Put On Christ

 “In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭6:1‬ ‭KJV

Isaiah clearly saw the Lord in the year that King Uzziah died.  Adonai was seated on His exalted throne, towering high above Isaiah.  Adonai’s long, flowing robe of splendour spread throughout the temple.  The prophet Isaiah realised that God would judge even a king when he sinned, since he was a leper.  Isaiah saw the holiness of God in this judgment and knew that if his uncle the king was judged, he would be too.  Long before Jesus was born, Isaiah saw His glory and how He would take God’s judgment on Himself for the sin of mankind, and his eyes were opened to see God as He really is.  The very robe of God’s glory has through the Cross, touched us in Christ, for we are His temple.  When we put on Christ we are robed in His splendour before God and His angels.  Let’s put on the Lord Jesus Christ every day!  Glory to God!

The War is Over

 “And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭16:20‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Paul is saying a mind boggling word, which sounds hard to imagine that the God of peace will swiftly pound Satan to a pulp under our feet! And the wonderful favor of our Lord Jesus will surround us.  Can we see by faith that God Who is the Author of our peace shall quickly and utterly trample satan the accuser, doing it with our feet?  Our victory is realised in the revelation of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and is echoed in our Amen!  We are the Body of Christ.  God desires to demonstrate His reign of peace in us by confirming Satan’s defeat in our practical day to day experience.  The defeat of the accuser is celebrated in what the grace of the Lord Jesus communicates.  The law of faith already defeated the law of works - the war is over!  Hallelujah to the Lamb!

Woe to those who Reverse the Moral Code

 “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭5:20-21‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Isaiah is clear about the values of God’s Word and says that it is a curse to those who call evil good and good evil, and replace darkness with light and light with darkness, who replace bitter with sweet and sweet with bitter.  Cursed are those who are wise in their own eyes and see themselves as clever and shrewd.  The moral code is reversed, as sin is accepted as something good.  Not content to abandon what is good, they must label it as evil.  Those who abandon the absolute standards of God’s Word will find a reversal of every virtue.  Good is mocked and evil is embraced.  Light is ridiculed and darkness is worn like a cloak.  The sweetness of God is called bitter; the bitterness of sin is called sweet.  Who will outwit Eternal Wisdom?  Who can outsmart Infinite Intelligence?  God will resist the proud of heart.  The wisdom that comes from above is without pride.  Let’s humble ourselves and in Christ become the wisdom of God and the power of God.  Hallelujah!

See, Hear & Understand the Gospel Message

 “But as it is written, To whom he was not spoken of, they shall see: And they that have not heard shall understand.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭15:21‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Paul spoke through Isaiah’s prophecy that as said in the Scriptures those who know nothing about God will clearly see Him, and those who have not heard will understand.  Those who have never been told about Him, will be startled to see Him clearly; even though they have never heard of Him, they will understand His message.  The message of truth speaks a global language.  Paul says that the open statement of the truth, which is the Word made flesh in us in the mirror reflection of Christ, appeals to everyone’s conscience.  As Paul says that our lives are letters known and read by all.  Let’s take the help of the Holy Spirit to reflect Jesus in and through our lives as living epistles of Christ to the world.  Amen!

Cleansing the Daughters of Zion

 “when the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭4:4‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Isaiah prophesied to the daughters of Zion, which is the Church, the Bride of Christ and synonymous with the new Jerusalem.  The once haughty daughters of Zion are humbled and repentant and the Lord has washed away their filth and cleansed the bloodstains of Jerusalem by the Spirit of Justice and by the Burning Spirit.  Adonai will wash away the filth from the church of Christ - even bloodstains - by the breath of judgment and fire.  The Spirit of Judgment releases holy vision to see things as God sees them.  Decisions will be made by the justice of God, not the prejudices of men.  Adonai does not just execute judgment but He demonstrates perfect discernment to see what is holy and what is not.  The Spirit of Fire completely cleanses God’s remnant and makes them holy by refining fire.  The fire of passionate love for Jesus will cleanse the Church, and keep us pure from temptation and end-time distractions.  Let’s give our first passionate love for the Lord Jesus.  Amen!

Christ the Visible Expression of the Invisible God

 “For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, And every tongue shall confess to God.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭14:11‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Paul is quoting here and in several of his epistles what Isaiah prophesied in the spirit, that just as it is written: “As surely as I am the Living God, I tell you: ‘Every knee will bow before Me and every tongue will confess the truth and glorify Me.’”  Isaiah recorded what he heard God say that God’s Own Life is the guarantee of His conviction that every knee shall freely bow to Him in worship, and every tongue shall spontaneously speak with the same certainty mirrored in God Himself!  Let’s believe that Christ is the visible expression of the invisible God Who existed before creation began and everything was made through Him whether spiritual or material, seen or unseen.  God purposed in His sovereign will that all human history be consummated in Christ, and that everything that exists in heaven or earth shall find its perfection and fulfilment in Him.  Hallelujah!

It will Go Well with the Righteous

 “The shew of their countenance doth witness against them; and they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not. Woe unto their soul! for they have rewarded evil unto themselves. Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭3:9-10‬ KJV

As Isaiah prophesied of the coming generation of the last days that the look on their impudent faces says it all, for they publicly flaunt their sin like Sodom, not even trying to hide it.  Woe to their souls for they invite disaster upon themselves.  Yet reassure the righteous; it will go well with them! They will fully enjoy the reward of their deeds.  The rebellious who parade themselves with impunity are inviting demonic influences over their lives.  But let the righteous be reassured that it will go well with them!  They will fully enjoy the reward of their deeds.  The lovers of God, even in a time of difficulty, can enjoy the sweet fruits of seeking God and serving His Kingdom.  They will reap the good seeds they planted, for seeds turn into fruit.  The fruit of their deeds is the holy confidence that God is with them, even in a season of judgment.  We can know it will go well with us, for the message of hope is this, “Tell the righteous they can still be joyful and it will be well with them.”

Remain Debt Free

 “Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭13:8‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Don’t owe anything to anyone, except your outstanding debt to continually love one another, for the one who learns to love has fulfilled every requirement of the law.  Remain debt free; the only thing we owe the world is our love.  This is the essence of the law.  We love and value others the same way we value ourselves.  The endless love of God has been poured into our heart by the Holy Spirit, so we don’t generate this love in us by striving in our flesh.  We just obey God Who is love, by surrendering to the Holy Spirit and doing what He leads us to do.  When we experience the perfect love of God, all fear is removed from us as we revel in the love of our Father, shown through the Cross of Jesus Christ.  The more we meditate on the Cross, the more hard-heartedness is removed from us and we realise we are as righteous as God is.  Let’s enjoy God’s love in us to love others!  Amen!

Zion - the Mountain of the Lord

 “And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭2:2‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Isaiah’s prophecy is that in the last days, the mountain of Yahweh’s temple will be raised up as the Head of the mountains, towering over all the hills.  A sparkling stream of every nation will flow into it.  No matter how despicable our past, God’s grace will fully establish His people as the Mountain rising above every other mountain.  Mountains in the Bible are often used metaphorically for kingdoms.  Kingdoms and governments are like mountains and hills.  The Mountain-Kingdom of God is the chief of all mountains, the highest of all hills.  The secular world sees Christ’s Kingdom as irrelevant and powerless.  But that day is not far when the kingdoms of the earth will be levelled and the King of kings Mountain will be high and exalted.  Without any rival, Jesus sits enthroned on that Mountain-Kingdom which is Zion, a synonym for the people of God, the dwelling place for His Spirit.  This is where Yahweh is known for His greatness, the Hope for all the afflicted.  Glory to God!

We Are God’s Gift

 “or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭12:8‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Paul’s brilliant strategy to win souls, is to just be there alongside someone to remind them of their true identity; always letting faith set the pace.  We are intertwined with our Triune God and are a gift, wrapped up in the same parcel given to the world.  Let’s lead with passion; minister mercy cheerfully.  Let’s give generously and even be sensitive to the needs of our enemies because God sees gold in every person.  Hostility cannot hide our true value, which Christ won for us while we were hostile towards Him.  His kindness leads us to a radical awakening of our minds.  We are God’s gift, wrapped to the world, as we release Christ in and through us.  Hallelujah!

The Powerful Resurrection

 “And Joseph said unto his brethren, I die: and God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land unto the land which he sware to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my bones from hence.”

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭50:24-25‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Then Joseph declared to his brothers, “I will die one day, but God will certainly come to you and fulfill His promises to bring you and your descendants from this land and lead you to the land He promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  So Joseph had his brothers, the sons of Israel, make a solemn oath, saying, “When God comes to you, you will carry my bones up from Egypt.”  Even in death, Joseph fixed his eyes on eternity and foresaw life beyond the grave.  By his astonishing declaration about his bones, Joseph proclaimed he lived for the promises, rather than temporal concerns; he refused to be identified with his successes, accomplishments, or the blessings on his life, but only with the promises.  He proclaimed that his home was not Egypt but the promised land and he believed in the resurrection of the coming Messiah, for he saw it prophetically and didn’t want to be left out.  Jesus’s resurrection was so powerful that many were instantly raised back to life again along with Joseph, and they were plainly seen by many people walking in Jerusalem.  Glory to the Risen Christ!

Christ, our Righteousness

 “And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, And a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them:”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭11:9‬ ‭KJV‬‬

David sees how the very table of blessing has become a stumbling block to the Jews through their ignorance.  The table of the Lord is the prophetic celebration of the sacrificed Lamb, where God Himself provides redemption according to the promise; yet therein they were trapped and snared and they stumbled because of their own unbelief.  Now their only reward is the table they set for themselves.  The whole ceremonial law they had lay in meats and drinks and such like things, which they sacrificed for justifying their righteousness before God, observing these rites and ceremonies, and imagining that by these sacrifices their sins were really expiated and atoned for.  They neglected and submitted not to the righteousness of Christ but went about to establish their own, so that which should have led them to Christ became a handwriting of ordinances against them, and rendered Christ of no effect to them.  Even the Old Testament prophecies which clearly pointed out Christ, are misapplied by them and proved a stumbling block to them.  Let’s not rely in any way on justifying our own righteousness but totally depend on the reality of Jesus becoming sin for us that we might be the righteousness of God in Christ.  Thank You Jesus!

Daughter of Zion

 “And the daughter of Zion is left as a cottage in a vineyard, as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city. Except the LORD of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭1:8-9‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Isaiah’s prophecy to Judah, that the daughter of Zion is left as helpless as a deserted shack in a vineyard or like a flimsy shelter in a field of cucumbers - in every way like a city besieged!  If the Lord of Hosts had not left us survivors, our fate would have been the same as Sodom and Gomorrah!  Even during devastation, God calls His people the “daughter of Zion.”  God’s people are His daughter, born out of Zion, the holy realm.  In the New Covenant, we who were co-crucified and are co-risen with Christ, have already come to Mount Zion, the city of the Living God which is the New Jerusalem in heaven.  Here in Isaiah’s time, instead of His dwelling place, they have become like a flimsy hut.  The work of God, as Isaiah prophetically sees it, is to restore this “hut” to the place of the divine shelter or dwelling place.  Even the besieged city will one day become the New Jerusalem, where God and humanity mingle as one.  In the New Covenant, we are joined to the Lord in one Spirit, only by faith in the finished work of the Cross.  Thank You Father for Your awesome plan!  Amen!

Seek God’s Kingdom & Righteousness

 “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 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?”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭10:13-14‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Everyone who calls on the Lord’s Name will experience new life.  But how can people call on Him for help if they’ve not yet believed? And how can they believe in One they’ve not yet heard of? And how can they hear the message of life if there is no one there to proclaim it?  Salvation is to understand that every person’s true identity is revealed in Christ.  How is it possible to convince people of their identity in Him while they do not believe that He represents them?  How will they believe if they remain ignorant about who they really are?  How will they understand if the Good News of their inclusion is not announced?  How can we keep this wonderful information to ourselves?  Let’s first seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all things that we need which our Heavenly Father knows, shall be added to us!  Thank You Father!

Fruitful Vine

 “Joseph is a fruitful bough, Even a fruitful bough by a well; Whose branches run over the wall:”

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭49:22‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Israel, knowing that he will soon pass on, called his sons and prophesied over them their future destinies.  Here he says that Joseph is a fruitful vine, a fruitful vine growing by a spring, whose branches run over a wall.  Joseph, the clearest type of Christ in the Old Testament, is seen as a fruitful vine by a spring or a fountain.  The Lord Jesus called Himself the fruitful Vine and us as His branches.  When the Fruitful Vine lives through us, the fruit of the Spirit begins to be seen in our personality.  Jesus branches out through us, just as He branches out from the Father.  The Spring or Fountain is the Life of the Father.  The source of Joseph’s life and purity was from the Spring of Eternal Life.  All Joseph’s fruitfulness came from the water of the Divine Spring.  This is available to all who believe in the finished work of the Cross.  Let’s only believe!  Amen!

Our True Identity

 “What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭9:22‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Paul is writing about the Jews that in the same way, although God has every right to unleash His anger and demonstrate His power, yet He is extremely patient with those who deserve wrath—vessels prepared for destruction.  Mankind deceives themselves when their knowledge of their true identity becomes blurred by the flesh.  They go away and immediately forget what manner of person they are!  Paul’s noble birth carried no further significance when he discovered his spirit identity revealed in Christ.  The recorded history of Israel prepares the prophetic stage of God’s dealing with global mankind.  Faith and not flesh would be the medium of God’s dealing with man.  Flesh reduces man to the senses and the soul realm, while faith’s substance reveals mankind’s true spirit identity.  Truth immersed in agapé, ignites faith.  To both the Jews and the non-Jews was the gospel preached, but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.  Let’s get every vestige of unbelief and let’s believe the truth of God’s Word with faith because of our identity in Christ.  Amen!

Blessing our Children

 “the Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.”

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭48:16‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Jacob prepared to bless Joseph’s sons after he had adopted them, by placing his right hand over the younger son and left over the older.  Jacob said that the Angel Who had delivered him from all harm, bless these boys and may their lives echo Jacob’s name, and the name of his fathers Abraham and Isaac.  May they multiply into teeming multitudes throughout the earth!  The Lord had visited Jacob as an Angel, the Midnight Wrestling Man, his True Friend.  At the end of his life, Jacob could say that his Shepherd-Friend had delivered him from all harm.  Instead of moaning and complaining about his hardships, this servant of God declared the mercy that had preserved him.  Christ, the Mediator of the New Covenant, redeems us from all evil.  Let’s learn to bless our children and grandchildren with the New Covenant grace blessings  Jesus, our Lord won for us through the Cross!  Amen!

In the Spirit

 “But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭8:9‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Paul gave this revelation that when the Spirit of Christ empowers our life, we are not dominated by the flesh but by the Spirit. And if we are not joined to the Spirit of the Anointed One, we are not of Him.  We are not ruled by a flesh-consciousness (law of works), but by a spirit-consciousness (faith) and God’s Spirit is at home in us.  Anyone who does not see themselves fully clothed and identified and embraced in the Spirit of Christ cannot be themselves.  For we perceive how God sees us in the mirror of the Word, so let’s not go out and forget our divine origin.  Let’s come to ourselves, possessing our mind to see what God sees in us!  Thank You Holy Spirit for making us Your Temple.  Amen!

The Less is Blessed of the Better

 “And Joseph brought in Jacob his father, and set him before Pharaoh: and Jacob blessed Pharaoh.”

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭47:7‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Later, Joseph brought Jacob into the house and presented him before Pharaoh.  And Jacob gave Pharaoh a blessing.  Although Jacob greeted Pharaoh with respect, it was Jacob who blessed Pharaoh not Pharaoh blessing Jacob!  Although he was the highest person on earth, Pharaoh came under the blessing of Jacob.  A refugee from Canaan became the “blesser” of Pharaoh!  With the authority of a prophet, Jacob blessed Egypt’s ruler.  The fact that Jacob blessed Pharaoh proves that he was greater than Pharaoh for without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better.  In the new covenant that Jesus Christ made with us, the redeemed of the Lord, we are on this planet to release God’s blessings on the perishing, we are their good news!  Let the Church know that this is the only way that God’s blessings are released on the earth.  We, who are in Christ, are blessed to be a blessing to others.  Amen!

Willpower Fails Us

 “For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭7:19‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Paul reveals his predicament which all mankind faces, that his lofty desires to do what is good are dashed when he does the things he wants to avoid.  Willpower fails us; this is how embarrassing it is!  The most diligent decision that we make to do good, disappoints.  The very evil that we try to avoid is what we do.  If mere quality decisions could rescue mankind, the law would have been enough.  Good intentions cannot save someone.  The revelation of what happened to us in Christ’s death is what brings faith into motion to liberate from within.  Faith is not a decision we make to give God a chance, faith is realising our inclusion in what happened on the Cross and in the resurrection of Christ.  Give us grace Father, to put the Cross before us and the world behind us.  Amen!

Loving & Forgiving

 “So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and Lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.”

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭45:8‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Joseph reveals himself to his brothers telling them that it was God and not them, Who sent Joseph to Egypt; and that God had made Joseph a father to the Pharaoh, the master of his entire household, and the ruler over all of Egypt.  Joseph’s compassion for his brothers was deep because for the third time he told them that it was God and not them, Who orchestrated all the events to bring him to the throne.  Joseph’s words flowed from a loving, forgiving heart as his kindness washed over them; their guilt was overruled by Joseph’s mercy.  Joseph told them through tears how God worked through it all by sending him ahead of them to preserve their lives.  Today, because of Jesus’s sacrifice on the Cross, we learn to forgive those who hurt us because God uses them to move us toward His Throne.  When we see ourselves in the Hands of a loving God, we will not be offended.  Some of our dreams are fulfilled when we handle mistreatment and betrayal with forgiving love.  Thank You, Abba, for giving us the spirit of sonship to call You “Abba”!  Glory!

Dead to Sin, Alive to God

 “For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭6:10-11‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Jesus’s appointment with death was once-off.  As far as sin is concerned, He is dead.  The reason for His death was to take away the sin of the world; His Life now exhibits our union with the Life of God.  This reasoning is equally relevant to each of us.  As we calculate the Cross, there can only be one logical conclusion that He died our death.  That means we died to sin and are now alive to God.  Sin-consciousness can never again feature in our future!  We are in Christ Jesus.  His Lordship is the authority of our union.  Jesus did not have to suffer again and again since the foundation of the world.  The single sacrifice of Himself in the fulfilment of history now reveals how He has brought sin to nought.  From now on, we think in this way that sin speaks a dead language that means nothing to us.  God speaks our mother tongue, and we hang on every Word - we are dead to sin and alive to God.  That’s what Jesus did! Hallelujah to the Lamb!

Jesus Bore the Blame for Us

 “And Judah said unto Israel his father, Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go; that we may live, and not die, both we, and thou, and also our little ones. I will be surety for him; of my hand shalt thou require him: if I bring him not unto thee, and set him before thee, then let me bear the blame for ever:”

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭43:8-9‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Then Judah spoke up on behalf of Benjamin and said to Israel, “Father, I promise to guarantee his safety with my life.  You can hold me personally responsible if I don’t return with him.  I’ll bear the blame before you for the rest of my life if I fail to bring him safely back to you!  You have my promise.  Entrust him to my care, and let us be on our way, so that we all don’t die of starvation - we will live and not die..”  This is an amazing statement of sacrificial love from Judah.  One day the Son of Judah would come, the Lion from the tribe of Judah, Jesus, Who would offer His Life as ransom for many.  Judah had experienced the loss of his two children so now he could understand his father’s situation.  Let’s be sacrificial in showing love to others as we choose to follow Jesus as sons of God.  We love because Jesus loved us first.  When the Church matures into the full measure of sonship, we will see Jesus Whom our soul loves.  Thank You Jesus!

God’s Dream Come True

 “by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭5:2‬ ‭KJV

Paul reveals the mystery that our faith guarantees us permanent access into this marvelous kindness that has given us a perfect relationship with God. What incredible joy bursts forth within us as we keep on celebrating our hope of experiencing God’s glory!  Jesus is God’s face to face grace embrace of the entire human race.  So we stand tall in the joyful bliss of our redeemed innocence!  We are God’s dream come true!  This was God’s idea all along to welcome us with wide-open arms, to lead us as the Shepherd Who leads His sheep, rejoicing.  Joy is not an occasional happy feeling, we are positioned there by our immovable, unthreatened union with Christ.  Hope is our anticipation with pleasure of the glory of God!  Hallelujah!

Loving Others is God’s Wisdom

 “And Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed of them, and said unto them, Ye are spies; to see the nakedness of the land ye are come.”

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭42:9‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Joseph remembered the dreams he had about his brothers bowing down before him!  Pausing, he said to them, “You are spies!  You’ve come to see where our land is weak!”  At that moment Joseph had the choice of revealing his identity to his brothers or remain in disguise, he chose the latter for the wisdom of God was in him.  He wanted to test them to see if they were repentant of their betrayal.  From a human standpoint, Joseph would have been happy for an instant reconciliation with them, but Joseph was a man broken by God and was now prepared to deliver others.  Joseph spoke and acted in such a way that their hearts would be revealed and exposed.  It was not a spirit of revenge driving Joseph but true love for his brothers and the ways of God.  The tests Joseph took them through were designed by God to see what they had done and come to repentance.  Because of Jesus’s sacrifice on the Cross the Holy Spirit has shed abroad His love in our hearts to love others because He does not want any to perish but all to come to repentance.  Let’s love others to bring them into the Kingdom of God through repentance.  Amen!

Jesus - the Amen & the Faithful

 “And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb:”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭4:19‬ ‭KJV

Paul, writing to the believers in Rome explains about Abraham’s faith that inspite of being nearly one hundred years old when the promise of having a son was made, his faith was so strong that it could not be undermined by the fact that he and Sarah were incapable of conceiving a child.  Abraham’s faith would have been nullified if he were to take his own age and the deadness of Sarah’s womb into account, but this did not distract him in the least!  He finally knew that no contribution from their side could possibly assist God in fulfilling His Promise - Abraham, “the father of the multitudes”; and Sarah - “mother of nations, kings of peoples shall come from you!”  Every time they addressed one another they spoke the Promise of God.  Jesus is the Amen and the Faithful to all His Promises to us in the new covenant.  Let’s make bold declarations of God’s Promises to us in Christ Jesus!  Amen!

From Pit to Palace in a Day

 “And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph's hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck; and he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee: and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt.”

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭41:42-43‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The Pharaoh of Egypt removed his signet ring, placed it on Joseph’s finger, and had him clothed with fine linen robes!  He adorned Joseph with a golden collar around his neck and had him ride in the chariot reserved for the second-in-command and sent runners going before him, crying out “kneel”!  In this way, Pharaoh placed Joseph over all the land of Egypt.  The Pharaoh recognised that God was with Joseph and the Egyptians would recognise Joseph’s authority.  Once accused of rape, now made prime minister, head of all people, chief justice, and general of the armed forces in all of Egypt - all as a foreigner!  From prison to the highest office in one day.  This testifies to Joseph’s God-given wisdom and grace.  The risen Christ went from the tomb to the Throne as King of kings.  Joseph is a type of Christ.  Jesus came to His own but they did not receive Him.  God’s Word will be fulfilled that every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord!  Glory to God!

Law of Faith

 “Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭3:27‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Paul explains that there is no room for boasting in our works.  Do our works bring God’s acceptance? Not at all! It was not our works of keeping the law but our faith in his finished work that makes us right with God.  The law of faith cancels the law of works; which means there is suddenly nothing left for anyone to boast in.  No one is superior to another.  Through the righteousness of God we have received a faith of equal standing.  The operating system of the law of works is willpower; the operating system of the law of faith is love.  Love sets faith in motion.  Willpower is the language of the law while love is the language of grace and it ignites faith.  Willpower exhausts, love builds up.  We love because He loved us first.  Let our boasting be only in the Lord Jesus for His immeasurable grace that calls us to only believe.  Hallelujah!