Book of Genesis, Chapter 43

 Chapter 43

Joseph's Brothers Return to Egypt

1 Now the famine was severe in the land. 2 And when they had eaten the grain that they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, “Go again, buy us a little food.” 3 But Judah said to him, “The man solemnly warned us, saying, ‘You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.’ 4 If you will send our brother with us, we will go down and buy you food. 5 But if you will not send him, we will not go down, for the man said to us, ‘You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.’” 6 Israel said, “Why did you treat me so badly as to tell the man that you had another brother?” 7 They replied, “The man questioned us carefully about ourselves and our kindred, saying, ‘Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?’ What we told him was in answer to these questions. Could we in any way know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother down’?” 8 And Judah said to Israel his father, “Send the boy with me, and we will arise and go, that we may live and not die, both we and you and also our little ones. 9 I will be a pledge of his safety. From my hand you shall require him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever. 10 If we had not delayed, we would now have returned twice.”

11 Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: take some of the choice fruits of the land in your bags, and carry a present down to the man, a little balm and a little honey, gum, myrrh, pistachio nuts, and almonds. 12 Take double the money with you. Carry back with you the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks. Perhaps it was an oversight. 13 Take also your brother, and arise, go again to the man. 14 May God Almighty grant you mercy before the man, and may he send back your other brother and Benjamin. And as for me, if I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.”

15 So the men took this present, and they took double the money with them, and Benjamin. They arose and went down to Egypt and stood before Joseph.

16 When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, “Bring the men into the house, and slaughter an animal and make ready, for the men are to dine with me at noon.” 17 The man did as Joseph told him and brought the men to Joseph's house. 18 And the men were afraid because they were brought to Joseph's house, and they said, “It is because of the money, which was replaced in our sacks the first time, that we are brought in, so that he may assault us and fall upon us to make us servants and seize our donkeys.” 19 So they went up to the steward of Joseph's house and spoke with him at the door of the house, 20 and said, “Oh, my lord, we came down the first time to buy food. 21 And when we came to the lodging place we opened our sacks, and there was each man's money in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight. So we have brought it again with us, 22 and we have brought other money down with us to buy food. We do not know who put our money in our sacks.” 23 He replied, “Peace to you, do not be afraid. Your God and the God of your father has put treasure in your sacks for you. I received your money.” Then he brought Simeon out to them. 24 And when the man had brought the men into Joseph's house and given them water, and they had washed their feet, and when he had given their donkey's fodder, 25 they prepared the present for Joseph's coming at noon, for they heard that they should eat bread there.

26 When Joseph came home, they brought into the house to him the present that they had with them and bowed down to him to the ground. 27 And he inquired about their welfare and said, “Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?” 28 They said, “Your servant our father is well; he is still alive.” And they bowed their heads and prostrated themselves. 29 And he lifted up his eyes and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's son, and said, “Is this your youngest brother, of whom you spoke to me? God be gracious to you, my son!” 30 Then Joseph hurried out, for his compassion grew warm for his brother, and he sought a place to weep. And he entered his chamber and wept there. 31 Then he washed his face and came out. And controlling himself he said, “Serve the food.” 32 They served him by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because the Egyptians could not eat with the Hebrews, for that is an abomination to the Egyptians. 33 And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth. And the men looked at one another in amazement. 34 Portions were taken to them from Joseph's table, but Benjamin's portion was five times as much as any of theirs. And they drank and were merry with him.

Getting To Know "The Force" 2

 The Human Spirit 

Today we will continue our series entitled “Getting to Know the Force.” Sounds like something right out of Start Wars. I know. I can hear Luke asking Obi-Wan Kenobi “You mean it controls your actions?” And Obi-Wan answered “Partially, but it also obeys your commands.” Of course, what we are talking about is the word “Spirit.” The Hebrew word Ruach is translated as "Spirit". The Greek word Pneuma is also translated as "Spirit". The English word "Spirit" all mean the same thing. The same general implication underlies all their applications: that of an often powerful, invisible, immaterial, motivating force. This unseen force inspires or encourages people to do something, good or bad. Its quality needs to be more relevant at this point.

We are talking about the eight applications of the word “Spirit” as they are in the Bible. They are,

1-The Divine Spirit: Referring to the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, who is God himself.

2-The human spirit: The immaterial part of a human being, distinct from the soul and body, responsible for our thoughts, emotions, and will.

3-The breath of life: The animating force that gives life to all living creatures.

4-The wind: Often used as a metaphor for God's presence or power.

5-An attitude or disposition: Referring to the prevailing mental or emotional state of a person or group.

6-A supernatural being: Angels, demons, and other spiritual entities are sometimes called spirits.

7-A gift or talent: Certain abilities or skills are attributed to the spirit in some contexts.

8-The essence or meaning of something: A thing's core quality or nature.

Last time we were introduced to the Holy Spirit. We talked about who He is and His impotence. Today, we will be talking about number two. The human spirit.

The living human spirit. It's a concept that has captivated philosophers and artists for millennia, and for good reason. It's what makes us human, what sets us apart from the rest of the natural world. It's our capacity for love, hope, creativity, and resilience.

But what exactly is the living human spirit? It's a difficult question to answer, as it can only be easily defined and measured. But I can offer you a few different perspectives:

The spiritual perspective. Many people believe that the human spirit is something that transcends the physical world. It's our connection to something greater than ourselves, God. This perspective can offer comfort and meaning in the face of life's challenges.

Look here in the Word.

"Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them." Genesis 1:26-27

In the original language, the word "our" means three or more. We are created in the image of God. We have our brains. or mind. Our knowledge wisdom, will, and emotions, are fashioned after God the Father. Our body. Fashioned after the flesh of God, or the Word of God in the flesh, Jesus. Our spirit. Who we are, the thing that lives on, fashioned after the Holy Spirit. We are three, yet one. This is why, when we leave this earth, a person's being, or spirit leaves their body and goes to heaven.

The psychological perspective. Psychologists often talk about the human spirit in terms of our sense of self, our values, and our motivations. It's what drives us to get out of bed in the morning, to pursue our goals, and to connect with others. A strong spirit is often associated with resilience, optimism, and a sense of purpose.

The creative perspective. The human spirit is also what gives rise to our creativity. We can imagine, to innovate, and to express ourselves in unique and beautiful ways. Art, music, literature, and all forms of creative expression are testaments to the power of the human spirit.

When you are saved, as Jesus said, “born again.” You are born of the Spirit. Jesus said this.

“Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." Nicodemus said to him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?"

Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” John 3:3-6

What does that mean? Jesus is saying you must be born of water, or a natural birth into this world. However, because of the fall, we must now be born of the spirit as well, or accept God's gift of salvation through what Jesus did for us on the cross. As He rose from the dead, our flesh is put to death and we rise from the dead as new creatures.

“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

We talked about the Holy Spirit and how He, Jesus, God, comes and lives in us at the time of salvation. We now have a higher, more important purpose for our lives. His purpose. His Will. His ways.

But make no mistake about it. You ARE your human spirit You ARE an eternal being. You were made that way.

“Then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.” Genesis 2:7

However, without the Holy Spirit, we cannot even know God.

“But it is the spirit in man, the breath of the Almighty, that makes him understand.” Job 32:8

We have to be reconciled with God through the spirit because the flesh belongs to the world. Due to the fall, we are born into and of the world. The only way to overcome that is through the connection, or the joining together with the Holy Spirit.

“The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.” 1 Corinthians 2:14

“You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.” Romans 8:9

We are now children of God and need to have faith in Him and allow Him to work in our lives. We have no idea what tomorrow may bring. But He does. We can plan all we want but He knows the truth of what lies ahead and He has a plan for us.

Remember, the living human spirit is a powerful force. It's what allows us to overcome challenges, achieve our dreams, and make the world a better place. As long as we connect with something Higher than ourselves. God. Without Him, our powerful living human spirit is also quite capable of evil. Remember what God saw following the flood?

“Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” Genesis 6:5

In Jeremiah 17:9-10 we read this.

“The heart is more deceitful than all else

And is desperately sick;

Who can understand it?

“I, the Lord, search the heart,

I test the mind,

Even to give to each man according to his ways,

According to the results of his deeds.”

Left alone to our own devices, we are evil and wretched. We are capable of doing evil and wretched things. It is only with the joining of the Holy Spirit that we become the light of the world. Child of God, let your spirit shine bright, and never give up on the power of hope, love, and kindness. Faith in Jesus, and trust in God. Used that power of the living human spirit for good, and not for evil. Blessings and not curses. Be the child of God, God is calling you to be.

Of course, if you are not a child of God, then you have no other choice than to remain sinful and evil. If you still need to do so, PLEASE and I am begging you PLEASE reconsider today. Now is the time. Today is the day, that you can become a new creature. A light in this world. A true child of God. Say this Prayer. Right now. Wherever you may be. Say it in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. God will hear you. He will send the Spirit of Life to you. Let us Pray.

"Oh heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Jesus's sacrifice for me. I believed He rose from the dead. I repent my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Jesus, Amen!"

That's it. It is that simple. Now go tell someone what you have just done. "That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in your heart that God hath raised him from the dead, You shall be saved." Romans 10:9. You need to find a Church that God leads you to and be Baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A New Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him."Colossians 3:10

The email, if you wish to contact me, is truthbygod1@gmail.com

May the comfort of the Holy Ghost, and the peace of our Lord Jesus, be with you all. May God bless and be with you, always.

Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing, and Jesus is Lord!

Book of Genesis, Chapter 42

 Chapter 42

Joseph's Brothers Go to Egypt

1 When Jacob learned that there was grain for sale in Egypt, he said to his sons, “Why do you look at one another?” 2 And he said, “Behold, I have heard that there is grain for sale in Egypt. Go down and buy grain for us there, that we may live and not die.” 3 So ten of Joseph's brothers went down to buy grain in Egypt. 4 But Jacob did not send Benjamin, Joseph's brother, with his brothers, for he feared that harm might happen to him. 5 Thus the sons of Israel came to buy among the others who came, for the famine was in the land of Canaan.

6 Now Joseph was governor over the land. He was the one who sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph's brothers came and bowed themselves before him with their faces to the ground. 7 Joseph saw his brothers and recognized them, but he treated them like strangers and spoke roughly to them. “Where do you come from?” he said. They said, “From the land of Canaan, to buy food.” 8 And Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him. 9 And Joseph remembered the dreams that he had dreamed of them. And he said to them, “You are spies; you have come to see the nakedness of the land.” 10 They said to him, “No, my lord, your servants have come to buy food. 11 We are all sons of one man. We are honest men. Your servants have never been spies.”

12 He said to them, “No, it is the nakedness of the land that you have come to see.” 13 And they said, “We, your servants, are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan, and behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is no more.” 14 But Joseph said to them, “It is as I said to you. You are spies. 15 By this you shall be tested: by the life of Pharaoh, you shall not go from this place unless your youngest brother comes here. 16 Send one of you, and let him bring your brother, while you remain confined, that your words may be tested, whether there is truth in you. Or else, by the life of Pharaoh, surely you are spies.” 17 And he put them all together in custody for three days.

18 On the third day Joseph said to them, “Do this and you will live, for I fear God: 19 if you are honest men, let one of your brothers remain confined where you are in custody, and let the rest go and carry grain for the famine of your households, 20 and bring your youngest brother to me. So your words will be verified, and you shall not die.” And they did so. 21 Then they said to one another, “In truth, we are guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul when he begged us and we did not listen. That is why this distress has come upon us.” 22 And Reuben answered them, “Did I not tell you not to sin against the boy? But you did not listen. So now there comes a reckoning for his blood.” 23 They did not know that Joseph understood them, for there was an interpreter between them. 24 Then he turned away from them and wept. And he returned to them and spoke to them. And he took Simeon from them and bound him before their eyes. 25 And Joseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain, and to replace every man's money in his sack, and to give them provisions for the journey. This was done for them.

26 Then they loaded their donkeys with their grain and departed. 27 And as one of them opened his sack to give his donkey fodder at the lodging place, he saw his money in the mouth of his sack. 28 He said to his brothers, “My money has been put back; here it is in the mouth of my sack!” At this, their hearts failed them, and they turned trembling to one another, saying, “What is this that God has done to us?”

29 When they came to Jacob their father in the land of Canaan, they told him all that had happened to them, saying, 30 “The man, the lord of the land, spoke roughly to us and took us to be spies of the land. 31 But we said to him, ‘We are honest men; we have never been spies. 32 We are twelve brothers, sons of our father. One is no more, and the youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan.’ 33 Then the man, the lord of the land, said to us, ‘By this, I shall know that you are honest men: leave one of your brothers with me, and take grain for the famine of your households, and go your way. 34 Bring your youngest brother to me. Then I shall know that you are not spies but honest men, and I will deliver your brother to you, and you shall trade in the land.’”

35 As they emptied their sacks, behold, every man's bundle of money was in his sack. And when they and their father saw their bundles of money, they were afraid. 36 And Jacob their father said to them, “You have bereaved me of my children: Joseph is no more, and Simeon is no more, and now you would take Benjamin. All this has come against me.” 37 Then Reuben said to his father, “Kill my two sons if I do not bring him back to you. Put him in my hands, and I will bring him back to you.” 38 But he said, “My son shall not go down with you, for his brother is dead, and he is the only one left. If harm should happen to him on the journey that you are to make, you would bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to Sheol.”

Getting to Know "The Force"

The Force, in this case, could be translated into “The Spirit”

Sounds like something right out of Start Wars. I know. But in a way, it is true. The Hebrew word Ruach is translated as "Spirit". The Greek word Pneuma is also translated as "Spirit". The English word "Spirit" all mean the same thing. The same general implication underlies all their applications: that of an often powerful, invisible, immaterial, motivating force. This unseen force inspires or encourages people to do something, good or bad. Its quality needs to be more relevant at this point.

We see things like this.

“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do ” Galatians 5-16-17”

We read things like this.

“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.” 1 John 4:1

What does it mean? Spirit? The Bible will use the Hebrew or Greek word for "Spirit" for such invisible, motivating forces as "feelings" and "attitudes" and even "talents." E.W. Bullinger says in his Companion Bible that the Bible gives the word "spirit" eight applications.

It's important to note that these applications are not always clear-cut, and the meaning of "Spirit" in a particular passage can depend on the surrounding context. However, understanding these eight categories can help us to more accurately interpret the many uses of the word "Spirit" throughout the Bible.

1-The Divine Spirit: Referring to the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, God himself.

2-The human spirit: The immaterial part of a human being, distinct from the soul and body, responsible for our thoughts, emotions, and will.

3-The breath of life: The animating force that gives life to all living creatures.

4-The wind: Often used as a metaphor for God's presence or power.

5-An attitude or disposition: Referring to a person or group's prevailing mental or emotional state.

6-A supernatural being: Angels, demons, and other spiritual entities are sometimes called spirits.

7-A gift or talent: Certain abilities or skills are attributed to the spirit in some contexts.

8-The essence or meaning of something: A thing's core quality or nature.

Today, we are going to introduce you to THE Spirit. The Holy Spirit. Jesus tells us that if you accept Him and His sacrifice for you. His blood for your blood. His suffering for your suffering. His death, that you may live. Then the Holy Spirit comes and adopts you into the family of God. Jesus said.

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you." John 14: 15-17

He said we should not mourn Him not being with us, or long for Him to be with us, because He will ALWAYS be with us. In the very next verse, Jesus said this.

“I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On 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.” John 14:18-21

You need to understand what Jesus is saying here. Read on some more starting at verse 25

“These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you."

Who will teach us the things of God, and bring to our remembrance the Words Jesus has taught us? The Holy Spirit. However, to fully understand the reality, you must fully understand who the Holy Spirit is.

'In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." Genesis 1:1

In the beginning God. God was in the beginning.

Next verse.

"The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters."

When there was yet nothing, The Holy Spirit was there. Do you see that? But wait, Where does it say Jesus was there?

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." John 1: 1

A little bit later.

"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth." John 1:14

God, The Word, {Which became flesh, Jesus} and the Spirit were there in the beginning and have always been. Then to fully understand who the Holy Spirit is, we need to return to John 14.

"I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you."

He said "I" shall come to you. Is he already there? Of course. What He is telling them, is that the Holy Spirit is Him, He is God. Three yet one. That when the flesh dies, and He goes to be with the Father, the Spirit, who never dies, will come and dwell in us.

"Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you."

Again, "I" in you. Not some spook. "I." Jesus. The Holy Spirit is equal to Jesus. He IS Jesus. Jesus IS God. Are you following?

"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.” Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?” Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him."

Read that again. "If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and WE will come to him and make OUR home with him." What is He saying? Remember, OUR means three or more. Jesus said WE will make OUR abode with him. The very real person Jesus, the very real person the Holy Spirit, and even God Himself will live IN us.

Now perhaps you can fully appreciate this passage.

"Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world."1 John 4: 4

Once you say the prayer of salvation, once you ask God to set you free from the laws of sin and death, the old you, the flesh dies. You are dead. You are then transformed into a new creature where the real you, the Spirit you, is the one who is now in total control. Second, The Holy Spirit comes down from heaven and dwells in you, with you. You now have the power of faith. You are now going to live on long after the body dies. Who is the Holy Spirit? Think about that. The Creator of all that is was or ever will be is now living in you. This is why you can hear and see. This is why you can receive the things of God when the rest of the world cannot. They do not have the greatest gift. They do not have the Holy Spirit.

We all have that little voice in our heads. Most of us anyway. We know right from wrong. We know what we should or should not do. Some call it a conscience. As a child of God, you can call it the Holy Spirit. You could, and you would be accurate, call it God Himself.

What about the ones that hear negative or hurtful or even outright evil voices in their head? More on that coming up in this series. If you truly have the Holy Spirit, you do not have those other voices. If you do, you need to examine the validity of your salvation.

God will never leave you nor forsake you. He is with you always. Unless YOU choose to walk away. Unless YOU choose not to listen. Unless YOU choose to put the cares of this world over His Will. His plan and purpose for your life. He is with you always. Be with Him always. Trust in Him to know better than you. Learn to listen to that voice. Understand what that voice is. Who that voice is. He is there for you.

Have you been adopted into the Family of God? If not, say this Prayer. Right now. Wherever you may be. Say it in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. God will hear you. He will send the Spirit of Life to you. Let us Pray.

"Oh heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Jesus's sacrifice for me. I believed He rose from the dead. I repent my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Jesus, Amen!"

That's it. It is that simple. Now go tell someone what you have just done. "That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in your heart that God hath raised him from the dead, You shall be saved." Romans 10:9. You need to find a Church that God leads you to and be Baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A New Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him."Colossians 3:10

The email, if you wish to contact me, is truthbygod1@gmail.com

May the comfort of the Holy Ghost, and the peace of our Lord Jesus, be with you all. May God bless and be with you, always.

Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing, and Jesus is Lord!

Book of Genesis Chapter 41

 Chapter 41

Joseph Interprets Pharaoh's Dreams

1 After two whole years, Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing by the Nile, 2 and behold, there came up out of the Nile seven cows, attractive and plump, and they fed in the reed grass. 3 And behold, seven other cows, ugly and thin, came up out of the Nile after them, and stood by the other cows on the bank of the Nile. 4 And the ugly, thin cows ate up the seven attractive, plump cows. And Pharaoh awoke. 5 And he fell asleep and dreamed a second time. And behold, seven ears of grain, plump and good, were growing on one stalk. 6 And behold, after them sprouted seven ears, thin and blighted by the east wind. 7 And the thin ears swallowed up the seven plump, full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and behold, it was a dream. 8 So in the morning his spirit was troubled, and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt and all its wise men. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but there was none who could interpret them to Pharaoh.

9 Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, “I remember my offenses today. 10 When Pharaoh was angry with his servants and put me and the chief baker in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, 11 we dreamed on the same night, he and I, each having a dream with its own interpretation. 12 A young Hebrew was there with us, a servant of the captain of the guard. When we told him, he interpreted our dreams to us, giving an interpretation to each man according to his dream. 13 And as he interpreted to us, so it came about. I was restored to my office, and the baker was hanged.”

14 Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they quickly brought him out of the pit. And when he had shaved himself and changed his clothes, he came in before Pharaoh. 15 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have had a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it. I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.” 16 Joseph answered Pharaoh, “It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer.” 17 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Behold, in my dream I was standing on the banks of the Nile. 18 Seven cows, plump and attractive, came up out of the Nile and fed in the reed grass. 19 Seven other cows came up after them, poor and very ugly and thin, such as I had never seen in all the land of Egypt. 20 And the thin, ugly cows ate up the first seven plump cows, 21 but when they had eaten them no one would have known that they had eaten them, for they were still as ugly as at the beginning. Then I awoke. 22 I also saw in my dream seven ears growing on one stalk, full and good. 23 Seven ears, withered, thin, and blighted by the east wind, sprouted after them, 24 and the thin ears swallowed up the seven good ears. And I told it to the magicians, but there was no one who could explain it to me.”

25 Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one; God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do. 26 The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good ears are seven years; the dreams are one. 27 The seven lean and ugly cows that came up after them are seven years old, and the seven empty ears blighted by the east wind are also seven years of famine. 28 It is as I told Pharaoh; God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do. 29 There will come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt, 30 but after them there will arise seven years of famine, and all the plenty will be forgotten in the land of Egypt. The famine will consume the land, 31 and the plenty will be unknown in the land by reason of the famine that will follow, for it will be very severe. 32 And the doubling of Pharaoh's dream means that the thing is fixed by God, and God will shortly bring it about. 33 Now, therefore, let Pharaoh select a discerning and wise man, and set him over the land of Egypt. 34 Let Pharaoh proceed to appoint overseers over the land and take one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt during the seven plentiful years. 35 And let them gather all the food of these good years that are coming and store up grain under the authority of Pharaoh for food in the cities, and let them keep it. 36 That food shall be a reserve for the land against the seven years of famine that are to occur in the land of Egypt, so that the land may not perish through the famine.”

Joseph Rises to Power

37 This proposal pleased Pharaoh and all his servants. 38 And Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find a man like this, in whom is the Spirit of God?” 39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has shown you all this, there is none so discerning and wise as you are. 40 You shall be over my house, and all my people shall order themselves as you command. Only as regards the throne will I be greater than you.” 41 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.” 42 Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his hand and put it on Joseph's hand, and clothed him in garments of fine linen and put a gold chain about his neck. 43 And he made him ride in his second chariot. And they called out before him, “Bow the knee!” Thus he set him over all the land of Egypt. 44 Moreover, Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, and without your consent, no one shall lift up hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.” 45 And Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphenath-paneah. And he gave him in marriage Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On. So Joseph went out over the land of Egypt.

46 Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh and went through all the land of Egypt. 47 During the seven plentiful years the earth produced abundantly, 48 and he gathered up all the food of these seven years, which occurred in the land of Egypt, and put the food in the cities. He put in every city the food from the fields around it. 49 And Joseph stored up grain in great abundance, like the sand of the sea, until he ceased to measure it, for it could not be measured.

50 Before the year of famine came, two sons were born to Joseph. Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On, bore them to him. 51 Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh. “For,” he said, “God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father's house.” 52 The name of the second he called Ephraim, “For God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.”

53 The seven years of plenty that occurred in the land of Egypt came to an end, 54 and the seven years of famine began to come, as Joseph had said. There was a famine in all lands, but in all the land of Egypt, there was bread. 55 When all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread. Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph. What he says to you, do.”

56 So when the famine had spread over all the land, Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold them to the Egyptians, for the famine was severe in the land of Egypt. 57 Moreover, all the earth came to Egypt to Joseph to buy grain, because the famine was severe over all the earth.

The Ten Commandments 2024, The Law of God, 9,10

Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor

Thou shalt not covet 

Welcome back. Today we will wrap up our in-depth study of the Ten Commandments. These are the all-but-forgotten Laws of God. They are not something little Johnny and Suzy should learn how to say in order in Sunday School. They are not a nice Biblical story. When someone asks you, what are the Ten Commandments, you should not say something like, "Have no other God but God, Uh, don't kill, uh, don't cheat on your Wife. Yeah, that's a bad one. Uh, oh yeah, don't steal." You need to KNOW what these are. As a child of God, these are given to you, not to make your life more difficult, but easier, and to keep you from the snares of the Devil.

Today we will be talking about Commandments 9, and 10

Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.

Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neighbor's.

Then we will wrap it up, the same way Jesus did at the end. Let's get to it.

"Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor." Exodus 20:16

Now first, as we talked about before, with Commandment 6, if you bear false witness against someone, not only can you hurt them, but you can also cause them to be put to death. Look at what they did to Jesus.

Let's look at Deuteronomy 19

"A single witness shall not suffice against a person for any crime or for any wrong in connection with any offense that he has committed. Only on the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses shall a charge be established. If a malicious witness arises to accuse a person of wrongdoing, then both parties to the dispute shall appear before the Lord, before the priests and the judges who are in office in those days. The judges shall inquire diligently, and if the witness is a false witness and has accused his brother falsely,  then you shall do to him as he had meant to do to his brother. So you shall purge the evil from your midst.  And the rest shall hear and fear, and shall never again commit any such evil among you." Deuteronomy 19:15-20

We can see all throughout the Word, of those falsely accusing innocent people. Adam accused Eve. Satan accused Job. The Jews accused Jesus. ETC. But false accusations are not the only way you can bear false witness.

Let's say you overhear someone talking about someone. They say this or that. Now, without knowing if it's true or not, repeat what you heard about that person. It's not true. Yet, now that person is hurt or has to deal with the consequences of the lie you took part in.

"Did you hear Sally is sleeping with the Boss?" What you don't know is, Sally isn't. You see, the Boss has a medical issue, and Sally has a relative with the same issue, and is very educated in ways to help. They became friends and Sally helps the "Boss" from time to time with his condition. There is nothing wrong or seedy about their relationship.

Now the rumor gets to the "corporate office" and both are fired. Or now the rumor gets back to Sally's husband or the "Boss's" wife, and it wrecks their families and their lives.

Never gossip. Even if Sally is sleeping with the "Boss," it's none of your concern. Deal with each other with love. Would you want others walking around talking about you? Treat others as you would like to be treated.

Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neighbor's.  Exodus 20:17

So why is this important? Isn't "keeping up with the Jones" normal? Maybe. But why does God want you to avoid this? Because of what it can lead to.

"Now Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard in Jezreel, beside the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. And after this Ahab said to Naboth, “Give me your vineyard, that I may have it for a vegetable garden, because it is near my house, and I will give you a better vineyard for it; or, if it seems good to you, I will give you its value in money.” But Naboth said to Ahab, “The Lord forbid that I should give you the inheritance of my fathers.” And Ahab went into his house vexed and sullen because of what Naboth the Jezreelite had said to him, for he had said, “I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers.” And he lay down on his bed and turned away his face and would eat no food.

But Jezebel his wife came to him and said to him, “Why is your spirit so vexed that you eat no food?” And he said to her, “Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite and said to him, ‘Give me your vineyard for money, or else, if it please you, I will give you another vineyard for it.’ And he answered, ‘I will not give you my vineyard.’” And Jezebel his wife said to him, “Do you now govern Israel? Arise and eat bread and let your heart be cheerful; I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.”

 So she wrote letters in Ahab's name and sealed them with his seal, and she sent the letters to the elders and the leaders who lived with Naboth in his city.  And she wrote in the letters, “Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth at the head of the people. And set two worthless men opposite him, and let them bring a charge against him, saying, ‘You have cursed God and the king.’ Then take him out and stone him to death.” And the men of his city, the elders and the leaders who lived in his city, did as Jezebel had sent word to them. As it was written in the letters that she had sent to them, they proclaimed a fast and set Naboth at the head of the people. And the two worthless men came in and sat opposite him. And the worthless men brought a charge against Naboth in the presence of the people, saying, “Naboth cursed God and the king.” So they took him outside the city and stoned him to death with stones. Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, “Naboth has been stoned; he is dead.”

As soon as Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned and was dead, Jezebel said to Ahab, “Arise, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give you for money, for Naboth is not alive, but dead.” And as soon as Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, Ahab arose to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take possession of it.

Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,  “Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, who is in Samaria; behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, where he has gone to take possession. And you shall say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord, “Have you killed and also taken possession?”’ And you shall say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord: “In the place where dogs licked up the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick your own blood.”’” 1 Kings 21:1-20

So Ahab coveted Naboth's field, which led to bearing false witness, which led to the murder of Naboth.

In  2 Samuel ...

"In the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle, David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel. And they ravaged the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem.

It happened, late one afternoon, when David arose from his couch and was walking on the roof of the king's house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful. And David sent and inquired about the woman. And one said, “Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?”  So David sent messengers and took her, and she came to him, and he lay with her. (Now she had been purifying herself from her uncleanness.) Then she returned to her house. And the woman conceived, and she sent and told David, “I am pregnant.”

So David sent word to Joab, “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” And Joab sent Uriah to David.  When Uriah came to him, David asked how Joab was doing and how the people were doing and how the war was going. Then David said to Uriah, “Go down to your house and wash your feet.” And Uriah went out of the king's house, and there followed him a present from the king. But Uriah slept at the door of the king's house with all the servants of his lord, and did not go down to his house. When they told David, “Uriah did not go down to his house,” David said to Uriah, “Have you not come from a journey? Why did you not go down to your house?” Uriah said to David, “The ark and Israel and Judah dwell in booths, and my lord Joab and the servants of my lord are camping in the open field. Shall I then go to my house, to eat and to drink and to lie with my wife? As you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do this thing.” Then David said to Uriah, “Remain here today also, and tomorrow I will send you back.” So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day and the next. And David invited him, and he ate in his presence and drank, so that he made him drunk. And in the evening he went out to lie on his couch with the servants of his lord, but he did not go down to his house.

In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah. In the letter he wrote, “Set Uriah in the forefront of the hardest fighting, and then draw back from him, that he may be struck down, and die.” And as Joab was besieging the city, he assigned Uriah to the place where he knew there were valiant men. And the men of the city came out and fought with Joab, and some of the servants of David among the people fell. Uriah the Hittite also died. Then Joab sent and told David all the news about the fighting. And he instructed the messenger, “When you have finished telling all the news about the fighting to the king, then, if the king's anger rises, and if he says to you, ‘Why did you go so near the city to fight? Did you not know that they would shoot from the wall? Who killed Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? Did not a woman cast an upper millstone on him from the wall, so that he died at Thebez? Why did you go so near the wall?’ then you shall say, ‘Your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.’”

So the messenger went and came and told David all that Joab had sent him to tell. The messenger said to David, “The men gained an advantage over us and came out against us in the field, but we drove them back to the entrance of the gate. Then the archers shot at your servants from the wall. Some of the king's servants are dead, and your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.” David said to the messenger, “Thus shall you say to Joab, ‘Do not let this matter displease you, for the sword devours now one and now another. Strengthen your attack against the city and overthrow it.’ And encourage him.”

When the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she lamented over her husband. And when the mourning was over, David sent and brought her to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord." 2 Samuel 11:1-27

So David coveted Bathsheba, which led to Uriah being killed for the sin of David. It also cost David the life of his son. You see when you start coveting something, it then leads to other sins. This is why God told us

"You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord." Leviticus 19:18

Jesus put it to us this way.

"Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the law?

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." Matthew 22:35-40

In Romans...

"Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law." Romans 13:8-10

I can almost hear some of you saying it now. You mean to tell me, that we could have summed all this up, this now five-part series and all the pages were written, explaining the Ten Commandments, we could have summed it up this way?

"Have no other Gods but God."

"Love Thy Neighbor as yourself."

Yup. Then Jesus gave us a new Commandment. A clarification if you will.

 "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another." John 13:34 

How did Jesus Love us? While we were yet sinners, He laid down his very life for us.

Now you understand why. If you have no other God before God, you will not worship before Idols. You will not take His name in vain. You will obey His commandments. If you love your neighbor as yourself, you will treat them how you would want to be treated. You would not steal from yourself, and you would not lie about yourself. You would not kill yourself. You would be content with what you have.

You see, the forgotten Laws, The Ten Commandments, were truly NOT given to make our lives more difficult, but they were given to us to make our lives easier, and to keep us from the snares of the devil.

Do you know Jesus as your Savior? Have you been adopted into the Family of God? If not, say this Prayer. Right now. Wherever you may be. Say it in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. God will hear you. He will send the Spirit of Life to you. Let us Pray.

"Oh heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Jesus's sacrifice for me. I believed He rose from the dead. I repent my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Jesus, Amen!"

That's it. It really is that simple. Now go tell someone what you have just done.  "That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in your heart that God hath raised him from the dead, you shall be saved." Romans 10:9. You need to find a Church that God leads you to and be Baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A New Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him."Colossians 3:10

If you want to tell me, comment, questions, give testimonials, or just say "Hi," the Email is truthbygod1@gmail.com

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all. Amen. 2 Corinthians 13

Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing, and Jesus is Lord!!

Book of Genesis Chapter 40

 Chapter 40

Joseph Interprets Two Prisoners' Dreams

1 Sometime after this, the cupbearer of the king of Egypt and his baker committed an offense against their lord the king of Egypt. 2 And Pharaoh was angry with his two officers, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker, 3 and he put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the prison where Joseph was confined. 4 The captain of the guard appointed Joseph to be with them, and he attended them. They continued for some time in custody.

5 And one night they both dreamed—the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison—each his own dream, and each dream with its own interpretation. 6 When Joseph came to them in the morning, he saw that they were troubled. 7 So he asked Pharaoh's officers who were with him in custody in his master's house, “Why are your faces downcast today?” 8 They said to him, “We have had dreams, and there is no one to interpret them.” And Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Please tell them to me.”

9 So the chief cupbearer told his dream to Joseph and said to him, “In my dream, there was a vine before me, 10 and on the vine there were three branches. As soon as it budded, its blossoms shot forth, and the clusters ripened into grapes. 11 Pharaoh's cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes and pressed them into Pharaoh's cup and placed the cup in Pharaoh's hand.” 12 Then Joseph said to him, “This is its interpretation: the three branches are three days. 13 In three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your office, and you shall place Pharaoh's cup in his hand as formerly when you were his cupbearer. 14 Only remember me, when it is well with you, and please do me the kindness to mention me to Pharaoh, and so get me out of this house. 15 For I was indeed stolen out of the land of the Hebrews, and here also I have done nothing that they should put me into the pit.”

16 When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was favorable, he said to Joseph, “I also had a dream: there were three cake baskets on my head, 17 and in the uppermost basket there were all sorts of baked food for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating it out of the basket on my head.” 18 And Joseph answered and said, “This is its interpretation: the three baskets are three days. 19 In three days Pharaoh will lift up your head—from you!—and hang you on a tree. And the birds will eat the flesh from you.”

20 On the third day, which was Pharaoh's birthday, he made a feast for all his servants and lifted up the head of the chief cupbearer and the head of the chief baker among his servants. 21 He restored the chief cupbearer to his position, and he placed the cup in Pharaoh's hand. 22 But he hanged the chief baker, as Joseph had interpreted to them. 23 Yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph but forgot him.

The Ten Commandments 2024, The Law of God, 7, 8

Thou shall not commit Adultery

Thou shall not steal.

"Thou shalt not commit adultery."Exodus 20:14

The concept is simple. The God Family Plan is easy to understand. One man, one woman, come together, as one flesh.

"Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh." Genesis 2:24

Marriage is now and has always been,  and sorry if it offends you, but will always be one man, and one woman. It doesn't matter what we say about it. That IS God's plan for marriage. One man and one woman, for life.

"My son, be attentive to my wisdom; incline your ear to my understanding,that you may keep discretion, and your lips may guard knowledge.For the lips of a forbidden woman drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil,but in the end she is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword.Her feet go down to death; her steps follow the path to Sheol; she does not ponder the path of life; her ways wander, and she does not know it." Proverbs 5:1-6

If you are married, you have a Wife. You have a best friend. You have a life partner. You need not look elsewhere. A little bit later it says this. 

"For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way of life, to preserve you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the adulteress. Do not desire her beauty in your heart, and do not let her capture you with her eyelashes; for the price of a prostitute is only a loaf of bread, but a married woman hunts down a precious life.

Can a man carry fire next to his chest and his clothes not be burned? Or can one walk on hot coals and his feet not be scorched?  So is he who goes in to his neighbor's wife; none who touches her will go unpunished. People do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy his appetite when he is hungry,  but if he is caught, he will pay sevenfold; he will give all the goods of his house. He who commits adultery lacks sense; he who does it destroys himself.  He will get wounds and dishonor, and his disgrace will not be wiped away. For jealousy makes a man furious, and he will not spare when he takes revenge. He will accept no compensation; he will refuse though you multiply gifts."Proverbs 6:23-35 

"But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul." When you find the one you love, your soul mate, the one you love more than anything else on Earth, they become, and are, part of you. You are one. To go out and give yourself to another, in the most intimate way, that should be reserved for only your Spouse, is not just playing some kind of game, it is the most hurtful and evil thing you can do to your other half. It's NOT just sex. It's not just fooling around. It is the deepest hurt you can possibly cause, to the one, you claim to love the most.

How about if I told you, that you do not even have to commit that actual act to be guilty of adultery in God's eyes.

"Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery." Matthew 5:27-33

So what is Jesus saying here? Sin always starts in the heart, mind, then deeds. He is telling you that if you start looking at others, undressing them in your mind, or fantasizing about them, it's not harmless, normal, behavior. It is planting a seed to be harvested later. You have committed adultery already.

So what about divorce? Is divorce legal in the sight of God? Jesus tells us there is ONE reason, that divorce would be recognized by God. Adultery. If you really want to get technical, there are three ways the obligation you have to another is nullified and recognized in the Word.

Death. Obviously.
Fornication. Adultery.

And then you have this...

"But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away. And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him.

For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy. But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace." 1 Corinthians 7:12-15

Now notice the first thing I want you to understand is this. "But to the rest speak I, not the Lord," This is what Paul said. Makes sense. I understand it. If you are the child of God in your home, and even if your spouse doesn't believe, you cover them. They become "clean" because of you. But if they leave, Paul tells us we should let them go. So that they do not corrupt the whole house.

Accept what you will when it comes to divorce. Jesus said, Adultery? No problem. Anything else is a sin. Regardless of what man says. Or you can cling to what Paul says about a non-believer leaving. This is why the Word tells us we should never be "unequally yoked together with unbelievers." 2 Corinthians 6:14 Most of the time, it does not end well. 

However, if neither of you were children of God when you married, and now you accept Christ after, and they chose to reject Him, you as a new creature, no longer guilty nor responsible for your old self. I get that. But I would not go out and find someone who is not of God and decide to marry that person. You do so at your own peril and God will require YOU to follow His plan for marriage, even if you do not wish to. Be careful.

Marriage, if done the right way, is a blessing from God. The wrong way could become a nightmare. It is not to be taken lightly. Next, to salvation, marriage is the holiest and most honorable thing you can do. Two in it as one. A lifelong friend, helper, comforter, playmate, ETC. Why do you think marriage is under such attack? Think about it.

What if I told you there is a THIRD way to commit Adultery? 

Spiritual adultery. These all, idolatry, covetousness, and apostasy are spoken of as spiritual adultery. Some examples are Jeremiah 3:6, 8-9, and Ezekiel 16:32,  Hosea 1:2-3, Revelation 2:22.  An apostate church is an adulteress according to Isaiah 1:21, Ezekiel 23:4, 7, 37, and the Jews are described as “an adulterous generation” in Matthew 12:39, and in Revelations 12.

Is God concerned about adultery? I think so. 

"Thou shalt not steal."Exodus 20:15

Do you? Do you steal? Are you sure? There are three primary ways to steal. One, outright. The taking of something that does not belong to you. money, property, ETC. The second way to steal is the "theft of services." You take advantage of something that is provided for a cost, yet, you choose not to pay for it. The third is destruction.

Outright.

It doesn't matter to God if you use the word "borrow." If it is not your property, and it is not permitted for you to take it, you are stealing it. Even if your intention is to give it back. You are still stealing it. What about those pens you took home from work? What about that food you ate at the end of your shift at a restaurant when it is company policy to dispose of it, not consume it? What about that ten dollars that you took from the one who has millions? In any of this, you are stealing. It doesn't matter what you think of it. What society says about it. What does God say about it?

"If a man steals an ox or a sheep, and kills it or sells it, he shall repay five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep.  If a thief is found breaking in and is struck so that he dies, there shall be no bloodguilt for him, but if the sun has risen on him, there shall be bloodguilt for him. He shall surely pay. If he has nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft. If the stolen beast is found alive in his possession, whether it is an ox or a donkey or a sheep, he shall pay double." Exodus 22:1-4,5,6

Again, pretty cut and dry here. If you steal something outright, you are violating this commandment. You are a thief. You are guilty under the Law.

Theft of services

"If a man causes a field or vineyard to be grazed over, or lets his beast loose and it feeds in another man's field, he shall make restitution from the best in his own field and in his own vineyard."  

Ever "dine and dash?" Ever take a taxi, and not pay for it? Ever get "free" cable? Use someone else's phone or the internet, without their permission? You are guilty of this commandment. You are a thief. You are guilty under the Law.

Destruction

"If fire breaks out and catches in thorns so that the stacked grain or the standing grain or the field is consumed, he who started the fire shall make full restitution."

It really does not matter why. Say you are jealous? Say you do not feel that someone who has something should have it. If you can't have it no one will? You decide to destroy what they have. You are a thief. You are guilty under the law.

"You shall not steal; you shall not deal falsely; you shall not lie to one another. You shall not swear by my name falsely, and so profane the name of your God: I am the Lord. You shall not oppress your neighbor or rob him. The wages of a hired worker shall not remain with you all night until the morning.." Leviticus 19:11-13

There are many ways to steal. If you agree to buy something from someone, and you know that the cost of it is low, yet you tell them the cost is great, just to make a profit, you are a thief. If you are in charge of protecting someone else's property, and you allow it to be stolen, God calls you a theft. You are guilty under the law.

There is one more way you can be considered a thief in the eyes of the Lord. This one has been so convoluted, so twisted, that whenever someone discusses this, people turn it off. They get images of a preacher with a mic in one hand, and the other outstretched, seeking money. But the word tells us, that if you do not Tithe, you ARE guilty of being a thief. You are stealing from God Himself.

"Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you.

Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need." Malachi 3:8-10

It is scarce, that a Millionaire does nothing but serve the Lord. Most of the time, it is average, everyday folks that are called to serve. A church should be concerned with teaching, of course, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, ETC. To do that, they need money.

You may or may not believe me. I have no way to prove it to you. However, the laws of tithing and giving work. That ninety percent will go far further than that one hundred percent ever will. When I was first saved, I was a security guard working at a local mall. I started obeying this law and started giving as much as I could. When I walked away, as I talked about in MY Story, I was a hotel manager.

The more I gave, the more I received. As Malachi said, "Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need." It really does work.

When I walked away, my excess became negative. Fast. Now, these things do not happen overnight. Try it. God will see where your heart is, and He WILL bless you. It really does work.

 "Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need." Ephesians 4:28

Trust me, this really does work. I'm living proof of it. Try it. Ask God to show you what this is all about. You will be blessed.

We will wrap it up next time with "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor." and "Thou shalt not Covet,,,." We will also discuss how it is that Jesus summed all these up as two. Plus how the new commandment Jesus gave us, plays into all this. But if you are not a child of God, then none of this matters to you at all.

Do you know Jesus as your Savior? Have you been adopted into the Family of God? If not, say this Prayer. Right now. Wherever you may be. Say it in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. God will hear you. He will send the Spirit of Life to you. Let us Pray.

"Oh heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Jesus's sacrifice for me. I believed He rose from the dead. I repent my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Jesus, Amen!"

That's it. It really is that simple. Now go tell someone what you have just done. "That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in your heart that God hath raised him from the dead, You shall be saved." Romans 10:9. You need to find a Church that God leads you to and be Baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A New Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him."Colossians 3:10

If you want to tell me, comment, questions, give testimonials, or just say "Hi," the Email is Truthbygod1@gmail.com

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, God's love, and the Holy Ghost's communion be with you all. Amen. 

Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing, and Jesus is Lord!!