"For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children; That the generations to come might know them, the children who would be born, that they may arise and declare them to their children, that they may set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his Commandments."- Psalm 78:5-7
The only way to live a life of complete obedience to God is to know His commandments. As I mentioned previously, the Hebrew word translated law in Psalms 78:5 is Torah, a word that refers to the first five books of the Bible – inspired writings that contain the Mosaic law. According to Jewish tradition, the Torah contains 613 Commandments (365 negative commandments and 248 affirmative ones). Not all of these are required of God's people now because of Jesus's coming and the fact that he fulfilled the law. However, we are not without law. The Bible says we are under the law to work Christ (1 Corinthians 9:21). In other words obedience to the currently applicable command that should result from our devotion to the Lord Jesus.
You would think that with the establishment of the new covenant – the covenant is celebrates the grace of God – the number of commandment will decrease. Actually, the opposite has happened. There are approximately 1050 in the New Testament; however, the emphasis is no longer on just keeping rigid rules and regulations. Jesus shifted our attention upward to the first great commandment (loving God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength), and the second that is like it (loving our neighbor as ourselves). The Messiah insisted, on these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets (Matthew 22:40.) If we teach our children this dual – emphasis in life – loving God and loving others – all other commandments should fall into place.
PRAYER DECLARATION
LORD GOD ALMIGHTY, I DECLARE THAT WE AS A FAMILY ARE ACCOUNTABLE TO YOU. I SUBMIT YOUR AUTHORITY AND THE LEAD IN YOUR COMMANDMENTS. I TRUSTING YOUR PROMISE TO WRITE YOUR LAW WITHIN MY HEART – AND I PRAY YOU WOULD DO THE SAME FOR MY CHILDREN, THAT WE MAY HAVE A NATURAL, INBORN INCLINATION TO WALK IN YOUR WAYS. I PRAY THAT JOSHUA AND MIKAYLA WILL WILLINGLY EMBRACE THE FIRST GREAT COMMANDMENT TO LOVE GOD WITH ALL THEIR HEARTS, AND THE SECOND GREAT COMMANDMENT, WHICH IS TO LOVE OTHERS AS WE LOVE OURSELVES. AS THESE COMPLEMENTARY ATTITUDES TAKE OVER MY CHILDREN'S ART AND LIVES, KEEPING THE REST OF YOUR COMMANDMENTS WILL AUTOMATICALLY ENSUE. I WILL PASS THIS KNOWLEDGE ONTO MY CHILDREN, BELIEVING THAT JOSHUA AND MICHAELA WILL HAVE A PASSION TO LIVE WITH IAN YOUR REVEALED WILL FOR HUMANKIND. IN THE NAME OF JESUS AMAN (LET IT BE SO)!
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
Monday, September 23, 2013
PROMISE 52 – REMEMBERING GOD'S WORKS
"For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children; that the generation to come my nose them, the children who would be born, that they may arise and declare them to their children, that they may set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his Commandments." -Psalm 78:5–7
Sharing the word of God with our children prepares them for life. As we tell the story of Adam and Eve, they will understand our fallen state and God's promise of redemption. When they hear of Noah and his family, they will understand that God protects his own. As we tell of Abraham and Sarah, it will build their faith for overcoming impossible situations. As we relate Israel's deliverance from Egypt, it will be convinced that God's power can set them free from any bondage in their lives.
It is so important to impart this knowledge. After the Israelites walked through the Jordan River and possessed the Promised Land, a horrible thing transpired. Judges 2:10–12 says, "when all that generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation arose after them who did not know the Lord nor the work which He had done for Israel. Then the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord... and they forsook the Lord God of their fathers."This must not take place in your family. Think back on all the works of God that you have witnessed in your own life personally. Share the stories with your children – often. By doing so, you will keep the fire of faith burning from generation to generation.
PRAYER DECLARATION
LORD GOD ALMIGHTY, I PRAISE YOU FOR THE ALL YOUR MIGHTY WORKS – THOSE YOU HAVE ACCOMPLISHED IN GENERATIONS PAST AND THOSE YOU HAVE WROUGHT DURING MY LIFETIME. GIVE ME GRACE TO TRANSFER TO MY CHILDREN NOT ONLY THE KNOWLEDGE OF THESE WORKS BUT ALSO THE EXPECTATION THAT YOU CAN MOVE ON THEIR BEHALF AS WELL. DON'T EVER LET MY CHILDREN FORGET WHAT YOU HAVE DONE. I CLAIM THE EVER – CONSTANT OVER – SHADOWING OF YOUR SPIRIT OF TRUTH UPON MY CHILDREN, BRINGING ALL OF YOUR WORDS AND YOUR WORD TO THEIR REMEMBRANCE, THAT THEY MIGHT SERVE YOU AND BE KEPT FROM THE EVIL OF THIS WORLD (John 14:17, 26). IN THE NAME OF JESUS, AMEN (LET IT BE SO)!
Sharing the word of God with our children prepares them for life. As we tell the story of Adam and Eve, they will understand our fallen state and God's promise of redemption. When they hear of Noah and his family, they will understand that God protects his own. As we tell of Abraham and Sarah, it will build their faith for overcoming impossible situations. As we relate Israel's deliverance from Egypt, it will be convinced that God's power can set them free from any bondage in their lives.
It is so important to impart this knowledge. After the Israelites walked through the Jordan River and possessed the Promised Land, a horrible thing transpired. Judges 2:10–12 says, "when all that generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation arose after them who did not know the Lord nor the work which He had done for Israel. Then the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord... and they forsook the Lord God of their fathers."This must not take place in your family. Think back on all the works of God that you have witnessed in your own life personally. Share the stories with your children – often. By doing so, you will keep the fire of faith burning from generation to generation.
PRAYER DECLARATION
LORD GOD ALMIGHTY, I PRAISE YOU FOR THE ALL YOUR MIGHTY WORKS – THOSE YOU HAVE ACCOMPLISHED IN GENERATIONS PAST AND THOSE YOU HAVE WROUGHT DURING MY LIFETIME. GIVE ME GRACE TO TRANSFER TO MY CHILDREN NOT ONLY THE KNOWLEDGE OF THESE WORKS BUT ALSO THE EXPECTATION THAT YOU CAN MOVE ON THEIR BEHALF AS WELL. DON'T EVER LET MY CHILDREN FORGET WHAT YOU HAVE DONE. I CLAIM THE EVER – CONSTANT OVER – SHADOWING OF YOUR SPIRIT OF TRUTH UPON MY CHILDREN, BRINGING ALL OF YOUR WORDS AND YOUR WORD TO THEIR REMEMBRANCE, THAT THEY MIGHT SERVE YOU AND BE KEPT FROM THE EVIL OF THIS WORLD (John 14:17, 26). IN THE NAME OF JESUS, AMEN (LET IT BE SO)!
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
PROMISE 51 – HOPE IN GOD
"For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children; that the generation to come might know them, the children who would be born, that they may arise and declare them to their children, that they may set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments."- Psalm 78:5 – 7
Hope has been defined as desire married to expectation. Tertullian, one of the early church fathers said, "Hope is patience with the lamp lit." According to our key passage, one of the primary reasons God gave us his word was to transfer hope to future generations. It is not enough for this soul-warming sunshine to reach the full-grown "trees", it must shine down to the forest floor and nurture the "saplings" as well.
Life is often unpredictable. At times we may even face what appears to be a hopeless situation – but we are in covenant with the "God of hope", who fills us with "all joy and peace in believing" that we may "abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit" (Romans 15-13)
Though this generation is careening downhill toward a time of tribulation unlike anything the world has ever seen, we have a "blessed hope" (Titus 2:13): The glorious appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ. Scripture promises that when we see him, "we shall be like him", and "everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure" (1 John 3:2-3). Yes, of all the promises we can pass to our children, this is one of the most important – that Jesus is coming again to establish himself once and for all as Lord of lords and King of Kings, in heaven and on earth!
PRAYER DECLARATION
LORD, I SET MY HOPE IN YOU – ALWAYS AND IN ALL THINGS. I DECLARE THAT THERE IS NO HOPELESS SITUATION. THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE COURAGE TO EXPECT YOUR PROMISES TO BE FULFILLED. THIS HOPE IS THE "ANCHOR" OF MY SOUL IN STORMY SEAS. BY FAITH I PASS THIS SPIRITUAL CAPACITY TO MY CHILDREN – THE ABILITY TO HOLD ON TENACIOUSLY TO THE PROMISES OF GOD, NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS IN LIFE. I BELIEVE YOU WILL FEEL JOSHUA AND MIKAYLA "WITH ALL JOY AND PEACE IN BELIEVING" THAT THEY MAY ALWAYS "ABOUND IN HOPE" THROUGH THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AS WE BOTH LOOK FORWARD TO THIS BLESSED HOPE OF YOUR RETURN, AND THE HOPE OF GLORY THAT RESIDES IN US. IN THE NAME OF JESUS, AMEN (LET IT BE SO)! (SEE HEBREWS 6:19; ROMANS 15:13; COLOSSIANS 1:27)
Hope has been defined as desire married to expectation. Tertullian, one of the early church fathers said, "Hope is patience with the lamp lit." According to our key passage, one of the primary reasons God gave us his word was to transfer hope to future generations. It is not enough for this soul-warming sunshine to reach the full-grown "trees", it must shine down to the forest floor and nurture the "saplings" as well.
Life is often unpredictable. At times we may even face what appears to be a hopeless situation – but we are in covenant with the "God of hope", who fills us with "all joy and peace in believing" that we may "abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit" (Romans 15-13)
Though this generation is careening downhill toward a time of tribulation unlike anything the world has ever seen, we have a "blessed hope" (Titus 2:13): The glorious appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ. Scripture promises that when we see him, "we shall be like him", and "everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure" (1 John 3:2-3). Yes, of all the promises we can pass to our children, this is one of the most important – that Jesus is coming again to establish himself once and for all as Lord of lords and King of Kings, in heaven and on earth!
PRAYER DECLARATION
LORD, I SET MY HOPE IN YOU – ALWAYS AND IN ALL THINGS. I DECLARE THAT THERE IS NO HOPELESS SITUATION. THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE COURAGE TO EXPECT YOUR PROMISES TO BE FULFILLED. THIS HOPE IS THE "ANCHOR" OF MY SOUL IN STORMY SEAS. BY FAITH I PASS THIS SPIRITUAL CAPACITY TO MY CHILDREN – THE ABILITY TO HOLD ON TENACIOUSLY TO THE PROMISES OF GOD, NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS IN LIFE. I BELIEVE YOU WILL FEEL JOSHUA AND MIKAYLA "WITH ALL JOY AND PEACE IN BELIEVING" THAT THEY MAY ALWAYS "ABOUND IN HOPE" THROUGH THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AS WE BOTH LOOK FORWARD TO THIS BLESSED HOPE OF YOUR RETURN, AND THE HOPE OF GLORY THAT RESIDES IN US. IN THE NAME OF JESUS, AMEN (LET IT BE SO)! (SEE HEBREWS 6:19; ROMANS 15:13; COLOSSIANS 1:27)
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