Fathers Heart Ministry

AND THE GOOD NEWS IS... Prophet Russ breaks a four-year silence to bring a message of good news in the political arena. - Prophet Russ Walden

A special announcement about the Morning Light Daily Bible Study.

[Today: Joshua 7]: The Valley of Achor for a Door of Hope. In this chapter of Joshua we see a man named Achan held responsible for Israel being defeated before their enemies. He had a hidden sin in his life that affected all around him. He was brought before the people in the valley of Achor and what happened next restored hope to the people that God would yet be with them. God wants us to be willing to have a valley of Achor experience for our own sakes and the sake of others who are suffering because of choices we might have made.

[Today: Joshua 6]: Bringing Down the Walls of Your Jericho. In this chapter we learn of the walls of Jericho being brought down by God. The people were to march around for six days. Six is a number that represents man. When you do what you can do God will do what he can do. Our obedience expresses our connection to God and He responds by bringing breakthrough to our lives.

[Today: Joshua 5]: Angels and Circumcision of the Heart. In this chapter Joshua makes sure the people are circumcised. What does circumcision of the heart mean? What are the consequences? Did you know that angels are always near when circumcision is an issue among God’s people? Circumcision is connected with God’s covenant in our lives and angels are beings whose purpose is to implement God’s covenant. As believers if our hearts are uncircumcised the angels will not be present as they otherwise should be. If you want all that God has for you regarding angelic protection and power you must find out what circumcision of heart means to you.

[Today: Joshua 4]: Who is the Apostle in Your Life and Why Does it Matter? When Joshua begins his ministry he is instructed to choose 12 stones and set them for a memorial. When Jesusa began His ministry he called 12 apostles whose names are engraved in the foundation stones of the New Jerusalem. In this story of the people crossing from the problems in the wilderness to the potential of Canaan we see a figure of the much needed ministry of the apostle which is little in evidence in Christianity today even though Jesus said that he would build His church upon the apostles.

[Today: Joshua 3]: Moving from Problem to Potential. In this chapter, the people prepare to cross Jordan into Canaan. Canaan was not heaven but it did represent the fulfillment of every promise God made from Abraham to Moses. In crossing over their focus was on the Ark of God’s presence. To move from your problem to your potential you must 1.) Follow the Ark of God’s Presence in Your Life; 2.) Move forward in Humility.

[Today: Joshua 2]: Rahab and the Scarlet Cord. In this chapter Joshua sends spies into Jericho and they encounter a harlot named Rahab. This woman didn’t have much going for her but she did have faith in God. In obedience to the spies she put out a scarlet cord on her window that the angels saw and spared her house in the fall of the walls where her home was built. Prophetic acts are very powerful though we seem foolish when we perform them. What prophetic act is God calling upon you to do that will provoke your breakthrough and salvation?

[Today: Joshua 1]: Out of the Wilderness Into the Promise. There is a time that the wilderness trip in your life comes to an end. In this chapter, God raises up Joshua and gives him simple instructions that will assure victory in Canaan. The wilderness is not a dwelling place, but Canaan is. The promised land represents YOUR potential in God. The instructions of God to Joshua are beneficial as instructions to those of us who are determined to actually have and not just hope for all that God has for us in this life.

[Today: Deuteronomy 34]: Your Physical Body and the Glory. Did you know that the devil himself covets access to your physical body even after death? In this chapter, we see that Satan himself contended for Moses' physical body after death. This was because of the glory that rested on Moses and made his face to shine. Paul teaches in 2 Co. 3 that the glory in us is a greater glory than that of Moses. How much more would the enemy by his strategies seek to diminish the glory of God in us? We have no idea how potent God is in us and the potential benefits of being the dwelling place of God in our physical bodies. A powerful insight today on divine health, the glory of God, and impartation.

[Today: Deuteronomy 33]: The Blessing of Moses. In the previous chapter, we have the song of Moses charging the people to remain faithful. In this chapter, we find the blessing of Moses over the people. Interestingly enough, several tribes are left out of this blessing, and the birth order of the tribes is completely rearranged. Is this a mistake or something specific God has done to reveal New Covenant mysteries to us? God doesn't do things according to our idea of fairness or our rationale. As there is a blessing in this passage for Israel by her tribes, so there is a blessing to you in your spiritual tribe.

[Today: Deuteronomy 32]: The Eagle Stirs Up the Nest. In this chapter we find the song of Moses. This poem of Moses gives a panoramic view of human history from Adam to mount Sinai in the metaphor of God as an eagle stirring up the nest, provoking her young to flight. God takes no pleasure in punishing man or in human suffering. His highest value was not placed on the law as an end in itself but as the means to bringing us to the end of ourselves that we might become that creature of flight – that spiritual being for which Christ died.

[Today: Deuteronomy 31]: Preparing to Cross Over. In this chapter Moses continues to finalize the affairs of Israel before his death. What was the key to Moses long life? Does God’s presence still attend us as it did Moses? Does the presence of God extend life? How long can you as a believer expect to live? Can you change your life expectancy through your proximity to the presence of God? Why did God reject Moses for striking the rock? What was the rock’s significance? Are the first 5 books of the bible the only TRUE canon or the only canon closed by GOD Himself? All these questions are addressed in today’s study.

There will be no Morning Light today. We will return Monday, Jan. 25th. Blessings to you! ~ Prophet Russ

[Today: Deuteronomy 30]: Returning to the Lord. What does it mean to return to the Lord? Is it merely a sentiment of regret for wrong choices? What are the pitfalls that keep us from returning to God in some particular area of our lives? What does repentance look like? Is it merely going to church or measuring up to cultural conditioning or imposed religious expectation? What is God's response to a return to Him? Is it an immediate breakthrough or something more involved? All these questions are addressed in today's chapter.

[Today: Deuteronomy 29]: Activating the Language of the Covenant. In this chapter, we see that the entirety of the first five books of the Bible is actually the verbiage and terms of an elaborate covenant God makes with His people. Even for New Testament believers, there is an implied command to respond to the INTENT and PURPOSE of God in giving us the Old Testament and the New. Many believers either outright or, in fact, functionally reject the Old Testament as relevant to their lives. Nothing could be further from the truth, as this chapter will show us.

[Today: Deuteronomy 28]: Blessed Coming in and Going Out. There are consequences of being in a relationship with Christ. In this chapter, the parameters of God's blessing in your life is minutely defined around every action and circumstance you may find yourself in. Likewise, the description of estrangement from God is given in order to help us find restored fellowship. Things are the way they are because of what we choose – as we allow the scriptures to motivate us to choose life; God's radical blessing will be our portion. In this chapter, Moses continues to rehearse the blessings of hearkening to God's voice and the consequences of disobedience.

[Today: Deuteronomy 27]: Mountains of Blessing and Cursing. In this chapter, the people are instructed once in Canaan to pronounce blessings and cursings from Mt. Ebal and Mt. Gerizim. In a time of grace and mercy from God through Jesus, are there consequences for disobedience? What is our accountability before God, where moral issues are concerned? Does God still curse today? If God doesn't curse disobedience, does that mean neither does He bless us when we obey?

[Today: Deuteronomy 26]: Faithfulness in the First Fruits. Does God still ask for the first fruits in our life? Are the Old Testament requirements regarding giving carried over in the New Testament? Can we find the practice of tithing in the early centuries of the church of the New Testament record? Does it matter where we give or how much? Do we give only after all our own expenses are met, or do we give beforehand, trusting God for the remainder to meet the need? What about the tithe? What did Jesus teach about the tithe? In this chapter, the people are instructed in the manner in which first fruits were to be given and what God’s promise was to those who responded with cheerful obedience.

[Today: Deuteronomy 25]: Am I My Brother's Keeper? To what degree are you responsible for the lives of others? Are there consequences when we ignore needs other than our own? What about the corporal punishment of children? Is it ok to physically chastise a child? When under pressure, at what point are we justified to excuse ourselves from the dictates of our faith and act in self-preservation? These and other issues are all addressed in this chapter.

[Today: Deuteronomy Chapter 24]: Breaking the Stigma of Divorce. In this chapter, many family issues are addressed. Did you know the divorce rate among Evangelical Christians is higher than that of atheists and agnostics? Unfortunately, the church no longer (if it ever did) hold the moral high ground of what it takes to form a successful marriage. Did you know that God Himself circumvented His own law regarding divorce and remarriage? In this chapter, we find extremely controversial yet very helpful insights into these troubling subjects that touch very close to home.

[Today: Deuteronomy Chapter 23]: Be Circumspect Before the Battle. In this chapter, God instructs the people to be conscientious in the area of personal holiness when facing a spiritual battle. Many times we are turned back in battle and fail to see breakthrough because of allowances we afford ourselves that ultimately GRIEVE the Holy Ghost and cause our prayers to go unanswered.

[Today: Deuteronomy 22]: Old Testament Standard or New Testament Example? In this chapter, we find instructions regarding our obligations toward our neighbor, our brother, and even our close relationships, such as in marriage. Indifference is never sanctioned by scripture, although religious culture, even in Christianity, often justifies abuse and misuse of those who offend us. We must contrast the Old Testament Standards with the New Testament Example of Christ. In this chapter, various statutes are covered, addressing community responsibility and relationship issues. Many of these laws are not incumbent upon the believer today but at the same time speak to us more deeply about our relationship with God and spiritual principles of who Jesus is to us and our place in the Kingdom of God.

[Today: Deuteronomy 21]: Creation Groans Until Now! In this chapter, God lays out a litany of social ills that "defile the land." There is a burden of responsibility that lies upon the population of a city or nation that extends beyond individual culpability. Likewise, there is a cleansing available to those that will stand not as political operatives but as kings and priests unto God on behalf of the testimony of the shed blood of Calvary for the land itself that scripture tells us groans to be relieved of innocent blood.

[Today: Deuteronomy 20]: The Battle that Precedes Breakthrough. In this chapter, rules of war are established from Moses to the people. Warfare is part of the believer's experience. Pressure precedes promise. We must be ready for battle and accept battle as part of the legitimate path that leads to the things God has spoken over your life.

[Today: Deuteronomy 19]: Beheading the Enemy in Your Life. In this chapter, the Father continues instructing the people for the time WHEN and NOT IF the promised land becomes their possession. God's plan for your life is not a MAYBE PROPOSITION. He promises to implement the provisions of the cross in your SPIRIT, SOUL, AND BODY to bring the fullness of His blessing and purpose as provided by the death and resurrection of Jesus.

[Today: Deuteronomy 18]: A Prophet Like Jesus. In this chapter, Moses predicts the coming of Jesus as a prophet. Are the prophets around us like Jesus, or are they calling down fire like Elijah? There is a conflict of characters in the prophetic today that our chapter has a bearing on. Likewise, the offerings for the priesthood are outlined that speak to us of the expectations of God upon our lives where our witness is concerned, for we are His living sacrifices.

This is the 2020 Holiday greeting from Prophet Russ and an announcement that we are on haitus through Christmas and New Year's. We will return with Morning Light, Deuteronomy 18 on January 4th. Blessings! ~ Prophet Russ

[Today: Deuteronomy 17]: Pitfalls in the Promised Land. In this chapter, God warns the people through Moses of various challenges they would face in the land of Canaan. 1.) They would be tempted to dilute their faithfulness to God and marginalize their standards of commitment by offering polluted sacrifices. 2.) They would be faced with complicated societal issues that would tempt them to stray from the simplicity of God’s word. 3.) They would eventually choose a king, which would involve many vulnerabilities and lead to a return to paganism. All of these issues are relevant to Christians today living in increasingly aggressive secularism in a post-Christian era.

[Today: Deuteronomy 16]: We Don’t Have it All Yet! In this chapter, we are reminded of the feasts of God. They represent three distinct experiences available to believers beginning with the new birth, i.e., being born again. There are three feasts in Israel, just as the bible speaks of three baptisms. God wants us to experience His fullness in our spirit, soul, and body. This is a challenge to believers because we don’t like to think there is something we don’t have yet in God. The Father wants us to know His fullness in our spirit, soul, and body – which the three feasts of Israel attest to and foreshadow. In this chapter, Moses reviews the feasts that are prescribed in the law. Beginning in the month of Abib, they were to keep Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles. These are connected with the barley harvest, the wheat harvest, and the fruit harvest. Each of these feasts represents one aspect of spiritual experience available to the believer (new birth, baptism of the Holy Ghost, putting on immortality, i.e., the baptism of fire). They are a reminder of the full salvation promised to us, and the invitation from the Father to keep the feasts by receiving all God has for us.

[Today: Deuteronomy 15]: God Hates Poverty! In this chapter, the people are reminded to care for the poor. This is more than giving your cast-offs and a few dollars to the local thrift store. God hates poverty, and He looks to us as His covenant partners to be a part of the solution and not part of the problem. When we give to the poor, we enter into a contractual obligation of blessing from God. God will bless you when you act on behalf of those who are struggling and suffering in life. When we neglect the poor, we will ourselves suffer unnecessarily. Poverty is everywhere around us, but in this chapter, God paints a picture of a society where poverty is non-existent.

[Today: Deuteronomy 14]: Should We Reject the Old Testament? In this chapter, Moses reiterates various laws, including dietary laws. Are we today subject to the dietary laws of the Old Testament? What if any value do the scriptures outlining the dietary laws have for us? Do we simply discard the Old Testament, for that matter? What place should the Old Testament and the laws of Moses hold in our lives? Many struggle with this and fall into the error of following stylized Pseudo-Jewish religion. This is not God's plan. Likewise, others reject the Old Testament altogether. In this study, we will see the appropriate and, in fact profound relevance to our life in Christ that the Old Testament and Moses' laws have for us.

[Today: Deuteronomy 13]: Who is Your Mother and Your Brethren? In this chapter, God calls on the people to be accountable for outbreaks of idolatry in their midst. If their leaders led others into idolatry, they were to be executed. If loved ones and family members fell into idolatry, they were to be stoned. If cities became idolatrous, they were to be put to the sword. There is no record that the people of God ever carried out these terrible judgments, but the message against idolatry and against comprise is very clear. God is a jealous God even over our lives today.

[Today: Deuteronomy 12]: Putting Away Our Idols. In this chapter, the people are instructed how to respond to the idols they encounter in Canaan. The promised land was a landscape of idolatry. It speaks of the minefield of spiritual seduction that you face every day in the world around you and even in the culture of the church. God wants your dependency to be on who He is on the inside of you, not on any false outward resource. When this is brought about in your life, and the idols are destroyed, you will see God's promised increase, promotion, and security on the ascendency.

[Today: Deuteronomy 11]: The Days of Heaven on Earth! In this chapter God promises if you will find out what “adhering” or “cleaving” to Him looks like – that He will adjust your life’s experience to “the days of heaven on earth”. There is much mis-direction in religious culture today that is all about coping with suffering and going through trials with humility and grace. We do need to walk in humility at all times but the clear promise of God is that He intends for your life to be as “heaven come to earth” not just “understanding better by and by”.

[Today: Deuteronomy 10]: To Circumcise Your Heart – Is this Possible? In this chapter Moses rehearses the giving of the Law. The commandments were originally given directly to the people from a mountain covered with the fire of God’s glory. That same glory is what Paul declares in Col. 1:26,27 is ON THE INSIDE OF US. God writes on our hearts today and the result is what we call “circumcision of the heart”. Man cannot circumcise his heart with religious exercise – it is a supernatural act of the Holy Ghost as we yield ourselves to Him.

[Today: Deuteronomy 9]: Crossing Over Time! There is a moment in time that God will bring His sovereignty and your blessing together in an opportunity for radical breakthrough. In this chapter Moses is standing with the people at the Jordan and they have been here before and failed. We have all failed and missed God’s timing and blessing for us. We are often tempted to blame God and make excuses but if we will learn the lesson of the second chance God gives you can EXIT the wilderness trip and enter into your personal promised land!

[Today: Deuteronomy 8]: Is God Chastening You? Many times we go through things thinking that our suffering originates with God. This is a common belief that has been at the center of Christian though and theology for centuries. In this chapter we see that the chastening of God is something far different than dead religion would suggest. God chastens the children of Israel with manna every morning and water from the rock and supernatural health and supply. This is the chastening we can seek out and experience and give thanks for in our own lives if we will follow the example set by the ancient people of God.

[Today: Deuteronomy 7] Overcoming the Seven Nations in Your Personal Canaan. There were seven nations that Israel was instructed to war against and defeat in Canaan. Their names speak of fear, compromise, following the crowd, being discouraged, and not walking in love. These are elements that will show up in our own hearts, and in the lives of people that we have made covenants with that are going to have to be dealt with. Walking in false pity or rationalization can rob you of the blessing of God and cause your destiny to become an abortion. In this chapter we see how to overcome and destroy the contaminating influences that resist us as we move into our destiny.

[Today: Deuteronomy 6] Coming into the Muchness of God. In this chapter God simplifies His expectations with the commands to “love the Lord with all your heart, soul and might”. God is not interested in you living some convoluted, complex religious lifestyle. His purpose is to increase you and prolong your days upon the earth. He wants you to reap the benefits of His Lordship and find your identity in Him.

[Today: Deuteronomy 5] Face to Face with the Father. In this chapter Moses recounts how God called the entire nation before Mount Sinai and spoke with them face to face. God’s first choice is always a face to face relationship. It is possible and it is available for us today. It is always God’s first response to us but often we opt for alternatives and exclude ourselves from the highest and best that He has for us.

[Today: Deuteronomy 4] Commandments on This Side of Jordan. In this chapter, Moses gives preparatory instructions to the nation of Israel just before entering Canaan. Having a hearing ear is vital in a time of transition. Moving into the promises of God in your life brings new challenges requiring a fresh perspective on things God has said in the past. We must review from time to time our fidelity to God’s words from time past and the scriptures so that we stay aligned with God’s best for our lives.

[Today: Deuteronomy 3] Defeating a Controlling Spirit. In this chapter God sends the people to content for the area of land known as Bashan which is now the Golan Heights. Bashan means “a place of fruitfulness”. Bashan was held by the last of a race of giants whose name speaks of stubbornness and a spirit of control. If you are to come to your fruitful place you will encounter controlling spirits, willful people who will oppose you in the thing God has called you to do. In this chapter we learn how to war for our fruitful place and receive all that God has for us in a time of transition from the wilderness to our personal Canaan.

[Today: Deuteronomy 2] Exiting the Rough Place. In this chapter Moses rehearses the journeyings of Israel as they leave Mount Seir. Seir means “rough place”. We have all done time here. If you are in a rough place the question looming in your mind is “how do I get out of here?” This chapter in Deuteronomy will show you the exit from the rough place into the spiritual geography where you avoid the distractions of the enemy and see the blessings of God come on you in a supernatural way.

[Today: Deuteronomy 1] Believe the Good Report – and LIVE! In this chapter, we introduce the book of Deuteronomy, containing three final messages from the prophet Moses. The people are warned against listening to adverse reports no matter how authoritative their source. Many use their position to paint a dark picture of events on the earth. The positive message seems out of step with the times in consideration of circumstances on the national stage. Israel made this mistake, and it cost an entire generation their destiny. We must find the courage to believe the good report and move toward the promises of God in our lives.

[Today: Numbers 36] Retaining Your Inheritance. In this chapter, a contingent of leaders inquire about a potential loss of inheritance, and the Lord gives them instructions regarding how to address the situation. We see that God defends the generational well-being of the people and defends women's rights, which is almost unheard of in ancient times. What is your inheritance? You may not be an inheritor in natural things of this world, but you are an inheritor of God nonetheless. It is God's heart that you receive and retain your inheritance.

[Today: Numbers 35] Cities of Refuge. In this chapter, God instructs Moses to establish cities of refuge where suspected man slayers could find protection from the avenger of blood. How does this translate to a New Testament application for the believer? We are all guilty of the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. The city of refuge is a type of kingdom culture as God would have it – a community of believers without accusation or judgment toward one another, extending the mercy of God to the undeserving because we are equally unworthy of the mercy God has so freely given to us.

[Today: Numbers 34] When God Backed the Word of an Angry Drunk. In this chapter God instructs Moses to appoint men to divide the land they are about to take from the Canaanites. Where did this appointment come from? The prophecy that the Israelites moved forward on originally came from Noah when he was drunk, angry and hung over in Genesis 9. We are too cavalier with our prophetic words. In this chapter we will see how 2.2 Million people hazarded their lives in expectation that the word of God through a man with a drinking problem would come to pass.

[Today: Numbers 33] Surviving Between Moves of God. In this chapter, Moses recites the wilderness journeying of the children of Israel. These are called the "stations of the wilderness." From Ramses to the plains of Moab, the Lord led the children of Israel for forty years by the pillar of fire by night and the cloud by day. One would think this would be a holy and blessed time. Often, however, when they waited for the next transition, rebellion would break out, and suffering would result. While you are waiting for the next chapter of God's leading in your life, you must know how to posture yourself before God so that even though you may be in a wilderness experience, you still survive and thrive and make it to your own personal Canaan.

[Today: Numbers 32] Don't Settle for Second Best. In this chapter, we find two tribes of Israel who decide they don't want to go into Canaan land. They want to settle on "this side of Jordan". God had an inheritance for them, but circumstances and situations led them to believe they were better off just settling for second best. We often find ourselves in less than perfect situations - but because we are tired and frustrated, we settle for second best and want to quit trying. This is a deception. Life on any terms is filled with challenges regardless of our decisions. Go, first-class, all the way. Don't settle. Don't compromise. Don't twist your doctrine to justify a theology of unbelief as though God didn't offer us life and life more abundantly in Christ.