MY PASTOR

Exodus 16 

29-30

See the Lord has given you the Sabbath;

therefore He gives you on the sixth day bread for two days.

Let every man remain in his place;

Let no man go out of his place on the seventh day.

So the people rested on the seventh day.

(sunset Friday to sunset Saturday)

Whatever comment you hear from man or woman take it straight to God and read His word.

There was a recent video on "you tube" that suggested those who remain outside a church were rebellious.   That criticism is eagerly lobbed at these individuals by an 'inner circle' or 'clique' in any denomination.   Make them feel guilty and even worse damn them to hell.

The crippled and broken carry the yoke of condemnation inflicted on them by those who teach be it bible expositor, evangelist, clergy or laity but they need to take it to their Father in heaven.   The same Father who Yeshua assures us welcomed the prodigal son and daughter with open arms.

Jane is just one example of a young woman who is under such condemnation.   When she was fourteen years old she found herself with divided loyalties.   Her father and mother divorced and her hitherto uneventful materially comfortable life was turned upside down.

Like many teenagers unable or unwilling to accept their parents choices she went walk about and made mistakes which she now regrets.   Nevertheless she saw through the religious hypocrisy and for a while became like all the other kids enticed by worldly values.

The day finally arrived when the consequences of her lifestyle bore fruit.  A dreaded diagnosis, possible cancer and she was terrified.   She was a single parent and little Amy was now the centre of her universe.   Now what!!!!!!   Her gran had always warned her "God will let you take what you want, he won't stop you, but there are always consequences"

Now He had her attention and she was listening to the point where she was considering believers baptism after all she didn't want to go to hell.   Who had told her she was heading in that direction.   No one is beyond the reach of a merciful God.  

She eventually received the "all clear" with the codicil "we will keep a regular check on the situation".  Abnormal cells could indicate future problems.

Jane is now reading her bible but not as a result of any christian witness, (in fact she would have run swiftly in the opposite direction) but because she had faced her own mortality and needed to know her real Father.   What she needed was not condemnation or criticism but gentle shepherding and certainly not the bullying tactics of the "you're going to hell" fraternity of zealots.

Matthew 23 - 15
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!  For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte (convert someone) and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.   

Her real Father knows she has a gentle caring heart He is in charge and in His time He will touch her life, she will hear, see and understand.

Thinking about Jane and her storm tossed journey I came across a comment in my Jack Hayford NKJ - spirit filled study bible in a passage all about Joseph the dreamer.  A passage I had highlighted in the past.

Genesis 39 - 21

But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him mercy, He gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prisons.

The text refers the reader to a study note - Kingdom Dynamics - regarding those who have prophetic dreams and visions.

Joseph held to the vision God gave him for his life.

He was RESTRAINED from sin.

REDEEMED from sorrow and RESTORED to honour by his holding on to the DREAMS from God."

If you have been blessed with prophetic dreams from God now is the time to hold fast. 

And the suggestion for so doing:-

Receive God's promises with child like faith.

Make the best of bad situations.

Stand with integrity in trials and temptations.

Walk with HUMILITY before God and man.

See everything from God's perspective.

Sincere thanks to the bible scholar who wrote those precious words.

AMEN TO THAT.