Facts and Truth and deliverance from the demonic by Susan Felder and Pastor Don Moore

This Bible study was taught on 9/21/11. Sorry for the format – although I typed this with paragraphs, Xanga is bunching the paragraphs together.

SUSAN FELDER: Facts and Truth

Luke 8:26-39 Then they sailed to the country of the Gadarenes, which is opposite Galilee. And when He stepped out on the land, there met Him a certain man from the city who had demons for a long time. And he wore no clothes, nor did he live in a house but in the tombs.  When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down before Him, and with a loud voice said, “What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You, do not torment me!”  For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For it had often seized him, and he was kept under guard, bound with chains and shackles; and he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the wilderness.  Jesus asked him, saying, “What is your name?” And he said, “Legion,” because many demons had entered him. And they begged Him that He would not command them to go out into the abyss. Now a herd of many swine was feeding there on the mountain. So they begged Him that He would permit them to enter them. And He permitted them. Then the demons went out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the lake and drowned. When those who fed them saw what had happened, they fled and told it in the city and in the country.  Then they went out to see what had happened, and came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. They also who had seen it told them by what means he who had been demon-possessed was healed. Then the whole multitude of the surrounding region of the Gadarenes asked Him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear. And He got into the boat and returned.  Now the man from whom the demons had departed begged Him that he might be with Him. But Jesus sent him away, saying, “Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you.” And he went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.

Truth sets you free.  What’s your legion?  The man had a legion – over 5000 demons in him. The demons were frightened of Jesus.

The demon possessed man was in a bad way, but he knew who to run to.  He exercised his will and ran to Jesus.

Fact  - the man was demon possessed
Truth – Jesus could set him free.

We make excuses for why we can’t be set free, and the demon wants us to believe those excuses for he needs a body to possess. Demons live through humans and they want us to feel torment. Demons like facts,  - depression, divorce, children suffering, etc. The demons want us to stay in the realm of facts.

In our lives facts can be painful but they are not the truth.

You may feel that the fact is you have a migraine or depression, and it may be real on earth, but it is not the truth. It is not permanent. Facts are temporary, truth is prominent.

The Son of God came to set us free, and by His stripes we are healed. We don’t walk by sight, we walk by faith. Facts are so tangible that we forget the truth. We need to focus on the truth and the truth sets us free.

PASTOR DON - continued the teaching

We are a spirit who lives in a body and our body has a spiritual experience.

When we allow our spirit to be subjected to a lower being, we have a natural experience. We have a choice – let our spirits be subject to the flesh, or let our spirits be subject to the Spirit of God.

We all are subject to our feelings. We want to do things on our own but we need to be subject to the Spirit of God. We are trained by the parents set over us and influenced by our feelings.

Jesus spoke to the Pharisees and Scribes, and to Nicodemus. Jesus commented that the nation didn’t understand, even though they were learned men.

The devil took truth of Jesus, copied facts, and fed his lies to the world, to people. People get the facts, but they forget that the source is Jesus. One example is the book, The Secret, which teaches Biblical facts but leaves out Jesus.

What are we going to let lead our spirits – our flesh or the Holy Spirit? The more we want the Lord and Truth, the less the facts matter. Truth sets us free, but it is conditional – it s based on DO YOU BELIEVE.

Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Prophecy taught by Katherine Briggs and Pastor Don

Bible study of 9/16/11 – Katherine Briggs (whom we dearly miss at Friday Bible studies) taught a wonderful class on Prophecy.  Unless otherwise stated, Bible passages are from the New King James Bible. Kathy began the Bible study with Scriptures and then Pastor Don added further comments.

KATHERINE BRIGGS

According to Webster’s Dictionary, prophecy means: the foretelling or prediction of something to come.  The Scriptures are a book of prophecy. Preaching to the public the interpretation of Scripture. To utter as if by divine inspiration.

It is a spiritual gift:

1 Corinthians 12:10A – …to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy,…

Parents prophesy over their children:

Proverbs 31:1 (King James) The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him.

To be effective and useful, prophecy must be done in love or it profits nothing:

1 Corinthians 13:1-3  Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.  And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.  And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

Words of God can speak life into a situation. Ezekiel was instructed to speak to the dry bones.

Ezekiel 37:4 Again He said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord!

Prophecy can illuminate and inspire. It is an anointing of God to enter into a situation to preach, announce, instruct, protect, deliver, or change a situation. It can show what will come, and even the one speaking the prophecy may not know what or when.  For example, Daniel foretelling about the birth of Jesus.

As we saw above, it is a gift of the spirit (1 Corinthians 12:10)  and

2 Peter 1:19-21 And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

Man does not prophesy, it is holy men of God moved by the Holy Spirit. Prophecy in Scripture is for the Body of Christ.

When we receive a word of prophecy from another, we must test it to make sure that it lines up with the Word of God. If it doesn’t line up with what the Bible teaches it is not from God.  We also need to make sure that the prophecy edifies and lifts us up.

Matthew 7:20-23 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

1 John 4:1-6 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world. You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

Prophecy and other gifts of the Spirit flow through God’s power. They are hindered or stopped by doubt. We can hinder a prophecy by stating – IF it will happen. The if sheds doubt.

COMMENTS BY PASTOR DON MOORE

When God speaks in the prophetic, unless God states that it is unconditional, it is conditional.

For example: God sent Jonah to prophesy to the Ninevites. He was going to destroy their land unless they repented.  When they repented and changed their ways, God did not destroy the land.

If God says He will do it, He will.  God does not lie.

When Hezekiah was told to put his house in order, he turned to the wall and prayed, asking God for more time.  God honored that prayer and Hezekiah lived for fifteen more years. (Sadly, that was not good for Israel. Hezekiah, during those fifteen years, had a son born to him who brought down the destruction of Israel through his evil ways)

Our country, America, is trying to stand on prophecy, but is not meeting the conditions. We are pulling way from being united UNDER GOD. Unless we pull back in line with God’s word, we can pray, and that does not mean God will come and heal our land. His healing of our land is conditional to our obedience to His Word.

Sometimes we want God to change the results of our disobedience, but God does not.  For example, the first child that David had with Bathsheba  (a child conceived in sin) died, even though David prayed that God would spare the child’s life.

Some prophecies are set in stone, others are conditional.

When prophecy comes, we need to have discernment – We can’t always listen to the voice of the prophet – unless the prophet is speaking the Words of God and those words line up with the Bible. If the prophet is saying something contrary to God, it is not a true prophecy and God will not honor a false prophecy.

Personal prophecy is always conditional unless God terminates the conditions.

The prophet may only be able to speak about the condition, but the outcome is between the recipient of the prophecy and God.

God always looks for someone to stand in the gap until the final judgment comes. There are conditions and ramifications to be paid.

The love of God is not separate from the judgment of God.

Prophecy is one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. When we are born again we receive the Holy Spirit within us, but it is not the same as the Baptism of the Holy Spirit that comes with the spiritual gifts. When we are born again we receive an infilling of the Holy Spirit, but the Baptism of the Holy Spirit endues us with Power and the Grace of God. Still, we can have this infilling of the Holy Spirit and do nothing with it. We are to diligently seek the gifts of the Spirit. We need to step forward, in faith, and do what the Lord wants us to do.

When the Holy Spirit fell on the people gathered in the Upper Room, observers thought the people were drunk, but really what was happening was the fulfillment of Joel 2:28-32 – which Peter quotes in the following.

Acts 2:14-21 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words.  For these are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: ‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, that I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions, your old men shall dream dreams. And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; and they shall prophesy. I will show wonders in heaven above and signs in the earth beneath: blood and fire and vapor of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord. And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’

Notice that not only men, but women will prophesy.

We need to seek what God has for us.  We want spiritual gifts to be activated and to operate in the five-fold ministry.

1 Corinthians 12:7-11 details the spiritual gifts.   There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:  for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit,  to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit,  to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.  But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.

The gift of word of wisdom, word of knowledge, faith, healing, working of miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, different kinds of tongues, and interpretation of tongues.  Notice that through all these gifts is the SAME SPIRIT – the HOLY SPIRIT operating.

The five-fold ministry – Ephesians 4:11-12 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,

The Five-fold ministry are apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers –  and all the spiritual gifts and the five-fold ministry are to be used for the equipping of the saints.

There are other gifts mentioned in the Bible.

1 Corinthians 12:27-31 Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Areall teachers? Are all workers of miracles?  Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?  But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.

The gifts are manifested in works of administration and helps.  Never underestimate the kinds of works and help that you do. What happens in the kitchen ministry is important and vital to the Church.  No area of helps is unimportant.

All of the ministries are edified by Christ and to be used for edifying the Body of Christ.

Why did He do it?  Ephesians 4:9-10 (Now this, “He ascended”—what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)

Jesus, when he walked on earth as man, had to get His power from the Holy Spirit the same way we do. That gives us the courage to act and operate in these gifts and ministries. If Jesus had been born as God on earth, we would have no hope to operate in these giftings, but we can do what Jesus did. Jesus showed us it was possible to do these things He did.

Jesus is raised up to His rightful place in Heaven and soon He will come down to rule and reign and establish His Kingdom on earth.  Jesus defeated the enemy, and we have been given the power and authority to carry out His plans on the earth.

Jesus, the second Adam, defeated sickness, sin, and death. While He walked on earth, fully man, he did the very things that we are instructed to do. He did them with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, not through His Godhood.  Because He was able to do these things as a man, so should we be able to do them.  When He died and was resurrected, He defeated satan, and then gave us authority over satan and his minions. The devil is defeated, but we still give him power over our lives.  It is a choice. We can either walk in victory over satan or let the enemy hold power over us.

When Jesus was met near the tomb, He told Mary Magdalene not to cling to him because He had to ascend to Heaven and present the perfect blood sacrifice to the Father.  We know God said, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”  We want Jesus to say that to us as well.

Ephesians 4:7-10  But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore He says: “When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men.” (Now this, “He ascended”—what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth?  He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)

Matthew 25/Revelation 20- judging, dividing sheep from goats by Pastor Don Moore

Pastor Don taught this Bible study on September 10, 2011 – this was taught after Hurricane Irene, and a question was raised by someone about helping others.  We need to help the brethren first. – We can help others, but we need to make sure that it is done with the goal of reaching others for the Kingdom of God. But we also need to make sure our brethren in need are taken care of.

Matthew 25:41  Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels

The left hand is the place of rejection, cursed. These people did not have a personal relationship with the King and neglected the brethren.

We have to be obedient to the Lord, and be careful how we help others, not wanting to go against the grain of the Lord. We don’t want to be unequally yoked.

If we are doing what we think we should be doing according to the flesh, we may be disobedient to what God wants.

Matthew 25:31-40 When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink?  When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’

There are goat nations and sheep nations. Goats do not follow the Lord, they rebel.  There are times when sheep follow goats and that can be to their detriment.

Goats are stubborn and can’t be led. They have a short memory.

Pastor Don said that there are times when we sin years earlier, and then something bad happens – we forget the seeds of the sin that we had sown years ago and blame God for the disaster, forgetting that we are reaping what we have sown. We need to pray that there is a crop failure for seeds of sin sown much earlier.

There are two kinds of fire – there is a purging fire to cleanse and restore and there is a fire for punishment that lasts forever.

We need to have faith through the purging fires.  Purging fires hurt, but if we maintain or faith and are obedient, we come out the other side purged.

Pastor gave an example of David and the census – he said that when David disobeyed God, a plague hit the nation.  God offered David a chance to be punished by men or punished by Him. David asked God to mete out the punishment for he knew that he would fare better with God’s punishment.  God removed his hand of protection and the satan caused a plague to hit the nation.  David said that he accepted the responsibility for his disobedience.  At the right time, God stopped the plague.

But, even though God stayed the punishment, for the rest of David’s life, there was a constant state of war in Israel

God can mitigate in our favor or against us.

Matthew 25:41-46 “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’ Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

Notice – the least of these (the brethren). They fed and clothed someone – but did they neglect the brethren? The brethren are fellow believers, and we all have a relationship with the Lord. God is going to ask:  How did you treat the brethren.

1 John 3:16 By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

John 13:35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.

We are to do what we do to the glory of Christ. The glory should come back to God

Revelation 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.

There will be a judgment.  Pastor asked, would God have us do something if there was no purpose in it?

Those who, during the tribulation, lived right and held to the Word of God will be given the honor to rule and reign with Christ for one thousand years.  What happened to others?

Some are the Bride of Christ and they were with Jesus at the wedding feast during the tribulation time. They will come back with Him to conquer.

These are the ones who did not get raptured, who are are on earth during the reign of the antichrist and who do not worship the beast or take the mark of the beast.  They will be beheaded for their faith.

Revelation 20:5 But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.

The thousand years is the millennial reign of Christ – The Bride of Christ are already on thrones. Those who died in faith, are already with Christ, but they won’t be reunited with their resurrection bodies until this millennial reign is finished.

Revelation 20:6 Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years

This is the best way to be – to be in the rapture, to be the Bride of Christ. Next best, to be in faith, not take the mark of the beast, and resist the antichrist, and they won’t have to face the second death = the second death will have no power over them.

Revelation 20:14-15 Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.  And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.

Death, Hades and those who are not found written in the book of life will face the second death – the lake of fire

Those who die in faith, not taking taking the mark will rule and reign with Jesus for 1000 years as priests of God and Christ.

The culmination of Matthew 25 goats and sheep is fulfilled in Revelation 20.

Joel and Amos speak of the Bride who comes as an obedient and powerful army.

The end of the story is we win, satan loses.

Praying your day is blessed

Heather

How we should be judging when bad things happen to good people and good things happen to bad people by Pastor Don Moore

These notes come from a Bible study taught on September 2, 2011 after Hurricane Irene came through our area and caused serious devastation.

Good things happen to bad people and bad things happen to good people.

God protects us all. We can request a covering of protection by faith and pray, trusting God.

We can trust God for protection. We are within the context of God’s sovereignty. God is not a god of destruction, except when He brings judgment.  When disasters strike, it may be that God is withholding His hand of protection and satan and satan’s angels do the damages. God is not required to protect what is outside of His will for man.

The secular news is always speaking about acts of God, but often it has nothing to do with God’s direct intervention, these are just acts of nature. There may be things going on in the sovereignty of God that we do not know or understand. A good example is the book of Job.  When disaster struck Job, Job had no idea what went on in the  heavenlies, he just knew what happened on earth.  Job chose to stay faithful to God.  Many of Job’s advisers assumed things about God’s motives regarding Job that weren’t true.

Are the current slew of disasters God’s judging of America?  Maybe, maybe not. America is making decisions now that are contrary to God’s will and America will answer for it.

Some current prophets are speaking about impending judgment of God.  We can pray, but some say it may be too late to pray and change our ways – things are already set in motion.  It may be too late for the verse: 2 Chronicles 7:14 … 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 I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

We must and should always pray, though.

We are the people of God, and we must begin to serve Him and His Kingdom. We are selfish and self-centered. We are concerned about our well-being.  God can provide for those who serve Him.

In Genesis the Israelites sojourned in Egypt. They ultimately became slaves of the Egyptians.  When the time was right, God judged Egypt for their treatment of the Israelites, and wealth exchanged hands.  God amply provided for the Israelites when they left Egypt.  While they were in the midst of their slavery, they may not have seen the Hand of God, but God was there working things out for the good of the Israelites.

Joseph was promised he would rule over his brothers, but he ended up as a slave in Egypt.  He was also at one time a prisoner, but then, at the right time, God raised him up to be prime minister. In this role, when famine came to the land, the people gave up their money, their livestock, their land, and themselves to Pharaoh to be able to survive the famine.

In America, we are heading toward this path today. We are sacrificing our children’s future so that we don’t face discomfort today, running our country deeper into debt, and turning more and more of our power over to the government.

Recent flooding and storms are producing a crop shortage.  We are already seeing corn shortages -as our food corn is turned into ethanol, and the fields are being flooded by unusual storms.

One of our members pointed out that there are many bombs and rockets being shot into Israel. Our country is not sharing this information with us. They are having a news blackout so that they can promote their anti-Israel policies. Our country is not supporting Israel, our best ally in the Middle East.

Rehoboam, son of Solomon, divided Israel by his oppressive polices until only Judah and Benjamin remained under his rule.  When he took over after his father’s death, he refused to reduce the tax burden on the people.  In his youth and inexperience, instead of listening to the wisdom of the elders, he chose to listen to his cohorts and ended up losing the land.

We have a similar situation in our country now – with Obama listening to those who sing the same song he sings, and not listening to wise advisers about what would be good for America.

How should we be judging the situation?  - Everything bad that happens is a good opportunity for us to minister to others.

Matthew 13:18-23 “Therefore hear the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”

We are to share the message of God, and when we share, some will receive the message, others will let it fall by the wayside, and others will let it fall on rocky ground and the cares of the world will choke out the message.

Pastor Don said IF (AND ONLY IF) these disasters are a testing of the United States of America,, if God is saying trust me.  There will be terrible pressures on the land, on people and lifestyles, God may be seeing where people turn when things get tough. Do they hold on and exercise the Word of God?  Do they blame God when things get tough? Do they think the Word of God does no good?

Where will you be when things get tough? Who are you trusting?

When people of God say that these disasters are acts of God, they are not saying that as an evaluation of the truth, but rather as a way to blame God.

People feel entitled.  Perry Stone spoke in a recent TV message about the time from AD30 to AD70 (when the Temple was destroyed).  In AD 60′s the people decided to revolt against Rome. This is mentioned in Josephus.  There was a Jewish mindset that we are God’s people and, as God’s nation, we should rise up against Rome.  Trouble was, God had not told them to do that.  The end result was disaster for Israel.

We want God to protect and take care of us. People automatically say, “Thank God,” when things go good in their lives, but do they really know God? Many only know God in a casual way, so the good may have had nothing to do with God’s intervention in their lives.  The moment something goes against their wishes, they no longer thank God or trust God, they blame God.

We are in a window of Judgment. If God allows disasters, what are we going to do with them? Sometimes good people get hurt in the disasters.  If good people are saved, that does not mean they are better than others who got hurt.  Sometimes bad people are saved in the midst of a disaster.

Are we going to make the same mistake Israel did in AD 60? Are we going to act the way we think we ought to, or are we going to listen for God’s guidance?

Sometimes, when disaster strikes, people pray for God’s assistance to rebuild.  But maybe it is not God’s plan that a certain thing gets rebuilt.  We need to be turning to God for direction in what we do in response to what is happening in our lives.

We ascribe to the blind theology of America the Great and God is with us. We are all God’s children, and God will spare us.  Those who call themselves Christian will be the remnant saved.

This is not necessarily true. Yes, God will spare a remnant, but we may be presuming more about our relationship with God than is true.  You can stand in a  garage, but that doesn’t make you a car.  You can attend church, but that doesn’t mean you have a knowledge and relationship with God.

Notice, in the above passage, the seed is planted in the heart and the wicked comes and snatches it from the heart. We have to keep our hearts safe and sound, not basing our hope in natural things, they’re just things. We still have to adjust our hearts and show compassion for other people. Many of us feel, if I got mine, it’s okay, but what will we do and how will we respond if what we think is mine is taken away?

Some seed falls in the stony places – it is received with Joy, then when a challenge comes, the roots wither and the seed does not survive.  Some people lost everything, but if they have joy in the Lord, that cannot be taken away from them.

If they do not have deep roots in the Lord, when disaster strikes, they ask, “Why did God do this to me?”

Ann Graham Lotz spoke about that once during a TV interview when someone asked her why God permitted a particular disaster.  She responded that, they didn’t want God before the disaster, so how can they blame God for not showing up during the disaster?

When trouble comes our way, how do we handle it?  Will we do Christ’s work? Will we blame God? Will we help others?

The Bible tells us to help the brethren first, then others.

God will sometimes let stuff keep happening until we can’t fix it in our own power and have to rely on Him. When disasters happen globally, where are we in the midst of them?  To whom do we turn?

Isaiah 34:1-2 Come near, you nations, to hear; and heed, you people! Let the earth hear, and all that is in it, the world and all things that come forth from it. For the indignation of the LORD is against all nations, and His fury against all their armies; He has utterly destroyed them, He has given them over to the slaughter.

Verse two says it all. No exceptions.

We need to keep praying our nation turns back to God.

We also need to keep praying for Israel. God is concerned about where we stand in regards to Israel.

Have a blessed day.

Heather

Matthew 25:14-29 Parable of the talents by Pastor Don Moore

Pastor Don was away for a few weeks, this study was taught on August 26, 2011

We are supposed to busy ourselves doing God’s work until He comes, even if He is coming later than we think He is going to come. There are no exact dates, no time setting. We are to do His work until He comes. Our goal is for Him to say to us, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Matthew 25:14-15  For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey.

This is Jesus talking, sharing a parable. The word used for servant in this passage is – doulos – which means slave or servant.  In those days slaves were part of the family, and often worked for a set period of time. After that time period was over the slave could either leave or choose to become a bondservant, staying with the family for the rest of his/her life.  The owner was required to give good care for his slaves.  For the owner, it was a sign of his good care that a slave would choose to be a bondservant. A slave that begins to know his master’s will could be elevated to the position of steward – one who would act the way the master would act without the master needing to be present. This is a parable of testing to see which of the slaves would become good stewards.

The Master is going to give the servants talents according to their ability.  One servant will receive five, the other will receive two, and the third will receive one.

Ability is your able-ness and it involves two factors.

1. Availability – Do you make yourself available to be used?
2. Capability

If you make myself available and the Lord turns the heat, the challenge, or the requirements up, are you spiritually available? Are you a spiritual vessel?

God’s ability and your capability working together can bring you further than you doing things by yourself.  Are you willing?  What will you suffer yourself to do?

We had to repeat this as a group, “If I’m willing to take my able-ness and become able, God can use me for stuff. I can see clearly if I get out of my ego zone and do Your will.”

God can take our plans and make them go further. Our doubt has to go. Don’t make a list of how we want to do things, listen to God’s plans. Don’t negative speak. Negative speaking limits God’s ability. When we say, “I can’t do that.” It ties God’s hands.

God has the ability to make your capability exceed your false expectations of your capability. We can go way beyond what we think. Our vision of ourselves limits what we can do.

A steward is a mature saint and only mature saints know WWJD – What would Jesus do? He’s our Friend and we learn what our Friend likes and wants us to do by spending time with Him.

Pastor Don gave the example of going out to dinner with his wife. If she leaves the table for something and the waiter comes, Pastor Don could order for her because he knows what she would order if she was at the table.  He’s spent forty years with her and over that time together, he learned her likes and dislikes. We are to spend time with the Lord and learn His likes and dislikes, then we can change from servants/slaves to bondservants and stewards.

Matthew 25:16 Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents.

This servant stepped up from servant to the next level.  He knew his Master grows and improves.  So this servant made an investment that doubled what the Master left him.

Matthew 25:17  And likewise he who had received two gained two more also.

This servant also doubled the Master’s money.  Remember, the Master gave each servant according to their ability.  According to what they could handle.  The master did not overload a servant with what is greater than they could function with.  This servant did well and doubled the Master’s talents.

Matthew 25:18  But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money.

This servant was not a steward. He did nothing with the Master’s talent but bury it.  And we will see later in the story that he was not a friend of the Master for he didn’t know the master.

Matthew 25:19-21 After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them. So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’  His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’

This servant was advanced to steward – ruler over many because of his faithfulness over the talents the Lord gave him.

Pastor Don said, the blessings of God and the provision of God are always progressive. We just sustain and the grace of God does. It is an abundant grace. It will surprise us up-ward. We need to open up and let God bless us. It is progressive even in the difficult moments. God surprises us with abundance.

Matthew 25:22-23 He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’  His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’

This servant also became a steward – a ruler over many because he faithfully used the talents the Lord gave him.

Matthew 25:24   Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed.’

This servant shows that he does not know his Master. He assumed wrong things about the master and called him a thief – saying he reaped and gathered where he hadn’t sown. He had not spiritual vision. He only saw the physical, not the spiritual vision.

Pastor Don told us to always pray for the unseen blessing, and believe for the increase. God surprises us.

Matthew 25:25 ^‘And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’

This servant wasted seed.  All that we have is God’s, and this man buried the seed. He took his ability and did not put it to use so no one received the benefit. We need to put the ability God gives us to use for His Kingdom.

Matthew 25:26  But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed.

The Master calls this slave wicked because the slave chose to believe evil about Him. If we sabotage the possibility of God’s acting by our negative speaking we are wicked. We are not portraying God as He is.  We don’t want to offend the Spirit of God by speaking evil of God.

This servant robbed God. God wants His Kingdom to multiply – we need to take the seed (talents) He gives us and multiply it.  God wants us to multiply and get something back for the Creator.

Matthew 25:27  So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest.

This servant didn’t even do the barest minimum with the talent – putting it in the bank to earn interest. God gives us gifts and talents and wants us to increase the value of the gifts and talents and abilities.

God puts things in our lives, gives us the tools and people. We don’t have to understand why or how. We just need to be obedient to grow the seed He has planted in us.

We take our capability and our willingness and God adds ability. If we are uncertain how to use the talent, we need to find a mentor and say, “Teach me.” We want to learn how to use our talent correctly – sometimes, when we try to do things on our own we learn them wrong. It takes twice as long to unlearn something than it does to learn it properly the first time.

Sometimes, in our stubbornness, we fight to defend the wrong thing.

Matthew 25:28-29  So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.  ‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.  

So the servant lost the talent, it was given to the one with five talents.  I asked, why was the talent not given to the one with two talents?  And Pastor Don reminded us that the Lord knows the amount we can safely handle. He won’t give us more than we can properly use.

Things in the Kingdom of God do not stay the same – they either get better or worse.  We need to stir up the gift that is within us and use the talents God has provided.

Have a blessed day.

Heather

Joel 2 & Hosea 6 by Pastor Don Moore

Pastor Don taught this Bible study on Friday, August 12, 2011

We continued our study of Joel.  See previous post.

Joel 2:28-29  And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions. And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days.

Men and women have the Spirit poured on them – evangelicals and pentecostals preach that this has been fulfilled, but the following verses call this into question.

Joel 2:30-31 And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: blood and fire and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the coming of the great and awesome day of the LORD.

This has not happened yet.

In studying prophecy, you can’t pull a prophecy out of its setting and say that it applies now. When you are dealing with the prophetic you need to ask if it is a prophecy for now or later?

Some use these verses to justify women in the pulpit, but that takes the verse out of context. We need to go to the beginning of the passage to see what is happening.

Pastor Don had us turn to Hosea Chapter Six.

Hosea 6:1-2 Come, and let us return to the LORD; for He has torn, but He will heal us; He has stricken, but He will bind us up. After two days He will revive us; on the third day He will raise us up, that we may live in His sight.

This is history marking all time. When will He bind us up?  After two days, on the third day. Pastor Don pointed out that the third day always refers to end times.

In the Bible it says that a day is as 1000 years.

Psalm 90:4 For a thousand years in Your sight are like yesterday when it is past, and like a watch in the night.

2 Peter 3:8 But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

So the two days are two thousand years, and on the third 1000 years we are raised up. Every 2000 years we have a revival in the third 1000 years.

Adam died before he made one day – in the day he ate of the fruit he would die. No one lived 1000 years in all of the Old Testament.

Abraham brought about a revival – faith to get to Heaven,

The third day – Moses and the Law.

Then there was David

Then Jesus was the fourth day.

Now we have 2000 years since Jesus (the church age), and soon are coming into the next third day. This day (sixth day) will also have the tribulation and the promise of God with us, which leads to the seventh day will be the Millennial Reign of Christ.

Hosea 6:11  Also, O Judah, a harvest is appointed for you, when I return the captives of My people.

There is a harvest for Judah. Jesus is the Lion of Judah. We are grafted in to the root of Israel. Judah (Yehudah)

Pastor Don added, the joy of the Lord is my strength, and the fourth generation will be Messiah and believers.

The Millennial reign of Christ will be 1000 years with Christ’s leadership.  God says He will write the law in the hearts of men. For the 2000 years, Christ was preached to the Gentiles, but in the last days, God will draw in the lost sheep of Israel.

1948 corresponds with the prophecies that the captives would return to Israel. And since that time more and more people are making the return to Israel.  From everything that Jesus predicted in Matthew 24 and 25, and what is happening in world events, it shows us that the fields are white with harvest. We need to pray that the Lord send a Revival. We are not trying to revive a dead church, but rather gather in what is still alive.

A harvest is appointed, not a revival.

We are part of the organism of the Body of Christ, and we all have different responsibilities.  We have erroneously divided into denominations, Protestant, Catholic, Lutheran, Charismatic, etc. But that was not Christ’s vision.  We were to be part of ONE body IN CHRIST.

If the organized church is saying go left and Jesus says, “Go right,” who do you obey?  We must obey the Word of the Lord, Jesus.

Many of the organized denominations will be sucked in to the one world church of the new world order. Already churches are compromising the Word of God to be politically relevant.

Joel 2:1 Blow the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in My holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; for the day of the LORD is coming, for it is at hand: 

This refers, according to Pastor Don, to the pre-days of the Lord’s Wrath. The Day of the Lord is coming. This coming will not impact true believers who, like the five virgins with the oil, be raptured.

Joel 2:2 A day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, like the morning clouds spread over the mountains. A people come, great and strong, the like of whom has never been; nor will there ever be any such after them, even for many successive generations.

Pastor Don pointed out that a people come – never seen before, at the Day of the Lord.

Joel 2:3 A fire devours before them, and behind them a flame burns; the land is like the Garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; surely nothing shall escape them.

This reminds us of Moses and the Law, where God sent a fire before Moses to guide the people in the wilderness.  There was also a fire at one point behind them to protect the Israelites from Pharaoh’s army. Wherever the people go, they will be drawn into battle. It will be a purposeful destruction.

Joel 2:4-5 Their appearance is like the appearance of horses; and like swift steeds, so they run. With a noise like chariots over mountaintops they leap, like the noise of a flaming fire that devours the stubble, like a strong people set in battle array.

This is not describing ordinary people, but people with supernatural ability. Even the stubble will be devoured. Nothing will be left. This will be a time of great destruction and pain for the people.

Joel 2:6-7 Before them the people writhe in pain; all faces are drained of color. They run like mighty men, they climb the wall like men of war; every one marches in formation,  and they do not break ranks.

These people are not demonic forces for they are purposeful and do not break ranks. As more information is added we will see who these people are.

Joel 2:8-11 They do not push one another; every one marches in his own column. Though they lunge between the weapons, they are not cut down. They run to and fro in the city, they run on the wall; they climb into the houses, they enter at the windows like a thief. The earth quakes before them, the heavens tremble;  the sun and moon grow dark, and the stars diminish their brightness. The LORD gives voice before His army, for His camp is very great; for strong is the One who executes His word. For the day of the LORD is great and very terrible; who can endure it?

This is God’s army, purposeful and orderly. We know this has not happened yet because the sun and moon haven’t grown dark nor have the stars diminished in their brightness.

Joel 2:12 “Now, therefore,” says the LORD, “Turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.”

This is not referring to God’s army, but the people who have turned away from God. They need to turn to God and repent.

Joel 2:13-16 So rend your heart, and not your garments; return to the LORD your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness; and He relents from doing harm. Who knows if He will turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind Him— a grain offering and a drink offering– for the LORD your God? Blow the trumpet in Zion, consecrate a fast, call a sacred assembly; gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children and nursing babes; let the bridegroom go out from his chamber, and the bride from her dressing room.

God is calling the people to repent, it is not His heart to have people hurt. The bridegroom and bride show that normal behaviors need to be dropped for repentance. But also, the bride refers to the Bride of Christ who will accomplish Jesus when He returns as the conquering king. Notice that these are people who worship God with the offerings, judgment begins first at the house of the Lord.  The judgment will be on those who hate the Lord.

Joel 2:17 Let the priests, who minister to the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar; let them say, “Spare Your people, O LORD, and do not give Your heritage to reproach, that the nations should rule over them. Why should they say among the peoples,  ‘Where is their God?’”

The priests will plead for God’s mercy.

Joel 2:18-19 Then the LORD will be zealous for His land, and pity His people. The LORD will answer and say to His people, “Behold, I will send you grain and new wine and oil, and you will be satisfied by them; I will no longer make you a reproach among the nations.

Those that turn to the Lord will gain prosperity.  The grain is prosperity.  The New Wine and oil is the Holy Spirit. Israel will have a remnant saved and will no longer be a reproach among the nations. This will occur when the Day of the Lord occurs.

Joel 2:20  “But I will remove far from you the northern army, and will drive him away into a barren and desolate land, with his face toward the eastern sea and his back toward the western sea; his stench will come up, and his foul odor will rise, because he has done monstrous things.”

Pastor Don used these directions to point out some of the players, northern army would be Russia, Turkey, Islam, the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea. , the Western sea would be the Mediterranean Sea.

God will bring destruction to the enemies of God, in the Day of the Lord.

Pastor Don pointed out that there is a progressive fulfillment of prophecy. There was a near fulfillment of this prophecy at Joel’s time, and there will be a future fulfillment of this at the end days.

There will be a defiling of Jerusalem which will begin the setup for the Millennial reign.

Next Bible study will begin to cover parts of Matthew 25

Have a blessed day.

Heather

Where are the Saints in the End Times – Joel 2 by Pastor Don Moore

Bible study taught Friday July 29, 2011

With the Coming of the Lord, where are the saints?

God picked the smallest tribe and blessed them and they have remained in existence to this day.

Everyone under covenant with God is protected by God. satan tried to destroy the line that led to the birth of Jesus and in this day and age, the devil is trying to destroy the Jews for if there are no Jews then the Messiah will not come again -

Most Christians forget that Jesus was a Jew.  The Jews were looking for the Jewish Messiah and Jesus did not come the way they expected – they wanted a conquering King and the first time He came, the Messiah came as a suffering servant.  His second coming will be as a conquering King.

Just as the prophecies stated, the nation of Israel is surrounded by enemies, and their enemies are getting more and more aggressive.  The main enemy, satan, is trying to wipe out the Jews, but the Lord has promised that a remnant will remain. If satan could wipe out the Jews, then there would be no Jews on earth to say, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord,” as the prophecy states the Jews will do.

God does not lie, so His Word will come true, and therefore there must remain Jews on the earth to fulfill this prophecy.

Mount Zion is going to split, an earthquake will cause it to split in half.  Geologists have shown that there is a fault line running through this mountain and there is also a tunnel running under it.

The evil of satan will not manifest until there is world domination, the new world order.

We took a glance at the one dollar bill and saw the pyramid with the all-seeing eye of osirus, baal. The pyramid represents the world and when the all seeing eye rests upon the world then the one world government of Revelation 13 will emerge.

Over the pyramid are the words:annuit coeptis – which has to do with Jupiter, he (satan, jupiter) agrees with the cause which has started, the secret plan to take over America and the world.

Novus Ordo Seclorum – the new order of the ages is a code name for the new world order.

Notice that the Roman numerals are for 1776 but May first is the birth date of the illuminati, not July 4 which is our Independence Day.

We spent a bit of time talking about how the Federal Reserve is not federal and not part of our government.  Its manipulation of money is part of what is making the new world order more feasible. The United Nations is also pushing for more of a one world government.  Those in power in our government are also in line with this premise.

Joel 2:1 Blow the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in My holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; for the day of the LORD is coming, for it is at hand:

The Day of the Lord when God wrecks vengeance on the earth for what people did to Jesus, to those who rejected the salvation Jesus died to provide for us.

Joel 2:2  A day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, like the morning clouds spread over the mountains. A people come, great and strong, the like of whom has never been; nor will there ever be any such after them, even for many successive generations.

The people are going to come like we have never seen again, even after a series of generations. This is a near prophesy of the destruction of Israel, but also an end time prophecy with an enemy that is going to come to destroy Israel

Joel 2:3  A fire devours before them, and behind them a flame burns; the land is like the Garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; surely nothing shall escape them.

This evokes memories of Moses in the wilderness with the fire that was before them to lead, but now the fire devours leaving desolation behind it.

Joel 2:4-6  Their appearance is like the appearance of horses; and like swift steeds, so they run. With a noise like chariots over mountaintops they leap, like the noise of a flaming fire that devours the stubble, like a strong people set in battle array. Before them the people writhe in pain; all faces are drained of color.

This will be the fate of those left on the earth in the end days, the people who are not the Bride of Christ, and they will suffer – believers and nonbelievers, for the tribulation will be tremendous.

Joel 2:7-8 They run like mighty men, they climb the wall like men of war; every one marches in formation, and they do not break ranks. They do not push one another; every one marches in his own column. Though they lunge between the weapons, they are not cut down.

This is the army of the Lord which will not break ranks, these are obedient people who are disciplined. The war goes on, and they obey the orders of the Lord.

Joel 2:9 They run to and fro in the city, they run on the wall; they climb into the houses, they enter at the windows like a thief.

They enter all parts of the city like a thief.

Joel 2:10-11 The earth quakes before them, the heavens tremble; the sun and moon grow dark, and the stars diminish their brightness. The LORD gives voice before His army, for His camp is very great; for strong is the One who executes His word. For the day of the LORD is great and very terrible; who can endure it?

This is the Lord’s army in the last days after the rapture.

Joel 2:12-13  “Now, therefore,” says the LORD, “turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.” So rend your heart, and not your garments; return to the LORD your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness; and He relents from doing harm.

God wants the people to repent, to return to the Lord prior to Armageddon.

Ten Virgins continued by Pastor Don Moore

Pastor Don said he was going to teach about the split dimensions of faith.  He asked why the ten virgins?  Ten is a spiritual number, represents the ten commandments.  People were under the command of God.  Ten is the number of trial – the commandments were a test to see if you qualify.

Forty is also a number of testing.

Twenty-four elders in positions of power, by age, 24 is a young adult

29 1/2 was the time when a priest could minister.

30 was an acceptable age for ministry.

10 is the age of accountability, beginning to be accountable. when 12 1/2 you are held accountable.

Pastor Don said that seven years is a perfect age, growing to responsibility.

He pointed out that often parents mention the terrible twos – not a good thing to name them that, because what you speak is what you will have.

These ten virgins were under a test, under a trial and only five obeyed. The ones who were not invited to the wedding would have to go through the tribulation and those who held to the truth would become martyrs.   The bride is the ones who keep oil in their lamps.

Matthew 25:11-13 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.

Although a person may say they are born again, not every one who claims that is acceptable to God – God requires obedience. Going to church does not make you a Christian. We will stand before the judgment seat of Christ before the foundation of the World.  God has prepared a place for those who call Jesus blessed. Jesus speaks of helping the least of these, my brethren. This is not blanket charity.  Yes, we can give charity to those who have not accepted the Gospel, but we are to look out for those who are are brethren.

We try to define God, but God is sovereign.  We tell God how we want Him to be.  We need to discern who God is blessing and cursing, and we need to obey God according to His Word.  We try, for the sake of political correctness, to set the level of tolerance at a place where God does not set it.

Matthew 25:14 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them.

Jesus was sent to give us revelation – not someone else, but for us personally. He expects us to do something with the revelation He gives us. We are His slaves, His servants.  We are not to take the talents He gives us and squander them, to do nothing with them. We are to use them and multiply them.

Matthew 25:15-16 And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey.  Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents.

One servant went and put the talent to work and doubled the money, the second servant did the same with what the master gave him.  God gives us what we can use in His service and He wants us to use  these talents.  The third servant buried his talent, and did not even give God an increase.

Matthew 25:19-30 After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them. So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’ His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’ But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. ‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

We want to be the servants to whom God says, “Well done.”  What we do with the little God has given us will determine what other things God can trust us with.

The unprofitable servant (the one who buried his talent) made God in his own eyes – he said that God was selfish and lazy, gathering where he had not scattered seed – this is not a true picture of the Lord.  We can, if we are not careful, make an image of God from our prideful construction of who we think He is, and this image does not line up with the truth of the Word.

Jesus is meek and kind, but He also is a judge and is coming with a two-edged sword to administer the wrath of God. He is not just coming to pet our heads and kiss our behinds.  He expects obedience to His will.

God gives us talents so we can create more.

The foolish virgins were lazy and did not do God’s commands.  We are to be about doing His work and His will until He comes, not just sitting around and waiting for the next shoe to drop.

I hope this blesses you. I want to be one to whom God says, “Well done.”

Have a blessed and happy new year.

Heather

Ten Virgins – Matthew 25 – by Pastor Don Moore

This Bible study was taught July 8, 2011

Matthew 25:1-7 Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’ Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.

Pastor Don did a bit of a review of the previous Bible study.  He said that the Church has been using this passage to beat up on the saints.  We are to use it to do a self-examination to see if we have oil in our lamps.  The virgins take their lamps and trim the wicks. Trimming the wicks makes the light brighter and reduces the soot that is created by burning the oil.  The soot is the negative deposits that slime up people.

Pastor Don said that if a believer criticizes others in negative ways they can leave a cripple.  And we don’t want that to happen.

We are to examine OUR LAMPS, NOT OTHER’S

They heard the cry about the Bridegroom. This was a prophecy for their time but also one for our time (end times).  Bible prophecy is made to tell us to be ready when the Bridegroom (Christ) comes back for His Bride.

Notice that ALL slept, most in the church are not awake to the signs of the times.  We are to be looking for His coming.

There are those who make it happen and those who wonder.  We are to be the ones to make it happen.

The cry of the Bride Groom happens at MIDNIGHT which is the darkest time, the most difficult times. We are seeing these times in our day, with commercialization, globalization, problems with housing and realty, and lawlessness.

We have reached a time of final judgment.  Our economic systems are not working. We are using up all our resources.  We are crossing over into the midnight hour.

Paul tells us that we are not to worry in these last days. Most do not recognize the problems and just like in the time of Noah, they are still reaping and sowing, marrying, etc.

Jesus is the voice of prophecy, and we need to listen to His Words.

The Church is immobilized and doesn’t know how to act.

Jesus tells us what will happen so we can gear up and change. The last days should not be a surprise to believers.  Don’t let the oil in our lamps go out.

We are under pressure, and we need to clean up our act.  Most of the Church is missing something today – oil in their lamps – the oil being the working and presence of the Holy Spirit. We are not functioning in the full power and authority Jesus gave us.

It is important to remember that all ten virgins had oil, the Holy Spirit, but only the wise brought enough oil.  The foolish did not bring extra oil.

Paul tells us to keep being filled with the Holy Ghost.  We do have the Holy Ghost in us, the power of the Holy Spirit, and we are to be pouring out and refilling our lamps.

The presence of the Holy Spirit brings knowledge and power.  A Rhema Word from the Holy Spirit lasts a lifetime.

Pastor Don said fear isn’t the problem, courage is. We are to pray for the courage to overcome fear of obeying the directives of the Holy Spirit and doing the actions He wants.  We need the courage to overcome the fear to get the job done.

God needs the glory of your doing it, not the glory of Him doing it.  God is for us and wants to empower us to do what He wants.

The foolish have put up a wall of separation between the foolish and the wise.  The wise work in abundance with the Holy Spirit.

But outward signs are not always an indication of who is filled with the Holy Spirit.  You can be a tongue talker and still have no oil in your lamp.  You can’t keep being filled without flowing out to others.

Matthew 25:8-9 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’  But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’

The wise realize that there is not enough oil for themselves and the foolish.  You are responsible for your own filling and the filling of the Holy Spirit can’t be transferred.  We have to get our own faith.

Faith is qualitative, not quantitative – you don’t get more faith – it is error to ask God for more faith – you are either IN faith or NOT IN faith. We are all given a mustard seed of faith and it is up to us to use it.

Faith is:  I know it is done.  It may not be seen in the external yet, but you KNOW that you KNOW that you KNOW that it is done.

If you are praying and what you are praying for doesn’t happen you are not praying in faith.  Faith accomplishes its task.

Faith is specific for what you believe for. You can’t give your faith to someone else.

Lack of preparedness disqualifies you to be in the elite of the Bride. All the virgins know the Gospel, but not all are functioning with the power of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus tells His disciples that if they love Him they are to serve the brethren.

Regarding the power of the Holy Spirit – and the confusion comes by mistranslation of the Bible when it comes to the words Dunamis and Exusia – both are sometimes translated as authority, but Dunamis also speaks not only of authority but of a power that can be considered dynamite.  If only authority is used, it robs the scriptural passage of the full power of its meaning.  Power gives the ability to perform.  When you read a Bible passage using the word “authority” check to see if it is the Greek Word Dunamis or Exusia.

Another word mistranslated is servant – it means we are a slave for Christ.  Only in two places is the word bondservant used. Mostly we are to consider ourselves slaves to Christ.

When we accept the Gospel we come to Jesus to be His slave and do what He tells us to do.

We are to keep oil (Holy Spirit) in our lamps and be ready and busy until His coming. We are to serve as a slave and keep His commands about what we are to be doing.

If we don’t obey the Lord, we spend our time in distraction.  We need to pay attention to how we are filling our time.  Is it with distractions or is it in service to the Lord?

Jesus is the judge of how we spend our time. The wise virgins tell the foolish ones to go and buy their oil from someone else.

Jesus is looking for a Bride, spotless and clean. As we seek the spiritual and the infilling of the Holy Spirit what is impure in us is cleansed. Jesus knows when we are making an honest effort and he can read our hearts.  We can’t pretend or put a mask on.

Philippians 2:12-13 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;  for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

We are to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling – but it is God who empowers us to make these changes within ourselves.  We cannot do it without His help.

Matthew 25:10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.

The foolish virgins go to buy.  To keep our lamps filled we need to go where the Holy Spirit is flowing and fill up.  Get with people who are seeking a continual filling of the Holy Spirit.

Pastor Don asked – what do you do to get in the presence of God?  We need to know what it is that helps us get in His presence.  Is it listening to praise and worship music, walking in nature, riding in your car, going to your prayer closet?  What do you do in your private worship to find His presence?  You need to know in case times are tough and you need His presence.  Establish routines that help you.

Matthew 25:11  “Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’

After the other virgins found their oil, they came but too late, the doors were already closed. When God wants us, He doesn’t want us to say wait a minute, or when it’s convenient or after I do this or that.

The benefits of keeping our lamps filled and serving God is that He provides for our needs, our care, can keep us healthy, and in peace. We need to trust God.  He asks us, who are you trusting?

There is a time when the door is open, and then it will be closed.  We don’t want Jesus to say, I never knew you.

Matthew 25:12 But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’

We want intimate relationship with Him, and knowledge of His person.  Jesus gets to know us by the Holy Spirit.

When our thought patterns are disrupted by God it is Him speaking to us in that still small voice.  We need to be ready to hear Him when He speaks. And to discern if it is us, Him, or the enemy.

Matthew 25:13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.

Jesus is doing everything He can to wait until we are ready, but when the time comes He will come and we do not know the day or the hour.

During our wait for His coming we are to be a slave to God, listening to His voice and doing what he is told to do, that is the oil.  The redeemed understand. Servanthood triumphs.

The Good News is that Jesus will change our status as servants or virgins,

Revelation 13:1-7 (not about the saints who are raptured, but rather those five foolish virgins)  Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name. Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority. And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast.  So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?” And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months. Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe,tongue, and nation.

These refer to the virgins who did not go to the Wedding Feast of the Lamb, they are still on the planet because they did not have enough oil in their lamps. They were waiting for God to do what God gave them power to do. They should have been using the oil God supplied for them, but they didn’t.  Now they are going to face horrific challenges and trials. By wanting God to do the things for them they were making themselves idols, instead of acting as servants of God.

Revelation 13:8 All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

Those saints who are still on earth will not worship the beast, but it will be challenging to stand their ground against the power of the beast.  Our desire should be not to remain on the earth in the midst of this, but to keep our lamps filled so we go to the Wedding Feast of the Lamb. Some who claim they are Christian may not be – only those whose name is written in the Book of Life of the Lamb will be the ones who won’t worship the beast.

Revelation 13:9 If anyone has an ear, let him hear.

Disobedient slaves will be forced to miss the grace of God to remove them from the tribulation. But they will be under the mercy and grace of God to help them remain diligent even in the tribulation.  Our goal is to hear and obey God so that we can escape what is coming.

Revelation 13:10  He who leads into captivity shall go into captivity; he who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

The patience and the faith of the saints. Those who do not swear allegiance to the beast and who patiently hold on to their faith in God, God will judge the ones who lead others into captivity and kill with the sword.  We are just to hold on to the truth of God.

Revelation 12:10 Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.

satan will be cast down.

Revelation 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.

We overcome the enemy by the blood of the Lamb and the Word of our testimony. satan will cut off heads and shoot to kill.  God  takes the spirit out of the body and and we are in Heaven.  And the first will be last, the last first. But those who remain on earth after the rapture will have to go through the tribulation.

We want to be a slave to the Lord and get the Holy Ghost oil. Do the Kingdom work, and worship. We want to keep ourselves in the grace of God (empowerment), so we can be the Bride that goes up first. Those who do not keep their lamps filled will be tested beyond bearing during the times mentioned in Revelation.

Christ can’t change your heart, you change your heart and He helps you to change your mind. You are who you are because God gives you free will. God helps us to do it, but we must choose and desire to do His will.

Repent of what is in your heart and move on.

Romans 4 speaks of the faith of Abraham. We are to have faith for the spiritual the way we have faith for the natural. We live in the carnal but we need faith for the second dimension, the spiritual. If we get a cut, we know that it will be healed – we don’t worry about the cut, we know it will scab over and then be healed.  We need to have faith for difficult issues the way we have faith for a simple cut healing.

So often we say we have faith and we hold on to that faith for a short time, then our faith waivers.  Some things take longer than others, and there is a timing of God that is best for the situation. Do we still hold on to faith in spite of what our senses tell us?

There is also supernatural healing where the healing is instantaneous.  But there is also a supernatural healing that takes time, where the body mobilizes the white blood cells and brings them to the wound and healing happens.

We need to develop faith for spiritual healing to know that the right message to the brain and the brain sends healing to the part of the body, no matter what the disease or problem is.

Revelation 1:4-17 John, to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.  “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”  I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet, saying, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,” and, “What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.” Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last.

John went into the spiritual dimension, saw what Jesus showed him and then brought it back and spoke the Word of God.

Abraham believed God, we need to believe God – that when He speaks He will do what He says He will do. He will do it in His time.  Abraham believed God, and Sara was too old to give birth.  Yet God did the supernatural and she gave birth to Isaac.

When God speaks into your life, believe. He will do what He says He will do. Pastor Don continues this lesson in the following Bible study.

Praying your day is blessed.

Heather