Faith, The Full Measure... (The Wedding at Canna of Galilee.)

Transcription

1 Faith, The Full Measure... (The Wedding at Canna of Galilee.) By Robert. B.Dalton. Menorah Publications. Australia 2017.

2 * Points of distinction and emphasis, are used by our authorship solely to bring light to our dialogue. * Unless otherwise indicated, all Scriptural references appearing are quotations from the King James Bible... computer software, E Sword version by Rick Meyers. First Edition (August, 2017.) Copyright Australia by Robert.B.Dalton. Apart from the purpose of private study or review for archive retrieval, no part may be reproduced without the expressed and written permission of the authors (and/ or) their agents for Menorah Publications. Menorah TM ==========Publications ===== 2

3 Faith, The Full Measure... (The Wedding at Cana of Galilee.) Nehemiah 10 Verses 37(a) And [that] we should bring the firstfruits of our dough, and our offerings, and the fruit of all manner of trees, of wine and of oil, unto the priests, to the chambers of the house of our God;... Here is where the corn, oil and wine were to be stored. Corn is a type of the Word of God. Wine symbolises Joy and Oil stands for The Anointing of The Holy Spirit. These elements of Christian life are available in full measure through a relationship, that is, the intimacy of a deep and abiding... Friendship and Fellowship: 3

4 Just because there is old wine, in the old wine-skins, that in no way indicates that they have to sit in the wine-cellar and not be used for the rest of their days, NO -WAY! Surely the reverse is true, first the old wine in function and distribution, then the new. John 2 Verses 1-11 And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: (2) And both Jesus was called, and His disciples, to the marriage. (3) And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto Him, They have no wine. (4) Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? Mine hour is not yet come. (5) His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever He saith unto you, do [it]. (6) And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece. (7) Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. (8) And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare [it]. (9) When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom, 4

5 (10) And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: [but] Thou hast kept the good wine until now. (11) This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth His Glory; and His disciples believed on Him. The beginning of Moses miracles was turning water into blood, Exodus 7 Verse 20; the beginning of Christ s miracles was turning water into wine; which may remind us of the difference between The Law of Moses and The Gospel of Christ. Christ s works are all for use, has He turned your water into wine and given to you both knowledge and Grace? It is for the profit of all, therefore draw out of your vessel now, and use it, use what you have received, give it now, and give it freely. Matthew 10 Verse 8(b)... freely ye have received, freely give. 5

6 It is impossible for you to give what you have not received yourself! But when you do, Luke 6 Verse 38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. It is the very best wine, once you have given, give some more and then some, you will never out give God! Christ s works verify themselves, what was produced by miracles, are always the very best of it s kind. Jesus Himself sanctioned the wedding feast by His Own Presence, He was the invited guest. We would do well in all our affairs to remember with conscious thought our invitation to our most intimate friend our Creator: 6

7 Marriage, shows the union of The True Vine to we who are the branches. Though we are grafted into The Vine, it is His Life s Blood that provides the sap for our nurture and sustenance. Jesus season of public ministry had began and it is ironic that He would use the wedding feast, as His first public engagement. Ministry could learn much from the example of our Lord and Master. The marriage that has no place for either Jesus or His disciples, is one that can never be expected to last, let alone prosper. Marriage, is a state of life ordained by God, for man s benefit. It is well described as an honorable estate because it shows to use the union of Christ Jesus as Bridegroom and The Church, as The Bride of Christ: Ecclesiastes 10 Verse 19(a) A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry:... 7

8 To my mind, part of what Jesus was sowing into us here, was the fact of New wine, New beginnings, the stability of the old wine sanctified or set apart in firm covenantal union! In other words, steadfast committed relationship founded on The wine of Love, not the giddy and uncontrollable, but the sweet and the mature! After all, where does the Old wine come from, it comes from out of the new: All Old Wine, was once New! On the other hand, the aged and refined wine that has not been served must be rebottled every forty years to allow it to continue aging without turning bitter. When it is rebottled, a small amount of new wine is added to preserve the old wine in a viable state. But it is not supposed to become new wine. Matthew 9 Verse 17 Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved. 8

9 There s a lot of gas in the new wine, it s full of froth and bubble, Job 32 Verse 19 Behold, my belly is as wine which hath no vent; it is ready to burst like new bottles. The small amount of new wine is added only to preserve the refined wine for future Blessing, not change it into new wine because the old wine is still alive. New wine in fact brings with it a freshness: We, as leaders, should continually test and try new wine to discover what will be the classic old wine in years to come. We should also encourage, recognize, and appreciate the new so that we can have refined old wine to serve in the future. If we don t try new wine, soon there won t be any old wine. Old wine comes from new wine that is properly nurtured and supported over time. Leaders are called to be taste testers. Anyone can tell that old wine is good, classic, and refined. 9

10 But only wine masters can taste a new wine that is not ready to be served and they are able to discern that with proper nurturing it can become a classic. As leaders, pastors, teachers and evangelists, we are called to try new things and provide an opportunity for them to mature. It does not take real discernment or spiritual insight to be able to see what is already developed. However, as leaders we are called to see with The eyes of Faith and find people and concepts that are new and ready to be refined. We must have the vision to see that in twenty years (should The Lord tarry,) they will be the awesome, classic wine that The Lord wants to serve in its due season. Then we must provide a place to help prepare and develop those people and those things that will help minister to The body of Christ and to the world years from now. New wine exists in a relatively volatile state, it is still subject to much change and needs the freedom to evolve, or it will never grow and mature into old, refined wine. 10

11 One temptation that causes a new wineskin to prematurely become an old wineskin is when we despise that small, chaotic, flexible state that we find ourselves in and instead want to be respectable and receive honor from men. We need to be willing to endure the reproach as The Lord has us in that place. Wineskins only exist to support and nurture the wine they have received. Our wineskins should change as the wine changes. All new wineskins are supposed to eventually become old wineskins, but only as our wine matures and becomes old or refined. And when it does it will be a Blessing and encouragement to many. If we are more concerned with how our wineskin looks, instead of being concerned with nurturing our wine, then we can lose our ability to eventually Bless the larger Body of Christ... this is the reality of corporate vision: Much new wine is served prematurely and accordingly rejected by the masses because it is not yet ready. 11

12 Some will try to add to much of the old wine to the new to make it more palatable but at that point, it will cease to mature. Now it is no longer a new wine, which will eventually mature, nor is it an old wine that has matured. Instead, it has become compromised and will not accomplish its God given purpose! We need new wine, we need old wine... We need the security to be whatever God has called us to be, and the wisdom to recognize The Grace upon others. Let us learn to recognize our need for the new and old. 12

13 Often heard is the statement, The apple doesn t fall far from the tree! Be that as it may, God isn t interested in cloning, you are unique! Why would God be interested in duplicating carbon copies! Be yourself in Christ!!! Mature to good wine, sweet to the taste, and kind to the palate. There is great parallel in The Gospel of John Chapter 2 Verses 1-11, the very beginning of Jesus Miraculous Touch. How He turned water into wine at the wedding feast at Canna of Galilee. Jesus honoured the ordinance of Right placed Marriage so much so, that He was there at the celebration of the wedding feast in the village of Qatna. Marriage and it s innocence is a type or shadow of the union between Christ and His Bride, The Church. 13

14 This I suggest is the very reason there is such an affront on The Church, The Family and the sanctity of marriage; Marriage in its true Husband and wife, God ordained institution. Why did Jesus take those water pots and turn the water to wine? The answer I believe lies with The Oil and Wise Virgins. The Bride was innocent, and ready for her sacred union. She had prepared herself, and made herself ready. So too her handmaidens, they followed the example of readiness to the coming celebrations. Those five Disciples who were with Jesus at the wedding feast at Canna of Galilee were, John, Andrew, Simon Peter, Philip and Nathaniel. John 1 Verses One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter s brother. (41) He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ. 14

15 (42) And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone. (43) The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow Me. (44) Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. (45) Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found Him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. (46) And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see. (47) Jesus saw Nathanael coming to Him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile! (48) Nathanael saith unto Him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee. (49) Nathanael answered and saith unto Him, Rabbi, thou art The Son of God; thou art The King of Israel. (50) Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these. (51) And He saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see Heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon The Son of man. 15

16 Question needs to be asked, could these five be representative of, The Five Wise Virgins? Still in their rough state, but they were there. Those Clay pots filled with The Water of The Word, and ready to be turned into New Wine. New Wine to be enjoyed by all around. (Interesting point?) John 12 Verse 26 If any man serve Me, let him follow Me; and where I AM, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve Me, him will My Father honour. The water for washing turned into wine, all cleansed, washed and bathed by the washings of water by The Word. Moses turned the water to blood as a sign, Jesus turned the water to wine as a miracle for all present at the feast to enjoy: 16

17 Clay, is suggestive of the nature of man, six clay water pots, water, the Life bringer and sustainer without the water in the pot, there is no life. Six also is indicative of the flesh nature of man, and The Lord God Almighty provide Rivers of Living Water to sustain the Life of His Created. Water carried in clay pots, now oil carried in clay lamps, quite a parallel don t you think! Romans 12 Verse 3 For I say, through The Grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man The measure of Faith. At the wedding feast at Cana of Galilee, these large water pots contained the measure of water which was referred to as a Firkin, and each water pot had the capacity to carry two or three firkins apiece. 17

18 John 2 Verses 6-8 And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece. (7) Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. (8) And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare [it]. Now, a Firkin of measurement in our terms, is nine Imperial gallons, or roughly forty one Litres. If we base the capacity of these six clay water pots at the lowest level of two Firkins apiece we reach a total of Twelve Firkins. Now multiply Twelve Firkins by forty one Litres and we have a total of Four Hundred and ninety two Litres (roughly five hundred Litres) of Potential Substance! 18

19 What a potential there is that lays dormant in the life of each of us a believers! I believe that The Lord is saying we need to consider the real potential that we can carry within! 2 Corinthians 4 Verse 7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of The Power may be of God, and not of us. Faith, is a tangible, touchable Substance, we all need to realise the capacity and the power of potential that lies with, Faith, is The substance of things, and The Evidence of things: The substance, which brings forth The evidence previously unseen: What are you waiting for??? 19

20 Bibliography of reference material. a Kempis, Thomas Imitation of Christ. Blackie & Son Ltd. (London/Glasgow.) Bridges, Jerry Dake, Finis. Jennings Dalton. Robert.B & Nicola.J Value for all Things. Devoted to God. The Practice of godliness. Navigator Press, 1983 edit. Dake s Annotated Reference Bible. Dake Bible sales. P.O.Box Lawrenceville, Georgia U.S.A. (11th edit ) (a) Children of the Dust. Menorah Publications. N.Z. (2007 edit.) (b) The Tabernacle and It s Rituals. Menorah Publications. N.Z. (1992 edit.) (c) The Centrality of The Cross. Menorah Publications. (edit.2006 N.Z.) (d) The Law of Love. Menorah Publications. (edit 1997 Australia.) Darby, John Nelson. Francis, Rodney. W. Henry, Matthew Hira, Peter. Synopsis of the Books of the Bible. Copyright 1995 L. Hodgett The General Epistle of James. Gospel Faith Messenger Ministry. Harbour Light Ministries. Hamilton. New Zealand. (1996 edit.) Commentary on The Whole Bible. Hendrickson Publishers. (1991 edit.) Home Group Study Series. Vol.2 New Zealand (1985 edit.) 20

21 Kidner, Derek. Leesment, Harry Lockman Foundation, Marshall, I. Howard Missler, Chuck & Nancy Moo, Douglas. J Thompson, F. Charles Tristram, Dr Vine, W.E The Proverbs. The Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries. Inter-Varsity Press. Leicester, England. (1996 edit.) Pentecostal Ministerial Ethics. October 1988 edit. 61 Templeton Street, Cook. A.C.T. Australia Amplified Bible. (chapter reference notes.) Zondervan Bible Publishers.(1987 edit.) The Acts of The Apostles. (Revised edition) The Tyndale New Testament Commentaries. Inter-Varsity Press. W.B. Eerdmans Publishing. Co. Grand Rapids. Michigan. U.S.A. (1994 edit.) The Way of Agape. (Understanding God s Love.) Koinonia House Publishing. U.S.A. (1999 edit.) The Letter of James. (Revised edition) The Tyndale New Testament Commentaries. Inter-Varsity Press. W.B. Eerdmans Publishing. Co. Grand Rapids. Michigan. U.S.A. (1993 edit.) Thompson Chain Reference Bible. B.B.Kirkbridge Bible Company, Inc. (K.J.V edit.) Easton s 1897 Bible Dictionary. Vine s Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words. edited by F.F.Bruce. World Bible Publishers. 21

22 Iowa Falls, U.S.A. (1981 edit.) Menorah Publications Catalogue TM Series, Discovering Discipleship No.1 No.2 No.3 - Let us go on Hebrews 6 Verses The how to, called Repentance: - The can do, Faith from God: No.4 - Baptism the waters. No.5 - The Laying on of Hands: No.6 - Resurrection of the dead. No.7 - The Eternal Godhead:... Going on to perfection...! The first of a three part series of Bible Studies, these lay the foundation teachings of our Faith based on Hebrews 6 Verses 1-2. Good for young disciples, each lesson is prepared so it can be used as private, group or 22

23 classroom study material. Series, Growing Discipleship The Be- Attitudes, Love s Divine Attitudes Matthew 5 Verses Blessed are the poor in spirit. 2. Blessed are they that mourn. 3. Blessed are the meek. 4. Blessed are they which do hunger. 5. Blessed are the merciful. 6. Blessed are the pure in heart. 7. Blessed are the peacemakers. 8. Blessed, are they which are persecuted. If you be in Christ, then it stands to reason, that whatever curved balls are thrown to you in this life, you will Be-in-Christ s-attitude, and not react in an inappropriate manner. As hard as that may be! Blessed are relates to the present tense, to the here and now, not only to the future. But from here, to there and beyond! This second of a three part series of Bible studies, are designed to help understand the development of our Christian Character in our day to day walk. 23

24 Series, Overcomers Discipleship. That ye might be... partakers. 2 Peter 1 Verses ) And beside this, giving all diligence... 2.)... add to your Faith virtue... 3.) and to virtue knowledge; 4.) And to knowledge temperance; 5.) and to temperance patience; 6.) and to patience godliness; 7.) And to godliness brotherly kindness; 8.) and to brotherly kindness charity (or LOVE.) 24

25 Our third in the Discipleship series, is Discipleship that Overcomes, And is titled, That ye might be... partakers. These lessons come from the second letter of Peter and work well alongside the previous series entitled, The Beatitudes which cover the development of our Christian Character. If a man has come to the place of little or no growth, then surely, he has remained as a babe. If he has not given himself over to be dealt with by The Spirit of Grace, then he is marked by the arm of the flesh. He is still a Christian, but a carnal Christian, a babe in Christ. But if he completely surrenders his will to The Holy Spirit, he will rapidly and willingly choose to put down the deeds of the flesh and become what God s Word calls a Spiritual man. 25

26 Series, The Parables of Christ... (Matthew 13 Verses 1-53) The disciples, they had heard His first four parables spoken to the listening crowd... the multitude. Jesus did not use parables in the earlier part of His ministry, and when He began to use them, it was a matter of surprise to his disciples, who asked Him His reason for doing so. Matthew 13 Verses And the disciples came, and said unto Him, Why speakest Thou unto them in parables? (11) He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of The Kingdom of Heaven, but to them it is not given. 26

27 (12) For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. (13) Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. The whole thing turns on the distinction between earnest inquirers and careless hearers. The earnest inquirer has ears to hear; the other has not. That is, instead of apprehending The Truth, he is only perplexed and confused by it, and instead of going away enriched, he is poorer than ever. The meaning is so simple and familiar, that even a child can understand it. Being of the nature to connect with everyday things, things that are frequently observed. Parables, are the meal prepared for us by The Lord of The Harvest, He prepares a meal for each of His laborers, though they are few, all are well fed. 27

28 He has seen to it, that a young lad now brings to the table, Five loaves and two fish! This is something for us all to well consider, they had twelve baskets full, after the crowd was fed. Jesus took the twelve, and turned the world inside out, to the right side up! Many may bring the Scriptures to the mind, but The Lord alone can prepare the mind to receive His Word: Our Master, our Saviour Jesus differs from all other teachers... they may reach the ear, but only He can instruct the heart! Others may teach what is to be believed, but only Jesus can teach us how to believe! 28

29 Series, The Parables of Christ... (Matthew 13 Verses 1-53) (1) - The Parable of The Sower. (2) - The Parable of The Tares. (3) - The Parable of The Mustard Seed. (4) - The Parable of The Leaven. (5) - The Parable of The Hidden Treasure. (6) - The Pearl of Great Price. (7) - The Parable of The Drag Net. (8) The Scribe and The Householder. 29

30 Series, The Gleanings... Not such a strange word really, but a word which is not often used to day. What does it mean for us to glean? In simple terms, it means to gather together. We gather together that which will draw us deeper into Relationship with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We, are gathering and gleaning in the fields of our kinsman Redeemer King Jesus. The Gleanings, was written out of gratitude for my own Salvation, and the way that He my King has Blessed me by revealing more about Himself as together we build the Relationship that religion cannot offer! Many, many Brothers and Sisters in Christ are desperately hungry and we who feed at His table have a duty of care to share with those around us. This is the reason for this series. To answer questions and have all things in common... the basis of communion, common-union so enjoy, grow deeper into Jesus Christ and be Blessed. 30

31 Acts 2 Verses 44-46(a) And all that believed were together, and had all things common; (45) And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. (46a) And they, continuing daily with one accord... 31

32 Series, The Gleanings... (1) - What is... Sin? (2) - The how too, called, Repentance. (3) - The Squeeze of Temptation. (4) - The Tongue... taming the unruly member! (5) - The can do, Faith from God: (6) - The Growth of Grace. (7) - Baptism, the waters. (8) - The Holy Spirit. (9) - The Laying on of Hands. (10) - Divine Healing. (11) - The Resurrection. (12) - The Eternal Godhead... 32

33 Series, Ripened Husks... (1) Salt, Light and perfect Sight. (2) Living in Submission. (3) The Christian and Finance. (4) The Growth of Grace. (5) The Law of Love. (6) Prayer and Fasting. (7) Giants in the Land. (8) The Anointing of God. (9) Double portion Anointing. (10) Entering in to Rest. 33

34 Poem: The Garden of My Heart In the garden I the arrived with dawn, the air was crisp, it was still, the birds delighted the morning sun. It was quite, The Lord whispered Oh, my heart look, write, see and hear. I saw the sky, Heaven s blue skirt. The glow of, Your Handiwork, painted in clouds. Then said He in the garden of my heart, In seeing, see, in hearing hear, I was hearing The Voice of our God! Thank You Jesus!!! My hand trembles at His Touch, The Anointing of His Spirit flows I write, please Lord, please tell me more. His reply to my soul, You have much to hear! 34

35 There is a glow in my heart that say s, this is the grain that I want in my storehouse: Jesus used the description of harvested grain as a wonderful way of showing us why it is important for whole grains of wheat to have The Husk removed. If grain that is harvested has the husk intact, then it will not be stored well for later use. As a matter of fact, you are inviting the spread of mould. Grain is normally harvested when ripe, and the ripened husks are winnowed. This is the process whereby the grains themselves, are tossed into the air and as they do, they rub against each other to remove the outer sheaf or husk. God s desire, is that we play an active role to work with The Holy Spirit in and through our lives to remove the excess baggage. To remove the old covering, so that the pure whole grain will remain. And there be no Bushel of self, there be no Bushel of former days! 35

36 A bushel measure, was a standard measure and filled a woven basket made to the bushel size and was used to store that measure in a dry and safe manner till it was required to be used: Matthew 5 Verse 15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. You stick a lighted flame under a dry woven basket and it will either smother the flame, or set fire to the house! I must decrease, in order that He increase! Grain, was bought to the threshing floor, and there it was threshed. The sheaves, were beaten with a rod or with a winnowing fork in order to separate the grain from the stork. Once the pile of grain was a reasonable height, it was time to see the leathery husks come off. To achieve the removal of the husk, the grains were tossed into the air to land on a round cane basket. They were then flipped up into the air, until the husk blew off into the breeze. Winnowed grain, de-husked, and dry, now ready for proper storage in the garner or granary till the time of use. All the husk, was then burned off. 36

37 Matthew 3 Verse 12 Whose fan is in His Hand, and He will thoroughly purge His floor, and gather His wheat into the garner; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. 37

38 Series, New Beginnings 1. Incline Your Ear 2. Apply thine (Your) Heart. 3. Search for Hid Treasures 4. The Fear of The Lord, (Wisdom s Beginning) 5. The Knowledge of God The Holy Spirit has employed the use of this series to impact our lives as Husband and wife. We have both been intrigued as to the amount of Blessings that many of our Brothers and Sisters in Christ seem to miss out on. We are convinced that the reason is because of our inattention to God s inscribed Word. Praise Him for His Divine tolerance as we continue to grow in Him! Proverbs 1 Verse 5(a) A wise [man] will hear, and will increase learning; 38

39 Proverbs 9 Verses 9-11 Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning. (10) The Fear of The LORD is the beginning of Wisdom: and The Knowledge of The Holy is understanding. (11) For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased. Our format for this series, New Beginnings is based on the unfolding word of instruction as contained in Proverbs 2 Verses 1-5 My son if thou wilt... receive... My words, and... hide... My commandments with thee; (2) So that thou... incline thine ear... unto wisdom, [and]... apply thine heart... to understanding; (3) Yea, if thou... criest after knowledge [and]... liftest up thy voice... for understanding; (4) If thou... seekest... her as silver, and... Searchest for her as [for] hid treasures; (5) Then shalt thou understand The Fear of The LORD and find the knowledge of God. 39

40 We shall see as this lesson unfolds, that God our Father places extreme importance on the area of our hearts, as a point of both contact and (ongoing) communication, this is described by us in our studies as Communion. NO COMMUNICATION NO COMMUNION, NO COMMUNION NO COMMON-UNION, NO COMMUNION... NO UNION! 40

41 Jesus said, Matthew 11 Verses At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of Heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. 26) Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in Thy sight. (27) All things are delivered unto Me of My Father: and no man knoweth The Son, but The Father; neither knoweth any man The Father, save The Son, and He to whomsoever The Son will reveal Him. (28) Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (29) Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I AM meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. (30) For My yoke is easy, and my burden is light. 41

42 Series, Pulpit Ponderings... If there is one thing that I desire in this life that I am living, it s to sit at the feet of our Lord and Savior and soak in what He s been saying to me over the years. It is with much gratitude for Him, that I have compiled this collection, my prayer is simply this, Love Him, listen to His Voice as it echos in your own heart; learn of Him, He has much to give, and we have much to recieve. 42

43 Series, Pulpit Ponderings... (1) Fire in The Bones. (2) Relationship, the Heart to heart. (3) Christ, The Rock. (4) Abraham s Seed. (5) Children of the dust. (6) Family, The Fabric. (7) Bottle-neck Fruits. (8) The Mountain or the mediocre. (9) On Time and Eternity. (10) The Centrality of The Cross. (11) Where is thy sting...death? (12) Except your Righteousness exceeds. (13) The Doves and The Blood. (14) Five smooth stones. (15) Money Changers in The Temple. (16) The religion of Cain. (17) Wisdom... (18) Wisdom builds her house... (19) The Crown of Thorns... (20) I AM... The Gate. (21) Whose you are... 43

44 Copy-right... personal observations. To those Brethren, that have laboured long and hard in The Word of our God... I take time to Bless them publically for their endeavours to pass on that Holy Ghost inspired Word throughout His Church... Hebrews 6 Verse 10 For God [is] not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward His Name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. Therefore, edify The Body of Christ, encourage and exhort; but remember, if you are tempted to call the work of another your own, you are the one that will in the end be held responsible for your actions. The Spirit of Grace, gave the work to the hand of the scribe, who faithfully put pen to paper. Plagiarism, is not only illegal, it is immoral; above all, we must... Romans 12 Verse 10 [Be] kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; So I exhort you in The Name of our Lord and Saviour, to feel quite free to use the material with which The Lord has so blessed us and those before us, bearing in mind that the pre-eminence belongs to The Lord Jesus Christ Himself... Your brother in His service, Robert.B. Dalton. Matthew 10 Verse 8(b)... freely ye have received, freely give. e mail menorahpublications@hotmail.com 44

45 The stronger the foundation, the brighter the future! 1 Corinthians 3 Verse 11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Let us join together to, Church the Un-Churched, Teach the Un-Taught, and most of all, Reach the Un-Reached... for Jesus! Go Ye...! Speak Ye...! Do Ye...! 45

46 About the author. Born and raised in inner Sydney, N.S.W. Australia, Robert was a child when the likes of Arthur Stace, Alan Walker and Ted Noffs ministered to Sydney in the nineteen fifties. The Lord spoke to Robert at the age of seven, outside of the old Cleveland Street Congregational Church. For many years, he continued to live for himself. That is, until The Lord again spoke to him in The Bay of Plenty in New Zealand. He received Jesus Christ into his life as Lord and Saviour in February, Being Water Baptised in April, Born Again and Filled with The Holy Spirit in May of the same year. Bob and Nikki married, in October of 1987 and have an awesome family of five plus four of Bob s older children with altogether and to date twenty Grandchildren. Bob has compiled and published materials helpful for growth and development in Christ Jesus. Sadly, but with great joy, Nikki passed into Glory to be with our Lord. 21 st July, Over the years, Bob has ministered as a Pastor/ Teacher and functioned as itinerant Preacher with a strong call to Missions. His desire, is to see more folk, coming out of themselves, and going deeper into personal relationship with our Lord and Saviour, The Lord Jesus Christ. 46

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