SEA
SEA, THE
RIVER
RIVER
RED SEA
RED SEA, PASSAGE OF
EXODUS
RED SEA
I. The Bitter Lakes region
II. The Gulfs of Suez and Aqabah
JORDAN
I. Archaeological sites
II. Topographical features

a. CHURCH
Today we are living in the age where God’s grace is paramount, His judgement being saved for a time to come.

The church’s job is to take this message of hope to the world, not only bringing people to belief in Jesus but also training them to be disciples.

The Gospel is to be presented in a non-judgmental way.

Presenting the Gospel to the world in a way that reflects God’s grace is the seventh challenge the church faces today. For Jesus will not return until we do!

b. BELIEVERS
The church can not live in grace unless the individuals in it do also. For we are the church.

Our walk is to be one of grace.

As we live out the grace Jesus has shown us, so we grow more into His image, progressing along the path towards holiness.

Growing in holiness, through God’s grace, leads us down the path to spiritual maturity.

a. CHURCH
Money is the point at which the church meets the world. The world’s system is based upon money, simply a convenient, flexible medium of exchange for goods and services. While the church needs money to operate, the promotion of the extreme prosperity doctrine – give and you will receive – as a way of attracting money to a church or ministry, is specifically condemned in the New Testament.

The reality of the New Testament is that wealth is seen as an inhibiting factor, often preventing people from entering into God’s kingdom.

The most common teaching method used in our churches to obtain money is the principle of the tithe – the giving of 10% of a person’s income to the church, as the Jews were required to give to the Temple under Old Testament Law. This requirement however, is not confirmed in the New Testament. In fact Jesus was quite derogatory about it as the primary means of meeting ones obligations to God. While required under the Law, a godly character was important too.

However Jesus wasn’t against giving! For He commended the widow’s sacrificial gift. The difference is one between Law and Grace. For the widow gave out of gratitude, not as a legal requirement.

For the law is now placed on our hearts and minds, and we are to give out of conviction and love for God.

Encouraging giving on the basis of grace, not law, is the eighth challenge facing the church today. For Jesus will not return until we do!

b. BELIEVERS
We are to be content with what we have as riches may lead us away from God.

Instead, we are to store up treasures in heaven.

And we do this by generous giving.

Generous giving leads us down the path to spiritual maturity.

a. CHURCH
This is an area of considerable controversy, particularly in the Western church, where miracles are generally notable by their absence. This is not the case in Africa, Asia, South America, etc., where the people, through circumstances, are less able to rely upon themselves, or the state, so have no other alternative than to rely upon God. I have observed in many places that desperation brings reliance upon God, which in turn brings miracles.

Righteousness too, helps set the scene for miracles to happen.

Often miracles take place in meetings.

b. BELIEVERS
There is a gift of miracles, given to some but not all.

Miracles come from God and not through human effort.

The glory must be given to God, for He does the miracles, not us.

Even Jesus gave the Father the glory, so how much more should we!

God does extraordinary miracles through people!

But faith is required on the part of the receiver also.

The source of miracles is God, who grants them at His discretion. We must work through Him, thanking Him for all things.

Believing in the power of God to do miracles today leads us down the path to spiritual maturity.

....as we move into the final 3 lessons that God is showing us.

People (including me!) come up with many ideas in these controversial areas where our humanity is very evident.

You may, or may not, agree with my interpretations. But all I ask is that you get into Scripture to see what it says and to go to God and let Him show you for yourself.

Ammon and Zobah

The Bible gives much more detail to Israel's war with Ammon (see 2 Sam 10). The Bible records David's kindness to Hanun, a new king of Ammon, and his kindness was scorned and David sent Joab out for war. Hanun hired mercenary soldiers from Aram (Beth-rehob, Zobah, and Maacah). When Joab met the combined armies he displayed outstanding military foresight and defeated them. He then returned to Jerusalem and Hadadezer, king of Zobah came against him with fresh troops. Israel met him across the Jordan at Helam and were victorious. Israelite supremacy was acknowledged once again. Joab then laid siege to Rabbah (site of the present day Amman Jordan) 22 miles east of the Jordan River to utterly defeat Ammon. It was during this siege that David sinned with Bathsheba, and had her husband Uriah killed by ordering Joab to place him at the front of the battle, where the fighting was the heaviest. (2 Sam 11:1-27). Rabbah was finally taken and David made it a part of his own kingdom.