Present Help

Present Help

4/22/22

All of us have fallen into the trap of wanting to help others but for some reason do not stay around long enough to complete such a wish.   We make such a promise almost every day with good intentions yet duty calls us away for the remainder of our shift or time around the ones that we say this to; in any case, we fall short of being able to fulfill our words of a helping manner and our presence to honor such a request.  However, when mankind makes a statement such as this and fails others we cannot ignore the fact there is One who shall never leave us nor forsake us when our needs require someone to help.  God has always been faithful in being around when times are bad yet many times we do not see Him or call upon Him but blame Him grotesquely.  For someone who gets blamed for many things, He sure does stick closer than any other human being I know; therefore, we should honor Him by taking His help at all times.

Do you find things a tad interesting that all of a sudden medicine has been able to rapidly make such a vaccine program basically overnight?  Don't bother to see that some of these processes were created over decades with numerous trials being conducted before a single dose is given to patients for prevention of the intended vaccine renders.  It is hard for some in the medical field to honestly trust such quickened vaccines as safe and effective for general usage.  Do not get me wrong, modern medicine has developed many techniques to find out and then protect humans from such disastrous germs and viruses, but to force people to obtain such unproven vaccines or lose their jobs is more on the lines of control instead of medical advancement.  This act is a desperate attempt to convince mankind's ideas and creations are always the correct choice and that no other option should be considered, another dangerous sanctioned condition from the world and its ruler.

It has become quite easy for us to take this help with a grain of salt and then reject it when things do not turn out as planned.  This type of response can occur in any situation we face it does not have to be in medical terms.  Humans are like that, and then when the setting is done we want our own pound of flesh to consume.  How many times have we found ourselves in this position all alone even when our friends said that they would be there for us no matter what, or if we needed anything just ask?  I find it difficult and somewhat embarrassing when I have these words run through my head and then say them to another because I know if I say them I do not know if I will be available or not to fulfill them.

Unfortunately, human behavior and actions are the ones that determine how much trust we have in God when hard times arrive.  We must incorporate a helping heart toward others when things become bad for if we do not keep our word how will the ones who need Jesus ever know His true presence of help?  We cannot hide the fact that Jesus walked this earth which makes Him part of human society and when people find this part out about Him they categorize Him as a human and will not trust HIm as they need, this is just a human fact of existence.  Therefore, they ignore our Scripture passage or do not believe in any part of it and will subsequently follow the world instead.

Psalm 46:1

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble."

This type of belief or solution may come at a troubled time but it does not provide the true help that is really needed for the current issues at hand.  It seems like that many other issues have popped up ever since the virus issue appeared a couple of years ago.  God allows such events to occur in order for us to turn our hearts back to Him and to give warnings to us reiterating that we cannot do things on our own and that He is the only one that can cure our needs and heal our troubles, and when this attitude of the world attaches itself to our hearts it becomes a solid system of denial against God and our seeking continues on the world's course and pace.

With the drawdown of the hype of the flu strain that we have endured for over two years now, it has been easy for our eternal enemy to sit back and watch many lives unnecessarily turn inside out and a good part of humanity falls apart, all the while he laughs at our responses against each other about how to handle such settings.  If you have not known that divisional tactics have been in progress for decades now, this setting should clear up any questions that anyone may have.  Satan loves that he can just implement a small difference in opinion in our societies and we will take this division to the extreme.  Think back to the Garden of Eden when he tricked Adam and the woman into eating the fruit, a disobedient act that continues to plague humanity.  This act of his continues today for we do not even care to recognize his antics, we just eat of what he places before our eyes all in the name of "for the good of humanity".

When you stop and look at all the responses the world has to offer when disasters occur, they are all disasters in themselves.  When people are running for office they never predict bad times ahead.  They will not go into depth about the problems that will be faced in the future, how can they?  However, humans can stand on repetitive platforms and take agendas out of proportion and extenuate their own beliefs if followed.  Leaders will promote a controlled anxiety pattern so when bad times do occur, they will have "answers".  However, what we are witnessing today is mass chaos with issues that we did not expect and our handling of them has cost everyone much money and turmoil.  Amazingly, we still turn to these same leaders to provide answers to our shaking knees, an event that confuses people, and then when the truth arrives become angry on all levels of existence.

God is the opposite of such hidden features, He is and always has been open to tell exactly how things are going to be in the present and in the future.  His Word declares what occurred in the past in order to tell us how to properly prepare for our daily bread and for our future presence.  It is well-known that the world shall fail you when tough times arrive, for it is not prepared due to the fact that it is always focused on itself.  Once again, God is the opposite He is focused on you and wishes to help you at all times.  This short and simple verse contains powerful words that only God can back up.  God is not ashamed of us even though we have sinned so many times we could not have kept an accurate count.  It is in this part of our lives that God wishes to reinforce that He is with us at all times and not hit or miss.

We joke around when the phrase "Hi, I am from the government and I am here to help" for we know that when any type of governmental assistance occurs, there will have to be some kind of payback involved.  This phrase says to us that the person or people who show up to work are not always there and only appear when times dictate their presence.  God is not like this He is always around us and waiting to help.  The word "present" here comes from the Hebrew word "nimsa".  We find that the KJV translates this word as a "very present" help while the Hebrew form and definition mean "an ever-present" help.  All of the anxiety and fear that infiltrate our hearts and minds do not have any place there, for where God is no fear or doubt can exist.  This is an important detail that many of us forget and even though God is standing right next to us we fail to see Him or ask Him for assistance.

Satan counts on the fact that human leaders shall fail us; therefore, causing us to lose all confidence in their capabilities which is a very effective weapon in our confidence in security and protection terms.  This physical fear also translates into an unsuccessful belief in God and His presence and willingness to truly help.  Life shall always bring us heartaches and disappointments and when these types of conditions appear we need all the help we can get.  God continually shows Himself to us, that is His job but it is our lack of knowledge and understanding about His presence that defeats His presence and help.  It is not God's Will for us to continuously suffer bad living conditions or have to live with debilitating issues for decades, His help includes both physical and spiritual help.  God's help is just not about physical ailments either, it could be any number of things that trouble our lives so many times we sit and think about things that we need to go through or conquer but do not ask God for wisdom and guidance.  Why?  He is always there we just need to ask Him.

Church, this is where we have the responsibility to tell people about this verse.  We can no longer afford to keep quiet as the world around us fades away.  There are so many problems that every human being faces each day that take a toll on them.  Suicides are rising at an astronomical pace, families are breaking up on a scale that has never been witnessed before and the basic fundamentals of life are continually being challenged.  This is where the Hebrew definition of "very present" comes into play and should resound within our hearts, ever-present means it never leaves and it never has left ever since it was installed.  It means now and is continually ongoing; also, God's Word is the only source that shall prepare us for such "very present help" for it too shall never leave us.  Over our physical American lives, we have lost the concept that God is everywhere and desires to protect and comfort us not only during troubled times but happy and storied times as well.

Church, we have fallen into the trap of self-gratitude which over time has eroded our need and desire for God.  We can no longer preach and teach the Gospel of Christ to those who need to hear His Word of Salvation, and we need to gain access to His presence once again for things are about to change drastically.  So drastically, that the buildings we call churches may not even be open or left in existence because we refuse to repent of our sins so God must take things into His own hands.  This is a sad day but one that is necessary.  This single verse is one of the most needed passages of Scripture that God has given; yes, all Scripture is necessary but this one needs to be present upfront in our hearts because the real (spiritual) fight is about to begin on our eye level.  Our understanding of this verse is evident that it has been only a superficial one and that needs to change quickly.  FOr when we do not understand what this verse means during pleasant times, we definitely shall not understand it during difficult times.

DLB

Let My People Go

Let My People Go
 
4/4/22

 
 
 
 
There are many passages in the Bible that have been mentioned in only one direction or for only a single purpose, there is nothing wrong with this and it is a correct way to learn the Bible.  But we cannot ignore the fact that as we read the Bible and the stories that are associated with such passages, we must remember that sometimes the words or phrases used have other destinations as well.  It is at this point that God wants to teach us a few more things for He wants us our minds and hearts to be filled with His Word, His Definition so that we may understand how to live an abundant and joyful life.  Things are not going to stay "as good as they are now" and when these changed times become a challenge to us all, we need to ensure that we have as much eternal protection as possible against our enemy.  Let us take a few moments to read about how this popular phrase can be used in our preparation for future spiritual conflicts.
 
Most people in western societies have at least heard of the phrase "let my people go" once or twice in their lifetimes.  This previous statement is not an unfamiliarity for we know that the majority of western states are considered to be Christian or have least heard about the Gospel on a continued basis.  However, it is also common knowledge that when such phrases become used regularly and "wear off" they no longer are taken seriously and are worn on the shoulder alone, even if the automatic intention of hope and freedom that this phrase implies is not considered to be an old used sock.  Still, no matter how one thinks about or believes in this phrase it is one of the most powerful and inspiring passages that God's Definition contains.
 
I have stated for a while now that the Bible is the eternal definition of God and this is a complete and accurate claim for if we did not have a pattern to mold our lives to, that we could understand, then God would not, and could not consider Himself to be God nor could He claim to truly love us.  When we think about this passage in the manner of being a part of God's Definition, we can see just what else this phrase represents and when our hearts are open to this wisdom our spiritual lives come alive for we know that God is with us and that He will make everything perfect.  Do we know that this phrase is also a phrase of warning?  Some may have thought about this previously but probably most have not, it was a shock to me when God revealed this definition to me and it has changed how I view things and situations, especially when prophets and people who know God's Word give such testimonies and accounts of what is about to occur in our land.
 
"Love in its purest form is discipline" is a phrase that Jesse Duplantis used in one of his sermons a while back, it is a true statement and another phrase that many of us do not wish to hear but it must be said.  Is God stating that this ancient phrase is going to be heard again as a cry of warning today?  Yes, this phrase has already been present in some hearts and it rings very clear and loud to those who are listening.  It corresponds with the phrase used for the title of this article and what God wants to get across to us today.  Now, we know that Moses (God's voice) used the phrase "let my people go" many times during his battle with Pharaoh, this is a known fact, so we will use its first time usage in the Bible as the passage of Scripture for this article and it is as follows:
 
 

Exodus 5:1-2

 

"And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness.  And Pharoah said, Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go?  I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel go."

 
One of the more fascinating things about this phrase that Moses said to Pharaoh was that it was the exact Word from God, for previously God said that it would be Him that told Pharaoh to let His people go even though Moses was the one who actually spoke the words.  Sometimes I have a difficult time saying the things that God has said for me to write, for they can be harsh at times but that is what God tells me to say and I since I am just a boy who wishes to do his best to obey, I write them as He says.  I can imagine what Moses must have thought about the first time he heard the voice of God through his lips, it took a bunch of courage and strength to get through this first moment.  However, Moses understood that this was not just a physical moment but a battle of the spirit realm and the preliminary rounds at that, a shot across the bow if you wish to put it in those terms.  Humans like to play around with the words of God and do their best to water down the warning that is attached to them, a fatal mistake that so many pastors, leaders, and congregants of the Church have bought into.
 
There are a few aspects here that support the words that Moses speaks and should have given Pharaoh the idea that no games were being played here, for God spoke a statement, not a suggestion or even a question.  It is this statement form that sets into motion the spiritual battleground in which one participant understood while the other one did not.  First off, Moses and Aaron enter the room where Pharaoh was located and just begin telling him what God had said to them to say.  Moses opens up and proclaims that the God of Israel had said for him to let His people go.  Pharaoh never addresses the Children of Israel as God's people, only as Israel which means he did not recognize God or His existence at all; furthermore, adding to the words at the beginning of Exodus that a new king had come to power that did not know Joseph.  Moses and Aaron got right to the point, they did not hesitate.
 
Moses said that the Lord God of Israel had told him to tell Pharaoh to let His people go so that they may hold a feast to God in the wilderness.  If Pharaoh would have heeded this request, things might have been different between him, Moses, and God but he did no such thing and totally rejected what God had said to him.  Pharaoh even added the fact that he did not know this God of Israel and that since he knew nothing of Him that he had no reason to obey the words from Moses.  This exchange between God and Pharaoh was the first that if we read further in the book of Exodus of many more to come, each time bringing another supernatural fight that Pharaoh did not heed.  Notice something else here, God made His statement of what Pharaoh needed to do but God did not say what He was going to do as serving the consequences of disobedience.  This result was not known until the ordered plague hit and was actively being maneuvered among the intended people and targets.  Do you really think that things would have been different in the hearts of Pharaoh and his people if God had been cast as a predictable god?
 
I can just feel the oozing of pride and arrogance coming from the mouth of Pharaoh, the greatest and most powerful leader during that period of time.  All of the past kings of Egypt were considered gods, sent to the people of Egypt to serve them in a divine way which created a cloud of sovereignty and deity that no one even dared to challenge.  So when Moses and Aaron come marching in demanding that he let his captives and free laborers go, it had to be a funny setting at least in the eyes of Pharaoh.  Pharaoh physically heard those words from Moses but he failed to understand what they meant, the warning that God was giving him before something ugly occurred to him, his land, and his people.  Arrogant and selfish leaders have no true need for a god that will change their attitudes toward how they believe, nor will they accept authority over personal ambitions of themselves when it comes to heeding advice about bad things coming to a great land, especially coming from a "deity" that deep down they know is not even real.  How many of us fit into this type of category too?
 
These words that Moses said were ones of things to come if Pharaoh did not heed and obey what God said.  It did not matter if Pharaoh believed the words or not nor did it matter if he believed in God or not, what Moses said was a direct warning to Pharaoh that God meant business but at the same time was merciful to the leaders and people of Egypt.  God wanted His people to live in freedom once again, to be the light that saved Egypt from starvation many years before, the ones who worshipped God, the everlasting One who saves if obeyed.  Egypt had enslaved the Children of Israel, and the liberators had become the slaves of the same land a common scene unfolding today as well.  Let my people go became a personal and governmental message for anyone who would listen and do their best to understand.  When Pharaoh refused to listen to the words of God, we find that certain settings that were not pleasant began to occur in Egypt, deeper and more difficult plagues began to present themselves and by the time the last "let my people go" had been spoken, then the plagues became personal and death filled the land in just one short night.

The warnings from God continued and did not vary at all, His statement never waivered and the results of such disobedience also continued.  Until the last warning was issued but at the same time a new command came down from God to Moses to say and to give to the people of Israel.  Interestingly enough, Pharaoh intensified the harsh conditions of Israel to the point where it did not matter if people would die completing the tasks of Pharaoh.  But this effect did not have the same attitude reflected in Israel, they continued to suffer but worked even harder, an identical path to what the warnings and consequences handed out.  The last plague was a bitter pill to swallow for it cost many lives that night to those who did not listen and obey God's command.  Just as in every other scenario since that time, and even before, the ones who listened were safe from God's warnings and wrath, but to those who wanted to ignore His warnings, devastation like never known before came.

Why does it take humans so long to figure out what God is trying to say to them?  In this case, the Word of God was a warning and it should not have taken ten plagues to convince Pharaoh about what God was saying.  In truth, it should not have taken the first plague to occur at all.  But, humans have a large tendency to do what they believe is correct and stay with that stance until it is too late or something really extraordinary occurs, this type of behavior is not cool either.  It is known that when God must place judgment on people, He gives warnings first, today is no exception either.  God has given multiple warnings to everyone who will listen, but still, there is a far greater multitude who have ignored these warnings, we have no one to blame for ourselves.

It is obvious that the world is not going to let God's people be free from the bondage of their livelihood.  The problem is, that many of God's people have bought into this slave mentality from the world and now fight for it even in the pulpits of the Church.  God says fine, He will take care of rebellion appropriately causing many to fall from their positions in the Church; see, the Church is not exempt from the warnings that God has given, in fact, we should be the ones constantly checking to make sure we are properly prepared to complete the work that God has given us to do.  We should never assume that the warnings from God are just directed to the Egyptians, for even the Israelites had to be properly prepared and follow the specific instructions to be exempt.  No, it was not an easy night for even though Israel were safely in their houses they did hear the cries and moans of others in the land.

The people of Israel had examples of God's judgment to learn from and they followed the warnings as made mentioned, but as we follow them along their way in the wilderness how many of them began to doubt God and then curse Him for the terrible long journey that they took.  Furthermore, their doubts kept the older ones from seeing the Promised Land a direct result of their lack of commitment to God.  Look at our land today and the journey Jesus set us to do, we have failed miserably and have created an eternal mess that we are falling behind in.  Church, you are still good in God's eyes but we need to change our hearts by turning back to God and starting our ministry up again, Jesus' true ministry, not ours.  We have voluntarily begun to ignore the warnings of what God said to Pharaoh so many generations before us, we should not be promoting slavery or hardening our hearts to God's warnings.

Let's change back into godly people that love God and want to see His Work being completed in other lives.  Let us preach and teach the rejection of the world's slavery and once again be solid witnesses for Jesus.  God warned the people of Egypt for a reason, He specifically warned Pharaoh as well yet pride and arrogance prevailed and it eventually cost them not only their lives but their dynasty as well.  Church, we are on the verge of this same disaster and it shall be a terrible shame to see what Jesus commanded us to be to go down in destruction with the nation He created to be the land of salvation for all those who wished.  As we read in the Bible, God allowed His people to be set free, and He shall do the exact same process today.

            Hint: This is a warning

DLB