Intimacy with our King

“And, behold, Boaz came from Beth-lehem, and said unto the reapers, The LORD be with you. And they answered him, The LORD bless thee. Then said Boaz unto his servant that was set over the reapers, Whose damsel is this?”

‭‭Ruth‬ ‭2:4-5‬ ‭KJV‬‬

At that moment, Boaz came from Bethlehem to survey his harvest.  He greeted the harvesters, “May Yahweh be with you.”  They replied, “May Yahweh bless you.”  Noticing Ruth, Boaz asked his foreman in charge of the harvesters, “Who is that young woman over there?”  This is the start of a beautiful romance between Boaz and Ruth.  Boaz means strength and he is a prophetic figure of Jesus Christ, our older Brother and Kinsman-Redeemer.  Jesus, too, came from Bethlehem to bless His harvesters.  Today’s harvesters are the evangelists who go to the nations of the earth to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  May Yahweh’s blessing indeed be upon them as they seek a global harvest of souls.  The Holy Spirit is the Lord of the Harvest Who equips and places each believer in the harvest fields where we will be the most effective.  Boaz asked who the young woman was?  Let Jesus look at us and notice us because we love Him and let our romance with Him be alive as we trust Him more and more and ascend into deeper intimacy with Him. Amen!

The Light of Life has Come

 “For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.”

‭‭1 Thessalonians‬ ‭5:2-3‬ ‭KJV‬‬

You know for yourselves from experience how the day of the Lord suddenly dawns like a thief in the night!  The systems of this world of darkness and unbelief, which held the masses under their pseudo-sway of make-belief peace and security shall suddenly be broken into, like travail upon a woman with child, and none of their captives shall remain under their claim!  Like Paul as he journeyed to Damascus and a light flashed on him and he received the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ, so it is with each of us when we personally experienced the Light of Life in us.  A new day for mankind has come.  The authentic Light of Life that illuminates everyone has dawned in the world, through the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ!  We worship the living God!  Amen!

God is Faithful

 “Then she arose with her daughters in law, that she might return from the country of Moab: for she had heard in the country of Moab how that the LORD had visited his people in giving them bread.”

‭‭Ruth‬ ‭1:6‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Sometime later, Naomi heard that Yahweh had visited His people and blessed them with an abundant harvest; so she decided to leave Moab with her daughters-in-law.  Yahweh had observed His people and given them food.  It is notable that, while in the law, famine is attributed to unfaithfulness and fruitfulness to faithfulness, here Yahweh simply blessed the people in the days of the judges when everyone did whatever they wanted to do.  This reveals the mercies of Yahweh, in the old covenant of the law, who still brings sunrise and rainfall to all, whether they do good or evil.  In the new covenant of love, Yahweh loved the world—He gave His only, unique Son as a gift. So now everyone who believes in Him, will never perish but experience everlasting life.  He is Yahweh of goodness and faithfulness forever!  Amen!

Preach the Gospel

 “For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:”

‭‭1 Thessalonians‬ ‭4:15-16‬ ‭KJV‬‬

We give voice to the Word of the Lord; we are God’s wake-up call to them that are asleep!  We are exhibiting the immediate tangible Presence of the Lord and shall not exclude them!  In their awakening, the dead will all, first-hand witness the Lord stepping out of the invisible heavenly realm into their immediate visible horizon, with an inciting shout, announcing His triumphant reign in the trumpet-like billowing voice of God.  There are no geographical limitations in the Kingdom of God that exclude people from the Gospel of Jesus Christ!   There remains no disconnect between those who are dead and those who are alive;  everyone will encounter the great awakening, where the invisible meets the visible!  The people who dwelt in darkness have seen a great light!  The True Light that enlightens everyone has come!  And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together!  Glory to God!

Preaching Repentance & Remission of Sins

 “And the people repented them for Benjamin, because that the LORD had made a breach in the tribes of Israel.”

‭‭Judges‬ ‭21:15‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The people were remorseful and had compassion on the tribe of Benjamin because Yahweh had taken out a tribe of Israel.  Time and again, Yahweh had mercy when His people repented on behalf of others.  David said, “We have all sinned so much, just like our fathers…”; and Jeremiah and Daniel too later.  God heard their prayers.  The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.  Jesus started His ministry by saying, “Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”  After His resurrection He said “repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His Name among all nations..”. That is what the Lord Jesus wants for the Body of Christ to become united in preaching repentance and remission of sins to all nations.  This is what Yahweh wants and let’s do it!  Amen!

The Lordship of Christ in Us

 “And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you: to the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.”

‭‭1 Thessalonians‬ ‭3:12-13‬ ‭KJV‬‬

We can already see how the Lord causes the love we have for you to dynamically impact each of you and burst its banks to flood the entire world!  The dominion of the Christ life establishes you in blameless innocence, face to face before our God and Father, in the constant awareness of His Presence in our mutual togetherness with all the saints!  The Lordship of the Lord Jesus Christ endorses the reign of the Christ life in us.  The greatest hope and confident expectation we have is the Lordship and Presence of Christ when every tongue confesses that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father!

Unity of the Church

 “So all the men of Israel were gathered against the city, knit together as one man. And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, What wickedness is this that is done among you?”

‭‭Judges‬ ‭20:11-12‬ ‭KJV‬‬

So all the men of Israel united as one man to come against Gibeon.  The Israelite tribes sent couriers throughout the tribe of Benjamin, saying, “What is this brutal crime that you have done?….”  It is striking that the tribes refused to come together to help one another throughout most of the book of Judges until this clear moment of uniting to destroy one of their own tribes.  Jesus became the Son of Man to die in the flesh, in His body so that His promise would be fulfilled in the Body of Christ, His Church.  This is Jesus’s promise to us - “I pray that they will all be One, just as You and I are One—as You are in Me, Father, and I am in You…I have given them the glory You gave Me, so they may be One as We are One. I am in them and You are in Me.”  This is the unity that Jesus died and rose again to give His Church.  Let’s cooperate with the Holy Spirit to be one with Jesus and our Father, instead of tearing one another down.  Love never fails and the Holy Spirit has poured God’s love in us to love one another and stand united against the divisive wiles of the enemy.  Amen!

Christ Gift-Wrapped in Us to the World

 “But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children: so being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us.”

‭‭1 Thessalonians‬ ‭2:7-8‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Paul tells the Thessalonian church that he and his team were “fostering you with the tender care of a mother nursing her children.  It is with the same motherly affection that we yearn for tou and were delighted to present you God’s Gospel gift wrapped in us, since you are very dear to us!  This giving of the gift is the kind of giving where the giver is not distanced from the gift but wrapped up in it!  The apostles, prophets, preachers, pastors and teachers are gifts to each church to establish them in their faith and to present everyone in the full and mature stature of Christ.  There is a vast difference between a gift and a reward!  We are God’s gift to one another which God has gift-wrapped us to the world.  What we are in our individual expression is a gift, and not a reward for personal diligence or achievement.  These gifts were never meant to establish one above the other or become mere formal titles, but rather to identify specific and dynamic functions with one defined purpose - to bring everyone into the realisation of the fullness of the measure of Christ in them.  Hallelujah!

Victory in Christ

 “Now as they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, certain sons of Belial, beset the house round about, and beat at the door, and spake to the master of the house, the old man, saying, Bring forth the man that came into thine house, that we may know him.”

‭‭Judges‬ ‭19:22‬ ‭KJV

They were enjoying themselves when suddenly some perverted and depraved men of the town surrounded the house and pounded on the door.  They called to the aged owner of the house, “Bring out the man you invited into your house so that we can have sex with him.”  Belial is the evil spirit of the underworld that brings perversion in mankind.  It was soundly dealt with on the Cross.  Paul said,  “And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever?”…”Therefore “Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the Lord Almighty.”  Those who continue to reject the mercy of God received through the exchange that Jesus made upon the Cross, will come under the judgment of God.  Thanks be to God, for the Church which has the authority to speak defeat to the devil, and Who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Hallelujah!

Revelation from God to the Church

 “Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

‭‭1 Thessalonians‬ ‭1:1‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Paul, Silvanus and Timothy greet the church in the region of Thessalonica with grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.  The Church is those who discovered their original identity redeemed in Christ.  The mission of Jesus through His Church is to persuade the world of their true sonship - the Son of Man is the Son of God!  “When Jesus came to Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples this question: “What are the people saying about Me, the Son of Man? Who do they believe I am?” They answered, “Some are convinced You are John the Baptizer, others say You are Elijah reincarnated, or Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.” “But you—who do you say that I am?” Jesus asked. Simon Peter spoke up and said, “You are the Anointed One, the Son of the living God!” Jesus replied, “You are favored and privileged Simeon, son of Jonah! For you didn’t discover this on your own, but My Father in heaven has supernaturally revealed it to you. I give you the name Peter, a stone. And this rock will be the bedrock foundation on which I will build my church—my legislative assembly, and the power of death will not be able to overpower it!”  Glory to God in the Church by Christ Jesus!

Christ became a Curse for Us

 “And they set them up Micah's graven image, which he made, all the time that the house of God was in Shiloh.”

‭‭Judges‬ ‭18:31‬ ‭KJV‬‬

So they enshrined the idol Micah had made, and they made it their own even though the proper house of God stood at Shiloh.  Inspite of being told by Moses they must not have any other god but Yahweh and they must not make for themselves  an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea, they enshrined this idol and worshipped it.  This brought them under a curse and the land allotted to them was regularly encroached by the Philistines till they went with the rest of Israel into captivity hundreds of years later.  We thank God that Jesus became a curse for all under the curse of idolatry.  Yet, Christ paid the full price to set us free from the curse of the law. He absorbed the curse completely as He became a curse in our place. For it is written: “Everyone who is hung upon a tree is cursed.”  So now we are free to receive blessings from Yahweh, the Source of all Blessings!  Thank You Jesus!

Agreeing with our Intercessor

 “Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.”

‭‭Colossians‬ ‭4:12‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Epaphras, who is also fruit of your ministry, salutes you.  What a diligent worker of Christ he is, always labouring on your behalf with great intensity in his prayers.  His desire for you is to stand strong in the full accomplishment of Christ and to be fully persuaded in God’s purpose for your lives.  God has many who are in Christ today, who, like Epaphras are in selfless intercession for others, in the Church.  Let’s shift our focus from our own needs and wants and pray with a passion for others’ welfare and building up the Body of Christ. Let’s pray that those the Lord brings into our purview, may fulfil God’s purpose for their lives.  Jesus gave Himself for all humanity that we might give ourselves for others.  Jesus is able to save fully from now throughout eternity, everyone who comes to God through Him, because He lives to pray continually for them. He is the High Priest who perfectly fits our need—holy, without a trace of evil, without the ability to deceive, incapable of sin, and exalted beyond the heavens! Let’s agree with Jesus’s intercession in heaven.  Amen!

Believe the Truth

 “And the man Micah had an house of gods, and made an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest. In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.”

‭‭Judges‬ ‭17:5-6‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Now Micah had a shrine, and he made some idols and a counterfeit ephod and ordained one of his sons as his priest.  In those days, Israel had no king.  People did whatever they wanted to. The writer of Judges ends the book simply with the same words, under inspiration from the Spirit of the Lord. Israel had not yet formed a central monarchy and is spiritually lawless, ignoring their Lord God and doing whatever they'd prefer to do. The Gospel of Christ is never more needed than now at such a time as this,  when liberal thinking has caused many to do whatever is right in their own eyes.  We need to live within the Gospel boundaries!  What is the Gospel but simply to believe this, that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the scriptures.  Our iniquities are nailed to the Cross and we have been saved from eternal damnation.  Let’s be the good news carriers!  Amen!

Be the Gospel

 “knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.  Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven. Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;”

Colossians‬ ‭3:24-25 and 4:1-2‬ ‭KJV‬‬

God is no-one’s debtor; you are employed under the Lordship of Christ.  To live contrary to the life of your design is to injure yourself; your job description does not define you, it doesn’t matter who you are.  Unrighteousness carries its own consequence and it is not a respecter of persons.  If you are the boss, treat those who work for you in the light of their equality in Christ; He treats you like that and He is the big Boss in the spiritual realm.  Persist in prevailing prayer.  Be attentive and sensitive to the voice of the Spirit and not be over-occupied with prayers for yourself and your own needs.  Grace and gratitude is the language of prayer.  The relevance of time is in redemption realities and it is the glorious Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ that gives that relevance.  Let’s be the Gospel even in our work place!  Amen!

Redeemed from all Iniquity

 “Then went Samson to Gaza, and saw there an harlot, and went in unto her.”

‭‭Judges‬ ‭16:1‬ ‭KJV‬‬

One day, Samson went to Gaza, a Philistine town, and slept with a prostitute there.  Samson’s moral failures outweighed his physical strength.  Samson was a mighty deliverer, but he was riddled with compromise.  He was mighty in strength but weak in self-control.  He was a man who had some of the greatest potential in the whole Bible, but he proved to be one of the greatest disappointments as well.  Yahweh blessed his life from birth, he was a leader, a ‘man’s man,’ with God’s Spirit to strengthen him.  Yet he left a legacy of compromise and moral weakness.  He could tear a lion apart, yet he could not control his lust.  How we thank Yahweh for the new covenant where through the finished work of Jesus on the Cross, we can repent and come into a life of purity and holiness.  The Word of God teaches us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.  Amen!

His with Christ in God

 “For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.”

‭‭Colossians‬ ‭3:3‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Your union with Christ’s death broke the association with that world; see yourself located in a fortress where your life is hidden with Christ in God!  Jesus had said, “In that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me and I in you.”  Let’s occupy our mind with this new order of life; we died when Jesus died; whatever defined us before no longer defines us now.  Christ, in Whom the fullness of God dwells, defines us now!  Our life hidden in Christ is the secret of our life which is in union with Christ in God!  Let’s be heavenly minded, not earthly minded (soul-ruled), because we have undergone death and we are risen in Christ, seated at the right hand of God, our Father.  Christ is our life, when He is made manifest in us and we manifest His glory!  Hallelujah!

Rivers of Living Water

 “But God clave an hollow place that was in the jaw, and there came water thereout; and when he had drunk, his spirit came again, and he revived: wherefore he called the name thereof En-hakkore, which is in Lehi unto this day.”

‭‭Judges‬ ‭15:19‬ ‭KJV‬‬

So God answered Samson’s prayer and split open the rock basin under Lehi, and water gushed out!  Samson drank and his spirit revived.  He named that place “The Spring for One Who Cried,” and it is still there in Lehi or En-hakkore, to this day.  En-hakkore means crier’s fountain.  There is a hidden spring called En-hakkore.  God has a hidden spring reserved for those who cry.  If tears have streaked your face and grief has torn your heart, there is a spring reserved for those who cry.  If tears have streaked your face and grief has torn your heart, there is a spring of restoration that God has for you.  Drink of this living spring of water and He will comfort you and restore you.  Jesus said, “but if anyone drinks the living water I give them, they will never be thirsty again. For when you drink the water I give you, it becomes a gushing fountain of the Holy Spirit, flooding you with endless life!”  Let’s believe it.  Amen!

Under the Dominion of Grace

 “and having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.”

‭‭Colossians‬ ‭2:15‬ ‭KJV‬‬

In Christ dying mankind’s death, He disarmed every possible claim of accusation against the human race and so made it a public spectacle of every rule and authority in God’s brilliant triumph, demonstrated in Him.  The voice of the Cross will never be silenced and the horror of it is now the eternal trophy of God’s triumph over sin!  The Cross stripped religion of its authority to manipulate mankind with guilt.  Every accusation lost its leverage to blackmail the human race with condemnation and shame!  The religious façade that disguised the law of works as a means of defining a person’s life, was openly defeated.  The dominance of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was ended.  He stripped all the spiritual tyrants, all principalities, all authority, every definition of dominion under the fall, every dynamic influence and government structure in society - and brought it under the dominion of grace where the Christ-life rules.  We are redeemed into glory!  Worthy is the Lamb!

The Church has the Riddle of Life

 “And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, and slew thirty men of them, and took their spoil, and gave change of garments unto them which expounded the riddle. And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father's house.”

‭‭Judges‬ ‭14:19‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Then suddenly, the Spirit of Yahweh rushed upon Samson, infusing him with power!  He went down to Ashkelon and killed thirty of their men.  He stripped them of their linen tunics and their robes and gave them in payment to those who had explained the riddle.  Then, in a blazing fury, he returned to his father’s house.  Linen was used for the garment of a priest.  Thirty is the number of a mature priesthood, for men could only become priests at the age of thirty.  Samson’s riddle has revelation hidden within it for the Church today.  Seven days they feasted trying to solve the riddle.  One day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.  We are on the seventh day from Adam and are about to unravel the riddle of life.  The ones who solve the riddle receive new garments, costly festive wedding garments, clothed with immortality.  O Lord, I will honor and praise Your Name, for You are my God. You do such wonderful things! You planned them long ago, and You accomplish them.  Hallelujah!

Thank You Father

 “giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:”

‭‭Colossians‬ ‭1:12-13‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Paul’s awesome revelation of our gratitude to the Father Who qualified us to participate in the complete portion of the inheritance of the saints in light - this light of the Gospel which reveals what God accomplished to transform the sinner into a saint.  He rescued us from the dominion of darkness (the sense-ruled world, dominated by the law of performance) and relocated us into the Kingdom where the love of His Son rules.  Darkness is not a force, it is the absence of light.  A darkened understanding veiled the truth of our redeemed design from us.  What empowered darkness was the lie that we believed about ourselves!  I was confused about who I am until the day that I heard and understood the grace of God in truth, as in a mirror.  Hallelujah!

Ordinary becomes Extraordinary by the Holy Spirit

 “And the woman bare a son, and called his name Samson: and the child grew, and the LORD blessed him. And the Spirit of the LORD began to move him at times in the camp of Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol.”

‭‭Judges‬ ‭13:24-25‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Manoah’s (rest or restoring) wife gave birth to a son, and she named him Samson (a sunbeam).  The boy grew up with Yahweh’s blessing on his life.  The Spirit of Yahweh began to stir his heart while he was between Zorah (a hornet’s nest) and Eshtaol (a narrow pass). Samson was the twelfth judge in Jewish history.  God’s Spirit moved on him powerfully and empowered him.  Samson was ordinary but when Yahweh’s Spirit empowered him, he became extraordinary!  His faith is commended in the new covenant in the hall of fame of outstanding faith.  Today, because of the finished work of the Cross of Christ, ordinary people are empowered by the Holy Spirit to do extraordinary exploits for our God.  Let’s believe that!  Amen!

Rejoice, Rejoice & Rejoice

 “Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4:4-6‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Joy is not a luxury option; joy is your constant! Your union in the Lord is your permanent source of delight; so I might as well say it again, rejoice in the Lord always!  This kind of joy empowers you to show perfect courtesy towards all people!  The Lord is not nearer to some than what He is to others!  Let no anxiety about anything distract you!  Rather, translate moments into prayerful worship, and soak your requests in gratitude before God!  Let your influence on others be continuous, reasonable and courteous.  This was Paul’s attitude towards the idol worshipping Greek philosophers.  Your joy makes the Gospel visible and irresistible!  Every definition of distance is cancelled, as well as every excuse to feel miserable and neglected!  Anxiety divides your focus on being in Christ.  Your requests do not surprise God; He knows your thoughts from afar and is acquainted with all your ways; yet He delights in your conversation and childlike trust!  Thank You Father!

The Power of Life in Your Tongue

 “then said they unto him, Say now Shibboleth: and he said Sibboleth: for he could not frame to pronounce it right. Then they took him, and slew him at the passages of Jordan: and there fell at that time of the Ephraimites forty and two thousand.”

‭‭Judges‬ ‭12:6‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Jephthah’s victory over the Ammonites, offended the men of Ephraim because he didn’t ask them to join their forces. So Jephthah overpowered them in battle.  When any Ephraimite tried to escape and asked permission to cross the river, the men of Gilead would ask, “Are you an Ephraimite?”, if he said, “No,” they would tell him to say “Shibboleth.”  But if he could not pronounce it correctly and said “Sibboleth,” the men of Gilead would seize him and kill him there at the crossing place of the Jordan.  At that time, they killed forty-two thousand Ephraimites.  Because of their accent, the men of Ephraim were unable to pronounce Shibboleth, which means “branch” or “torrent”.  Sibboleth means “ear of corn.”  The men of Ephraim were betrayed by their speech.  Believers today can likewise reveal who we are by our words.  Since our words have power to release life or death, we must use them wisely.  Let no corrupt communication proceed out of our mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace to the hearers.  Amen!

In Christ All are Made Alive

 “if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭3:11‬ ‭KJV‬‬

When confronted with death, I actually come face to face with my own resurrection!  No resurrection implies no hope for anyone beyond the grave; it makes no difference whether you believed that you were included in Christ’s death or not.  If our hope in Christ was restricted to only benefit us in this life then imagine the severity of our disappointment if it all had to come to an abrupt end when we died.  However this very moment the risen Christ represents everyone who has ever died; exactly like the first fruit represents the complete harvest.  The same mankind who died in a man was raised again in a Man.  In Adam all died; in Christ all are made alive.  Worthy is the Lamb!

Trust Yahweh’s Word

 “then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall surely be the LORD's, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering.”

‭‭Judges‬ ‭11:31‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“I will offer up to You as a burnt offering the first thing that comes out of my house to greet me when I return in victory.  I will sacrifice that one as an offering to you.”  Jephthah was the eighth deliverer to deliver Israel from its enemies.  He had a questionable past but Yahweh includes even a person with a social stigma.  Although Jephthah made a foolish vow thinking that as family and livestock lived together in the custom of that day, that an animal would come forth.  Sadly, it was his only child.  Yahweh had already empowered Jephthah by His Holy Spirit and assured him of the victory.  Let’s trust Yahweh’s Word when He speaks to us as His Word cannot be broken and not trade anything with Him for what can we give Yahweh!  However, Jephthah’s faith was commended in the new covenant in the hall of fame.  And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:  Let’s trust Yahweh and His Word.  When we believe, we receive.  Amen!

God Graced Jesus with the Highest Name

 “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2:9‬ ‭KJV‬‬

From this place of utter humiliation, God exalted Jesus to the highest rank.  God graced Jesus with a Name that is far above every other name.  Do you want to measure the mind and muscle of God?  Consider the force He unleashed in Jesus Christ when He raised Him from the dead and forever seated Him enthroned as His executive authority in the realm of the heavens.  Jesus is God’s Right Hand Power!  He was raised up from the deepest dungeons of human despair to the highest region of heavenly bliss!  Infinitely above all the combined forces of rule, authority, dominion or governments; He is ranked superior to any name that could ever be given to anyone of this age or any age still to come in the eternal future.  The Name of Jesus endorses His mission as fully accomplished!  He is the Saviour of the world!  The grace of God shines as bright as day making the salvation of mankind undeniably visible.  Every family in heaven and on earth originates in Him; His is mankind’s family name and He remains the authentic identity of every nation!  Hallelujah!

Jesus, Save Us!

 “And the children of Israel said unto the LORD, We have sinned: do thou unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto thee; deliver us only, we pray thee, this day. And they put away the strange gods from among them, and served the LORD: and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.”

‭‭Judges‬ ‭10:15-16‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The Israelites continued to plead with Yahweh, “Rescue us! We know we are guilty.  You can do to us whatever seems good to you, but please, come to our rescue!”  So they threw away the false gods from among them and returned to worshipping Yahweh.  At last, Yahweh felt Israel’s misery and could bear it no longer.  At that time Yahweh had chosen Israel to reveal Himself but now at the right time, God loved the world, all mankind, every human being - He gave His only, unique Son as a gift. So now everyone who believes in Him will never perish but experience everlasting life.  Christ is the only way to be sin-free and becoming one with God Himself.  It starts with seeking the mercy of God and receiving forgiveness.  Repentance is so important for us to walk in the freedom of forgiveness and coming into the favour of God for our lives.  This is what the Israelites learned that it is better to throw yourself upon the mercy of God than to be subject to the cruelty of men.  Thank You Jesus for including all humanity through the finished work of the Cross to receive forgiveness.  Amen!

Our Daily Conduct Displays Gospel’s Power

 “Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭1:27‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The one essential thing that would fully engage the focus of our earthly citizenship is the fact that our daily conduct communicates the value worth of the power of the Gospel of Christ.  Paul says that whether he is present with them to witness their steadfastness, or absent, their spiritual union and single-mindedness is equally evident.  Paul desires to express not only the unity in the Body of Christ of inseparable togetherness, but the union we have with Christ, so that together we run the race to a victorious finish proclaiming the triumph of the Cross!  Hallelujah!

Yahweh is our Shelter

 “Then said all the trees unto the bramble, Come thou, and reign over us. And the bramble said unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint me king over you, then come and put your trust in my shadow: and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.”

‭‭Judges‬ ‭9:14-15‬ ‭KJV‬‬

After Gideon’s death, Abimelech the son of Gideon’s concubine, assumed leadership and killed all his half-brothers, except Jotham, who spoke a parable to the citizens that all the trees asked first the olive tree, then the fig tree and then the vine to be the king but each refused.  Finally all the trees said to the thornbush to come and be their king.  Th thornbush said if they put their trust in its shade they can anoint it king, but if not, let fire blaze out of its thorny branches and consume the cedars of Lebanon!  The three trees before the thornbush represent the believers enjoying following Christ: the olive tree signifies the oil of anointing of the Holy Spirit; the fig tree is the goodness and sweetness of Christ’s love; and the vine is the joy and cheer that Jesus brings to our lives.  A thornbush offers no shade and Abimelech, the thornbush, offered neither shelter nor care to Israel.  May the Church not look to the world for shelter and care but let Christ be our sufficiency!  Amen!

We Must Be Born Again

 “Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭6:13‬ ‭KJV‬‬

It is most important therefore to acquaint yourself with every aspect of God’s armour.  You are fully fit to powerfully defeat any onslaught or contradiction on any day of confrontation, triumphantly standing your ground.  The days where the law of hardships, annoyances and labour dictated your life are over!  God’s armour represents His reputation; His victory defines you.  The evil day is that which is full of hardships, annoyances and labour.  The reduced state of the individual left its mark on mankind as being earthly; now the redeemed state of mankind confirms their origin in God and marks their new heavenly life.  Just as the flesh (our earthly image) once defined us, we are now defined by our spirit (our heavenly) image.  That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit, is spirit.  Let’s not marvel when the Lord Jesus tells us we must be born again!  Amen!