The Ten Commandments Part II, “The Fourth Commandment”

Posted on August 20, 2010 by growintheword

The Ten Commandments Part II

Synopsis of Bible study 8/18/10

Delivered by Bishop Walker III

The Fourth Commandment

Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.

Exodus 20.8

  1. The Sabbath Day was traditionally observed on the 7th day of the week. To the Jew the Sabbath begins Friday evening at 6pm and goes through Saturday 6pm. The bible teaches that day was special. There were certain rules that had to be observed on the Sabbath. Exodus 31:15 says 15Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD: whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. – The Sabbath Day was honored by the Jews.
  2. The Sabbath Day was not always kept on the 7th day. Leviticus 23:39 says 39Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto the LORD seven days: on the first day shall be a sabbath, and on the eighth day shall be a sabbath. – Note that we are teaching bible right here and not doctrine. Sabbatarians[1], believe the Sabbath is still observed today on Saturday. For example the Seven Day Adventist. The Adventist even believe that it is the mark of the beast not to observe the Sabbath on Saturday/7th day..
  3. Know that our Salvation does not depend on keeping or not keeping the Sabbath. It has nothing to do with our salvation. Our salvation is not dependant on the law or keeping low. Romans 3:20: says 20Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. Romans 3:28 says 28Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. Galatians 2:16 says 16Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. – We simply are not brought to salvation according to what we do according to the law.
  4. The Sabbath is the only ceremonial commandment given in the Ten Commandments. Paul writes to the Colossian, because there is the clinging to the ten, the Torah, the law. They are trying to use the law under the new covenant. Colossians 2:14-16 says 14Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; 15And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. 16Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: – Don’t let anybody judge you by you not observing the Sabbath on a certain day. Just like the issue with the meat. Ex – In the Torah, they judged for eating certain meat until Paul got a vision that said that everything God created was good.
  5. The Sabbath was given to Israel. Ezekiel 20:12 says 12Moreover also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the LORD that sanctify them.- This was something that God gave to Israel. 1 Corinthians 1:22 says 22For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: – The Sabbath was a sign between God and them. It is important to note that none of the patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, or Jacob) kept the Sabbath. In Genesis 2:2 says 2And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. – God didn’t call it a Sabbath; he just rested on the 7th day. Paul and Jesus observed the Sabbath, because they were Jews. It was Paul after receiving the revelation of the dispensation of grace that went into the synagogue and preached the gospel to the Jews. Ephesians 3:2 says 2If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:
  6. The 7th day is Saturday, but let’s takes a look at the book of Acts, and see the actions of the early Apostles. Acts 20:7 says 7And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.-It was on the first day of the week that Paul preached to the disciples in this scripture, which is Sunday.

1 Corinthians 16:2 says 2Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come. – This is an offering on the first day of the week which is Sunday.

  1. We began telling about the Old Testament covenant. When Christ came he deals with the Old Testament in light of the New. Hebrews 8:13 says 13In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away. – The New Covenant has come and the Old one is vanishing away. Hebrews 10:9 says 9Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. – God established a New Covenant. Hebrews 8:6 says 6But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises. – God established a better covenant with better promises.

Matthew 12:1-8

  1. 1At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn and to eat. – Jesus was Jew. If a person does not rest on Sabbath and works, Jewish Law said they should die. Jesus and his disciples worked on the Sabbath when they plucked the corn to eat.
  2. 2But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day. – The Pharisees, the keeper of the Law, said it was unlawful because it was not lawful to work or pick the corn on the Sabbath.
  3. 3But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him; 4How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests? – Jesus says, when David was hungry, he went into the house of God, went to altar and ate the bread off the table. Only the priests were allowed to do this.
  4. 5Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless? – Jesus reminded them that the Priest in the temple did it and were found blameless.
  5. 6But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple. – Jesus reminded the Pharisees that if they did it, he was greater than they. He was Jesus the son of God.
  6. 7But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless. – Jesus also reminded them that if they knew the real meaning of the Sabbath, they wouldn’t kill people for working on the Sabbath.
  7. 8For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day. – Jesus is Lord over the Sabbath. This means as heirs, the Sabbath is not over us either. We are lord over the Sabbath.
  8. We are blood covenant bought. Jesus lives in us. We make the same declaration about the Sabbath as Jesus did. Mark 2:27-28 says 27And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath: 28Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath. -The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. Whether you worship on Saturday or Sunday has nothing to do with whether you are going to heaven. What determines this is what you do on the other 6 days of the week. Often we are at our best on 7th. When you declare God can only be observed on certain days, you have minimized the Sabbath to serve you. We don’t condemn people who worship on Saturday and we should not be condemned for worshiping on Sunday.
  9. 9. Components of the Sabbath
    1. Should be a revival. The six days we lived has exhausted us. When we come to church it ought to be about to being filled up and revived. If you come to church drained and leave feeling more drained, you’re probably in the wrong place. You can’t live pouring into others and not ever being poured back into.
    2. Should be about Reflection– We should be able to take the word of God, reflect over it, and see where our life is going. You can’t do that when you are busy. Ex- Stop complaining about how long it takes you to get out of the parking lot after church. Take this time to reflect.
    3. We should Rest– Take an opportunity to rest on the Sabbath. Most preachers work on the Sabbath, so they often are not able to start their rest until later that evening and on until Monday. Note: When a Pastor gets through preaching, ministering, and pouring out, it is not a time to put something on him heavy to answer. He is empty and has to be replenished first.

Fifth Commandment

Honor thy father and thy mother, that your days may be long upon the land, which the Lord your God is giving you… Exodus 20:12

Proverbs 30:11-17 says 11There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother. 12There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness. 13There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up. 14There is a generation, whose teeth are as swords, and their jaw teeth as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men. 15The horseleach hath two daughters, crying, Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four things say not, It is enough: 16The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not filled with water; and the fire that saith not, It is enough. 17The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it. – When you honor your Mother and your Father, your days will be longer upon this earth.

  1. 1. How do we show honor:
    1. In word – Start with respect. Learn to say “Yes ma’am” and “Yes sir” when you address your parents.
    2. In gesture -Joseph bowed to his father. Genesis 46:29 says 29And Joseph made ready his chariot, and went up to meet Israel his father, to Goshen, and presented himself unto him; and he fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while. , 1 Kings 2:19 says 19Bathsheba therefore went unto king Solomon, to speak unto him for Adonijah. And the king rose up to meet her, and bowed himself unto her, and sat down on his throne, and caused a seat to be set for the king’s mother; and she sat on his right hand. – Bathsheba was Solomon’s mother. King Solomon bowed to greet his Mother and had a seat placed on the right hand side of his through. Being seated to the right was a place of power. Solomon let the whole kingdom know he respected his mother
    3. By obedience. Ephesians 6:1 says 1Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. – If the command is against God, then and only then the parent loses the right to be obeyed.
    4. By instruction. We have to learn to listen to their cancel and hear their instruction. Proverbs 1:8 says 8My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother: Ex- Bishop tells of a friend he had in Louisiana named Willie. Bishop explains that he was tired of his Mother trying to pick his friends. Willie was the same age as Bishop and he liked taking risks. Bishop’s Mother told Bishop he could not hang out with Willie. One night, Bishop got a public whipping for hanging out with Willie. Years later, Bishop went to the State Fair in Louisiana and there was this elderly guy sitting by the gate. Bishop walked through the gate and the elderly called out, “Joe?” When Bishop looked around, he saw that it was Willie. Bishop hardly recognized Willie. Life had taken toll on him. We have to get to point where we learn to accept and follow the instruction of our parents. Even in church, the extended parental relationship that most of us grew up needs to be put back in place. Any adult ought to be able to correct a child that is out of line, without the fear of the parent cursing them out.
    5. In meeting their needs. Genesis 47:12 says 12And Joseph nourished his father, and his brethren, and all his father’s household, with bread, according to their families. John 19:26 says 26When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! – When Jesus was on the cross, looked at John the disciple and said take care of my mother.
    6. 2. Reasons why we honor our parents:
      1. There comes a time that you have to recognize that even if they didn’t know how to parent correctly, we have to be able to honor them, even if you have to ask God to release you from the pain.
      2. Honor should come to the elders of the church. Honor your elders and your days may be long too.
      3. Your mother got pregnant with you. We all share one thing. We know we were born of a mother.  Somebody was pregnant with you had a lot a choices to make at that time and they chose to carry you to term. That alone is worth honoring them, if nothing else.

Sixth Commandment

Though shalt not kill Exodus 20:13

  1. If you would be honest, there are a lot of us that thought about killing someone in some moments.
  2. Killing deals with the word murder
  3. Jesus translates this by saying though shall not murder. This is the unjustified killing of another.
  4. Murder can consist of Homicide, suicide, genocide.
    1. Homicide is the murdering of a person.
    2. Suicide is the murdering of oneself.
    3. Genocide is mass killing.
    4. When you study the scripture, from the Torah’s perspective all the way to the New Testament, you will see the law gives permission for governments to execute death of those who kill. The bible says, when one kills, there is a life for a life. That’s how the Jews lived. Note: Please note, we are not expressing our stance on capital punishment. The point here is just to deal with the bible’s perspective at this point.
    5. Paul talked about the reprobate mind. Romans 1:29-33 says 29Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 32Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.  -. To kill is to take something that you didn’t’ give. If you didn’t give life, you shouldn’t take it.
    6. When you kill somebody, you could be on a slippery slope as it relates to where you will spend eternity. Are we saying you will automatically go to hell if you kill somebody? No. God did use murderers, so it implies that maybe you can be forgiven for it.
    7. When we murder somebody, we are taking something precious. God blew his breath in Adam and he became a living being. When you kill someone, you are saying I want your watch, your car, your money so bad, I am ready to take God out of you. Then we will have to face God in eternity and say I did this (taking all of what God put into that person) for a watch, a car, or money. What does it prophet a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul? When we murder, we are willing to take God out of that person and face God on judgment for it?
    8. When we commit suicide, we are so selfish, we are willing to take our own life, and not think about our family. We are just going to think about what we want. Our life was never ours to take. It was always God’s. When we commit suicide we are saying to God, “Take this. I don’t want it!” simply because we are hurt, disappointed, or somebody doesn’t like us.

10.  How many have been in relationship with somebody and something traumatic happened that caused us to feel like we died. How many of you as a young child had something happen to you that caused something inside you to die. How many have had people who never had a conversation with you, create perceptions about you that made you feel like a dead person walking? The next time you open your mouth up to talk about somebody, see your mouth as a weapon. If not for Jesus, none of us would have been resurrected and brought back to life.

11.  God wants us to choose life. Deuteronomy 30:19 says 19I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:-God says he lays before us every day, life and death. He wants us to choose life. Rebuke those that say it is devil attacking their body, when all the time it is cholesterol, cigarettes, and other things that we are doing to ourselves. The harm we do to our body is suicide in the slow lane. We don’t think about it this way. When we don’t take care of our bodies, then we are saying to God that he gave us this body and we are just willing to blow it. For some of us, all we want to do is come to church and shout and then get back to our cigarettes and the other harmful things we do. The body is the temple of the Holy Ghost. Ex – Bishop explains that since he has been on his diet, people tell him not to lose any more weight. Bishop explains that if he was getting bigger, no one would say anything. We have gotten used to seeing people harm themselves. Bishop has chosen not to contribute to his own demise.

12. Why should we choose life?

  1. We should want to have life both here and in heaven. Romans 6:23 says 23For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord
  2. The thief comes to take our life. John 10:10 says 10The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.- All the thief comes to do is take life. No matter how he packages it, he is a taker. When you look at your engagements and affairs with Satan, he has taken more than he has given.
  3. God came that we would have abundant life. That is the Zoë or the God kind of life. God says what exists in heaven can exist in our life. Anything beneath Zoe is beneath what God has for my life. Let your God’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Every decision we make should be for God’s glory. We not are trying to get pie in the sky, but ham where we am, so to speak. We are trying to make good decision.
  4. Every day you wake up, thank God for life, no matter what Satan has done. Regardless of your financial situation, your heartaches, disappointments, and pains, we ought to wake up and say thank you that we are alive to know about it. We ought to thank God that we are in our right mind and that we didn’t wake up trying to brush our hair without toothbrush. God has been good to us. Every time with inhale and exhale, we ought to thank God for life.
[1] a person who observes the seventh day of the week, Saturday, as the Sabbath.

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The Joshua Generation Part III, “You’re one wall away” 08/15/10

Posted on August 17, 2010 by growintheword

The Joshua Generation Part III
You’re one wall away
Synopsis of Sermon 8/15/10
Delivered by Bishop Walker III
Text
Joshua 6:1-5: 1Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in. 2And the LORD said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour. 3And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days. 4And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams’ horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets.5And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him.

When you’ve walked with God any significant amount of time, you are convinced that if God be for you, he’s more than the whole world against you. This is of great comfort, particularly when there is direction in your life. When you have direction, you have goals. You understand that your goals are never achieved without challenges. People who are progressively moving towards their destiny are often confronted with challenges, obstacles, and barriers. Great things are done when men and mountains meet. Those of us who are spiritual understand and are not discouraged or frustrated because of the mountains, walls, or barriers we encounter. We see them as opportunities for God to show out. We don’t get upset and just give up or resign. We see them as opportunities to see the glory of God manifested in our lives. We realize that the barriers are there to discourage us and prevent us from achieving our goals. You can be on your way somewhere, on the way to destination, and the destination can be in view, and all of a sudden, you can run right into a wall. You can be ready to walk onto a new job and have everything ready for the job and all of a sudden they call and tell you that they are sorry, but they changed their mind because of a hiring freeze. This is a wall. You might be getting ready to close on the house you wanted and may have already made plans and ordered the furniture. They can call at the last minute and say that the deal fell through, because there is a problem with your credit. This again is a wall. You may have met someone and the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost may have confirmed that this is the one. Out of nowhere, they started acting a fool. This is a wall. Have you ever had some walls in your life? Some of you have come here today with some walls and barriers that are preventing you from walking into your destiny. Don’t be discouraged. God sent this message for a reason. We have direction and goals; you understand goals are not achieved without challenges. God is in the wall falling business! There are people around you that can testify that God is in the wall falling business. If you trust him and obey him in this season, you will see the manifestation of God’s power like you have never seen it before. We need not be frustrated, because of what it looks like statistically or what it looks like on paper. Take one last look at this wall, because God is about to do something to your wall. You might be tired, you might be frustrated, but know you are just one wall away. You might have felt like giving up, but God says to tell you that you have come too far to turn around and you so close to what God is about to do, you might as well say, “Lord just go ahead and do it now”. God is about to move this wall out of your life. Take a moment to thank God, because he is in the wall falling business. We are but one wall away.
As we have been following the children of Israel under Joshua’s a leadership, we notice that several things about them. We notice now that as they come to the city of Jericho, God makes them a promise that the city is theirs. Though Jericho was a mighty city, they were feared the children of Israel. Jericho knew that God fought for them. When you see the children of Israel walking toward this city, you know God is about to give it to them. (Remember God promised Abraham that every where his feet touched, he would give it to him). Jericho shuts the city up in efforts to keep their city from getting overtaken. They put the city on lock down and no one can go out and none can come in. They think no one is going to have this city, but what God has promised you, is for you. You will encounter in your life challenging obstacles.

I. Challenging obstacles

Joshua 6: 1Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in. 2And the LORD said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour. 3And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days.
1. This is part of the process. You can’t avoid these obstacles. You can either listen to people or listen to God.
2. In verse one we are clear. Jericho had been shut down.
3. Verse two says God told Joshua that he had given them the city of Jericho.
4. Verse 3 says they must march around it for 6 days.
5. The revelation of this is the revelation of the problem. You can’t be in denial about the problem. Many of us try to over spiritualize the reality. Jericho is a real city that is shut up and what you need is on the other side of the wall. No matter what you do to try and avoid it, you will still have to face the wall. Walls are real. There is no need in being in denial about it. The good news is God has a promise for our every problem.
6. Looking back at Verse 2 God says, “I have given into thine hand Jericho”. We look at the wall and get frustrated, because we try to figure this wall out cognitively. You can’t figure this out cognitively. Realize that when God gives you a promise, don’t focus on the wall. Instead we should focus on what’s on the other side of the wall. God says he has already given us what’s on the other side of the wall. Stop tripping over the wall. We have to get to a point where we say,” It is already ours”.
7. 3 things that happen when we get this kind of prophetic word:
a. We are solidified in the spirit – If God said its mine, it’s mine. It might not be in our hand, but God’s word is settled in heaven. There are some of us who know how to give God glory on revelation, not manifestation. It is already done in the spirit.
b. There is a specific season – God is going to release it out of the spirit into the natural. When God gives you a word, it is for a specific season. When God gives you vision, it is for an appointed time and season. Remember his reference to a set time in the scripture.
c. We are situated to see – Get up from where you are, stop doing what you are doing, and ask God what he wants us to do and what he wants you to be, so you can see what he wants you to see. We will have challenges. What’s the challenge? It is our wall. God says here’s the problem, but here is my promise. The promise is God has already given them Jericho, though they haven’t occupied it yet. Now you can chip at the wall if you want to, but God said what is behind the wall is already yours. You might not have the money, but God says don’t worry about that. Everything behind the wall is already yours. It’s already done.

II. Complete obedience

1. We must walk in complete obedience. This is the point where you realize obedience is better than sacrifice. Joshua did like Moses and asked the Lord what he should do? God gives him specific instructions. Their survival will be contingent on the adhering to what the man of God says to them. They realize that their destiny is in the man of God’s mouth.
2. They must:
a. Get in proper position. People often don’t get the victory, because they don’t put people in purpose, in position. Ex- You can’t put people in children’s church who don’t like kids. You can’t make a person an usher who has an anger problem. You can have good people in good positions, but who are out of purpose. This is the season to put things back in position, where purpose and position is the same.
3. Let’ take a look at this (positions). Joshua 6:4-9 says 4And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams’ horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets.5And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him.6And Joshua the son of Nun called the priests, and said unto them, Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark of the LORD. 7And he said unto the people, Pass on, and compass the city, and let him that is armed pass on before the ark of the LORD. 8And it came to pass, when Joshua had spoken unto the people, that the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams’ horns passed on before the LORD, and blew with the trumpets: and the ark of the covenant of the LORD followed them. 9And the armed men went before the priests that blew with the trumpets, and the rereward came after the ark, the priests going on, and blowing with the trumpets. – This scriptures shows that they were in a certain order. The order was; armed men who had weapons go first, then the priest, and then trumpets went just before the ark. The unarmed people came after the ark. So to sum it up it was Warriors, worshippers, the word, witnesses, and wonders.
a. Warriors- They were those that were armed. They were not cowards and trained to fight. They are not scared of the devil. They were placed upfront. Like this, you have to pull out your warrior spirit up front. We might look like a push over, but we know how to have a spiritual war.
b. Worshippers were next – These were those who know how to usher in the Spirit of God. They summon something from heaven. God says quit complaining about your wall. When you are a worshipper, you don’t worry about what’s going on around you. You believe God for what is already done.
c. The Ark- This symbolizes the presence of God among Israel. Notice that the worshippers were placed just before the Ark. It symbolizes how worshippers first usher in the Spirit of God.
d. Witnesses- They not fighters and they are not worshippers. They know a little word, but they really just came to see. God needs these types of people too. They are witnesses to what has happened so they can report it to the earth realm. They tell what they saw God do.
e. Wonders- In verse 10, the children of Israel were told to walk around the city and not to shout until they were instructed to. You might get frustrated over the redundancy. We have been taught if we do the same thing over and over expecting different results, then we are insane, but God told them to walk around with conditions. This is a season for us to be quiet. God don’t want us to talk or ask questions about it. Sometimes you ought to thank God for the season of silence. Just keep it quiet. This is not time to say anything yet. Just because God is quiet, doesn’t mean he is not moving. Exodus 14:14 says 14The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace. – If you will be still, God will fight your battles. This is the greatest season of your life for you to be quiet.
4. Sometimes you can open your mouth and get ahead of your blessings. We must:
a. Stay focused – Hebrews 12:1-2 says 1Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.- We need to stay focused on what God has shown us.
b. Maintain your faith- Hebrews 11:1 says 1Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:6 says 6But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Hebrews 11:30 says 30By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.
c. Know God has Favor on your life – Everywhere the children of Israel went, they kept walking in the favor or God. The hand of God is on our life. You got to say you are working on something. If you walk it out, god will work it out.

III. Conquered the opposition

Joshua 6: 2-3 2And the LORD said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour. 3And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days.
1. You will conquer the opposition. You see the problem in verse 1, in verse 2 & 3 you get a prophetic word that it is already done, and then you walk it out for 6 days. God says do what you can do. God said you fill out the application and he will take care of the wall. Don’t sit around and say “Lord do it for me”. Get up, fill out the application, and then watch him work it out. You can sit in the mirror and say do it, but this is wrong. You have to step away from the cobbler and then watch him do it. Do what you can do and God will do what you can’t do.
2. It was on the 7th time/ 7th day that God instructed them to shout. There is power in the shout. A shout is hard to understand for some of us. When they shout, you think they might be delusional considering they had this wall around the whole city that God said he would give them. The truth is everyone from the warrior to the witness has shouted at one time or another. If this wall is going to fall, protocol has to be broken. When people come together in faith over a common goal and open their mouth and shout, something breaks out in the house of God.
3. What is a in a shout? Shouting is a transcending sound. What a shout really says is, no matter what is happening in my life, no matter the context, we choose to rise above it, and transcend it.
4. When we shout, we let the devil know:
a. We have risen about our context- Like Paul and Silas in the jailhouse, we show we are not a prisoner of our context. Our shout says we are over it and trusting God. You have risen above what is trying to block you.
b. It troubles Satan. When you shout, you make the devil nervous. When a child of God opens their mouth, it is a war cry. Our mouth is the trumpet and we are blowing our trumpet to let the devil know his days are numbered. When we shout, we are looking at the devil telling them that his days are numbered. Wall, get ready to come down!
c. It triggers the super-natural. It triggers something in the heaven. When a child of God opens their mouth down here, something is released in heaven. Did you not hear Jesus say whatever you bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven? Touch your neighbor and tell them you about to trigger something in heaven. God is about to release his power. Open up your mouth and give God a shout. Ex- We remember in the 80’s when President Ronald Reagan stood by the Berlin Wall and said, “Mr. Mikhail Gorbachev, tear these walls down.” Bishop explains after reading history he realized that the moment was preset. Demolition crews had gone in and already put explosives in the wall. All they were waiting on was a great crowd to make a shout. The demolition specialist that preset the explosives would demolish the wall once they heard the noise. Like this, God has already set it up. When you make noise, he sends his angels as a demolition crew to tear that wall. Think about every wall that has been blocking your blessing and destiny and give God a shout! Shout on the wall. Sickness is coming down! Unemployment is coming down! Cancer is coming down! Open up your mouth and give God a shout! Use your trumpet in Zion!

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Brice Mercer

Posted on August 15, 2010 by growintheword

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The Ten Commandments, Bible Study 08/11/10

Posted on August 14, 2010 by growintheword

The Ten Commandments

Synopsis of Bible study 8/11/10

Delivered by Bishop Walker III

The Ten Commandments were written over 3000 yrs ago. They were given to Moses after the Hebrew was delivered from Egypt. There were over 600 laws in the Hebrew culture, but they all stemmed from the Ten Commandments. The 10 commandments can be found both in Exodus 20 & Deuteronomy 5.

We don’t. Live under the law or the judgment of the law anymore, but we live under its grace. Though we no longer live under its judgment, we are the responsible for living under its righteousness. Luke 10:25-28 says 25And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? 26He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou? 27And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. 28And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live. – Notice, Jesus does not move the law, but came to fulfill the law. Now let’s take a look at 3 of the Ten Commandments.

I.            Thou shalt have no other gods before me Exodus 20:3

  1. First of all please note that we always capitalize the words “God”, “Lord”, and “Jesus”. We use the lowercase form of the word “god” when we are talking about other gods outside of the true and living God. This is important, because it is the recognition of God as a personality:
  2. It is important for us to know that the law was a schoolmaster used to bring us to Christ. Galatians 3:24 says 24Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
  3. If not for the law, we wouldn’t even know what sin was. Galatians 3:20 says 20Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one. – It is the recognition of God as a personality. God is a living God.
  4. We have a recognition of God as a personal God:
    1. To have God as a personal God is to acknowledge him as God. Psalm 96:5 says 5For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the LORD made the heavens. – God is the only true living God.

1 Corinthians 8:4 says 4As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one. – We must understand acknowledging God is saying there is no other like God.

1 Kings 8:22-23 says 22And Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven: 23And he said, LORD God of Israel, there is no God like thee, in heaven above, or on earth beneath, who keepest covenant and mercy with thy servants that walk before thee with all their heart: – Solomon declared that there was noone like our God.

Psalm 89:6 says 6For who in the heaven can be compared unto the LORD? who among the sons of the mighty can be likened unto the LORD? – It is only when you come to a personal acknowledgment of god that you realize there is no one like him. Once we acknowledge him we have to choose him.

  1. To have God as a personal God is to choose him. – Joshua 24:15 says 15And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. -Joshua makes a choice to serve God. Like Joshua we have to make a conscious decision to choose God.
  2. To have God as a personal God, we have to solidify our covenant with him. 2 Chronicles 15:12 says 12And they entered into a covenant to seek the LORD God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul;- In this scripture, they were like being in a marriage. They had decided to go all the way in when it came to being in relationship with God.
  3. To have a personal God is to reverence him. – Isaiah 6:2 says 2Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. – The seraphims covered their face, because their perspective like ours doesn’t even matter. We must completely trust God in everything we do.
  4. To have God as a personal God is to fear him– Psalm 4:4 says 4Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.-We don’t sin, because we are too afraid. When we don’t fear God, we do what we want to do.
  5. To have a personal God is to trust him. – Psalm 141:8 says 8But mine eyes are unto thee, O GOD the Lord: in thee is my trust; leave not my soul destitute. -Our focus is on God and we trust him for everything we have in our life.
  6. Things that we make our gods:
    1. Riches – Sometimes we put riches ahead of God. 1 Timothy 6:10 says 10For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.- Notice that God didn’t say money was the root of evil. It says for the love of money is the root of all evil. God is talking about making money your god. This is not your money. God gave you that money. Somewhere along the way, we started making money our god. We stop tithing it and we start living for money. We don’t go to work to be able to live on the money. We go to work to have money to sow seed. Ex-We go to work, we get increase (our pay), God expects us to sow seed on that increase, God opens window of heaven and pours us out a blessing, and then we end up with more money than we should have. Even if we get laid off, God has a way of providing for us.
    2. Wisdom and intelligence is one thing that we make our gods. – Many of us have a strong mind and as a result, we find ourselves trying to tell God what to do. Lean not your own and in all your ways, acknowledge him. Jeremiah 9:23 says 23Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: – Ex- Ahithophel was a person who was very witty and brilliant. He spent all his life giving advice. He made his intellect his god. People quit listening to Ahithophel and he didn’t know how to handle it. 2 Samuel 17:23 says 23And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his ass, and arose, and gat him home to his house, to his city, and put his household in order, and hanged himself, and died, and was buried in the sepulchre of his father. – He didn’t know how to live, if people didn’t take his advice. If your mind gets to that point where you think you are smarter than God, then you got a problem.
    3. Pleasure is another thing that we make our god. 2 Timothy 3:4 says 4Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;-.You can end up putting your pleasures in front of God. How is this? We start scheduling God around our pleasure. Ecclesiastes 3:4 says 4A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; – This scripture says there is a time for everything under the sun. You got to learn not to put pleasure over God.
    4. Relationships are something that we make our gods- People make relationships their gods. There are some single people that are faithful at coming to church and bible study. There is a certain portion of them that do it only because they have nothing else to do. Ex- When they get a boo (or boo’ed up so to speak), they stop coming to church. They make excuses of being tired and excuses of wanting to spend time with their boo. When they break up with this boo, they are back at the altar singing, “I need the Oh I need thee… “You simply can’t make your boo you god. Micah 7:5 says 5Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide: keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom. – Don’t put your trust in people. Put your trust in God.

II.            Thou shall not make unto thee graven image Exodus 20:4

Exodus 20:4 says 4Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth and Exodus 20:6 says 6And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

  1. First let’s start off by saying that there is something wrong with all denominations in some area or another, even ours. This is why Bishop Walker says he is a teacher of the bible. In the bible, God gave limited permission for certain people to make likenesses of things that are heavenly. The things we are going to say about this might offend some people.

In Exodus 25:19 it says 19And make one cherub on the one end, and the other cherub on the other end: even of the mercy seat shall ye make the cherubims on the two ends thereof.- In this scripture, God gave permission for the people to make likenesses of the cherubim’s. You see a lot of likeness of angels and personalities in statue form inside some of the older churches, such as some of the Catholic Churches. Some however have taken it too far. Likenesses are one thing, but when you worship the likeness, this is taking it too far. Ex – It is one thing to have an angel on your mantle, but it is another thing to worship them and tell people not to touch them because they are your guardian angels. Some people even talk about having a lucky a rabbit’s foot. Well it can’t be that lucky. The rabbit had four feet and now you got one them. When you find yourself coming into a building and bowing down to a statue, wither it be, Peter, Paul, or Mary, you have gone too far.

  1. When you start bowing down to a graven image, you have made it a god. Exodus 20:4-6 says 4Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; 6And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.- God said he will let this iniquity go through your generations if we keep worshiping these idols.
  2. This was a commandment that has been ignored often. When you get a chance, read Judges 17 and 18. The tribe of Levi and the tribe of Dan can be found in this reading. Dan became so engulfed in idolatry, he lost his inheritance. Hosea 4:17 says 17Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone. – Ephraim lost his inheritance as well.
  3. Solomon’s kingdom was lost, because of sodomy and idolatry. 1 Kings 11:4-11 says 4For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father. 5For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. 6And Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, and went not fully after the LORD, as did David his father. 7Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon. 8And likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods. 9And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the LORD God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice, 10And had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he kept not that which the LORD commanded. 11Wherefore the LORD said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant.
    1. God cast out people that practiced sodomy and abominations. 1 Kings 14:22-24 says 22And Judah did evil in the sight of the LORD, and they provoked him to jealousy with their sins which they had committed, above all that their fathers had done. 23For they also built them high places, and images, and groves, on every high hill, and under every green tree. 24And there were also sodomites in the land: and they did according to all the abominations of the nations which the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.
    2. A righteous person does this when they find idolatry in their house. David was a godly ruler. 1 Kings 15:9-13 says 9And in the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel reigned Asa over Judah. 10And forty and one years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom. 11And Asa did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, as did David his father. 12And he took away the sodomites out of the land, and removed all the idols that his fathers had made. 13And also Maachah his mother, even her he removed from being queen, because she had made an idol in a grove; and Asa destroyed her idol, and burnt it by the brook Kidron. – Asa put the sodomites out and then he removed their idols. His mother Maachah was the queen and he removed her from the throne, because he wanted to do what was right in the eyesight of God.
    3. Witchcraft and demonism accompany idolatry. 2 Chronicles 33:1-7 says 1Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem: 2But did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, like unto the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel. 3For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down, and he reared up altars for Baalim, and made groves, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them. 4Also he built altars in the house of the LORD, whereof the LORD had said, In Jerusalem shall my name be for ever. 5And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD. 6And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: also he observed times, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger. 7And he set a carved image, the idol which he had made, in the house of God, of which God had said to David and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen before all the tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever: – Demonism is a spirit too and it is involved in idolism. This scripture explains that Manasseh done what was evil in the sight of God, by worshipping idols, using witchcrafts, and wizards.
    4. Graven images were a problem in the days of the prophets. Isaiah 2:6-9 says 6Therefore thou hast forsaken thy people the house of Jacob, because they be replenished from the east, and are soothsayers like the Philistines, and they please themselves in the children of strangers. 7Their land also is full of silver and gold, neither is there any end of their treasures; their land is also full of horses, neither is there any end of their chariots: 8Their land also is full of idols; they worship the work of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made: 9And the mean man boweth down, and the great man humbleth himself: therefore forgive them not and Hosea 13:1-4 says 1When Ephraim spake trembling, he exalted himself in Israel; but when he offended in Baal, he died. 2And now they sin more and more, and have made them molten images of their silver, and idols according to their own understanding, all of it the work of the craftsmen: they say of them, Let the men that sacrifice kiss the calves. 3Therefore they shall be as the morning cloud and as the early dew that passeth away, as the chaff that is driven with the whirlwind out of the floor, and as the smoke out of the chimney. 4Yet I am the LORD thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no god but me: for there is no saviour beside me.-It is important that we do not set up graven images. This is what the Hebrew boy’s went to the fiery furnace for. They refused to bow down to the king’s idols.

III.            Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy god in vain.

Exodus 20:7 says 7Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

  1. God places value on his name. We are a great culture of cursers. Some of us are in rehab for cursing right now so to speak. There are others of us that have spiritually relapsed. Some of us just need flat out deliverance from it.
  2. How do we take the Lord’s name in vain?
    1. By speaking irreverently of the name of Lord. – We go to the court house and say, “Yes your honor” to the judge and we say, “Yes sir” and “Yes maam” to our bosses, yet we refer to God as “The man upstairs”. Psalm 50:1 says 1The mighty God, even the LORD, hath spoken, and called the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof. – God’s name is power.
    2. By Profession – Titus 1:16 says 16They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate. – What good does it do to call his name if your life is not consistent?
    3. To pray to God, but not believe him. 1 John 5:10 says 10He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. – If you pray to God for something and you don’t believe he will do it, you take his name in vain.
    4. To profane and abuse his word. 2 Peter 3:4 says 4And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. – We begin to question God’s word wondering if his word will come to pass. God takes his word seriously. He even puts himself in submission to his own word.
    5. By attaching God’s name to anything or act that is wicked. 2 Samuel 15:7 says 7And it came to pass after forty years, that Absalom said unto the king, I pray thee, let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed unto the LORD, in Hebron. – Here Absalom used God’s name to cover his own wickedness. Don’t tell people the Lord said leave them alone. Just tell them the truth. Tell them you are tired of your foolishness. Ex- A choir member doesn’t get a solo and they say maybe their season is up at that church. Don’t blame it on God. You just didn’t get the solo.
    6. There is power in God’s name. Every time you take his name in vain, you dilute the power of him in your life.

His name has:

  1. Salvation – Acts 2:21 says 21And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Acts 4:12 says 12Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. Romans 10:13 says 13For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. – This is the name that saved you. Why would you disrespect the name that saved you?
  2. Strong tower– His name is a strong tower. Proverbs 18:10 says 10The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe. – His name is a strong tower. When we in need we run, we need to run him. If we are in lack, he our provide, our shelter, and our healer.
  3. His name is sovereignty- Philippians 2:9-10 says 9Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; There is so much authority and power in his name, somebody reading this believes that God is pulling their life in order right now at this moment. No longer will they put things in front of him. We are going to recognize there is enough power to deliver us from anything we might possible need.
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