Sabbath Regulations

  

Exodus 35:1-3

 

November 8, 2024

 

Sabbath Regulations

Moses assembled all the congregation of the people of Israel and said to them, “These are the things that the Lord has commanded you to do.  Six days' work shall be done, but on the seventh day, you shall have a Sabbath of solemn rest, holy to the Lord. Whoever does any work on it shall be put to death.  You shall kindle no fire in all your dwelling places on the Sabbath day.”

 

We have come a long way, as the American people, in many ways, some good and others not so good.  Remember to set aside a day, just one day, to worship the God who is, not the one you may have designed.

So, the question to the Church is not a building or denomination but the people who by faith in the finished work of Christ on the Cross.  Is Sunday a day of worship and rest for you?  Or is it just another day to work, mow the yard, and if so, when is your day of rest?

Western Christianity: The Sabbath is observed on Sunday, the first day, and is called the "Lord's Day". This is the majority practice of Christians. (Taken from the internet)

We do have Scripture to give us direction on how we should worship and rest. Often, the one who has the hardest time is the Pastor and his staff, for them, Sunday is a very busy day.  And if you have not allowed your Pastor and staff time to rest, like a day off, you have done them a great injustice.

In Colossians 2:16-17,  “Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.” Is that telling us all about Jesus, and how we look to Him as our life?

 

What about a day of rest?   In Exodus 20:11, “For in six days, the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore, the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.”  Blasé Pascal lived in the 1600s, so being too busy to sit and rest is not a new thing; it has been man’s problem for many years.  “All men's miseries derive from not being able to sit in a quiet room alone.”  I would add to Blasé quote: that most men’s miseries come from not finding time to be still before their Creator, and give him thanks for His many blessings.

 

From our Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice

Like Actions Testimony

 

Like Actions Testimony

 

 

My new life testimony began in Victoria, Texas, at the Christopher Inn motel.  I came to understand that Jesus Christ was the only one who could meet my needs.  God’s grace was shown to me through a group of men.  These men met me at the level of my understanding and need.  They shared with me six months before I asked Jesus Christ into my life.  My life in Christ over the past twenty years, before Life Action, has been rich, exciting, and disappointing.  Paul the apostle told my story in Romans 7:18 ​.“… For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.”

 

My story should begin back in June of 1988.  I was part of a Lay Weekend and was asked to write Jesus Christ a letter.  The question was asked: “Who is in control of your life.”?  That weekend, I asked Jesus if He would meet with me each day and take control of my life.  My victory seemed short-lived.  A busy schedule was all the enemy needed to derail my desires.

 

Four months later, Spring Baptist asked Bob Elkland to lead us in a prayer conference.  We were to ask God, in the privacy of our homes, to search our hearts for things that were offensive to Him.  The same night, I asked Him to answer.  God showed me that the fears in my life was very offensive to Him.   At first, I argued with God, but gently He showed me it was my problem.  It was made clear to me that fear was the opposite of faith and trust.  Let me share with you that Jesus began that night to set me free from a life of fear.

 

One month later, Bill Stafford came to our Church.  He preached one night on “The healing of a boy with an evil spirit.”  From Mark 9:14-27.  The message was that the boy was not the problem; it was the father’s unbelief.  Again, the Lord spoke to me about the unbelief in my life.  It was at this point in my life that I first heard of Life Action Singers.

 

There were many questions in my mind about “The Life Action Singers.”  You could say it was somewhat of a mystery.  Who are these people? Why do they need two weeks of my life, etc.?  My wife was asked to help feed about forty-five team members for lunch and dinner.  The enemy was quick to point out how inconvenient this was going to be on my schedule.  We were told these people were similar to nomads, traveling in mobile trailers, all over the country.  One was going to have a baby and needed special help from doctors and hospital.  I was getting very upset about these people. What did they expect?

 

Four or five men of the church meet on Saturday morning for prayer.  I shared how I was feeling and found others were having the same thoughts.  We all agreed that our pastor, staff, and the church needed revival, and so did we.  The next week, our pastor led us in prayer for the Life Action meeting.  I asked the Lord why I was so negative.  He showed me how self-centered and selfish I was and how He wanted me to be open to His will in my life.

 

Del Fehsenfeld Jr., who was the director of Life Action ( before his promotion to Heaven), shared that revival would only come after God’s people chose brokenness.   Monday night, we received a four-page, front and back sheet called a Complete Spiritual.  I found myself sitting in shock after most of the people had gone.  Yes, I failed the Complete Spiritual in so many areas of my life.  That form showed me how my pride had blinded me.  My values were not the same as God’s, and my priorities and motives were wrong.  That I was not obedient, and honest, and did not want to sacrifice my will for God’s.  Where had Jesus found me out of spiritual control?

 

Tuesday night, Del shared a living giving principle from 2 Corinthians 8:1-5.  God’s priority in giving:  first myself by coming to the altar of honesty.  Second, choose brokenness as taught in Psalms 34:18, Isaiah 66:2, and Proverbs 26 by agreeing with God and acknowledging our needs.  Del gave this definition of Obedience: “Doing what I’m told to do, when I’m told to do it, with the right heart attitude.”  He defined Brokenness: “My response of humility and obedience to the conviction of God’s Spirit by the revelation of God’s Word.”  I had never thought much about choosing brokenness.  Brokenness in my mind was equated with pain.  

 

Wednesday night, by an act of my will, I chose to be broken.  Later in the week, he shared on bitterness.  He defines Bitterness: “As a corruption in my spirit resulting from  a failure to thank God for every person or situation He had brought into my life.”

 

Del also taught what he called  Living Giving truths from 2 Corinthians 8:12.  The first was: “To know the will of God, I must have no will of my own.”  The second was: “The will of God is never contrary to the word of God.”  And last: “To know the will of God, I MUST FIRST BE WILLING TO DO IT.”

 

That Wednesday night, God got my agreement to call sin what He calls it; that was a new beginning.  I received the grace to make right the wrong that God’s Spirit brought to my mind.  God’s Holy Spirit was gentle but firm as He directed my thoughts.  I was given the grace to make things right through confession. The person I had wronged first was my boss, who just happened to be in town.  I ask his forgiveness for unfavorably talking about him.  I ask him to let me make restitution for the money I had wrongly taken ( being a thief) on my expense account.  It was also necessary to call my Mother and ask her forgiveness.  To ask our Youth Minister, my wife, and others to forgive my wrong choices.  I was given the grace at each step to make right the many wrong choices, but the enemy always told me how bad it looked to others.

 

The Life Actions Singers were not there for two weeks; it went into the third week, and we saw an outpouring of God’s Spirit.  It was not only the congregation but many on the staff who came forward to make a public confession of sin in their lives.  No one I knew wanted this to end; we had experienced a revival.

 

It is now June 9, 2024, and it is time to look at my report card of faith in a big God.  How is Bob doing?  Am I making the right choices?  Did Life Action last, or was it just one of many emotional highs?  I must tell you my life has not been the same. Am I a mess? I prefer the word Rascal but yes, I am. Life Action got me serious about being a man of the Word of God, and God has not finished teaching me how to be transparent and bold about the only Truth, and His name is JESUS.

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice 

The Shining Face of Moses

 

Exodus 34:29-35

 

November 7, 2024

 

The Shining Face of Moses

 When Moses came down from Mount Sinai, with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand as he came down from the mountain, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God.  Aaron and all the people of Israel saw Moses, and behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him.  But Moses called to them, and Aaron and all the leaders of the congregation returned to him, and Moses talked with them.  Afterward, all the people of Israel came near, and he commanded them all that the Lord had spoken with him in Mount Sinai.  And when Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face.

Whenever Moses went in before the Lord to speak with him, he would remove the veil until he came out. And when he came out and told the people of Israel what he was commanded,  the people of Israel would see the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses' face was shining. And Moses would put the veil over his face again until he went in to speak with him.

 

I have heard a pastor tell their congregation that God had told him to do certain things, and I’ve never doubted them.  For one thing, if they lied, it was not on me but them.  The Holy Spirit often comes to us. I’m fearful that our ears are not open to hear or do what He is telling us.  But I’ve never seen anyone whose face shone like Moses'.  God was making sure that these people knew that Moses had been with Him.  

 

Now, pastors have told me some strange things that people have tried on them, like God told me to leave my wife for a younger woman.  That person's god was his flesh, for that would not be in keeping with the Word of God.

 

From ​our Back Porch,

 Bob Rice.

The Covenant Renewed

 

 

Exodus 34:10-28

 

November 6, 2024

 

The Covenant Renewed

And he said, “Behold, I am making a covenant. Before all your people, I will do marvels, such as have not been created in all the earth or in any nation. And all the people among whom you are shall see the work of the Lord, for it is an awesome thing that I will do with you.

“Observe what I command you this day. Behold, I will drive out before you the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.  Take care, lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land to which you go, lest it become a snare in your midst.  You shall tear down their altars and break their pillars and cut down their Asherim  (for you shall worship no other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God),  lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and when they whore after their gods and sacrifice to their gods and you are invited, you eat of his sacrifice,  and you take of their daughters for your sons, and their daughters whore after their gods and make your sons whore after their gods.

“You shall not make for yourself any gods of cast metal.

“You shall keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, as I commanded you, at the time appointed in the month Abib, for in the month Abib you came out from Egypt.  All that open the womb are mine, all your male livestock, the firstborn of cow and sheep.  The firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb, or if you will not redeem it, you shall break its neck. All the firstborn of your sons you shall redeem. And none shall appear before me empty-handed.

 “Six days you shall work, but on the seventh day you shall rest. In plowing time and in harvest, you shall rest.  You shall observe the Feast of Weeks, the first fruits of wheat harvest, and the Feast of Ingathering at the year's end.  Three times in the year shall all your males appear before the Lord God, the God of Israel.  For I will cast out nations before you and enlarge your borders; no one shall covet your land, when you go up to appear before the Lord your God three times in the year.

“You shall not offer the blood of my sacrifice with anything leavened, or let the sacrifice of the Feast of the Passover remain until the morning.  The best of the first fruits of your ground you shall bring to the house of the Lord your God. You shall not boil a young goat in its mother's milk.”

And the Lord said to Moses, “Write these words, for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel.”  So, he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights. He neither ate bread nor drank water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments.

 

God’s promise to Israel was to honor the covenant, the Ten Commandments.  And even after God’s instruction on what to do and not do, they chased the gods of the nations around them, and it brought judgment on them.

 

God’s ways are higher than ours, but a wise person would examine what God has said about work and rest and follow his leadership.  Much of the illness in today’s world is not believing and doing what God has said to do, in all areas of life.  He has given us wise counsel and a handbook on how to live life to the full.

 

The period of forty days and forty nights is important in the Bible, being found 24 times throughout scripture. From the 40 days and nights that Moses spent in the wilderness when given the Ten Commandments to the same period that Jesus spent in the wilderness when tempted by Satan.  (Taken from the internet)

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice

Moses Makes New Tablets

 

 

Exodus 34:1-9

 

November 5, 2024

 

Moses Makes New Tablets

The Lord said to Moses, “Cut for yourself two tablets of stone like the first, and I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke.  Be ready by the morning, and come up in the morning to Mount Sinai, and present yourself there to me on the top of the mountain.  No one shall come up with you, and let no one be seen throughout all the mountain. Let no flocks or herds graze opposite that mountain.”  So Moses cut two tablets of stone like the first. And he rose early in the morning and went up on Mount Sinai, as the Lord had commanded him, and took in his hand two tablets of stone.  The Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord.  The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness,  keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation.”  And Moses quickly bowed his head toward the earth and worshiped.  And he said, “If now I have found favor in your sight, O Lord, please let the Lord go in the midst of us, for it is a stiff-necked people, and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for your inheritance.”

 

Can the Church identify with God’s attributes, sure, a God of mercy, gracious, slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness?  But no longer does God visit the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.  Ezekiel 18:19-20, “Yet you say, ‘Why should not the son suffer for the iniquity of the father?’ When the son has done what is just and right, and has been careful to observe all my statutes, he shall surely live. The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.”  That is good news, but the sins, poor performance, and dad missing from home can have a lasting effect on the child.

 

The Church is a chosen people, a holy priesthood, you will find that in 1 Peter 2:9. “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”  One must wonder when looking at their lives, are we not like the people of Israel? Forgetting the love and mercy of our God, who has promised to never leave us or forsake us.  Who has pardoned our iniquity and our sins, and has brought us out of darkness into the light.  We are now heirs with our Lord, Jesus Christ.  And we are sealed and enveloped in Christ; all things must go through Him to get to us.  One must never forget that our free will needs to be examined often, to make sure, as a child of our Father in heaven, we are being obedient to His calling and plan for our lives.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Moses' Intercession

 

 

Exodus 33:12-23

 

November 4,  2024

 

Moses' Intercession

 Moses said to the Lord, “See, you say to me, ‘Bring up this people,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. Yet you have said, ‘I know you by name, and you have also found favor in my sight.’  Now therefore, if I have found favor in your sight, please show me now your ways, that I may know you in order to find favor in your sight. Consider, too, that this nation is your people.”  And he said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”  And he said to him, “If your presence will not go with me, do not bring us up from here.  For how shall it be known that I have found favor in your sight, I and your people? Is it not in your going with us, so that we are distinct, I and your people, from every other people on the face of the earth?”

And the Lord said to Moses, “This very thing that you have spoken I will do, for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name.”  Moses said, “Please show me your glory.”  And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The Lord.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.  But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.”  And the Lord said, “Behold, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock, and while my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back, but my face shall not be seen.”

It seems to me that those who had earthly dads that they went to for advice may have a leg up on those of us who did not seek our dads’ advice, when it comes to our Father in heaven.  Those who had dads with whom they had built a relationship of trust, on his wise counsel, it seems, would have an easier time doing the same with their Father in heaven.

We do not know that much about Moses' dad, in that he was taken away from him at birth, but we do know that Moses' mother poured her wisdom and understanding of God into her son while she cared for him as Pharaoh's daughter's nanny.  One might see this as a hindrance to a close relationship with God, but in Moses' case, God had picked him as his man before he was in his mother's womb to lead a nation out of darkness into the light.  

What is God’s plan for you and me that is worth pondering over?  Could it be we have, like Moses tried to do things in our own strength, and like Moses have run away from our calling?  Maybe we need to recall the relationship with the Lord, the promises, and do as Moses did, have a faith walk with God.  I believe you and I would be wise to pray this prayer; please show me now your ways, that I may know you in order to find favor in your sight.

As a member of God’s family by His grace and the faith that He has given us, to understand our calling and identify in Christ.  First, let us address the name God has given us: Saints. The word saint is used 67 times in the New Testament, always in the plural, and it is all about relationships, not performance. “Therefore, scripturally speaking, the 'saints' are the body of Christ, Christians, the church. All Christians are considered saints. All Christians are saints—and at the same time are called to be saints.” (Got Questions)

Next is your real Identity, beginning with birth, as all things, but not from your Mother, but the second birth when you ask Jesus into your life by faith in the finished work of the Cross.  2 Corinthians 5 16-17, make that clear.  ^“From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer.  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

If that old man dies, you are now a new creation, and you must allow the Holy Spirit to break the habits of your flesh.

My friend and mentor Bill Gillham put a list of Scripture on your Identity.

Your True Identity in Christ

·      Romans 3:24  You are now justified and redeemed.

·      Romans 6:7     Free from sin’s power.

·      Romans 8:1     Indemnified (God does not reject

·      Rom.    15:7     Accepted in Him

·      1 Cor.   1:30      Have wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, redemption

·      1 Cor.   2:16      Mind of Christ is in you

·      1 Cor.   6:11      Washed, sanctified, justified

·      1 Cor.   6:17      One with the Holy Spirit

·      1 Cor. 15:22      Alive ( formerly dead)

·      2 Cor.   2:14      Always led in His triumph (whether it appears so or not)

·      2 Cor.     3:3      His Laws are written on your heart

·      2 Cor.    3:14     Your hardened mind is removed (mind transplant)

·      2 Cor.    5:17     A new creation (not an old garment with a new patch)

·      2 Cor.    5:21     The righteousness of God (cannot get more righteous)

·      Gal.       2:14     Have liberty (not a peaceful feeling, but a knowledge)

·      Gal.       3:28     All are one (no inferiority)

·      Gal.       4:7       A son/daughter and heir of God

·      Eph.      1:3       Blessed with every spiritual blessing

·      Eph.      1:4       Chosen, holy, blameless before God

·      Eph.      1:7       Redeemed, forgiven

·      Eph. 1: 10-11   Have an inheritance in heaven

·      Eph.      1:13    Seal in the Spirit

·      Eph.      2:6      Seated in heaven (now)

·      Eph.      2:10    Created for good works (which He can do through you)

·      Eph.      2:13    Brought near to God

·      Eph.      3:6      A partaker of the promise

·      Eph.      3:12    Have boldness and confident access to God

·      Eph.      5:30    A member of His body (not inferior)

·      Phil.      4:7      His peace guards your heart and mind (not a peaceful feeling, but knowledge)

·      Phil.      4:19    Have all needs (not greed) supplied

·      Col.       3:1      Raised up with Christ

·      Col.       3:3     Your life is hidden with Christ in God (see this by faith)    

 

From our Back Porch,

Bob Rice 

The Tent of Meeting

 

Exodus 33:7-11

 

November 3, 2024

 

The Tent of Meeting

Now Moses used to take the tent and pitch it outside the camp, far off from the camp, and he called it the tent of meeting. And everyone who sought the Lord would go out to the tent of meeting, which was outside the camp.  Whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people would rise up, and each would stand at his tent door, and watch Moses until he had gone into the tent.  When Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the entrance of the tent, and the Lord would speak with Moses.  And when all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance of the tent, all the people would rise up and worship, each at his tent door.  Thus, the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. When Moses turned again into the camp, his assistant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent.

 

My first thought is, do we, the Church, need a pillar of cloud standing at the entrance of the building we call a church?  Can we believe the words of our Lord, in Hebrew 13:5, “Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”  Often in the dark time of life, I turned to Isaiah 41:10, “fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

 

Or do we need to not be hearers of the Word, but doers?  Could it be that we as a people need hearing aids to hear the Spirit of God speaking into our lives? 

 

These are words from our Lord: “In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.  Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.”

 

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

The Command to Leave Sinai

 

Exodus 33:1-6

 

November 2, 2024

 

The Command to Leave Sinai

The Lord said to Moses, “Depart; go up from here, you and the people whom you have brought up out of the land of Egypt, to the land of which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, ‘To your offspring, I will give it.’  I will send an angel before you, and I will drive out the Canaanites, the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.  Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey; but I will not go up among you, lest I consume you on the way, for you are a stiff-necked people.”

When the people heard this disastrous word, they mourned, and no one put on his ornaments.  For the Lord had said to Moses, “Say to the people of Israel, ‘You are a stiff-necked people; if for a single moment I should go up among you, I would consume you. So now take off your ornaments, that I may know what to do with you.’”  Therefore, the people of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments, from Mount Horeb onward.

 

Obedience brings blessing. If only the Church could learn this truth.  When Moses shared that the chosen of God, the people of Israel, were not faithful, not obedient, but stiff-necked people.  He is not talking about people who have neck problems, but God is comparing them to an ox that has to have a bridle to make it go where the farmer desires.  Many words describe these kinds of people, who are not willing to be taught, are obstinate, and difficult to lead.

 

When the people heard that God, the one who chose them out of all the people of the world to be His chosen people, would not go with them, but would send an angel to go before them and give them victory, they stripped themselves of ornaments.  Was it a sign of obedience or fear of God?  I’m not sure, but I know a healthy fear of God is what the Church needs to bring about obedience.

 

When I was growing up, I had a healthy fear of my dad; his rules were to be obeyed, and if not, you were a rule breaker, and he had no tolerance for rule breakers.  I was like the people of Israel, in many ways, but after my butt had received the leather belt a few times, I learn not only to do as Dad said, but found out that a healthy fear of not doing so kept me out of the pain that went with the leather belt.  

 

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice