Pastor Wrinkles: Chapter Charts Pt. 63

Last night I started teaching God’s First Five ( a class on the Pentateuch) again. I really love this part of the Bible! The more I come to understand the foundation…the beginning the more I understand the time we live in and the time that lies ahead of us.

What’s your favorite part of the Bible?

Here is what I see in Numbers chapter 6 and 7

Numbers chapter 6 sermon topics/titles:

1. The Nazirite vow: Nu. 6:1-21

2. Getting Caught Up In Others Troubles: Nu. 6: 9-12

3. Finishing Strong: Nu. 6:13-21

Numbers chapter 7 sermon topics/titles:

1. The Equal Offering: Nu. 7

2. Provision and Power Come Wrapped In Truth: Nu. 7: 13

3. Power Without Indicates Prayer Within: Nu. 7:14

Now you try! 🙂

Heaven Pt. 35

“O Lord GOD, thou hast begun to shew thy servant thy greatness, and thy mighty hand: for what God [is there] in heaven or in earth, that can do according to thy works, and according to thy might?” Deut. 3:24

God alone is God! No one and nothing can compare to Him! The races of men have made many “gods” but not one of them can do what our God can do! All the “gods” of men can only bring mortals down to dust and darkness in death. But this God…the God of Abraham Issac and Jacob…Jesus Christ, He is the God of the living! Those who trust Him may taste death but only so that resurrection will be all the sweeter!

Beloved rejoice! Your God calls to you “Arise!”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yvfso4Q8xg

Heaven Pt. 34

In case you are just logging on, “Reinventing the We’ll” is in the middle of a word study.  In the Heaven series we are taking time to meditate on every verse where “heaven” is mentioned. So far the Word has taken us over much territory as we think about The Far- Off-Country!

“This day I will begin to put the dread and fear of you upon the nations under the whole heaven, who shall hear the report of you, and shall tremble and be in anguish because of you.” Deut. 2: 25 NKJV

The God promise to Israel of a home land was a fearful thing to the  other inhabitants of Canaan. It meant certain destruction for all those who refused to accept God’s decree.

I am mindful that this is how it is with God and His promises. As He fulfills His promises to his faithful ones everyone who stands aligned outside of those promises  faces anguish as what they have is taken away.

The Book of Revelation says that in the last days “the kings of the earth, the great men … hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, and said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! “For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?” Rev. 6:15-16

It’s important to note that in these verses Israel is not the source of judgment. The church is not the source of wrath. God is the source of judgment and wrath. He is the one who creates fear and anguish among those who refuse to make Him God.  I shudder to think about the Day of the Lord and the wrath that will come with it.

Let’s pray: God we have heard your Word. We know it’s true. A day of wrath and punishment is coming for all those who will not bow their knee to the cross of Christ. Jesus  intensify our witness and melt the hearts of the rebellious  with Your love. Have mercy Oh God for our sakes! Have mercy on those we know who are lost. Let our love draw them into the promise dear Jesus A-men!

 

Award Sundays:The Readership Appreciation Award

I was speaking with a friend at the lunch table today about blogging.

The question at hand … “What is blogging really about?”

My simple answer to that was, “Blogging is about relationship and community.”

When I began “Reinventing the We’ll” I guess blogging was about writing and writing for an audience. A couple of years in, it has become about something else…people. Don’t get me wrong I still write because I love writing but it’s no longer just my voice that I am concerned with. When I write I want to hear the voices of my audience speak back to me in the comments section. Your comments have enriched me so much these last few years. Your voices have sustained me in some dark times. Thank you! 🙂

I have also been blessed to be able to read your work and to be given a voice on your blogs and that has been such an awesome privilege. Paulette http://pbus1.wordpress.com/ (sorry Paulette I just couldn’t let the opportunity pass) has nominated me for the Readership Appreciation Award. I am not sure I deserve a reward for doing something that was only a benefit to me but still I whole heartedly accept.

Here are the rules:

1. Award your top 6 bloggers who have commented the most.
2. Be thankful.
3. You cannot award someone who has already been awarded. And you cannot give the award back to me.
4. Don’t forget to tell the bloggers you’ve awarded.
5. If you don’t want to pass on this award, that’s okay too. Just admire it.

 

Now Paulette has already nominated some of my top commenters but here are six more who have added so much to my blogging life!

1.  Deb at http://twominutesofgrace.wordpress.com/

2. Rachel at http://stirringthedeep.com/

3.  Nicole at http://lovingsimplemoments.wordpress.com/

4.  Tom athttp://tomraines.wordpress.com/

And these are some new readers who have blessed me!

5.  Sarah at  http://theflyingonion.wordpress.com/

6. Paul at http://imagebreakers.wordpress.com/

To all of you who faithfully read “Reinventing the We’ll” Thank you! May you be abundantly blessed!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFrdJ2V3r7Y

Heaven Pt. 33

 ‘Where can we go up? Our brethren have discouraged our hearts, saying, “The people are greater and taller than we; the cities are great and fortified up to heaven; moreover we have seen the sons of the Anakim there.” ’ Deut. 1:28 NKJV

My ability to awfulize challenging situations amazes me. I can make an Everest out of every frost heave my car bumps over.

I think part of fallen human nature makes us prone to look at the challenges of life as insurmountable even though Scripture clearly indicates we cannot be defeated as long as we stay in the will of God. Here’s what the Word says about my challenges:

“in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.” Ro. 8:37 NKJV

“upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Mat. 16:18,19 NKJV

The walls you are facing in life might be big, but they do not reach to Heaven. They are not bigger than God! They are not stronger than you! So don’t fail to step out in faith because the walls appear threatening. Remember: “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” I John 4:4 NKJV

Let’s pray: Father I know you see the challenges that lie ahead even better than I do. God I know You have already planned a way around, under, over or through them. So right now I declare by faith I am going to take down the challenges that lie in my way. Grant me wisdom to know what to do. Help me to step forward when the need requires, help me to take risk when the need requires and help me to wait upon You and Your move when the need requires; But do not let me shrink back because of the gates of Hell or the walls of the enemy! In Jesus name Amen!

 

Heaven Pt. 32

Behold, I have set the land before you: go in and possess the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give unto them and to their seed after them. And I spake unto you at that time, saying, I am not able to bear you myself alone: The LORD your God hath multiplied you, and, behold, ye [are] this day as the stars of heaven for multitude. Deut. 1:8-10 KJV

I am reminded by these verses that most of God’s promises are good only as far as we will walk into them. The Lord fulfilled the promise He made to Abraham. The Israelites had grown from a “mom and pop” organization into an exceedingly great multitude. God had given them the land He  had sworn to their forefather. But they had to go into the land. They had to possess it! They had to take a step of faith.

God had equipped them, grown them and now He was ready to establish them but before they could access the power of Heaven they had to respond to his command and actually go into Canaan.

What promise from Heaven is waiting for you today? Rise up and possess it by faith.

Let’s pray: Dear Lord I know you have heard my prayer and I know what promise I am waiting for. Today Father show me what practical step of faith I have to take in order to possess the promise You have shown me. Give me strength Lord to take that step. Let me find You waiting there to catch me when I make it. In Jesus Name A-men

Pastor Wrinkles: Chapter Charts Pt. 62

Do you believe God has a job for everyone? Is there a task given to each man…each woman which only they can fulfill? If that is so what happens when a person does not do their God-given job? I have been wondering about this as I look through Numbers 4 for today’s chapter charts. What do you think?

Here are a few of the lessons I saw in chapter 4 and 5 of Numbers.

Numbers chapter 4 sermon topics/titles:

1. Have You Discovered Your God-Given Burden? Nu. 45: 1-49

2.  Carry The Load But Do Not Touch It! Nu. 4:1-20

3. Many Hands Make Light Work: Nu. 4:34-49

Numbers chapter 5 sermon topics/ titles:

1. Do Not Defile: Nu. 5: 1-4

2. Making Amends: Nu. 5:5-10

3. Is Jealousy Okay? Nu. 5: 11-31

Now you try! 🙂

Pastor Wrinkles: Chapter Charts Pt. 61

Mandy, a new reader, caught a rather egregious error of mine in a post I had written about a year ago. The error came in regards to time-line in the book of Numbers . Small oversights can cause radical changes in interpretation!

The chapter charts are helpful with bringing the Scripture into sharper focus so errors like this don’t occur. Would that I had charted the work back then! I shall be rewriting “From Shittim to Gilgal” I think. Thanks Mandy! In the meantime here are some things I saw in Numbers Chapter 2 and 3.

Numbers chapter 2 sermon topics and titles:

1. God has a specific way: Nu. 2: 1-34

2. Is it a Divine Sentence? Nu. 2:1-34

3. Praise First On the List: Nu. 2:3,4

Numbers chapter 3 sermon topics/titles:

1. Remember the Mistakes of the Past So They Won’t Be Repeated: Nu. 3: 1-3

2. Anointed for Obligation: Nu. 3: 5-10

3. The Redemptive Life: Nu. 3:40-51

Tell me what speaks to you from these chapters. 🙂

C.cada: New Artist

Here is one the new artists involved in C.cada.  Evan Foisy has just recently become part of our church and on his birthday no less blessed us with his testimony about God’s amazing grace!  I hope this blesses you!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GO5Jg4lUSt0&feature=youtu.be

Oh and just so’s you know, If any of you happen to be traveling through Northern Massachusetts during the time of one of our meetings and you want to come and play with our artists you have an open invite! Just give me a heads up and we’ll have lunch together!

Heaven Pt. 31

“And if ye will not yet for all this hearken unto me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins. And I will break the pride of your power; and I will make your heaven as iron, and your earth as brass:” Lev. 26:18,19 KJV

I was talking with another member of our staff today about the lengths God will go to in order to get our attention.

Contrary to what many people think God is not out to get us. What He really wants is for us to get Him or to “hearken unto Him.”

People think judgment is all about God’s wrath but really it’s about His mercy in the midst of wrath. God does not desire to shut up Heaven against anyone. He is not especially pleased to swipe away the blessing from a person’s life. Nevertheless, He will do it if somehow that will bring us back onto the pathway that leads to Him. When it comes to a choice between a person’s eternal destination and their comfort eternity wins out every time.

While we are quick to believe the level of our pain indicates the level of God’s callousness more often it indicates the level of His love in reaction to our callousness.

As people around us become harder to the things of God we can expect that God will reflect his love and mercy in their lives through hardship and judgment. Let us be a voice that urges people to return to the sanctuary of God for a future and a hope!

Let’s pray: God I know you never shut up Heaven in judgment against a person without a reason. We know that in judgment you do remember mercy and that mercy is your goal continually. Use me God to encourage those I see struggling because of sin to come into your merciful and loving arms once again through repentance! In Jesus name A-men!