The Rebellion of Ham

Pastor Ken Foreman

Text: Genesis 9:20-29
22 And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without.

God desires a Spirit of Unity among His people

• love, submission, one accord, one purpose, in honor preferring one another
• unity assists the goals of both good and evil
• good - unity on the Day of Pentecost
• evil - unity at the tower of Babel
• "rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft"
• it goes hand in hand with disobedience

Shem, Ham, and Japheth ALL got on the ark. Noah was a hero - in following God's instructions to the letter, he testified to the world how God brings victory to those who obey Him. He'd gone from being a shipbuilder and a sailor to being a farmer (planted a vineyard). Note: farming did not diminish Noah's position - he was still a great leader.

Noah's big mistake/s:

• excess - he got drunk [beside himself] (See Ephesians 5:18; Proverbs 20:1.)
• exposed - he was naked [unclothed] (See Matthew 18:7 - woe to offenders.)

Noah's younger son, Ham, was the father of Canaan. The command is, "Honor thy father and mother." Instead of honoring, Ham drew attention to his dad's error. He exploited his father's shame. His "flesh" rejoiced in Noah's defects and errors, probably because he felt they justified his own errors. (Two wrongs do not make a right!) A rebellious spirit's intent is defiant; it means to bring harm; (family, church, leadership,) reduces influence, (overthrows,) and brings selfish change.

Always treat others the way you want to be treated. Shem and Japheth took a garment, laid it over their shoulders, and backed into the tent (room) to cover their father without looking at him.

• Led by the Spirit of God
• Sought to make a way for redemption
• Love covers a multitude of sins
• Showed love (respect, honor,) in action
• Grieved, they had compassion
• Demonstrated the Spirit of Restoration
• Able ministers of Reconciliation
• build up, not tear down

"Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the Spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if a man thinketh himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself." (Galatians 6:1-3)

Fixing Your Focus

By Don Warfield, Sr.

Text: Philippians 3:13-14 - Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

As a young man, I wanted to know why we do what we do as Pentecostals.

David's past affected his future. Living in the past blinds you to the future. The past can overwhelm you and restrict your present and future usefulness. Even good things like blessings can hold you to the point where God can't send new blessings your way. Fix your focus on what's in store...

• Revival - Salvation
• Holy Ghost outpouring - Joy
• Rapture - Millenial
• Heaven - Eternity with Jesus

1.) Paul said he hadn't made it yet. He kept his body under subjection.

• If your past is under the Blood, Jesus does not remember it any more.
• If you (or anyone else) digs up your past, you (or they) go there alone because Jesus won't go there.
• Remember, it's not over until your feet leave the ground!

2.) You have to let go to reach forth (forward)

• Think about Who is out there in your future
• Pressing toward the prize involves effort
• Jesus said, "The Kingdom of God suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force."
• At the close of his ministry, Paul said,
• I have fought a good fight.
• I have finished my course
• I have kept the faith
• He knew there was a crown of righteousness waiting
• He knew the time of his departure was at hand
• He was ready to be offered
• He was about to apprehend that for which he had been apprehended
• Victory was within reach - but once again he needed to let go of what was past and stretch himself toward what was in store.

The little maid witnessed to Namaan's wife. She was right where God wanted her to be (no matter how she felt or how her family felt). Her words changed Namaan's life.

• Her captivity restricted her
• His leprosy restricted him
• Her witness changed him; his health, his religion, his outlook
• His former gods had no power
• Her God had all power
• Her witness refocused his thinking

How will they hear without a preacher? (witness)

Acts 10 shows us that this message is not for angels to deliver. It's our responsibility! Your witness is to tell what God did for you and to let them know He can do the same for them.

We are not the message - HE is!
We are simply the messenger. "...and you shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." (Acts 1:8b)

Editor's Note: Bro. Don Warfield, Sr., leads our Home Bible Study ministry and teaches the adult Sunday School class in rotation each month. His studious attention to the Word is evident in him able ministry of the Word.

A Life that Lifts...

By D. Keith Leaman

Text: Acts 3:6-8 - Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.

As Sis. Foreman taught the Sunday School lesson this morning, the song, "Trust and Obey" came to my mind. The lame man at the gate was asking for alms. He'd been there doing that for years - but on a specific day... God's timing was perfect.

Backslidden Don Warfield, Sr. had a birthday party. While there, he talked with me about an Israeli attack on Iran. During the course of that conversation, I learned that Don played gold - and that began golf outings that continued for two or three years - just a friendship. But the friendship that developed led to Don coming back to God!

• You can't force a rose bud
• You can't help the butterfly out of its cocoon
• It has to be in God's time
• There's a right time and a right place.
• December 4. 2010 - at a conference in Malaysia - a lady was teaching a youth class on prayer, including taking time to listen. She recommended at least 90 seconds of listening.
• A second lady was teaching missionary kids (mk's). Seth, a 10-year old boy tapped her on the shoulder and said, "Pastor Leaman." The group prayed a general prayer.
• On the second day, Celinda, the 2nd lady, was given more information as to Keith Leaman's need.

You can rest assured - God knows where you're at! He hasn't forgotten!

Editor's Note: Bro. Keith and Sis. Mary Leaman visited with us on Sunday, October 9, 2011, approximately one year before his death in 2012. As was his custom, Bro. Keith, like Barnabas in Acts, was an encouragement to the body of Christ. As we sang each of the verses of the hymn, "Trust and Obey," we began to realize we were witnessing the hymn in action in the lives of Bro. Keith and Sis. Mary. (See Malachi 3:16-17.)

God's Priority - Your Needs

By Jonathan Jeffrey

Text: Matthew 6:33 - But seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."

The job of the church is not to impact the church, it's to impact the world!

In football, the huddle is not the object - it's what happens when the huddle breaks out that makes the difference!

Matthew 9:37-38 - reveals Jesus' priority and His only prayer request - souls!
I Timothy 2:1-4 - tells us to pray for the lost to be saved according to God's will.
John 13:35 - instructs us to pray for love among the brethren.
Jude 22 - says we should keep ourselves in the love of God.
Matthew 12:29 - shows the need for the binding of the enemy's spirit and influence.

God's priorities include...

• a witness of righteousness
• a witness of miracles with signs following
• a witness of boldness in sharing the Gospel
• a witness of unity among the believers
• a witness of wisdom among the believers
• the awakening of souls
• the conviction of sin

Our goals should be...

• having the mind of Christ
• having a harvest-centered focus.

Editor's Note: Jonathan Jeffrey has made himself a servant of the body of Christ here at New Life. Husband of Jamine, father of three vital and active young sons, Jonathan serves as our New Life church photographer and is a blessing to the music ministry, singing and making melody in his heart and life to the Lord!

The Seed is the Word

Editorial by
Marjorie Kinnee

Text: "Now the parable is this: The seed is the Word of God." (Luke 8:11)

Both Matthew and Luke record the parable of the sower. Identifying four types of soil, Jesus spoke of things easily understood in an agricultural society. Farmers knew all about stony ground, about weeds and thorns, and about hungry fowls of the air. They also knew that fertilizer and crop rotation upped their chances of an abundant harvest, which was the goal of every farmer. But when He explained the parable to His disciples, Jesus likened the soil to the hearts of men. Thus, while the hearts of men varied in their ability to receive, grow, and bear fruit; He began His explanation with an absolute fact. "The Seed is the Word of God."

From the beginning, the Word of God was powerful. The very first record of the Word of God ia found in Genesis 1:3 - "And God said, Let there be light, and there was light." Hebrews 4:12 tells us "...the Word of God is quick, [alive] and powerful..." The apostle John launched his gospel with this truth... "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (John 1:1) And in his first epistle, John says, "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;... that which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us:..." (I John 1:1, 3)

New Life Apostolic Church has been immersed in our theme for this year; "Reaping the Harvest." Each month, throughout the year we're focusing on particular aspects of that theme. Bible Studies, sermons, and devotional messages highlighting various facets have blessed and inspired us to "sow the seed" diligently and in faith, expecting an abundant harvest.

One thing is sure - with good seed, a good harvest will follow. Even seed stored in Egypt over thousands of years in the tombs of the kings; once planted, it grows and flourishes. Jesus said, "Except a corn of wheat fall into the earth and die, it abideth alone." The laws of harvest are immutable. Though seed may lie dormant for a long time, even over centuries; but when planted in good soil, it will come to life. Why? Because the life is in the seed! Jesus also said, "The words that I speak unto you, they are Spirit, and they are life." (John 6:63b)

This is why you may plant a seed of truth in the heart of someone, then you and/or he moves away to a distant place. You never see each other again. Rest assured, that seed still has all the potential it ever had. Somewhere, sometime, in God's time, it will come to life! (See John 4:35-38.) It's God breathed!

Let's consider the breath of God. Genesis 2:7 tells us that God breathed into man's nostrils "the breath of life, and man became a living soul." That was the physical birth of man. Since then, every child born into this world has to take that first breath. Without it, the child is stillborn. Ezekiel related his vision of the valley of dry bones - a vast army of slain [dead] soldiers. Although the scattered bone were miraculously joined together and muscles and skin covered the carcasses, they were still a bunch of dead bones and skin until the breath of God came. As Ezekiel prophesied to the winds, they blew across the slain. The breath of life entered and they lived again - a great and mighty army. (See Ezekiel 37:9-10, 14.)

When Jesus talked with Nicodemus, (John 3:1-8) He drew a correlation between the natural, physical birth and the new birth - a work of the Spirit - and referred to the wind. Later, at the close of His earthly ministry, Jesus "breathed" on His assembled disciples and said, "Receive ye the Holy Ghost." (John 20:22)

Is it any wonder then, that when the Day of Pentecost was fully come... "Suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting... And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." (Acts 2:1-4)

We are laborers together with Christ. The work He began in the earth has been entrusted to us who believe and obey His commandments. We have been given the ministry of reconciliation, crying "Be ye reconciled to God!" (See Isaiah 55:8-13.) "So shall My Word be that goeth forth out of My mouth: it shall not return unto Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it."

A Root Out of Dry Ground

Subtitle: "Impossible Possibilities"

By Pastor Ken Foreman

Text:  Isaiah 53:1-2

When a preacher ministers, his desire is to impart. "Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God." In the valley of dry bones, (Ezekiel 37:1-14) God was speaking not only to the prophet, but also to the church, and to individuals when He asked, "Can these bones live?" When we think we're in an impossible situation, we need to remember... God can turn nothing into something!

There's still hope even in a hopeless situation. Dry ground is dead, lifeless, a portrait of hopelessness. But in God's hands impossibilities become possible. "Now unto Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all you can ask or think..."

Ezekiel did what God said. He spoke to the bones. (God's Word will not return unto Him void.) Something began to happen - bone came to bone and sinews, muscles, and skin covered them - but they were still dead - no breath.

Ezekiel kept doing what God said. He spoke to the wind. As the wind blew, breath entered into the slain and they stood on their feet - a great and mighty army!

Numbers 17:8 speaks of Aaron's rod, one of twelve dead, dry sticks, one for each of the twelve tribes of Israel. All twelve were placed in the Tabernacle overnight so God's will as to which of the twelve would be the priestly tribe in Israel could be revealed. The next morning, eleven of them were still just sticks. But Aaron's rod, the rod for the tribe of Levi had buds, blossoms, and fruit (almonds) - all on the one stick! When God promises you something, it is for you. You can bank on it!

Abraham was 99, Sarah was 90 - they laughed at the very thought of senior citizens having a baby. But God had the last laugh - Isaac!

Parched, dry ground is difficult indeed. Like a sunflower growing up through a crack in the cement of the freeway - when God says, "Live!" when God says, "Grow!" - nothing can prevent His Word from coming to pass. If He said it - He'll do it!

When Jesus came...

• He was poor - no claim to fame
• He was born a Jew - a despised race
• He was raised in Nazareth - a despised place

"If God be for us, who can be against us?" The woman with the issue of blood said, "If I can but touch the hem of His garment..." She wasn't willing to just deal with it. She came to Jesus...

• in spite of how she felt
• in spite of what the doctors were saying
• in spite of 18 years of experience/s
• in spite of the press of the crowd

She knew she would be made whole if she could just touch Him. Down on the ground, pressing, reaching through, stretching past the feet and ankles of the crowd - the tips of her fingers grazed the hem of His garment. Jesus stopped... "Who touched Me?"

When, trembling, she confessed, He spoke with such compassion... "Your faith has made you whole."

Are you willing to believe?

Thirst!

By Melvin Butler

Text:  John 4

I Corinthians 10:4 says Israel drank from a spiritual rock, "and that rock was Christ."

Moses' faith was continually tested...

• The promise was, "I will deliver you from Egypt." The reality was that they were stuck between the Red Sea and the baddest army in the world! But God parted the Red Sea and delivered them from their enemy.
• The promise was, "I will take you to the Promised Land." The reality was that they were thirsty and there was no water in the desert! But God brought them water from a rock (which was Christ).

The Samaritan woman was trying to fill the hunger in her soul, (fill the void,) but nothing and no one else could meet her need. The void in each of us can only be filled by Jesus. He touched her at the core of her need. Her response? "I gotta tell somebody!"

Psalm 61:1-5 says, "Lead me to the Rock that is higher than I."

• From the ends of the earth - Drink!
• When my heart is overwhelmed - Drink!
• If you're thirsty - Drink!

Jesus said, "If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink. He that believeth on Me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake He of the Spirit, which they that believe on Him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)" (John 7:37b-39)

If the water source was on the outside, maybe the world could get to it. But because it's on the inside, the world cannot give it to you, nor can it take it away. Our job is that of a "water bearer!" Our message is - Drink! and you'll never thirst again!

Editor's Note: Bro. Melvin Butler pastors an independent Apostolic church in Detroit. He is a long time friend of Pastor Ken Foreman.