Post by Les Brewer on Dec 29, 2014 17:24:42 GMT
Celebrate: The Party is Not Over! by Dave Bessey
Preface
After Christmas many become depressed. They forget celebrating is not a one day event. We celebrate Christ every day. It is not about the presents, but about the presence of Christ in us. We need to walk as if every day is a celebration. Remember also some of our greatest defeats occur because we give up our rear guard. We must always cover our security at all times, especially after a major victory or time of rejoicing.
We have the tendency to give up celebrating. When the celebration is just coming to a peak and when the enemy is about to surrender, we grow weary in the flesh. We forget that we are also spiritual beings that are called to not mope like a dope, but we must hang onto the rope and cope. We are to rejoice in the battle and watch as our God brings the victory through faith, for we remember His awesome power and goodness. This is a command, not just a touchy feel good statement. Celebrate Passover, celebrate that God tabernacles with us! Celebrate! It is a command. God has tabernacled with His people, He indwells us because of presence through His grace on calvary. We are His warriors as He empowers us through from within. The Holy Spirit brings the victory as we celebrate. Here it is in the prophetic word:
Nahum 1:15 NIV
Look, there on the mountains, the feet of one who brings good news, who proclaims peace! Celebrate your festivals, O Judah, and fulfill your vows. No more will the wicked invade you; they will be completely destroyed.
Zechariah 14:16 NIV
Then the survivors from all the nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the LORD Almighty, and to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles.
Zechariah 14:18 NIV
If the Egyptian people do not go up and take part, they will have no rain. The LORD will bring on them the plague he inflicts on the nations that do not go up to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles.
Zechariah 14:19 NIV
This will be the punishment of Egypt and the punishment of all the nations that do not go up to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles.
Introduction
Just because we are under the New Covenant, some think that the Old Covenant was abandoned. Jesus does not say this. Actually He said He fulfilled it. As we enter into battle against a formidable foe, we must remember where we come from so we can have true victory. Just like the Children of Israel we were slaves who have been set free and have been reminded to remember to stay from false gods or idols and to celebrate what God has done and honor His name. We remember so we can have victory in the future as we continue this protracted war until Jesus returns.
We remember to honor and “ celebrate” who we are now in Christ and especially who we serve:
Deuteronomy 16 New Living Translation
1 "In honor of the LORD your God, always celebrate the Passover at the proper time in early spring, for that was when the LORD your God brought you out of Egypt by night. 2 Your Passover sacrifice may be from either the flock or the herd, and it must be sacrificed to the LORD your God at the place he chooses for his name to be honored. 3 Eat it with bread made without yeast. For seven days eat only bread made without yeast, as you did when you escaped from Egypt in such a hurry. Eat this bread -- the bread of suffering -- so that you will remember the day you departed from Egypt as long as you live. 4 Let no yeast be found in any house throughout your land for seven days. And do not let any of the meat of the Passover lamb remain until the next morning." 5 "The Passover must not be eaten in the towns that the LORD your God is giving you. 6 It must be offered at the place the LORD your God will choose for his name to be honored. Sacrifice it there as the sun goes down on the anniversary of your exodus from Egypt. 7 Roast the lamb and eat it in the place the LORD your God chooses. Then go back to your tents the next morning. 8 For the next six days you may not eat bread made with yeast. On the seventh day the people must assemble before the LORD your God, and no work may be done on that day." 9 "Count off seven weeks from the beginning of your grain harvest. 10 Then you must celebrate the Festival of Harvest to honor the LORD your God. Bring him a freewill offering in proportion to the blessings you have received from him. 11 It is a time to celebrate before the LORD your God at the place he chooses for his name to be honored. Celebrate with your whole family, all your servants, the Levites from your towns, and the foreigners, orphans, and widows who live among you. 12 Remember that you were slaves in Egypt, so be careful to obey all these laws." 13 "Another celebration, the Festival of Shelters, must be observed for seven days at the end of the harvest season, after the grain has been threshed and the grapes have been pressed. 14 This festival will be a happy time of rejoicing with your family, your servants, and with the Levites, foreigners, orphans, and widows from your towns. 15 For seven days celebrate this festival to honor the LORD your God at the place he chooses, for it is the LORD your God who gives you bountiful harvests and blesses all your work. This festival will be a time of great joy for all." 16 "Each year every man in Israel must celebrate these three festivals: the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the Festival of Harvest, and the Festival of Shelters. They must appear before the LORD your God at the place he chooses on each of these occasions, and they must bring a gift to the LORD. 17 All must give as they are able, according to the blessings given to them by the LORD your God." 18 "Appoint judges and officials for each of your tribes in all the towns the LORD your God is giving you. They will judge the people fairly throughout the land. 19 You must never twist justice or show partiality. Never accept a bribe, for bribes blind the eyes of the wise and corrupt the decisions of the godly. 20 Let true justice prevail, so you may live and occupy the land that the LORD your God is giving you." 21 "You must never set up an Asherah pole beside the altar of the LORD your God. 22 And never set up sacred pillars for worship, for the LORD your God hates them."
Let's examine this deeper Part 1- "Remember to Celebrate and Part 2- "Honor Gods Not Idols"
Part 1: Remember - Honor and Celebrate
We see what it means to observe, celebrate or party! We tend to think just because the day is over that we stop the celebrating. Wrong. Celebration is in the heart and min d. The symbols of Passover were not just about a tradition or religious rite as much as a method through growing faith for future victories for generations to come. Israel stands today because they did not forget. America could be gone any day if they don’t begin to remember God and where we came from.
Whether it is the Passover or the feast of tabernacles the Hebrews were commanded to celebrate or remember. To teach their children. To write these things down. To hold them dear. To sing songs about it like David:
Psalm 21 New Living Translation
1 For the choir director: A psalm of David. How the king rejoices in your strength, O LORD! He shouts with joy because of your victory. 2 For you have given him his heart's desire; you have held back nothing that he requested. Interlude 3 You welcomed him back with success and prosperity. You placed a crown of finest gold on his head. 4 He asked you to preserve his life, and you have granted his request. The days of his life stretch on forever. 5 Your victory brings him great honor, and you have clothed him with splendor and majesty. 6 You have endowed him with eternal blessings. You have given him the joy of being in your presence. 7 For the king trusts in the LORD. The unfailing love of the Most High will keep him from stumbling. 8 You will capture all your enemies. Your strong right hand will seize all those who hate you. 9 You will destroy them as in a flaming furnace when you appear. The LORD will consume them in his anger; fire will devour them. 10 You will wipe their children from the face of the earth; they will never have descendants. 11 Although they plot against you, their evil schemes will never succeed. 12 For they will turn and run when they see your arrows aimed at them. 13 We praise you, LORD, for all your glorious power. With music and singing we celebrate your mighty acts.
Or,
Psalm 145 New Living translation
1 A psalm of praise of David. I will praise you, my God and King, and bless your name forever and ever. 2 I will bless you every day, and I will praise you forever. 3 Great is the LORD! He is most worthy of praise! His greatness is beyond discovery! 4 Let each generation tell its children of your mighty acts. 5 I will meditate on your majestic, glorious splendor and your wonderful miracles. 6 Your awe-inspiring deeds will be on every tongue; I will proclaim your greatness. 7 Everyone will share the story of your wonderful goodness; they will sing with joy of your righteousness. 8 The LORD is kind and merciful, slow to get angry, full of unfailing love. 9 The LORD is good to everyone. He showers compassion on all his creation. 10 All of your works will thank you, LORD, and your faithful followers will bless you. 11 They will talk together about the glory of your kingdom; they will celebrate examples of your power. 12 They will tell about your mighty deeds and about the majesty and glory of your reign. 13 For your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. You rule generation after generation. The LORD is faithful in all he says; he is gracious in all he does. 14 The LORD helps the fallen and lifts up those bent beneath their loads. 15 All eyes look to you for help; you give them their food as they need it. 16 When you open your hand, you satisfy the hunger and thirst of every living thing. 17 The LORD is righteous in everything he does; he is filled with kindness. 18 The LORD is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him sincerely. 19 He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cries for help and rescues them. 20 The LORD protects all those who love him, but he destroys the wicked. 21 I will praise the LORD, and everyone on earth will bless his holy name forever and forever.
CELEBRATE Him to remember Him…
Part 2: - Honor God Not idols or other gods
Woven through this passage is a not so subtle command to stay away from the false gods, who are just pregnant demons who want to be worshiped. But the last verse 21 if quite clear:
21 "You must never set up an Asherah pole beside the altar of the LORD your God. 22 And never set up sacred pillars for worship, for the LORD your God hates them."
Who was Asherah or Ashtareth ?
It was a false god under Baal Worship.
Asherah by Wayne Blank Website -http://www.keyway.ca
Asherah, and its plural form, Asherim, from the Hebrew word pronounced ash-ay-raw, refers to a pagan goddess, also known as Ashtaroth or Astarte to the Canaanites and Ishtar to the Assyrians and Babylonians. The common symbols of the cult were tree trunks with all of their branches removed and images carved into them. These standing tree trunks were the reason that some versions of the Holy Bible translate the actual original word of the Holy Scriptures, Asherah or Asherim, as grove or groves e.g. for 2 Chronicles 15:16, from the RSV and KJV:
"And Ahab the son of Omri [see Kings of Israel and Judah] did evil in the sight of The Lord more than all that were before him. And as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, he took for wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshiped him. He erected an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he built in Samaria. And Ahab made an Asherah. Ahab did more to provoke The Lord, the God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him." (1 Kings 16:30-33 RSV)
The truth is we are no different. We may not have little altars built in our house, but we worshiping false gods just the same. Baal is destroying the Philippines and the USA. Through the Leviathan spirit and jezebel spirit we can see Islam and Socialism trying to take over even in the church. ( See Chrislam). We are held captive by our vices and false prophetic spirit.
We are just watching as they enemy takes over. Jonas Clark said it this way:
Spoilers are Coming by Jonas Clark
When a nation, any nation, turns its back on God the spoilers are released. The spoilers plunder, pillage, and destroy. Scripture declares a day when God’s people turned their back on Jehovah and served Baal and Ashtaroth (Judges 2:13-14).
Many are familiar with Ashtaroth. Ashtaroth is the goddess of Jezebel. Jezebel’s father was Ethbal. He was king of Phoenicia and the high priest of Ashtaroth. Jezebel is the seducing goddess of war. She is prophetic. She has been loosed within the Church busy hijacking prophetic ministry, turning hearts away from true spiritual fathers unto herself, and making a way for celebrity worship, spiritualism, and idolatrous entertainment. She creates eunuchs. Eunuchs are those that have no spiritual strength of their own. They look for her approval, leadership, and direction. She is their mentor. Jezebel redirects prophetic ministry away from true biblical prophetic ministry of speaking into the nation (not just the Church), turning hearts, offering biblical intercessions, modeling holiness, putting Christ first, and involvement in the restitution of all things.
The truth is some prophetic circles have lost their mooring, are demonic, and destructive in their current operations. The sad truth is that some have sought prophetic ministry not the ministry of the Holy Ghost. And Satan has given them what they desired, prophetic ministry void of the Holy Spirit.
Baal on the other hand is representative of the secular state. Romans 13 speaks of the State as an instrument of Christ to put fear in the wicked. When the people begin to look upon the State as their protector, provider and the State sees its self as god then the State is no longer the instrument of God. This leads Christians to the question of their first allegiance. Is it with the secular State or with Christ? Perhaps you have never considered this but Christianity requires faithful allegiance and loyalty to Christ not just a fifteen second repentance prayer. Jesus asked, “Why call me Lord, Lord, but do not the things I say?” (Luke 6:46) It’s not enough to accept Jesus as ones savior but not ones lord.
Jesus is not just your Savior He expects your full submission to His lordship. You are not your own. Lord means ruler. Jesus is way more than a ticket to heaven. He is God and the creator of all things and stands outside His creation.
Jehovah reminded us that He is the one that delivered us out of the land of bondage, slavery, and Egypt. Pharaoh saw himself as god and the supreme ruler of the State of Egypt. In his mind he owned the people. They were his servants. God corrected Pharaoh’s error.
Jehovah delivered His people out of the secular State of Egypt that held God’s people in bondage. After their deliverance Jehovah said, “Thou shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20). This word “gods” is elohim better understood as other protectors-providers.
Today some look to the State for provision and protection. America has over 40 million receiving food stamps from the State. This is a move away from individual liberty toward bondage. Even though it appears as a blessing in reality it is a dangerous step toward the validation of statism because economic boom-bust cycles are created by the Federal Reserve's monetary policy. The Federal Reserve is not Federal and has no reserves. The fractional reserve banking system is the root of evils of every kind.
According to the “Political Science Dictionary” statism includes “Sovereignty vested not in the people but in the national state, and that all individuals and associations exist only to enhance the power, the prestige, and the well-being of the state. The concept of statism, which is seen as synonymous with the concept of nation, and corporatism repudiates individualism and exalts the nation as an organic body headed by the Supreme Leader and nurtured by unity, force, and discipline.” This is a violation of Scripture.
We have watched the United States declare her allegiance to God and at the same time morph into a godless society full of materialistic, selfish, secular humanists, immoral, corrupt reprobates. What happened to the pledge of allegiance that stated we are “one nation under God?” It used to be submission to the God of the Bible, today it’s whatever god you choose to worship in a "moment of silence" even if that god is the god of self.
Because Jezebel hijacked prophetic ministry there are few voices speaking out against the hypocrisy and godless direction our country has taken. In fact our nation is on the verge of being turned over to a reprobate mind. As long as the people of God are content to have the wicked rule over them there will be no hope and change in America. Where will our nation’s future leaders come from, the Church, or humanistic godless colleges?
Karl Marx, one of the apostles of the godless socialist’s form of government, is held in high esteem among America’s academic professors. His methods are promoted, looked to, and admired by many of our nation’s leaders. Marx was a godless atheist that considered religion the opium of the people. Looking at the Church today we might tend to agree except we could expand the opium to sports and entertainment.
Socialism teaches that man is god and receives enlightenment through education. This explains the constant social engineering of our national Federal education system. They seek to build a Utopian society outside the laws of Jehovah. When progressive socialists rule a nation they morph the State into a god run by elites and served by serfs. When the State becomes a god tyranny and the shedding of innocent blood (war) is the result.
We must ask ourselves some questions. “Has America become another god?” Try starting a church without “permission” from the Federal government. Has Christianity been defended by Washington D.C. political leaders like those that champion the building of an Islamic mosque near Ground Zero in New York City? The answers are obvious.
For thousands of years the kingdom of the secular State has battled the kingdom of God for dominion. In the beginning there was only one kingdom, one family, the family of God. There was Adam, Eve, and their two sons Cain and Abel. Scripture says that Abel brought the first fruits to God and Cain an offering. God was pleased with Abel but did not receive Cain’s offering. The reason was Abel tithed. Tithing was God’s set pattern that acknowledged His sovereignty over the earth. It still is. Scripture declares, “The earth is the Lords and the fullness thereof, the world, and they that dwell therein” (Psalm 24:1).
Cain was so angry with God that he murdered his brother Abel in a fit of jealous rage. From this we watch Cain leave the family of God and start his own kingdom, the kingdom of Cain. This is the genesis of a secular humanists’ kingdom and a first picture of the division of kingdoms.
Cain’s kingdom was a secular humanists’ kingdom governed by man outside the jurisdiction of Jehovah. Jurisdiction in Latin is juris (law) diction (sayings). Man became his own god, his own protector and provider. Later the savage kingdom of Nimrod that married Semiramis came into being. This is the joining of the godless State and the spiritualist goddess Ashtaroth. Semiramis ushered in a false religion. This shows the connection between the operations of the religious spirit, spiritualism, and the secular humanist’ State. Nimrod was a “mighty hunter before the Lord” meaning a secular humanists protector-provider, the State as another god.
The battle against secular and religious humanism is fundamental in understanding the spiritual warfare we are in today. This is the high level spiritual warfare against principalities and powers that the Apostle Paul spoke of in Ephesians 6.
Satan uses secular and religious humanism to model a different world view, and to subdue and render harmless the Church of God when the Church refuses to take its rightful place in governing authority under Christ’ direction.
Biblical governing authority is a foreign term within most of the Church because so many are focused on escaping the world through “the rapture” instead of invading, occupying and influencing the world through Jehovah’s mandate of dominion and righteousness.
To answer Satan’s attack the Church must take its position of governing, of advancing and establishing the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. I am not referring to preaching the cross only. Yes we preach the cross. Without the blood of Jesus there is no atonement for sin. One cannot see nor enter the kingdom of God without the blood of Christ that was shed on Calvary. But after salvation what’s next, the rapture? The answer is the preaching of the gospel of the Kingdom of God, not just the doctrine of the cross. This includes preaching the culture of the Kingdom of God. That culture includes God’s literature, language, arts, laws, government, economy, and biblical traditions. The arts, for example includes music. The culture of the Kingdom of God does not bring the worlds music into the Church to be relevant. To re-label the world’s music with such words as “holy hip-hop” is another deception. What culture is changing what culture?
Our nation and the Church have been heavily influenced by secular and religious humanists. Religious humanist have a form of godliness but deny the power of God. Paul said from such turn away. They are into celebrity Christianity, social justice, ecumenical unity with foreign gods, present teachers that entertain but refuse to address sin. Can’t even present the gospel of the cross and Jesus the only way to salvation. Within the scope of these ministries are homosexual bishops and gospel singers. They host major Christian television programs, live in sin, and have no shame in perverting God’s word to steal money from God’s people. They can divorce one month and host and preach major conferences the next month. This is delusion and idolatry. Again, when a nation turns its back on God the spoilers are released. America is on a fast track in the wrong direction and will not change until the Church, including the people of God, demands holy change.
The shaking has begun and the spoilers are on the way. These spoilers are released against the godless. They will plunder those that put their trust in Mammon, that put their trust in Jezebel, and that put their trust in the State. This plundering will include the demise of the purchasing power of the United States dollar and its global influence, the destruction of pension funds, retirement funds, retirement plans, jobs, banks, corporate bonds, municipal bonds, paper financial instruments and the likes. In ten years some of the largest churches in America today will be forgotten, their doors closed and buildings sold because they refused to get right with God.
Now is a time dear friends to get serious with God. As the spoilers are released make sure they see the blood of Christ sprinkled on the door post of your house. If you have any open doors that the enemy can take advantage it’s time to close them. Christ promises if we repent of our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
To the righteous the Rock cannot be shaken. The wise man builds his house on that Rock. He is involved in the great cause of Christ. He gives, tithes, is faithful, humble, and teachable, serves, and puts Christ first. He refuses to serve other gods. Jesus said, “Put first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.” So take courage you righteous for these things must come about but the end is not yet. It is written, “Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end.” We have only just begun. Order and righteousness are on the way. Let us go up at once and possess our inheritance for we are well able.
Conclusion
We must serve God and celebrate Him at all times even when we feel down. It is during these down times we are tempted to go astray and serve other false gods. Satan love it when we are not focused on Christ and are walking weak in our flesh.
My challenge in closing, comes from the book of Chronicles:
2 Chronicles 7 World English Bible
13 If I shut up the sky so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people; 14 if my people, who are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 15 Now my eyes shall be open, and my ears attentive, to the prayer that is made in this place. 16 For now have I chosen and made this house holy, that my name may be there forever; and my eyes and my heart shall be there perpetually.
You are the house of God, each of you combined are indwelt by Him…we are the Body of Christ! A living wall, a kingdom of royal priests!
Then Paul says in 1 Corinthians 5 to celebrate:
8 So let us celebrate the festival, not by eating the old bread of wickedness and evil, but by eating the new bread of purity and truth.
Challenge:
Remember where you came from, what Jesus saved you from, so that you can remember what He has done for you and celebrate Him!
Preface
After Christmas many become depressed. They forget celebrating is not a one day event. We celebrate Christ every day. It is not about the presents, but about the presence of Christ in us. We need to walk as if every day is a celebration. Remember also some of our greatest defeats occur because we give up our rear guard. We must always cover our security at all times, especially after a major victory or time of rejoicing.
We have the tendency to give up celebrating. When the celebration is just coming to a peak and when the enemy is about to surrender, we grow weary in the flesh. We forget that we are also spiritual beings that are called to not mope like a dope, but we must hang onto the rope and cope. We are to rejoice in the battle and watch as our God brings the victory through faith, for we remember His awesome power and goodness. This is a command, not just a touchy feel good statement. Celebrate Passover, celebrate that God tabernacles with us! Celebrate! It is a command. God has tabernacled with His people, He indwells us because of presence through His grace on calvary. We are His warriors as He empowers us through from within. The Holy Spirit brings the victory as we celebrate. Here it is in the prophetic word:
Nahum 1:15 NIV
Look, there on the mountains, the feet of one who brings good news, who proclaims peace! Celebrate your festivals, O Judah, and fulfill your vows. No more will the wicked invade you; they will be completely destroyed.
Zechariah 14:16 NIV
Then the survivors from all the nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the LORD Almighty, and to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles.
Zechariah 14:18 NIV
If the Egyptian people do not go up and take part, they will have no rain. The LORD will bring on them the plague he inflicts on the nations that do not go up to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles.
Zechariah 14:19 NIV
This will be the punishment of Egypt and the punishment of all the nations that do not go up to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles.
Introduction
Just because we are under the New Covenant, some think that the Old Covenant was abandoned. Jesus does not say this. Actually He said He fulfilled it. As we enter into battle against a formidable foe, we must remember where we come from so we can have true victory. Just like the Children of Israel we were slaves who have been set free and have been reminded to remember to stay from false gods or idols and to celebrate what God has done and honor His name. We remember so we can have victory in the future as we continue this protracted war until Jesus returns.
We remember to honor and “ celebrate” who we are now in Christ and especially who we serve:
Deuteronomy 16 New Living Translation
1 "In honor of the LORD your God, always celebrate the Passover at the proper time in early spring, for that was when the LORD your God brought you out of Egypt by night. 2 Your Passover sacrifice may be from either the flock or the herd, and it must be sacrificed to the LORD your God at the place he chooses for his name to be honored. 3 Eat it with bread made without yeast. For seven days eat only bread made without yeast, as you did when you escaped from Egypt in such a hurry. Eat this bread -- the bread of suffering -- so that you will remember the day you departed from Egypt as long as you live. 4 Let no yeast be found in any house throughout your land for seven days. And do not let any of the meat of the Passover lamb remain until the next morning." 5 "The Passover must not be eaten in the towns that the LORD your God is giving you. 6 It must be offered at the place the LORD your God will choose for his name to be honored. Sacrifice it there as the sun goes down on the anniversary of your exodus from Egypt. 7 Roast the lamb and eat it in the place the LORD your God chooses. Then go back to your tents the next morning. 8 For the next six days you may not eat bread made with yeast. On the seventh day the people must assemble before the LORD your God, and no work may be done on that day." 9 "Count off seven weeks from the beginning of your grain harvest. 10 Then you must celebrate the Festival of Harvest to honor the LORD your God. Bring him a freewill offering in proportion to the blessings you have received from him. 11 It is a time to celebrate before the LORD your God at the place he chooses for his name to be honored. Celebrate with your whole family, all your servants, the Levites from your towns, and the foreigners, orphans, and widows who live among you. 12 Remember that you were slaves in Egypt, so be careful to obey all these laws." 13 "Another celebration, the Festival of Shelters, must be observed for seven days at the end of the harvest season, after the grain has been threshed and the grapes have been pressed. 14 This festival will be a happy time of rejoicing with your family, your servants, and with the Levites, foreigners, orphans, and widows from your towns. 15 For seven days celebrate this festival to honor the LORD your God at the place he chooses, for it is the LORD your God who gives you bountiful harvests and blesses all your work. This festival will be a time of great joy for all." 16 "Each year every man in Israel must celebrate these three festivals: the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the Festival of Harvest, and the Festival of Shelters. They must appear before the LORD your God at the place he chooses on each of these occasions, and they must bring a gift to the LORD. 17 All must give as they are able, according to the blessings given to them by the LORD your God." 18 "Appoint judges and officials for each of your tribes in all the towns the LORD your God is giving you. They will judge the people fairly throughout the land. 19 You must never twist justice or show partiality. Never accept a bribe, for bribes blind the eyes of the wise and corrupt the decisions of the godly. 20 Let true justice prevail, so you may live and occupy the land that the LORD your God is giving you." 21 "You must never set up an Asherah pole beside the altar of the LORD your God. 22 And never set up sacred pillars for worship, for the LORD your God hates them."
Let's examine this deeper Part 1- "Remember to Celebrate and Part 2- "Honor Gods Not Idols"
Part 1: Remember - Honor and Celebrate
We see what it means to observe, celebrate or party! We tend to think just because the day is over that we stop the celebrating. Wrong. Celebration is in the heart and min d. The symbols of Passover were not just about a tradition or religious rite as much as a method through growing faith for future victories for generations to come. Israel stands today because they did not forget. America could be gone any day if they don’t begin to remember God and where we came from.
Whether it is the Passover or the feast of tabernacles the Hebrews were commanded to celebrate or remember. To teach their children. To write these things down. To hold them dear. To sing songs about it like David:
Psalm 21 New Living Translation
1 For the choir director: A psalm of David. How the king rejoices in your strength, O LORD! He shouts with joy because of your victory. 2 For you have given him his heart's desire; you have held back nothing that he requested. Interlude 3 You welcomed him back with success and prosperity. You placed a crown of finest gold on his head. 4 He asked you to preserve his life, and you have granted his request. The days of his life stretch on forever. 5 Your victory brings him great honor, and you have clothed him with splendor and majesty. 6 You have endowed him with eternal blessings. You have given him the joy of being in your presence. 7 For the king trusts in the LORD. The unfailing love of the Most High will keep him from stumbling. 8 You will capture all your enemies. Your strong right hand will seize all those who hate you. 9 You will destroy them as in a flaming furnace when you appear. The LORD will consume them in his anger; fire will devour them. 10 You will wipe their children from the face of the earth; they will never have descendants. 11 Although they plot against you, their evil schemes will never succeed. 12 For they will turn and run when they see your arrows aimed at them. 13 We praise you, LORD, for all your glorious power. With music and singing we celebrate your mighty acts.
Or,
Psalm 145 New Living translation
1 A psalm of praise of David. I will praise you, my God and King, and bless your name forever and ever. 2 I will bless you every day, and I will praise you forever. 3 Great is the LORD! He is most worthy of praise! His greatness is beyond discovery! 4 Let each generation tell its children of your mighty acts. 5 I will meditate on your majestic, glorious splendor and your wonderful miracles. 6 Your awe-inspiring deeds will be on every tongue; I will proclaim your greatness. 7 Everyone will share the story of your wonderful goodness; they will sing with joy of your righteousness. 8 The LORD is kind and merciful, slow to get angry, full of unfailing love. 9 The LORD is good to everyone. He showers compassion on all his creation. 10 All of your works will thank you, LORD, and your faithful followers will bless you. 11 They will talk together about the glory of your kingdom; they will celebrate examples of your power. 12 They will tell about your mighty deeds and about the majesty and glory of your reign. 13 For your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. You rule generation after generation. The LORD is faithful in all he says; he is gracious in all he does. 14 The LORD helps the fallen and lifts up those bent beneath their loads. 15 All eyes look to you for help; you give them their food as they need it. 16 When you open your hand, you satisfy the hunger and thirst of every living thing. 17 The LORD is righteous in everything he does; he is filled with kindness. 18 The LORD is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him sincerely. 19 He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cries for help and rescues them. 20 The LORD protects all those who love him, but he destroys the wicked. 21 I will praise the LORD, and everyone on earth will bless his holy name forever and forever.
CELEBRATE Him to remember Him…
Part 2: - Honor God Not idols or other gods
Woven through this passage is a not so subtle command to stay away from the false gods, who are just pregnant demons who want to be worshiped. But the last verse 21 if quite clear:
21 "You must never set up an Asherah pole beside the altar of the LORD your God. 22 And never set up sacred pillars for worship, for the LORD your God hates them."
Who was Asherah or Ashtareth ?
It was a false god under Baal Worship.
Asherah by Wayne Blank Website -http://www.keyway.ca
Asherah, and its plural form, Asherim, from the Hebrew word pronounced ash-ay-raw, refers to a pagan goddess, also known as Ashtaroth or Astarte to the Canaanites and Ishtar to the Assyrians and Babylonians. The common symbols of the cult were tree trunks with all of their branches removed and images carved into them. These standing tree trunks were the reason that some versions of the Holy Bible translate the actual original word of the Holy Scriptures, Asherah or Asherim, as grove or groves e.g. for 2 Chronicles 15:16, from the RSV and KJV:
"And Ahab the son of Omri [see Kings of Israel and Judah] did evil in the sight of The Lord more than all that were before him. And as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, he took for wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshiped him. He erected an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he built in Samaria. And Ahab made an Asherah. Ahab did more to provoke The Lord, the God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him." (1 Kings 16:30-33 RSV)
The truth is we are no different. We may not have little altars built in our house, but we worshiping false gods just the same. Baal is destroying the Philippines and the USA. Through the Leviathan spirit and jezebel spirit we can see Islam and Socialism trying to take over even in the church. ( See Chrislam). We are held captive by our vices and false prophetic spirit.
We are just watching as they enemy takes over. Jonas Clark said it this way:
Spoilers are Coming by Jonas Clark
When a nation, any nation, turns its back on God the spoilers are released. The spoilers plunder, pillage, and destroy. Scripture declares a day when God’s people turned their back on Jehovah and served Baal and Ashtaroth (Judges 2:13-14).
Many are familiar with Ashtaroth. Ashtaroth is the goddess of Jezebel. Jezebel’s father was Ethbal. He was king of Phoenicia and the high priest of Ashtaroth. Jezebel is the seducing goddess of war. She is prophetic. She has been loosed within the Church busy hijacking prophetic ministry, turning hearts away from true spiritual fathers unto herself, and making a way for celebrity worship, spiritualism, and idolatrous entertainment. She creates eunuchs. Eunuchs are those that have no spiritual strength of their own. They look for her approval, leadership, and direction. She is their mentor. Jezebel redirects prophetic ministry away from true biblical prophetic ministry of speaking into the nation (not just the Church), turning hearts, offering biblical intercessions, modeling holiness, putting Christ first, and involvement in the restitution of all things.
The truth is some prophetic circles have lost their mooring, are demonic, and destructive in their current operations. The sad truth is that some have sought prophetic ministry not the ministry of the Holy Ghost. And Satan has given them what they desired, prophetic ministry void of the Holy Spirit.
Baal on the other hand is representative of the secular state. Romans 13 speaks of the State as an instrument of Christ to put fear in the wicked. When the people begin to look upon the State as their protector, provider and the State sees its self as god then the State is no longer the instrument of God. This leads Christians to the question of their first allegiance. Is it with the secular State or with Christ? Perhaps you have never considered this but Christianity requires faithful allegiance and loyalty to Christ not just a fifteen second repentance prayer. Jesus asked, “Why call me Lord, Lord, but do not the things I say?” (Luke 6:46) It’s not enough to accept Jesus as ones savior but not ones lord.
Jesus is not just your Savior He expects your full submission to His lordship. You are not your own. Lord means ruler. Jesus is way more than a ticket to heaven. He is God and the creator of all things and stands outside His creation.
Jehovah reminded us that He is the one that delivered us out of the land of bondage, slavery, and Egypt. Pharaoh saw himself as god and the supreme ruler of the State of Egypt. In his mind he owned the people. They were his servants. God corrected Pharaoh’s error.
Jehovah delivered His people out of the secular State of Egypt that held God’s people in bondage. After their deliverance Jehovah said, “Thou shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20). This word “gods” is elohim better understood as other protectors-providers.
Today some look to the State for provision and protection. America has over 40 million receiving food stamps from the State. This is a move away from individual liberty toward bondage. Even though it appears as a blessing in reality it is a dangerous step toward the validation of statism because economic boom-bust cycles are created by the Federal Reserve's monetary policy. The Federal Reserve is not Federal and has no reserves. The fractional reserve banking system is the root of evils of every kind.
According to the “Political Science Dictionary” statism includes “Sovereignty vested not in the people but in the national state, and that all individuals and associations exist only to enhance the power, the prestige, and the well-being of the state. The concept of statism, which is seen as synonymous with the concept of nation, and corporatism repudiates individualism and exalts the nation as an organic body headed by the Supreme Leader and nurtured by unity, force, and discipline.” This is a violation of Scripture.
We have watched the United States declare her allegiance to God and at the same time morph into a godless society full of materialistic, selfish, secular humanists, immoral, corrupt reprobates. What happened to the pledge of allegiance that stated we are “one nation under God?” It used to be submission to the God of the Bible, today it’s whatever god you choose to worship in a "moment of silence" even if that god is the god of self.
Because Jezebel hijacked prophetic ministry there are few voices speaking out against the hypocrisy and godless direction our country has taken. In fact our nation is on the verge of being turned over to a reprobate mind. As long as the people of God are content to have the wicked rule over them there will be no hope and change in America. Where will our nation’s future leaders come from, the Church, or humanistic godless colleges?
Karl Marx, one of the apostles of the godless socialist’s form of government, is held in high esteem among America’s academic professors. His methods are promoted, looked to, and admired by many of our nation’s leaders. Marx was a godless atheist that considered religion the opium of the people. Looking at the Church today we might tend to agree except we could expand the opium to sports and entertainment.
Socialism teaches that man is god and receives enlightenment through education. This explains the constant social engineering of our national Federal education system. They seek to build a Utopian society outside the laws of Jehovah. When progressive socialists rule a nation they morph the State into a god run by elites and served by serfs. When the State becomes a god tyranny and the shedding of innocent blood (war) is the result.
We must ask ourselves some questions. “Has America become another god?” Try starting a church without “permission” from the Federal government. Has Christianity been defended by Washington D.C. political leaders like those that champion the building of an Islamic mosque near Ground Zero in New York City? The answers are obvious.
For thousands of years the kingdom of the secular State has battled the kingdom of God for dominion. In the beginning there was only one kingdom, one family, the family of God. There was Adam, Eve, and their two sons Cain and Abel. Scripture says that Abel brought the first fruits to God and Cain an offering. God was pleased with Abel but did not receive Cain’s offering. The reason was Abel tithed. Tithing was God’s set pattern that acknowledged His sovereignty over the earth. It still is. Scripture declares, “The earth is the Lords and the fullness thereof, the world, and they that dwell therein” (Psalm 24:1).
Cain was so angry with God that he murdered his brother Abel in a fit of jealous rage. From this we watch Cain leave the family of God and start his own kingdom, the kingdom of Cain. This is the genesis of a secular humanists’ kingdom and a first picture of the division of kingdoms.
Cain’s kingdom was a secular humanists’ kingdom governed by man outside the jurisdiction of Jehovah. Jurisdiction in Latin is juris (law) diction (sayings). Man became his own god, his own protector and provider. Later the savage kingdom of Nimrod that married Semiramis came into being. This is the joining of the godless State and the spiritualist goddess Ashtaroth. Semiramis ushered in a false religion. This shows the connection between the operations of the religious spirit, spiritualism, and the secular humanist’ State. Nimrod was a “mighty hunter before the Lord” meaning a secular humanists protector-provider, the State as another god.
The battle against secular and religious humanism is fundamental in understanding the spiritual warfare we are in today. This is the high level spiritual warfare against principalities and powers that the Apostle Paul spoke of in Ephesians 6.
Satan uses secular and religious humanism to model a different world view, and to subdue and render harmless the Church of God when the Church refuses to take its rightful place in governing authority under Christ’ direction.
Biblical governing authority is a foreign term within most of the Church because so many are focused on escaping the world through “the rapture” instead of invading, occupying and influencing the world through Jehovah’s mandate of dominion and righteousness.
To answer Satan’s attack the Church must take its position of governing, of advancing and establishing the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. I am not referring to preaching the cross only. Yes we preach the cross. Without the blood of Jesus there is no atonement for sin. One cannot see nor enter the kingdom of God without the blood of Christ that was shed on Calvary. But after salvation what’s next, the rapture? The answer is the preaching of the gospel of the Kingdom of God, not just the doctrine of the cross. This includes preaching the culture of the Kingdom of God. That culture includes God’s literature, language, arts, laws, government, economy, and biblical traditions. The arts, for example includes music. The culture of the Kingdom of God does not bring the worlds music into the Church to be relevant. To re-label the world’s music with such words as “holy hip-hop” is another deception. What culture is changing what culture?
Our nation and the Church have been heavily influenced by secular and religious humanists. Religious humanist have a form of godliness but deny the power of God. Paul said from such turn away. They are into celebrity Christianity, social justice, ecumenical unity with foreign gods, present teachers that entertain but refuse to address sin. Can’t even present the gospel of the cross and Jesus the only way to salvation. Within the scope of these ministries are homosexual bishops and gospel singers. They host major Christian television programs, live in sin, and have no shame in perverting God’s word to steal money from God’s people. They can divorce one month and host and preach major conferences the next month. This is delusion and idolatry. Again, when a nation turns its back on God the spoilers are released. America is on a fast track in the wrong direction and will not change until the Church, including the people of God, demands holy change.
The shaking has begun and the spoilers are on the way. These spoilers are released against the godless. They will plunder those that put their trust in Mammon, that put their trust in Jezebel, and that put their trust in the State. This plundering will include the demise of the purchasing power of the United States dollar and its global influence, the destruction of pension funds, retirement funds, retirement plans, jobs, banks, corporate bonds, municipal bonds, paper financial instruments and the likes. In ten years some of the largest churches in America today will be forgotten, their doors closed and buildings sold because they refused to get right with God.
Now is a time dear friends to get serious with God. As the spoilers are released make sure they see the blood of Christ sprinkled on the door post of your house. If you have any open doors that the enemy can take advantage it’s time to close them. Christ promises if we repent of our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
To the righteous the Rock cannot be shaken. The wise man builds his house on that Rock. He is involved in the great cause of Christ. He gives, tithes, is faithful, humble, and teachable, serves, and puts Christ first. He refuses to serve other gods. Jesus said, “Put first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.” So take courage you righteous for these things must come about but the end is not yet. It is written, “Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end.” We have only just begun. Order and righteousness are on the way. Let us go up at once and possess our inheritance for we are well able.
Conclusion
We must serve God and celebrate Him at all times even when we feel down. It is during these down times we are tempted to go astray and serve other false gods. Satan love it when we are not focused on Christ and are walking weak in our flesh.
My challenge in closing, comes from the book of Chronicles:
2 Chronicles 7 World English Bible
13 If I shut up the sky so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people; 14 if my people, who are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 15 Now my eyes shall be open, and my ears attentive, to the prayer that is made in this place. 16 For now have I chosen and made this house holy, that my name may be there forever; and my eyes and my heart shall be there perpetually.
You are the house of God, each of you combined are indwelt by Him…we are the Body of Christ! A living wall, a kingdom of royal priests!
Then Paul says in 1 Corinthians 5 to celebrate:
8 So let us celebrate the festival, not by eating the old bread of wickedness and evil, but by eating the new bread of purity and truth.
Challenge:
Remember where you came from, what Jesus saved you from, so that you can remember what He has done for you and celebrate Him!
