¹And the LORD said unto Moses, Yet will I bring one plague more upon Pharaoh, and upon Egypt; afterwards he will let you go hence: when he shall let you go, he shall surely thrust you out hence altogether.

   ²Speak now in the ears of the people, and let every man borrow of his neighbour, and every woman of her neighbour, jewels of silver and jewels of gold.

   ³And the LORD gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh’s servants, and in the sight of the people.

   ⁴And Moses said, Thus saith the LORD, About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt:

   ⁵And all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the first born of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne, even unto the firstborn of the maidservant that is behind the mill; and all the firstborn of beasts.

   ⁶And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there was none like it, nor shall be like it any more.

   ⁷But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue, against man or beast: that ye may know how that the LORD doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel.

   ⁸And all these thy servants shall come down unto me, and bow down themselves unto me, saying, Get thee out, and all the people that follow thee: and after that I will go out. And he went out from Pharaoh in a great anger.

   ⁹And the LORD said unto Moses, Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you; that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.

   ¹⁰And Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh: and the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, so that he would not let the children of Israel go out of his land.

 

¹And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The LORD hath not appeared unto thee.

   ²And the LORD said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod.

   ³And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it.

   ⁴And the LORD said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand:

   ⁵That they may believe that the LORD God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee.

   ⁶And the LORD said furthermore unto him, Put now thine hand into thy bosom. And he put his hand into his bosom: and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous as snow.

   ⁷And he said, Put thine hand into thy bosom again. And he put his hand into his bosom again; and plucked it out of his bosom, and, behold, it was turned again as his other flesh.

   ⁸And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe thee, neither hearken to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign.

   ⁹And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe also these two signs, neither hearken unto thy voice, that thou shalt take of the water of the river, and pour it upon the dry land: and the water which thou takest out of the river shall become blood upon the dry land.

   ¹⁰And Moses said unto the LORD, O my LORD, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.

   ¹¹And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man’s mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD?

   ¹²Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.

   ¹³And he said, O my LORD, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send.

   ¹⁴And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses, and he said, Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart.

   ¹⁵And thou shalt speak unto him, and put words in his mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do.

   ¹⁶And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people: and he shall be, even he shall be to thee instead of a mouth, and thou shalt be to him instead of God.

   ¹⁷And thou shalt take this rod in thine hand, wherewith thou shalt do signs.

   ¹⁸And Moses went and returned to Jethro his father in law, and said unto him, Let me go, I pray thee, and return unto my brethren which are in Egypt, and see whether they be yet alive. And Jethro said to Moses, Go in peace.

   ¹⁹And the LORD said unto Moses in Midian, Go, return into Egypt: for all the men are dead which sought thy life.

   ²⁰And Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them upon an ass, and he returned to the land of Egypt: and Moses took the rod of God in his hand.

   ²¹And the LORD said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go.

   ²²And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn:

   ²³And I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me: and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, even thy firstborn.

   ²⁴And it came to pass by the way in the inn, that the LORD met him, and sought to kill him.

   ²⁵Then Zipporah took a sharp stone, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet, and said, Surely a bloody husband art thou to me.

   ²⁶So he let him go: then she said, A bloody husband thou art, because of the circumcision.

   ²⁷And the LORD said to Aaron, Go into the wilderness to meet Moses. And he went, and met him in the mount of God, and kissed him.

   ²⁸And Moses told Aaron all the words of the LORD who had sent him, and all the signs which he had commanded him.

   ²⁹And Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel:

   ³⁰And Aaron spake all the words which the LORD had spoken unto Moses, and did the signs in the sight of the people.

   ³¹And the people believed: and when they heard that the LORD had visited the children of Israel, and that he had looked upon their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshipped.

 ¹And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.

   ²Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.

   ³Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.

   ⁴Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.

   ⁵He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

   ⁶He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

   ⁷And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;

   ⁸I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.

   ⁹Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.

   ¹⁰Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.

   ¹¹Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.

   ¹²Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.

   ¹³He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

   ¹⁴And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;

   ¹⁵I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.

   ¹⁶So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

   ¹⁷Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:

   ¹⁸I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.

   ¹⁹As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

   ²⁰Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

   ²¹To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

   ²²He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

A voice of one who cries: Prepare in the wilderness the way of the Lord [clear away the obstacles]; make straight and smooth in the desert a highway for our God! 4 Every valley shall be lifted and filled up, and every mountain and hill shall be made low; and the crooked and uneven shall be made straight and level, and the rough places a plain. 5 And the glory (majesty and splendor) of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken it. Isaiah 40:3-5 AMP

Rodney Howard Browne talks about John the Baptist. John, the Baptist, was set apart for a special mission from the moment he was conceived. He was a messenger sent by God to prepare the way for Jesus. His task was to put everyone on alert that the long-awaited Savior was finally here. He called on them to repent of their sin, to turn from the world and worldly pursuits, and to prepare their hearts to receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Messiah. God is found by them who seek Him. You must look for Him; you must seek Him; you must be hungry for Him – draw nigh to Him and He will draw nigh to you.

Seek, inquire for, and require the Lord while He may be found [claiming Him by necessity and by right]; call upon Him while He is near. 7 Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return to the Lord, and He will have love, pity, and mercy for him, and to our God, for He will multiply to him His abundant pardon. Isaiah 55:6-7 AMP

The Lord sends messengers out ahead to prepare the hearts of people for His coming.  Rodney Howard Browne teaches that if you are a Christian, then you are a bearer of good news. When you tell people how much Jesus loves them and what He has done for them, you are preparing the way for them to receive Him as their Lord and Savior. They might receive Him into their hearts immediately, they might receive Him after some days, or months, or even years, but as long as you are as faithful and as bold as John to speak the truth, they will never be able to say, “I never heard the Gospel. I did not know that I had to seek the Lord. I did not know what Jesus did for me. I did not know that I had to confess with my mouth and believe in my heart to be saved and to make heaven my eternal destination.” John did not take an opinion poll before he preached. He just preached what the Spirit told him to say, regardless of who was offended. Because he boldly spoke the truth, he lost his life, but he never backed down, he never compromised and those who heard him have no excuse.

As the people were in suspense and waiting expectantly, and everybody reasoned and questioned in their hearts concerning John, whether he perhaps might be the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed one). 16 John answered them all by saying, I baptize you with water; but He Who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of Whose sandals I am not fit to unfasten. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 17 His winnowing shovel (fork) is in His hand to thoroughly clear and cleanse His [threshing] floor and to gather the wheat and store it in His granary, but the chaff He will burn with fire that cannot be extinguished. 18 So with many other [various] appeals and admonitions he preached the good news (the Gospel) to the people. Luke 3:15-18 AMP

Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John to be baptized by him. 14 But John protested strenuously, having in mind to prevent Him, saying, It is I who have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me? 15 But Jesus replied to him, Permit it just now; for this is the fitting way for [both of] us to fulfill all righteousness [that is, to perform completely whatever is right]. Then he permitted Him. 16 And when Jesus was baptized, He went up at once out of the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he [John] saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on Him. 17 And behold, a voice from heaven said, This is My Son, My Beloved, in Whom I delight! Matthew 3:13-17 AMP

John never pointed people to himself, but he always pointed them to the Father, to Jesus and to the Holy Spirit. Rodney Howard Browne teaches that it is your responsibility, to point people to the Word, to the cross, to Jesus Christ. You are the messenger, and not only that, you are commissioned by Jesus, Himself, and anointed by the Holy Spirit, to demonstrate the power of God to your generation! When you talk about Jesus, when you do the works of Jesus, you show the glory of God in an earthen vessel and He is lifted up and glorified. There is no other way to prepare the way of the Lord and to prepare people to meet Jesus, than to pray and most importantly, to preach the good news of the Gospel.

For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! Romans 10:13-15 KJV

So too the [Holy] Spirit comes to our aid and bears us up in our weakness; for we do not know what prayer to offer nor how to offer it worthily as we ought, but the Spirit Himself goes to meet our supplication and pleads in our behalf with unspeakable yearnings and groanings too deep for utterance. 27 And He Who searches the hearts of men knows what is in the mind of the [Holy] Spirit [what His intent is], because the Spirit intercedes and pleads [before God] in behalf of the saints according to and in harmony with God’s will.  Romans 8:26-27 AMP

 

Jesus loves us so much that He sent the Holy Spirit, Who prays through us, interceding for us, according to God’s will. The Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit want the very best for us and they are working together for our blessing and our benefit. 

 

We are assured and know that [God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose. 29 For those whom He foreknew [of whom He was aware and loved beforehand], He also destined from the beginning [foreordaining them] to be molded into the image of His Son [and share inwardly His likeness], that He might become the firstborn among many brethren. 30 And those whom He thus foreordained, He also called; and those whom He called, He also justified (acquitted, made righteous, putting them into right standing with Himself). And those whom He justified, He also glorified [raising them to a heavenly dignity and condition or state of being].  Romans 8:28-30 AMP

God, through Jesus, has brought us into a relationship with Himself, molding us into the image of His Son. According to this passage – to God – all believers look just like Jesus! He calls us the children of His family. When we love God and we have responded to the design and purpose of His call, He becomes a partner in our labor. With God on our side – if we will trust Him – all things are working together and fitting into a plan for good.

 

What then shall we say to [all] this? If God is for us, who [can be] against us? [Who can be our foe, if God is on our side?]  32 He who did not withhold or spare [even] His own Son but gave Him up for us all, will He not also with Him freely and graciously give us all [other] things? 33 Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect [when it is] God Who justifies [that is, Who puts us in right relation to Himself? Who shall come forward and accuse or impeach those whom God has chosen? Will God, Who acquits us?] 34 Who is there to condemn [us]? Will Christ Jesus (the Messiah), Who died, or rather Who was raised from the dead, Who is at the right hand of God actually pleading as He intercedes for us?  Romans 8:31-34 AMP

 

Contrary to what the devil and religion would like us to believe, God is really and truly on our side! If He did not withhold His own precious Son, sending Him to die for us, then He will surely freely and graciously bless us with all the other things! The devil wants us to think that God is angry with us, judging us, condemning us and accusing us, but it is the devil that is the accuser of the bretheren. God went to so much trouble to justify and acquit us, He is not about to start condemning us. Jesus, Himself, died for us and now intercedes for us, pleading with God on our behalf.  

 

Who shall ever separate us from Christ’s love? Shall suffering and affliction and tribulation? Or calamity and distress? Or persecution or hunger or destitution or peril or sword? 36 Even as it is written, For Thy sake we are put to death all the day long; we are regarded and counted as sheep for the slaughter. 37 Yet amid all these things we are more than conquerors and gain a surpassing victory through Him Who loved us.  Romans 8:35-37 AMP

 

Jesus loves us so much that even in the midst of the worst of circumstances and persecution, He is working with and in us, giving us the victory.

 

For I am persuaded beyond doubt (am sure) that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor things impending and threatening nor things to come, nor powers, 39 Nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Romans 8:38-39 AMP

 

There is nothing in the natural realm or the spirit realm – even death – that can separate the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Nothing in creation can stop the love of God in our lives. God loves us beyond what our minds can imagine or comprehend, but we need to meditate on His Word and begin to get a revelation of God’s immense and immeasurable love for us so that we can walk in the fullness of all He has planned and prepared for us.

 

 

13 But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth, 14 to which He called you by our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle. 16 Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, 17 comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work.   2 Thessalonians 2:13-17 NKJV

 

The word “tradition” used here means a teaching, a transmission, an ordinance or a precept. Paul is telling the Thessalonians – and us – that they need to continue to follow the teachings they received from Paul, himself, and the other disciples and apostles. He is also recommending that they follow the example that they set before them.

 

6 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, 7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. 8 See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.  Colossians 2:6-8 NIV

 

The teachings and traditions that we are taught by the Holy Spirit and recorded in the Bible are teachings and traditions that bring us into liberty and not into bondage. It is the hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world that lead us into bondage. Whenever people depart from the Word of God and begin to make up their own minds about how things are, that is when they – and everyone who listens to them – get into trouble.

 

Paul encourages the Colossians – and us – to grow in the things of God when he says, “Just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him.” Just as we came into an intimate relationship with Jesus when we were born anew from above, so we must remain close to Him and intimate with Him, coming to know Him more and more every day. We must be rooted in Him and built up in Him alone and not in man’s tradition. We must continue to be strengthened in the faith just as we have been taught. We must maintain an attitude of gratitude and be overflowing with thankfulness.

 

5 So the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, “Why don’t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with `unclean’ hands?” 6 He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: “`These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. 7 They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.’  8 You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men.”   Mark 7:5-8 NIV

 

There is good tradition and there is bad tradition. The important thing to remember is that we are to love God with all our hearts and honor Him always, in everything. As long as we remain humble and allow God’s work in our hearts, we will stay on the right path. It is human arrogance that will lead you into deception – thinking that we can make up our own rules whilst we ignore God’s rules.

 

26 If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. 27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.   James 1:26-27 NIV

 

Our religion – our worship – is in vain if we do it our own way and not God’s way. True religion – worship – is to keep a tight rein on our tongue, to care about other people and to continue to follow the Word of God and the Spirit of God. We live in this world, but we must not allow ourselves to be polluted by the world. We must allow the Word and the Spirit to lead us, guide us, direct us and keep us. The most important thing to remember is that it is God alone, Whom we must please and God alone, Whom we must honor – with all our hearts, at all times, every day and in every way!

11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.  Ephesians 5:11 NKJV

 

Works of darkness are the evil things you do- the things that are wrong; the things that bring harm to yourselves and also to others; the things you do that are sin in God’s eyes. These works of darkness are unfruitful – they are unproductive – they produce no good fruit.

 

Ephesians 5:3-5 says, “But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person-such a man is an idolater-has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.” These are unfruitful works of darkness.

 

They are unproductive and a waste of time and ability. God is never pleased or satisfied with waste, unfruitfulness and unproductiveness.

6 Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any.

 

7 So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, `For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’

 

8 “`Sir,’ the man replied, `leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. 9 If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.'”  Luke 13:6-9 NIV

 

A good farmer does not waste his time and resources on a tree that does not produce. It is wasting the soil and water that would be better used to feed and water a productive tree. If there is no fruit, there is no food. If there is no food, everything that relies on that fruit for food will die. It is not a small thing – it is a very important matter.

 

God made everything to produce after its own kind. The fruit that a tree produces is food, but it is also seed for the next generation. Healthy living things always produce fruit. If a tree is dead and lifeless, it will not produce. Because dead things do not produce, God cuts down every thing that is dead.  

 

1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.

 

2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.

 

3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.

 

4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

 

5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

 

6 If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.

 

7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.  John 15:1-8 NIV

 

You are a branch in the kingdom of God. Branches that do not bear fruit are eventually cut off and burned. Branches that bear fruit are pruned for more productive growth.

 

Nobody wants to be cut off and burned and therefore you need to allow the Lord to prune you. In the pruning process, you must deal with the sin in your life, because it is unfruitful and it will make you unfruitful. You must bear good fruit in order to remain connected to the vine.

 

5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge;

 

6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness;

 

7 and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.

 

8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

9 But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.  2 Peter 1:5-9 NIV

 

Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order that they may provide for daily necessities and not live unproductive lives.  Titus 3:14 NIV

 

If you do not want to live an unproductive life, you must devote yourself to doing what is good!