lion’s den for Daniel, the whale’s belly for Jonah, and the prison for Paul.

Through the Red Sea onto dry ground. Through the wilderness, through the valley of the shadow of death. Through!  It’s a favorite word of God’s. Isaiah 43:2 says, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you… when you walk through the fire, you will not be burned.”

It won’t be painless. Have you wept your final tear, received your last round of chemotherapy?  Not necessarily. Does God guarantee the absence of struggle? Not in this life. We see Satan’s tricks and ploys, but God sees Satan tripped and foiled. You’ll get through this!

From You’ll Get Through This.

Listen to UpWords with Max Lucado at OnePlace.com

A Call To Excellence

A Call To Excellence:

There must be a distinction!

When I decided that I would step down and place God at the head of my life, I was immediately introduced to the most powerful revelation of my life; my individual responsibility to God. Nothing comes before honoring Him, glorifying Him and fulfilling the destiny He created for me.

When I moved into the ministry, I did not do so for the sake of obtaining fame or popularity. In fact, I knew that much of what I would say would not come across well. I knew that I was a part of a culture in which many spiritual leaders have chosen to ponder at the pool of popularity, or worse, preach and teach from the platform of perfection.

Although I strive for perfection and excellence everyday, I am reminded daily that I have not yet arrived. I don't waste my time seeking popularity, but it troubles me that I see so many that do. Many have used ministry as a platform to execute their own personal business agendas, and with that they have left the quest for and the responsibility to deliver the truth somewhere in their past. Too many people who are in positions of leadership are more concerned about tickling the itching ears of the self seeking believer than they are about accurate and complete dissemination of God's infallible word.

One thing that really troubles me are some posts that I came across this week in which leaders are minimizing the impact of sexual immorality. In simple, their reasoning is that if they speak on the issues of sin it will drive people away. Their focus was on the grace of God and how it covers sin.

What bothers me is that the doctrine of Grace is predominantly revealed in the New Testament by the Apostle Paul and the writer of Hebrews (which some believe to be Paul). It was the close examination of Paul's epistles that prompted Martin Luther to post his 95 thesis to door of the Church in Wittenberg, igniting the Protestant Reformation.

It is truly revealed that Salvation is a gift we receive through grace; it cannot be earned, but it comes with great responsibility. As much as the Apostle Paul expressed grace, he intently spent more effort expressing the responsibility impressed upon those who have received the grace of God. You cannot capture grace from a biblical perspective without engaging the tantamount responsibility of experiential sanctification. With scriptures such as 1 Corinthians 6:18, 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5, 1 Corinthians 10:13, Hebrews 13:4, Ephesians 5:5, 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, 1 Corinthians 6:13-20, 1 Thessalonians 4:3, Colossians 3:5, 1 Peter 2:11, Mark 7:20-23, etc., how can one not see the need and requirement to teach on this issue.

Many of the leaders that peddle this cheap grace that is used to blanket unbridled sin, consistently use the passage of scripture in which Jesus receives the women who was caught in adultery to validate their stance on liberality in sexual immorality. What they fail to acknowledge is the last thing that Christ said to this women; "Go and 'sin' no more." Christ himself taught against sexual immorality.

Dr. Rick Wallace

We rob people of power when we give them half truths. Sharing grace without sharing the immense power and responsibility that accompanies it is simply irresponsible. You handicap those you teach when you coddle them with passive words and teachings. I am by no means a fire and brimstone teacher, but I believe that grace that does not acknowledge the power that was provided by Christ's magnanimous gift at Calvary to defeat sin, is cheap grace. It is that grace that people use to excuse their sins as if their are no consequences. Yes, Christ purchased every sin with His death at Calvary, but he still demands that you flee from the sin form which you have been set free. How can you say that you love someone for rescuing you from slavery while you still wallow it the pit of it.

I am not preaching perfection, but a mindset of purity, sanctification and Christian excellence. Will we stumble? Most certainly, but does grace give us a license to dismiss our fallibility or mitigate our responsibility? I think not. Wake up leaders; the souls and eternal inheritances of those you lead are in your hands. Don't allow your personal quest for popularity and acceptance place you in the crosshairs of God's wrath. Remember what Revelation 22:18, 19 says concerning adding to and taking away from God's Word. We are to teach holistically all that God has bequeathed to us in His word.

Oh yeah, for those leaders that become totally irate when sexual immorality is mentioned; chill, you are exposing yourself. ~ Dr. Rick Wallace

Counterfeit Gods

A Mess for Good

A Mess for Good
by Max Lucado 
Twenty years of marriage, three kids, and now he’s gone. Traded her in for a younger model. She told me her story, and we prayed. Then I said,  “It won’t be painless or quick. But God will use this mess for good. With God’s help you’ll get through this.”
Remember Joseph?  Genesis 37:4 says his brothers “hated him.”  Far from home, they cast him into a pit, leaving him for dead. A murderous cover-up from the get go. Pits have no easy exit. Joseph’s story got worse before it got better. Yet in his explanation we find his inspiration: “You meant evil against me,” he said, “but God meant it for good..." The very acts intended to destroy God’s servant, turned out to strengthen him. 
The same will be said about you. You will get through this! 

From You’ll Get Through This 

Listen to UpWords with Max Lucado at OnePlace.com

Addressing God's Perfect Will

I will attempt to keep the explanation presented here as simple as possible. This presentation is not written in a general format, as would be the norm when writing to the general public, but in a specific manner as to address what I believe to be a specific need and desire to know the answer to the question of what is the difference between God’s perfect will and His permissive will.

The first thing I would like to define is the word “will” as it pertains to God, and how it should be understood in engaging the study of scripture. To this we will use one of the most oft quoted and yet, grossly misunderstood scriptures in the Bible. This scripture is probably the primary source of all of the confusion concerning God’s perfect and permissive will.

² And do not ^(C)be conformed to^(D)this ^[c]world, but be transformed by the ^(E)renewing of your mind, so that you may ^[d](F)prove what the will of God is, that which is good and^[e]acceptable and perfect. (Rom. 12:2, NASB)

The original language of the New Testament is Greek. The word in the Greek translated “will” is: G2307 – θέλημα, thelēma, thel'-ay-mah, - From the prolonged form of G2309; a determination (properly the thing), that is, (actively) choice (specifically purpose, decree; abstractly volition) or (passively) inclination: - desire, pleasure, will. (Strong's Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries)

In the context of what is being written by the Apostle Paul here, the word “will” can be defined as the divine declaration or decree (informally, the plan) God has established for the life of every individual. It is his personal desire for His creation.

With this definition in mind we will move forward. It is important to understand the character and essence of God in order to truly understand His will. God is 100% righteous and holy; so, we have to understand that the “will” (declaration, decrees, and desires) of God are not capricious. God only has one will, this is the will he declared in eternity past for you. God, by His very nature, cannot have more than one will. What God desires for every person is His best. What every person chooses and God allows is another story.

Where the term permissive will comes in is in dealing with the fact that God created man with free volition (the ability to choose without inhibition). What this means is that though God knows what he wants for every believer, he will not force it upon them; he will allow (permit, i.e. permissive) them to choose for themselves what they will do. In this case, what God allows (permits) is not His will, but yours. What most people confuse with God’s permissive will is actually God allowing man the freedom of volition (God allowed the Jews to practice polygamy, but obviously it was not his will for them. Genesis 19:4-5, Gen. 2:24-25, he simply allowed it). Another analogy would be one of your children wanting to bypass college in order to pursue what you consider to be a foolish endeavor. Yet, you allow them to do it because you have always told them that once they were adults they could make their own decisions. This is not your will for them. You are allowing them the freedom to pursue their own will. Despite the fact that you don’t approve of their decision, you will be there to help them pick up the pieces when it falls apart because you are their parent and you love them. It’s the same with God when we move opposite His will. How can something you don’t approve of be your will?

What does this mean? It means that God has a desire for every believer and that at some point every believer (based on their fallible human nature) will venture from God’s “will” in lieu of their own. The awesome thing here is God is not taken by surprise by this decision by the believer to go renegade from His plan, because He in omniscience (Meaning that God knows everything that has ever transpired, is transpiring, and will transpire. This includes all what ifs). God can take a bad decision that He has allowed (because he will not interfere with the volition of anyone) and create the perfect process through which the believer can benefit from the mistake and find his/herself back in the divine will of God (this does not eliminate consequences).

Where a great deal of confusion comes from when people speak of God’s perfect will vs. His permissive will is the use of the word “perfect” (Greek - G5046 – τέλειος, teleios, tel'-i-os

From G5056; complete[in various applications of labor, growth, mental and moral character, etc.]; neuter [as noun, with G3588] completeness: - of full age, man, perfect. Strong's Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries). Many mistakenly assume that because there is a perfect will, there must be a less than perfect will, but that would be contrary to God’s essence and His character. God’s will (his desire, decree, or declaration) can only be the highest possible outcome. Anything less than what is the “perfect” (“teleios”, complete and perfect) comes from the volitional execution of the individual.

Basically, the use of the term “permissive will” gives the connotation that God has sort of a “well, it’s not what I really want, but this will have to do” mentality against our wayward movement in His plan. Can God take your poor decisions and still work it in a way that he can eventually bring blessings to you despite your “willful” disobedience? Yes. Is this the best route to take? Absolutely not!

Now, where there seems to be further confusion is in God’s ability to clean up our mess. When we choose to move opposite the will of God, God can still take our mess and through applying the proper amount of pressure, cause us to move back towards him, and in doing so it aligns us with His will for our lives and allows God to bless us.

Example: An unmarried couple moves into together and of course they are having pre-marital sex. This is definitely not the will of God for them, but he allows (permits it, based on the freedom of volition for mankind) it; however, the consequences of this decision is inevitable and God will allow the consequences along with other variable pressures to push the individuals involved to readjust their thinking. They separate, get married, and move back in together. God will not only honor that marriage, he will bless it, as long as they remain in His will. This does not mean that there may not be lingering consequences because of the initial decision, but as far the issues with living together and all the other things that come along with it, it is now within the will of God as far as that particular situation is concerned.

Another fallible concept by some is that permissive will refers to things like choosing the right mate or a number of other personal decisions. In other words, some believe that God has a certain person for you and that if you choose the wrong person that falls under the category of God’s permissive will. God has given us his will for marriage. We should not be unequally yoked with an unbeliever. That is the big pre-marriage declaration (will) of God. Most all other declarations concerning marriage are post marriage. Now, there are many that won’t support me in this, but scripture supports it; God is concerned with who you marry, but He is much more concerned about what you do after you marry.

The same thing applies to career decisions: it is a personal decision.

Obviously, what I rendered here is an extremely basic explanation of this extremely intricate doctrine.

I’m sure that there will be subsequent questions. For any areas of this explanation in which clarity is lacking I apologize. Just know that I will commit to making sure that eventually all areas will be clarified. Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact me directly at rpw@rickwallaceministries.com

Be blessed ~ Dr. Rick Wallace