Mature in the Spirit

 ”Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. Receive us; we have wronged no man, we have corrupted no man, we have defrauded no man.“

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭7‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Paul said, “Beloved ones, with promises like these, and because of our deepest respect and worship of God, we must remove everything from our lives that contaminates body and spirit, and continue to complete the development of holiness within us. Again, I urge you, make room for us in your hearts, for we have wronged no one, corrupted no one, and taken advantage of no one.“  Believers today must take an active approach to spiritual maturity and living holy lives.  Grace never removes our responsibility to be faithful to God but empowers to do what pleases Him.  Every minister must set for his or her calling: to do no wrong to another, nor “hate” anyone; to not corrupt or lead anyone astray; to never use his or her authority to take advantage of anyone by cheating for personal gain.  Paul had a blameless record in his ministry.  Let’s be mature and disciplined to follow Paul’s example.  Amen!

The Spring of Comfort and Restoration

 ”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 the One Who Cried” and it is still there in Lehi to this day.  There is a hidden spring called En Hakkore.  God has a hidden spring reserved for those who cry.  In Samson’s time, the Spirit of God came and went but thanks be to God for the new covenant when the Spirit of God dwells in believers.  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 and restore you.  Jesus said, “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”  Let the comfort of God, restore us today.  Amen!

Christ Came to Serve

 ”as sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.“

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭6‬:‭10‬ ‭KJV‬‬

We may suffer, yet in every season we are always found rejoicing. We may be poor, yet we bestow great riches on many. We seem to have nothing, yet in reality we possess all things.   What an amazing list of characteristics of true apostolic ministry.  These are the virtues that endeared Paul and his ministry companions to the churches and validated his authority as an example to them of God’s true servant.  Christ came to serve and not to be served.  For all who are in Christ, we learn from Paul to be true servants and be transparent about our inner feelings not being hypocritical or self righteous with hidden motives.  Let’s be true to Christ.  Amen!

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 blazing fury, he returned to his father’s house.  This was a wedding feast and riddles were common as a source of entertainment in ancient times.  There was revelation hidden within this riddle for the Church, today, as the Bride of Christ pledged to our true Husband.  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.  Seven days they feasted trying to solve the riddle.  We are in the seventh day from Adam and we are about to unravel the riddle of life.  The ones who solve the riddle receive new garments: costly festive wedding garments of linen which signifies the righteousness of God in us and therefore immortality.  We are the righteousness of God in Christ.  Amen!

The Judgment Seat of God

 ”For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.“

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭5‬:‭10‬ ‭KJV‬‬

For one day we will all be openly revealed before Christ on his throne so that each of us will be duly recompensed for our actions done in life, whether good or worthless.  The judgment seat of Christ is His Throne.  The judgment for our sins done in the body, fell upon Christ upon the Cross, and the believer will never be judged for his or her sins.  Now this judgment is  for rewards.  There will be different levels of reward given to believers after death.  For some, there will be no reward, yet they will still be saved.  Why do we need to condemn another believer? Why do we look down on another believer? Remember, we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. For the Scriptures say, “‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bend to Me, and every tongue will declare allegiance to God.’” Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God.”  Because we have a relationship with the Living God, there is no fear in His love for His perfect love casts out fear, as fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.  Let’s surrender ourselves to the mighty Holy Spirit Who perfects us in our life here on earth.  Amen!

The Wonder of Christ’s Sacrifice, Resurrection & Ascension

 ”And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is secret? So Manoah took a kid with a meat offering, and offered it upon a rock unto the LORD: and the angel did wondrously; and Manoah and his wife looked on. For it came to pass, when the flame went up toward heaven from off the altar, that the angel of the LORD ascended in the flame of the altar. And Manoah and his wife looked on it, and fell on their faces to the ground.“

‭‭Judges‬ ‭13‬:‭18‬-‭20‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The Angel of Yahweh replied, “Why ask for my name? It is ‘Wonderfully Hidden!’”  So Manoah got the young goat and his grain offering and took them to the rock to offer them up for Yahweh, the wonder-working God.  While Manoah and his wife watched, flames burst from the rock and ascended upward to heaven from the altar.  The Angel of Yahweh, wrapped in the flames of fire, ascended into the sky.  Dazed Manoah and his wife fell facedown to the ground in worship.  The Angel of Yahweh was God in human form and means “wonderful” or “beyond understanding”.  The burnt offering signified Jesus’s sacrifice on the Cross and the grain offering, Jesus’s resurrection and ascension into heaven.  May we all be in awe of Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross and His resurrection and ascension, and bow down and worship Him Who is worthy of all praise.  Hallelujah!

The Treasure that Brings Us Victory

 ”But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.“

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭4‬:‭7‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Paul says in figurative language, “We are like common clay jars that carry this glorious treasure within, so that this immeasurable power will be seen as God’s, not ours.”  He says that we are common clay jars created from dust and yet we possess the brilliant light of God’s glory, Jesus Christ, and carry Him as treasure in our being.  The outward vessel is not as important as the glorious treasure within.  Like when Gideon hid the torches when he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put a trumpet in every man's hand, with empty pitchers, and lamps within the pitchers. They won that battle.  Today Christ has caused us to triumph by putting in us, jars of clay, the treasure of the fire of the mighty Holy Spirit.  We always have the victory.  Hallelujah!

Bringing God’s Kingdom on Earth with Power

 ”And after him Abdon the son of Hillel, a Pirathonite, judged Israel. And he had forty sons and thirty nephews, that rode on threescore and ten ass colts: and he judged Israel eight years“.

‭‭Judges‬ ‭12‬:‭13‬-‭14‬ ‭KJV‬‬

After Elon, Yahweh raised up Abdon son of Hillel, a champion deliverer from Pirathon, to rule Israel.  He had forty sons and thirty nephews, who road on seventy donkeys.  Abdon led Israel for eight years.  Abdon, of the tribe of Ephraim, was the eleventh champion deliverer and his name means ‘worker’ or ‘service’.  His father’s name was Hillel, which means ‘high praise’.  High praises in Christ, produces a servant spirit of Christ.  Abdon’s sons and nephews had each their own donkey, which in today’s terms means they each had their own home, denoting affluence.  Seventy was also the number of apostles Jesus sent to heal, preach and deliver, and denotes God’s people in motion, expanding into their purpose, with perfect spiritual order, carried out with power.  The Body of Christ, the Church is God’s people in perfect spiritual order carrying out with power to bring God’s Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.  Amen!

We Reflect God’s Glory

 ”But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord”. 2 Corinthians‬ ‭3‬:‭18 KJV

We can all draw close to Him with the veil removed from our faces. And with no veil we all become like mirrors who brightly reflect the glory of the Lord Jesus. We are being transfigured into His very image as we move from one brighter level of glory to another. And this glorious transfiguration comes from the Lord, Who is the Spirit.  Paul declares the triumph of Christ over every power of darkness and it diffuses the fragrant aroma of Christ everywhere.  We cannot water down the Word of God because it is the living Word producing transformation.  The Word of God is not based on the clever abilities of men but the Holy Spirit’s  empowering Presence which imparts God’s Life flowing from Him and God’s righteousness.  This Word of resurrection Life contains greater glory than the law and brings the transfiguration of us believers into greater levels of glory.  Hallelujah!

The Faith of Jephthah

 ”Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valour, and he was the son of an harlot: and Gilead begat Jephthah. And Gilead's wife bare him sons; and his wife's sons grew up, and they thrust out Jephthah, and said unto him, Thou shalt not inherit in our father's house; for thou art the son of a strange woman.“

‭‭Judges‬ ‭11‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Yahweh raised up a brave, fearless champion from Gilead to deliver Israel.  His name was Jephthah, and he was the son of a prostitute.  His father Gilead had other sons by his wife, and when they grew up, they forced Jephthah to leave home.  They said to him, “You will inherit nothing of our father’s  wealth because you are the son of another woman.”  Jephthah means ‘he opens up’.  He was the eighth deliverer who had a questionable past, like many of God’s champions today.  God will include even a person  with a social stigma in God’s honour roll of faith.  This is God’s grace.  The honour roll of faith recorded the faith of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets. Through faith’s power they conquered kingdoms and established true justice. Their faith fastened onto their promises and pulled them into reality!  God can choose even the worst questionable past and transform the person into a champion by the power of His Blood sacrifice.  Hallelujah!

The Word and the Spirit Agree

 ”For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.“

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭2‬:‭17‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Paul is communicating again to the church at Corinth, “For unlike so many, we are not peddlers of God’s Word who water down the message. We are those sent from God with pure motives, who speak in the sight of God from our union with Christ.”  Paul states that his ministry of teaching and preaching happened while he was in the Presence of God.  Paul’s eyes were set on God, not on the people’s response.  Teachers and preachers of the Gospel would do well to heed this example that Paul set.  Set your eyes on the Word of God and the leading of the Holy Spirit because of your deep intimate relationship with God.  Don’t fix your focus on the majority opinion polls or in what people say.  To be in the Presence of God is to agree with His Word while abiding in it.  The leading of the Holy Spirit is the depth of your intimacy with Him as a result of your prayer life.  For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these Three are One.  Amen!

Worship the Resurrected Christ

 ”And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim, and Ashtaroth, and the gods of Syria, and the gods of Zidon, and the gods of Moab, and the gods of the children of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines, and forsook the LORD, and served not him.“

‭‭Judges‬ ‭10‬:‭6‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The Israelites again did evil in the sight of Yahweh, worshipping the Baals and the Ashtaroths, the gods of Aram, Sidon, Moab and Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines.  Because Israel entirely abandoned the worship of Yahweh.  Israel turned away from the living God and to gods and goddesses like Astartes or Ishtar, a fertility goddess of the ancient Near East; also to the chief gods of Aram - Haddad and Rimmon; to Chemosh the chief god of Moab; to Molech of Ammon; and to Dagon and Baal-Zebub, the gods of the Philistines. Where are these gods and goddesses today?  At that time about three and a half thousand years ago, Israel came under oppression time and time again, because they turned away from Him.  Each time Yahweh delivered the Israelites because of His promise to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  Jesus came that He might destroy the works of the devil and turn all the world to Him because He loves human beings more than His Life. Let’s worship the resurrected Christ with thanksgiving in our hearts for His everlasting love and salvation!  Amen

The Spirit of Life

 ”who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.“

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭1‬:‭22‬ ‭KJV‬‬

He knows we are His since He has also stamped His seal of love over our hearts and has given us the Holy Spirit like an engagement ring is given to a bride—a down payment of the blessings to come!  God has sealed believers with the seal: of security, being kept secure in God’s love; of authentication that marks us as God’s very own; of certifying genuineness; of ownership; of approval; of righteousness; of a promise to be fulfilled.  Jesus, our Bridegroom seals our hearts with a passionate fire that burns continually.  We are born of the Spirit, sealed with the Spirit, indwelt by the Spirit, baptised in the Spirit, filled with the Spirit, made one with the Spirit, given gifts of the Spirit and ministries by the Spirit.  He is a promise, a seal and a guarantee of our full inheritance.  Thank You, Holy Spirit! Amen

The Life Giving Calvary Tree

 ”And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?“

‭‭Judges‬ ‭9‬:‭13‬ ‭KJV‬‬

But the vine answered, ‘What? Give up my wine, which cheers both gods and men, to hold sway over the trees?’  To follow Christ, only one tree is the key, and it’s not the Christmas tree!   Christ paid the full price to set us free from the curse of the law when 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.” Jesus Christ dissolved the curse from our lives, when He hung on the tree at Calvary, so that in Him all the blessings of Abraham can be poured out upon gentiles. And now through faith we receive the promised Holy Spirit Who lives in us.  The three trees mentioned in the parable in this chapter are the olive tree representing the oil of anointing of the Holy Spirit; the fig tree which is the goodness and sweetness of Christ’s love; and the vine which is the joy and cheer that Jesus brings to our lives.  All these benefit us when we make our divine exchange with Christ on the Calvary tree.  Let’s celebrate the freedom that Christ has given us.  Amen!

Serving Christ in the Unity of the Spirit

 ”As touching our brother Apollos, I greatly desired him to come unto you with the brethren: but his will was not at all to come at this time; but he will come when he shall have convenient time.“

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭16‬:‭12‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Paul says, ”As touching our brother Apollos, I greatly desired him to come unto you with the brethren: but his will was not at all to come at this time; but he will come when he shall have convenient time.“  Now we are the Body of Christ and each one has a part in it.  We are empowered by the same Spirit Who apportions to each one individually as He wills.  We are given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good of the Body of Christ and we don’t seek our own but rather each other’s well being.  As every one has received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.  Paul taught us that by example when he referred to Apollos coming to minister in the church at Corinth.  We do not compete with one another in the Body of Christ, the Church, we all serve Christ in the unity of the Spirit.  Amen!

Flee from Idolatry

 ”And Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah: and all Israel went thither a whoring after it: which thing became a snare unto Gideon, and to his house.”

Judges‬ ‭8‬:‭27‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Gideon used all this plunder to make a sacred golden ephod.  He put it on display in his hometown, Ophrah, and all Israel strayed from Yahweh and gave over their hearts to the golden ephod.  It was a seducing snare for Gideon and his family.  The ephod was a decorated priestly almost full length apron like vestment.  It was used to discern God’s will.  Gideon’s ephod became an idol to the people as they would come to seek oracles before it.  The Ark of the Covenant and the tabernacle stood at Shiloh at this time, the place that Yahweh had chosen as the place of worship for Israel.  Instead, Gideon’s ephod turned their hearts  away from the true worship of Yahweh.  Gideon refused kingship because he wanted priesthood.  Today, in Christ, all believers are made kings and priests to our God as He has chosen us, the Church, to serve Him and formed us into a kingdom of priests who reign on the earth.  Let’s remove any idol in our heart and replace it with Christ, our All Sufficient God.  Thank You Jesus.  Amen!

Jesus Christ, Our Living God

 ”and that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: after that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.“

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭15‬:‭5‬-‭6‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“Then He appeared to Peter the Rock and to the twelve apostles. He also appeared to more than five hundred of His followers at the same time, most of whom are still alive as I write this, though a few have passed away.” Paul includes the bodily appearance of Jesus to His followers as part of the Gospel to be believed.  What Paul states as the heart of the Gospel is Christ’s death; the fulfilment of prophecies; Christ’s burial; Christ’s resurrection; Christ supernaturally manifested to His followers.  More than 515 followers of Jesus saw Him after His resurrection, including those mentioned by Paul, and Mary in the garden tomb.  This was part of an early creed of the apostles on which our Christian faith is based.  It is imperative that we proclaim the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ today, that He is the Living God.  Amen!

Always Victorious through Christ’s Cross

 ”And when Gideon was come, behold, there was a man that told a dream unto his fellow, and said, Behold, I dreamed a dream, and, lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian, and came unto a tent, and smote it that it fell, and overturned it, that the tent lay along. And his fellow answered and said, This is nothing else save the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel: for into his hand hath God delivered Midian, and all the host. And it was so, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and the interpretation thereof, that he worshipped, and returned into the host of Israel, and said, Arise; for the LORD hath delivered into your hand the host of Midian.“

‭‭Judges‬ ‭7‬:‭13‬-‭15‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The barley loaf symbolised Israel’s army that would invade and conquer the Midianites.  The Body of Christ is also that one loaf, rolling down Mount Zion destroying the tents of wickedness (kingdoms of this world).  Jesus multiplied five barley loaves to feed more than five thousand people!  The tumbling barley loaf symbolises Christ in us, Who multiplies His resurrection life and power in believers today.  It is fascinating that Gideon overheard the Midianite dream interpreter speaking his name and the name of his father.  Not only does God know your name, but so does the enemy, for you are a son or daughter of God!  God always brings victory by the Cross of Christ.  Amen!

God’s Presence Brings Order

 ”And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.“

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭14‬:‭32‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.  The prophets are accountable for their prophecies.  Paul corrected the Corinthian church who were speaking in tongues and prophesying without regard for others in the Body, who also had prophetic words to share a tongue and an interpretation.  This caused disorder and confusion in the church meetings with people speaking up and giving their opinions about what was spoken.  God’s Presence brings order, not instability.  All things need to be done sensibly and with unity in church meetings so that people are edified and God is glorified.  Let’s follow the pattern of Jesus Who was and is always patient and caring towards each one of us and we are encouraged and edified with confidence, led by the Holy Spirit, to speak at the right moment or be silent.  Amen!

Transformed from a Coward to a Hero

 ”And there came an angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abi-ezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites.“

‭‭Judges‬ ‭6‬:‭11‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The Angel of Yahweh came to the village of Ophrah and sat down under the oak tree that belonged to Joash, a man of the clan of Abiezer.  His son Gideon was secretly threshing some wheat in a winepress so that the Midianites would not see him.  Gideon means warrior and God changed his destiny from a timid, cowardly man to the champion-deliverer of Israel.  Wheat is not threshed in a winepress but on an open elevated place where wind blows the chaff away.  Gideon made excuses for himself and his family.  What Gideon was doing to the wheat, God did to his heart, threshing out the unbelief from his true identity.  God called Gideon to be a hero who rescued a nation.  In Christ, the Blood of Jesus threshes out all our unbelief and the Holy Spirit empowers us to be winners of souls into the Kingdom of God.  Let’s come out of unbelief and cowardice and courageously bring souls to Christ.  Amen!

God’s Unconditional Commitment to Love His People

 ”Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.“

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭13‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭KJV‬‬

If I were to speak with eloquence in earth’s many languages, and in the heavenly tongues of angels, yet I didn’t express myself with love, my words would be reduced to the hollow sound of nothing more than a clanging cymbal. And if I were to have the gift of prophecy with a profound understanding of God’s hidden secrets, and if I possessed unending supernatural knowledge, and if I had the greatest gift of faith that could move mountains, but have never learned to love, then I am nothing. This love is the highest form of love, a burning, fiery love, coming from the inner depths of the heart as an eternal energy, an active power of bonding hearts and lives in secure relationships.  This is the endless, loyal, unconditional love that God has for His people, that must be demonstrated with acts of kindness and benevolence.  This love has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit and is greater than faith that removes mountains.  May we release God’s love in us to a loveless world.  Amen!

Songs of Victory to the Lamb

 “Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day, saying, Praise ye the LORD For the avenging of Israel, When the people willingly offered themselves.”

‭‭Judges‬ ‭5‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang this victory song, “Blessings be to Yahweh, Who gave us victory today!  For the people answered the call, and Israel threw off what once held us back..”  Deborah composed this song and she and Barak sang it.  It has brilliant imagery and forceful expression.  When leaders cast off restraint, the people come under bondage.  God took a mother in Israel to lead them in the power of the Spirit into God’s victories.  In Christ, the finished work of the Cross is our final victory and through it we overcome by the Blood of the Lamb and by the word of our testimony.  May we sing in worship, our songs of victories as we extol the Lamb of God. Worthy is Christ the Lamb Who was slaughtered to receive great power and might, wealth and wisdom, and honor, glory, and praise!  Hallelujah!

Spiritual Gifts Imparted to Every Believer

 “But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.” 

1 Corinthians‬ ‭12‬:‭7‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Each believer is given continuous revelation by the Holy Spirit to benefit not just himself but all.  God the Father, the Son and the Spirit, delight to give spiritual gifts to His people, the Bride of Christ.  These gifts are imparted by God to every believer upon conversion as the Holy Spirit chooses.  The Triune God confirms the Word of God and expands His Kingdom.  Spiritual gifts can be neglected or misused, but they remain the divine power source of Christ’s Body on the earth.  Through teaching, evangelising, prophesying and demonstrating the miraculous, God uses His people to expand His Kingdom and to establish righteousness on the earth through the proper use of the gifts He has given.  These gifts have never been taken away from the Body of Christ.  The Church moves forward through these divine gifts.  Spiritual gifts do not replace the Word of God but the Word of God will spread and flourish as the fully equipped Body of Christ operates in the wise use of God’s enabling power.  Amen!

Let God Raise You Up

 “And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time. And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Beth-el in mount Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment.”

‭‭Judges‬ ‭4‬:‭4‬-‭5‬ ‭KJV‬‬

God raised up Deborah to lead Israel as a champion-deliverer.  She was a prophetess and a fiery woman.  She presided as Israel’s judge under the Palm of Deborah, a certain palm tree between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the people of Israel came to her for wise decisions.  Deborah means “orderly motion” or “bee” because of its systemic instincts.  The root of this word is “the oracle”.  Deborah was a passionate woman who in the male oriented culture was raised up by Yahweh to bring victory to Israel.  The palm tree denotes joyful victory which branches were used in Jesus’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem.  Deborah ruled as a prophetess while sitting under the realm of victory and prophetic revelation.  In Christ, we are speaking the oracle of the Word of God under the realm of victory when we preach the Gospel.  God can raise you up even if you are a shy and retiring person, provided you have a passion for the Lord Jesus Christ.  Amen!

Attitude of Reverence in Public Worship

 “Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head. But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven. For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered.”

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭11‬:‭4‬-‭6‬ ‭KJV‬‬

This is not about marriage or the role of women in the Church, but on proper attitudes of reverence and conduct in public worship.  Paul’s discussion here would have made obvious sense within the cultural standards of the Corinthians.  It’s a continuation of Paul’s teaching that if our conduct offends and divides the Church, we are to change our ways in order to promote unity among the believers.  Paul, in fact, affirms the right of women to pray and prophesy in public worship services.  In Corinth the common practice was for prostitutes to have their hair cut off.  For the public worship of that era, a woman would have long hair braided and covered up so she would not be mistaken as a cult priestess of Isis or Dionysus.  Christ has responsibility over all men, as the husband has responsibility for his wife, and God the Father has responsibility over Christ.  Let’s not be gender biased but rather promote unity in the Body of Christ.  Amen!

Christ our Champion-Deliverer

 “And when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer to the children of Israel, who delivered them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother. And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he judged Israel, and went out to war: and the LORD delivered Chushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand; and his hand prevailed against Chushan-rishathaim.”

‭‭Judges‬ ‭3‬:‭9‬-‭10‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Yahweh raised up a champion-deliverer to rescue the repentant Israelites - Othniel.  And the Spirit of Yahweh was upon him and empowered him to liberate Israel from bondage.  He became Israel’s champion and went out to war, and Yahweh delivered into his hands Cushan-Rishathaim, the king of Mesopotamia.  The Spirit of Prophecy came upon Othniel signifying a sudden and pronounced power of God’s Spirit that transcended human strength or ability.  The supernatural strength, wisdom, boldness, valour and ecstasy of a prophet would manifest when the Spirit of God came upon him.    The Israelites obeyed Othniel who won the victory with a small band of courageous men who surprised the king’s bodyguards, overpowered them, and killed the king. Christ Jesus, our  Champion-Deliverer has forever won the victory over the enemy of our soul.  We are in Christ and Christ is in us! Amen!

The New Covenant of Christ

 “The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?”

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭10‬:‭16‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Paul is explaining the vital importance of partaking of communion with the right attitude. “For when we pray for the blessing of the communion cup, isn’t this our co-participation with the Blood of Jesus? And the Bread that we distribute, isn’t this the Bread of our co-participation with the body of Christ?”  It is the presence of the Blood of Jesus by faith, that makes this communion of the highest value.    It is the presence of the Body of Christ as the Living Bread that brings this communion with our God to be the ultimate.  Jesus said, “For my Body is real food for your spirit and my Blood is real drink. The one who eats My Body and drinks My Blood lives in Me and I live in him.”  Let’s examine our attitude when we partake of this new covenant with Christ.  Amen!

Remember God’s Miracles and Tell it to the Next Generation

 “And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the LORD, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel.”

‭‭Judges‬ ‭2‬:‭10‬ ‭KJV‬

Eventually, after that entire generation died and was buried, the next generation forgot Yahweh and all that He had done for Israel.  They forgot the wonders in the wilderness, the manna, the split-open rock that gave them water.  Then later, they failed to remember the Jordan miraculously parting, the walls of Jericho falling down, the sun standing still, the empowerment of God conquering their foes, and the many miracles of Yahweh under Joshua’s leadership.  How easy it is for the second generation of any movement to forget the truth and power of the first generation.  We enshrine the memories of the past but fail to apply the power present today to advance in the ways of God.  Many, today, may pretend to have a respect for God, but in reality they want nothing to do with God’s power. Stay away from people like these!  Let’s remember the miracles God does for us in Christ and move in the power of God today and tell it to the next generation also.  Amen!

Jesus Christ, the Only Way to Salvation

 “And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.”

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭9‬:‭23‬ ‭KJV

Paul’s says his motivation for the Gospel was, “I’ve done all this so that I would become God’s partner for the sake of the Gospel.”  This Paul declares confidently to the Corinthian church.  His principles for his ministry were that he always started by finding common ground with those he wanted to reach.  Paul avoided projecting to others that he was a know-it-all and accepted everyone regardless of his or her issues.  We learn from Paul that he was sensitive to the culture of others but used every opportunity to share the good news of Jesus Christ with people.  Sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ to bring His Kingdom on earth was Paul’s foremost mission and that is our goal too, today, for those who have accepted that all of us need salvation and there is no other way except through the Lord Jesus Christ, and Him alone.  Amen!

In Christ We Give Our Father Pleasure

 “And Adoni-bezek said, Threescore and ten kings, having their thumbs and their great toes cut off, gathered their meat under my table: as I have done, so God hath requited me. And they brought him to Jerusalem, and there he died.”

‭‭Judges‬ ‭1‬:‭7‬ ‭KJV

Adoni-Bezek confessed, “I once had seventy kings picking up scraps under my table with their thumbs and big toes cut off.  Now God has paid me back for what I did to them!”  They took him captive to Jerusalem, where he died.  Those who live by the sword, die by the sword.  Adoni-Bezek means lord of lightening and is a picture of satan.  Seventy kings were under Adoni-Bezek.  Jesus sent seventy disciples to bring the Kingdom of God to the nations.  Jesus saw satan fall like lightening from heaven and in Jerusalem when Jesus died, that was the ultimate victory over satan who was defeated in Jerusalem and stripped of his ability to conquer us all because of the Cross of Jesus.  For by His sacrifice Christ died to sin’s power once and for all, but He now lives continuously for the Father’s pleasure.  We are in Christ and that’s why we give pleasure to our Father.  Hallelujah!

God’s Love is in Us to Build Others Up

 “Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.”

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭8‬:‭1‬ ‭KJV

Paul tells the Corinthians, “Now let me address the issue of food offered in sacrifice to idols. It seems that everyone believes his own opinion is right on this matter. How easily we get puffed up over our opinions! But love builds up the structure of our new life.”  We all have knowledge.  Knowledge may make a person look important, but it is only through love that we reach our full maturity.  Simply put, “Love builds up.”  It builds up our lives, our churches, our families, and others.  Love is the most powerful substance for building what will last forever.  God is the source of love.  God is love.  This is the endless love of God that has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit Who lives in us!  Let’s release God’s love from within our hearts to those around us.  Amen!

Build an Altar of Thanksgiving, Praise and Worship

 “And Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and called for the elders of Israel, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers; and they presented themselves before God.”

‭‭Joshua‬ ‭24‬:‭1‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Joshua assembled all Israel’s tribes at Shechem.  He summoned all the leaders - elders, judges and officials of Israel - and they all stood in the Presence of God.  Shechem at this time was the political cradle of the nation due to its importance in the lives of the patriarchs.  Shechem was not only the geographic centre of Canaan but also the moral heart of the nation.  At this city Abraham built the first altar to Yahweh within the land, and here God appeared to him and promised that Abraham’s seed would inherit the promises.  In Christ, these promises have come to us by Jesus taking our curses on the Cross and giving us the promise of the Holy Spirit.  Let’s build the altar of thanksgiving, praise and worship, to Him Who has chosen to dwell in our hearts, and receive our spiritual inheritance as sons and daughters of God.  Hallelujah!

Jesus’s Blood is Shed for All

 “For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.”

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭7‬:‭14‬ ‭KJV‬‬

For the unbelieving husband has been made holy by his believing wife. And the unbelieving wife has been made holy by her believing husband by virtue of his or her sacred union to a believer. Otherwise, the children from this union would be unclean, but in fact, they are holy.  By implication, Paul is making the point that in marriages where one is a believer and one is an unbeliever, the spouses should remain together, for the righteous faith of a believer makes the marriage holy.  In the Corinthian church believers who had pagan spouses thought to divorce them and find a believing spouse, in order to serve Christ.  Paul corrects that error and affirms the marriage covenant.  As in the old covenant, the entire family is in covenant with God.  Therefore, the children of even one believing parent are set apart for God.  The Blood of Jesus has been shed for all humanity.  Amen!

Love God First, then Serve Him

 “One man of you shall chase a thousand: for the LORD your God, he it is that fighteth for you, as he hath promised you. Take good heed therefore unto yourselves, that ye love the LORD your God.”

‭‭Joshua‬ ‭23‬:‭10‬-‭11‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Joshua tells the Israelites, “for Yahweh your God fights for you as He promised He would!  That is why just one of you causes a thousand of our enemies to run away.  Above else, keep watch over your hearts, so as to always love Yahweh your God.”  To those under the law, Moses had said, “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: and thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart”. Joshua reiterated it.  So much more is for those who have been set free to follow Jesus Christ, our Beloved.  He has completely destroyed the enemy and now wants us to declare the victory of the Cross over any and every enemy against us.  That’s why, in Christ, serving God must be based on loving Him with all our hearts.  Amen!

Don’t Drag Believers to the Court of Law

 “Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? Why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?”

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭6‬:‭7‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Don’t you realize that when you drag another believer into court you’re providing the evidence that you’re already defeated? Wouldn’t it be better to accept the fact that someone is trying to cheat and take advantage of you, and simply choose the high road? At times it is better to just accept injustice and even to let someone take advantage of you, rather than to expose our conflicts publicly before unbelievers.  Paul is not saying that believers should give in to abuse from others.  The higher principle he highlights here is that it is better to suffer personal injustice than to bring disgrace to Christ by bringing our conflicts before unbelievers.  The Spirit of wisdom is one of the graces that God pours out upon His people.  This anointing of wisdom will empower the Body of Christ to bring justice and righteousness into our churches.  Jesus put it succinctly, “Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny.”  Let’s trust Him to turn to good what is meant for harm.  Amen!

Reconcile

“And the thing pleased the children of Israel; and the children of Israel blessed God, and did not intend to go up against them in battle, to destroy the land wherein the children of Reuben and Gad dwelt.”

‭‭Joshua‬ ‭22‬:‭33‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Soon after the return of Reubenites, Gadites and half the tribe of Manasseh, to their land east of the Jordan, after they had risked their lives for all the other tribes to get their inheritance, satan planned a civil war to destroy them.  God and His leadership intervened and averted a great disaster.  These two and a half tribes built a replica altar on their side, to serve the God of Israel.  The other tribes quickly judged and misunderstood their good intentions as rebellion, and were about to war against them, in their zeal.  Then Eleazar and the elders went to the accused tribes and reconciliation was made.  In Christ, we beware of doctrine that divides, negative reports and strife, unwise counsel that causes believers to bite and devour one another by bitterness, arguments, backbiting, jealousy and divisions.  The root of bitterness defiles and weakens the Church.  If one believer is affected, the whole Body suffers. Praise God, satan can never destroy the Church, because God has made peace through the Blood of His cross, by Christ, to reconcile all things to Himself.  Let’s not be filled with a wrong zeal, but with the very love of God towards all in the Church.  Amen!

Discipline in the Chirch

 “For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.”

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭5‬:‭12‬-‭13‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Paul is saying, “What right do I have to pronounce judgment on unbelievers? That’s God’s responsibility. But those who are inside the church family are our responsibility to discern and judge. So it’s your duty to remove that wicked one from among you.”  We are to remove wickedness from among the Church family, in this case a church member in the Corinthian church involved in sexual immorality.  The local church has the authority to discipline erring believers who persist in sin.  Under the old covenant that discipline was physical, death by stoning.  But under the new covenant, the Church discipline is spiritual.  Jesus said, “Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’ And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.” Let’s build up disciples in the Scripture way.  Amen!

Christ Won the Victory on the Cross

 “And the LORD gave them rest round about, according to all that he sware unto their fathers: and there stood not a man of all their enemies before them; the LORD delivered all their enemies into their hand.”

‭‭Joshua‬ ‭21‬:‭44‬ ‭KJV‬‬

So Yahweh gave Israel all the land He had promised their ancestors.  They took possession of their land and settled there.  Yahweh kept His promise and gave them peace in the land.  Not one of their enemies could stand against them.  In Christ all our enemies are under our feet, even though our offensive war continues.  Our glorified Saviour sits at the right Hand of God till all His enemies are made His footstool.  God works through Christ’s Body, the Church, and will completely crush satan under His feet.  God planned the entire history of the devil before the creation of the world.  God sent His Son to destroy all the works of the devil and strip him of all his authority.  Now satan has very little time to deceive the world and persecute the Church.  In Christ we are to resist, drive out and destroy instead of allowing him to roam around like a roaring lion seeking whom he may destroy.  At the end of this age, satan will be bound up for a thousand years in the abyss.  Finally satan will be put into the lake of fire to be eternally tormented.  Let’s labour to enter into the rest and peace of Christ.  Our war is over, it was won at the Cross.  Let’s believe it and reign in righteousness.  Amen!

The Reward of Eternity

 “Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.”

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭4‬:‭5‬ ‭KJV‬‬

So resist the temptation to pronounce premature judgment on anything before the appointed time when all will be fully revealed. Instead, wait until the Lord makes His appearance, for He will bring all that is hidden in darkness to light and unveil every secret motive of everyone’s heart. Then, when the whole truth is known, each will receive praise from God.  The clear reference is that God will bring to light not only evil motives but the pure motives of believers - the secret motives of love, faithfulness, righteousness, kindness etc.  When the Lord judges His righteous lovers, their secret devotion and sacrifices will all be brought into the light and God will praise them for their faithful love.  The reward of eternity will be that God affirms them.  God’s praise is actually thanks from God and how mind blowing it is when God praises His faithful servants.  Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear: because fear has torment. He that fears is not made perfect in love. We love Him, because He first loved us.  Amen!

Christ my Refuge

 “Speak to the children of Israel, saying, Appoint out for you cities of refuge, whereof I spake unto you by the hand of Moses: that the slayer that killeth any person unawares and unwittingly may flee thither: and they shall be your refuge from the avenger of blood.”

‭‭Joshua‬ ‭20‬:‭2‬-‭3‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The need for “cities of refuge” arose because it was the duty of the nearest relative of a man who had been killed to search out and kill the killer.  When it was clearly not an intentional killing, but accidental manslaughter, then the killer could seek asylum in any of these six cities.  In the new covenant, living in Christ is our city of refuge.  In Christ, even the worst intentional murderers find salvation and refuge. Jesus said “…it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment.” With our words we sin.  Our Heavenly Father demonstrated His great love for us that while we were yet sinners and His enemies, He reconciled us to Himself in Christ.  Jesus’s finished work on the Cross is our great refuge.  As our High Priest, Christ ever lives to make intercession for us because He alone saves us to the uttermost.  He is our Refuge, our Fortress, Hiding Place,  Stronghold, our Shield.  Our life is hidden with Christ in God.  Let’s rejoice in God our Saviour.  Hallelujah!

God’s Temple built in God’s Way

 “Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.”

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭3‬:‭12‬-‭13‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The quality of materials used by anyone building on this foundation will soon be made apparent, whether it has been built with gold, silver, and costly stones, or wood, hay, and straw. Their work will soon become evident, for the Day will make it clear, because it will be revealed by blazing fire! And the fire will test and prove the workmanship of each builder.  This shows the building of the temple of God and what building materials are used.  In Solomon’s temple, gold, silver and costly stones were used.  But God’s temple has gold which is God’s wisdom; silver which is redemption’s fruit in us; costly stones are the transformed lives.  Wood, hay and stubble signify the works of the flesh of men and not of God, which grow from the ground that God cursed.  God commends both quality and durability and fire causes the better material to glow brighter.  The inferior material is consumed.  Even if Christ is our foundation, we can use the wrong material to build.  We need God’s work done in God’s way to build God’s temple.  Let’s yield to God the Holy Spirit for building us.  Amen!

Honour God’s Servants Who Minister Well

 “When they had made an end of dividing the land for inheritance by their coasts, the children of Israel gave an inheritance to Joshua the son of Nun among them: according to the word of the LORD they gave him the city which he asked, even Timnath-serah in mount Ephraim: and he built the city, and dwelt therein.”

‭‭Joshua‬ ‭19‬:‭49‬-‭50 KJV‬‬

Eleazar the priest, Joshua and the leaders of the tribes, divided the land by using lots, and after that gave their army chief, Joshua son of Nun, his inheritance.  As Yahweh had instructed, they gave him the city of Timnath Serah in the territory of the Ephraimites, which Joshua built up and lived there.  This extra portion Joshua had longed for, and God had so instructed.  Those who minister to God’s people and serve them, are worthy of double honour.  Paul instructed Timothy in this way, “Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.”  Jesus, our heavenly Joshua, waits for the fullness of His inheritance until His people have received theirs.  He is building up His City, His Church, His Bride as He dwells there.  Amen!

But We Have the Mind of Christ

 “For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.”

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭2‬:‭16‬ ‭KJV‬‬

For Who has ever intimately known the mind of the Lord Yahweh well enough to become His counsellor? Christ has, and we possess Christ’s perceptions.  Isaiah had prophesied, “Who has directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being His counsellor has taught Him?”  This is what Paul spoke here, that we believers possess the Holy Spirit, Who reveals the thoughts and purposes of Christ.  The revelation of the Kingdom of God that Jesus preached, was not understood by the intellect of men, but by those who welcomed His truth.  Humanly speaking, no one can understand the mysteries of God without the Holy Spirit.  Those who have the Holy Spirit now possess the perceptions of Christ’s mind and can implement His purposes on the earth.  May we acknowledge God the Holy Spirit as He leads us and guides us into all truth and yield ourselves to Him.  Amen!

The Lord Jesus is Our Shiloh

 “And the whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled together at Shiloh, and set up the tabernacle of the congregation there. And the land was subdued before them.”

‭‭Joshua‬ ‭18‬:‭1‬ ‭KJV‬‬

After the Israelites had conquered the land (it took seven years), all of them gathered at Shiloh and the priests set up the tabernacle there, shifting it from Gilgal.  In Shiloh it remained as the centre of worship for 369 years right through the book of Judges and Ruth.  Shiloh means being whole and healthy, sound and secure and in abundance.  Here Hannah prayed for her miracle son Samuel, and then dedicated him.  Samuel was the first of the prophets of Israel.  In the new covenant, Jesus is our Shiloh and we are the temple of the Holy Ghost, born of the Spirit and joined one spirit with the Lord.  Shiloh is in us.  Thank You Lord, Hallelujah!

The Message of the Cross

 “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.”

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭1‬:‭18‬-‭19‬ ‭KJV‬‬

To preach the message of the Cross seems like sheer nonsense to those who are on their way to destruction, but to us who are being saved, it is the mighty power of God released within us. For it is written: I will dismantle the wisdom of the wise and I will invalidate the intelligence of the scholars.  The act of proclaiming the message of the Cross is the ignition point where God’s power becomes operative and actualised with the ability to convert, transform and save.  For Christ Himself is the power of God.  Paul uses the prophecy of Isaiah as a warning against leaning upon human wisdom to understand spiritual matters.  True wisdom comes from above and is given by divine revelation to those who are teachable and humble before God.  Let’s humble ourselves and surrender to our loving Father, even when we don’t understand the situation.  Let’s believe in the goodness of God come what may.  Amen!

In Christ We are One

 “But Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, had no sons, but daughters: and these are the names of his daughters, Mahlah, and Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.”

‭‭Joshua‬ ‭17‬:‭3‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Manasseh’s grandson Gilead had a son named Hepher whose son was Zelophehad, who had no sons.  But he did have five daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah and Tirzah.  According to the law, only sons had a share in their father’s inheritance, not daughters.  These daughters of Zelophehad refused this handicap of the lack of sons, ignored this and chose to develop their strengths.  Let’s not focus on our lack but allow God to become our sufficiency, strength and wisdom. There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female, for we are all one in Christ Jesus. And now that we belong to Christ, we are the true children of Abraham. We are His heirs, and God’s promise to Abraham belongs to us.  Let women rise up like the daughters of Zelophehad, claiming the best from God and make history!  Amen!

The Early Church was Egalitarian

 “that ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you: for she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭16‬:‭2‬ ‭KJV

Paul is sending this letter through Phoebe, saying, “I am sending her with this letter and ask that you shower her with your hospitality when she arrives. Embrace her with honor, as is fitting for one who belongs to the Lord and is set apart for Him. So provide her whatever she may need, for she’s been a great leader and champion for many—I know, for she’s been that for even me!  It is clear that Phoebe was considered a leader, a champion, a heroic woman who was most likely quite wealthy and brought blessings to others.  In Greek the explanation of Phoebe is that she had a great status and a high position in the church.  She carried this letter to Rome which contains the greatest wealth of Christian theology, which blesses us even today.  As a woman, she was a wonderful servant of God in the church at Cenchrea, and one that was honoured.  The early Church was egalitarian in that Phoebe was a deaconess.  May we recognise and discern the gifts that the Holy Spirit has given to the Church which includes women as well, and encourage them to serve God faithfully.  Amen!

Be Successful by Being Led by the Holy Spirit

 “And the lot of the children of Joseph fell from Jordan by Jericho, unto the water of Jericho on the east, to the wilderness that goeth up from Jericho throughout mount Beth-el, and goeth out from Beth-el to Luz, and passeth along unto the borders of Archi to Ataroth,”

‭‭Joshua‬ ‭16‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The territory assigned to Joseph’s descendants began east of the springs of Jericho into the hill country as far as Bethel.  From Bethel to Luz, it crossed over to Arkite territory at Ataroth.  The Arkites were descendants of Arki, a son of Canaan and grandson of Ham, the son of Noah.  The Arkites are identified with modern Arqa in Lebanon.  Joshua was assigning the territory to all the tribes of Israel as God had directed him to do.  Joseph’s descendants were the tribe of Ephraim and the tribe of Manasseh.  Already the half tribe of Manasseh had settled for territory on the other side of the Jordan.  Joshua was not only a warrior but a judicious governor of the children of Israel as he divided the territory among the tribes.  In all this, God Himself guided Joshua, which is why he was successful in dividing the territory.  In the new covenant, Jesus has sent His Holy Spirit to lead and guide us every step of the way to be successful in winning souls for His Kingdom.  May we surrender to the Holy Spirit for as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.  Amen!

Preaching the Gospel of Power

 “For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed, through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭15‬:‭18‬-‭19‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Paul says, “I will not be presumptuous to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me. For many non-Jewish people are coming into faith’s obedience by the power of the Spirit of God, which is displayed through mighty signs and amazing wonders, both in word and deed. Starting from Jerusalem I went from place to place as far as the distant Roman province of Illyricum, fully preaching the wonderful message of Christ”.  Paul thoroughly preached the Gospel of Christ from Jerusalem to Illyricum, today’s Croatia in the western Balkan Peninsula.  There was much evidence of Paul’s preaching that God was working through him, resulting in many non-Jewish people coming to faith in Jesus Christ.  The signs and wonders were a part of the message, validating Paul’s apostolic mandate to evangelise and plant churches.  Let’s believe that God can use us, however ordinary we are, to preach the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ validating it with signs, wonders and miracles.  Thank You Jesus!

Our Benevolent Heavenly Father

 “Who answered, Give me a blessing; for thou hast given me a south land; give me also springs of water. And he gave her the upper springs, and the nether springs.”

‭‭Joshua‬ ‭15‬:‭19‬ ‭KJV‬‬

When Caleb’s daughter Achsah asked him for more in addition to the land he had given her, Caleb readily gave what she asked for.  This reflects our heavenly Father’s generous and benevolent heart.  Both Achsah and her newly wed husband Othniel, agreed to ask for better and more.  Husbands and wives agreeing together in prayer to get more from God, is a great blessing for them and their generations.  We must not limit God, but aspire for more.  The natural mind desiring more is greed, but the spiritually minded who know their God, will not limit God.  Let’s ask for more because, He Who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?  Hallelujah!

The Reality of the Kingdom of God

 “for the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭14‬:‭17‬-‭18‬ ‭KJV‬‬

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of rules about food and drink, but is in the realm of the Holy Spirit, filled with righteousness, peace, and joy. Serving the Anointed One by walking in these kingdom realities pleases God and earns the respect of others.  The Kingdom of God is entered into by the Holy Spirit, and not by observing feasts and ritual meals.  We must be born of the Spirit in order to enter into God’s Kingdom realm.  To have the Holy Spirit is to have the realities of God’s Kingdom.  Righteousness is our mindset of kindness in our relationships and speaks of putting others first and expressing goodness in having right relationships with others as well as right living.  Walking in Kingdom realities is pleasing and beautiful to God.  The Kingdom reality is that the Holy Spirit has come on earth to make us like Jesus, we can’t ever do it by ourselves.  Let’s surrender ourselves to the Holy Spirit to walk in the reality of God’s Kingdom.  Amen!

We Can Do All Things Through Christ

 “As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, both to go out, and to come in.”

‭‭Joshua‬ ‭14‬:‭11‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Even at age 85, Caleb had great faith to drive out giants.  His faith challenges us today to expect and attempt greater things by accepting greater challenges.  God desires for us to ‘Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’  Under the old covenant, Moses, Joshua, Caleb and others had supernatural strength to accomplish insurmountable tasks.  In Christ, we’re in a better covenant based on better promises, where age has no limitations.  We can go into the hardest enemy territory and mightily deliver souls for Christ.  Though our outward man shows signs of aging, our inward man is constantly renewed day by day becoming strong to sustain our outer man.  Our strong spirit will make us do mighty exploits for God till the last minute of our life on earth.  God’s Word energises us and God’s Spirit empowers us to possess greatly for the Lord Jesus.  The choice is ours, we can increase our inner strength and develop our faith to avail more of God, or we can retire.  Let’s accept new challenges, new tasks, new territories, new vigour, no matter how old we are!  We can do all things through Christ Who strengthens us.  Hallelujah!

Put On the Armour of Light

 “And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭13‬:‭11‬-‭12‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Paul is urging the Church that to live like this is all the more urgent, for time is running out and we know it is a strategic hour in human history. It is time for us to wake up! For our full salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. Night’s darkness is dissolving away as a new day of destiny dawns. So we must once and for all strip away what is done in the shadows of darkness, removing it like filthy clothes. And once and for all we clothe ourselves with the radiance of light as our weapon.  Our perfect wholeness is the full salvation ready to be unveiled and unfolded in these last days.  As Peter said, “we are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”  We clothe ourselves with the armour of light as the Truth is made manifest both in Christ and in us, because the darkness is disappearing and the True Light is already blazing.  Let the radiance of Light be our answer to every darkness.  Amen!

The Next Generation

 “All the inhabitants of the hill country from Lebanon unto Misrephoth-maim, and all the Sidonians, them will I drive out from before the children of Israel: only divide thou it by lot unto the Israelites for an inheritance, as I have commanded thee.”

‭‭Joshua‬ ‭13‬:‭6‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Joshua, God’s mighty champion had become old and yet much of the land was yet to be possessed.  God told Joshua not to weary himself but to delegate everything to the next generation and to divide the land by lot to the remaining tribes.  Every leader needs to seriously consider his or her life span and to delegate the ministry to the next generation.  Ministers may come and go but the ministry remains.  The Lord Jesus Christ never changes, He is the same yesterday, today and forever.  As Head of the Church, His vision and mission is the same through every generation.  In the Church, leaders must learn to delegate and pass on the baton to faithful men and women.  Let’s start praying for the next generation, discern their callings and gifting, assign their jobs and constantly monitor and mentor their progress.  Let the Beloved Holy Spirit release His wisdom to the Church.  As Peter said, “..shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ has showed me…and after my decease to have these things always in remembrance.”  Let’s be ready and preparing the next generation.  Amen!

The Grace Gift of Exhorting Others

 “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

If you have the grace-gift of encouragement, then use it often to encourage others. If you have the grace-gift of giving to meet the needs of others, then may you prosper in your generosity without any fanfare. If you have the gift of leadership, be passionate about your leadership. And if you have the gift of showing compassion, then flourish in your cheerful display of compassion.  When you exhort, you go alongside of someone to comfort, encourage, console, strengthen and stir up faith.  This is how we give care to others who are in such need and we do it cheerfully, bring the joy of the Lord to strengthen the receiver.  People go through the downside of life, but for a believer in the Lord Jesus, we have the mighty Holy Spirit to be led by, Who guides us into all truth and teaches us all we need for that situation.  Let’s turn from the impossibility of our situation and be led by the Holy Spirit, especially the one who is exhorting another believer in the Body of Christ.  Amen!

Our Victory in Christ

 “And these are the kings of the country which Joshua and the children of Israel smote…”

‭‭Joshua‬ ‭12‬:‭7‬ ‭KJV‬‬

There were 31 kings destroyed by Joshua.  Our heavenly Joshua has defeated every principality, power, and stronghold that resists our advance in Christ.  The Name of Mighty God El equals 31 in numerical value.  The 31 strongholds that Jesus demolished through the Cross are: walls, impossibilities, limitations; world system; counterfeit spirituality; broken fellowship with God Almighty; anything lifted up against God; pride, arrogance; human ingenuity; human arguments, oratory; sharp tongue, stinging words; political spirit; defensiveness; defeat, depression; rebellion, lawlessness; self-righteousness, hypocrisy; others’ approval, insecurity; false shepherds, selfish leadership; religious spirit; drunkenness; shame, condemnation; self-sufficiency; complacency, passivity; divisive and argumentative; human wisdom, mind of man; traditions, prideful opinions; occult, witchcraft; soulish, double mindedness; distraction, anxiety; man-made holiness standards; celebrity worship; worldly comfort; dull of heart, refusing to change, going nowhere; loving worldly pleasures more than loving God.  Jesus sets us free from each of these thirty-one strongholds.  Amen!

The Magnitude of God’s Kindness

 “Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭11‬:‭20‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Paul is explaining that the children of Israel were removed from being privileged with God.  Yes, that’s true. They were removed because of their unbelief. But remember this: we, the non-Jews are only attached by our faith. So let’s not be presumptuous, but stand in awe and reverence.  The non-Jews are grateful for the Jewish roots of our faith.  Our Messiah is Jewish and the Scriptures we read were given to the beloved Jewish people.  We feast on the New Covenant riches that have been handed down to us through the “olive tree” of Judaism.  Let’s be humbled by the magnitude of God’s kindness in including us in His Kingdom which is eternal, along with the Jews who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ - and this is simply by faith.  Amen!

Jesus removed Impossibilities for Us who Believe Him

 “And at that time came Joshua, and cut off the Anakims from the mountains, from Hebron, from Debir, from Anab, and from all the mountains of Judah, and from all the mountains of Israel: Joshua destroyed them utterly with their cities.”

‭‭Joshua‬ ‭11‬:‭21‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Joshua also drove out the Anakim, a race of giants, from the hill country (including the cities of Hebron, Debir and Anab) - from the entire hill country of Judah and Israel.  Joshua destroyed the Anakim and their towns.  The Anakim were descendants of Anak whom Moses had mentioned as intimidating giants that kept the Israelites fearful in unbelief, which led to their wandering in the wilderness. Joshua eliminated these giants and enabled the tribes of Israel to possess their inheritance, just as Jesus has now removed these giants that keep us from full faith.  Giants are nothing compared to God’s omnipotence.  Jesus Himself said, “What appears humanly impossible is more than possible with God.”  Again, Jesus said, “Anything is possible if a person believes.”  Every giant of impossibility in our life is removed when we believe.  Let’s only believe God’s Word, and get rid of all ‘ifs’ and ‘buts’.  Amen!

The Gospel Preached to Everyone

“But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, And by a foolish nation I will anger you.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭10‬:‭19‬ ‭KJV‬‬

So again Paul asks, didn’t Israel already understand that God’s message was for others as well as for themselves? Yes, they certainly did understand, for Moses was the first to state it: “I will make you jealous of a people who are ‘nobodies.’ And I will use people with no understanding to provoke you to anger.”  Those who are “nobodies” and the “people with no understanding” both refer to the Gentile believers among the nations that have by faith entered into new life in Jesus.  Paul here confirms that God’s plan from the beginning was to give the message of salvation to all the nations.  Moses said it, “They made Me jealous by what is no god and angered Me with their worthless idols. I will make them envious by those who are not a people; I will make them angry by a nation that has no understanding.”  Isaiah too prophesied it, “I revealed Myself to those who did not ask for Me; I was found by those who did not seek Me.  To a nation that did not call on My Name, I said, ‘Here Am I, here Am I.’”  The Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ must be heard by everyone on earth because it is the power of God to salvation.  Let’s co-labour with the Lord to fulfill it.  Amen!

Decree God’s Word with Faith

 “Then spake Joshua to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; And thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon. And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, Until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies…. So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day.”

‭‭Joshua‬ ‭10‬:‭12‬-‭13‬ ‭KJV‬‬

This is the most amazing miracle recorded in Israel’s history.  By the decree of a mortal, the entire cosmos paused as Yahweh Himself fought for His people! God is the Engineer of the universe and holds its controls in His Hands. He can accelerate or slow down the created order He set in place.  As Joshua spoke with authority, the sun and moon stood still and the enemy was conquered.  This was in the old covenant.  In the new covenant when Jesus was resurrected, He said all authority is with Him which He gives to all who believe Him. Jesus stripped the devil of authority and transferred it to His Church.  We are seated with Christ far above all principalities and powers, might and dominion and these are under Christ’s Feet.  Because we are in Christ, even the newest believer has this authority.  Soon, the God of peace will swiftly pound Satan to a pulp under our feet! Let’s not make the devil bigger than he is!  Hallelujah!

Forever Grateful for God’s Gift of Freewill

 “Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭9‬:‭18‬ ‭KJV‬‬

So again we see that it is entirely up to God to show mercy or to harden the hearts of whomever he chooses.  When this verse is translated from Greek, it implies that God hardens hearts.  But in the Aramaic it is a translated Hebrew wisdom, which says that God gives permission for the heart to be hardened.  This implies that the hardening of the heart is from within the individual.  That’s what happened to the Pharaoh at the time when God was delivering the children of Israel from Egypt.   It says that, “But when Pharaoh saw that there was temporary relief, he hardened his heart and would not listen or pay attention to them, just as the Lord had said.”  God does not interfere with our free will.  The initiative comes from humans, who first release their choice, and then God gives permission for the consequences of that free will choice.  Let’s thank our God that He never forces, intimidates, or troubles us to use this wonderful free gift of free will that He has given humans.  Forever grateful, Father.  Amen!

Overcomers through Faith

 “And the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the LORD. And Joshua made peace with them, and made a league with them, to let them live: and the princes of the congregation sware unto them.”

‭‭Joshua‬ ‭9‬:‭14‬-‭15‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The Gibeonites tricked the Israelites into making a treaty with them because they were afraid of the Israelites who were destroying every enemy that came against them.  Joshua and his leaders neither discerned nor consulted the Lord and made the rash covenant with the deceiving Gibeonites.  In Christ, let’s beware of deception because satan is the father of lies and he hates the Body of Christ, knowing that he has nothing against us.  The only weapon satan and his cohorts have is to deceive through lies and false symptoms, even to the extent of twisting the Word of God.  But thanks be to God, Who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ because He already defeated satan through His Blood Sacrifice at the Cross.  Let’s be established in our relationship with the Lord Jesus, based on the Word of God and the leading of the Holy Spirit.  The clincher of course is the faith in us. You see, every child of God overcomes the world, for their faith is the victorious power that triumphs over the world.  Amen!

Being Spiritually Minded is Life

 “that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭4‬-‭5‬ ‭KJV

So now every righteous requirement of the law can be fulfilled through the Anointed One living His life in us. And we are free to live, not according to our flesh, but by the dynamic power of the Holy Spirit! Those who are motivated by the flesh only pursue what benefits themselves. But those who live by the impulses of the Holy Spirit are motivated to pursue spiritual realities.  All that requires of us has been satisfied by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.  The life of Jesus in us is enough to satisfy God.  The power of our new life is not the works of our weak humanity, but the dynamic power of the Holy Spirit released in us.  Those who are in the flesh see Him only in the flesh, but those who are in the Spirit, see Him in the Spirit.  Let’s be spiritually minded now that we are born of the Spirit.  Amen!

Discipline in Christ

 “And Joshua rose up early in the morning, and numbered the people, and went up, he and the elders of Israel, before the people to Ai.”

‭‭Joshua‬ ‭8‬:‭10‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The day we received Christ, our names were enlisted in the army of the Lord.  We are God’s Kingdom as royal priests.  The Kingdom of God and the kingdom of satan are in collision till the final victory when Christ will come and rule the earth.  Let’s carefully follow our Heavenly Joshua’s victory principles as we get keys from Joshua’s earthly battles.  He rose up early and mustered the people.  A warrior must train his body and mind for a disciplined and orderly life.  In Christ we are fighting well organised enemies whom Christ has already defeated through the Cross.  Our part is to bring ourselves under the discipline of the Holy Spirit in order to manifest Christ’s victory.  After every victory, Joshua and all God’s prophets offered burnt offerings and peace offerings.  In Christ, we heap praises and thanksgiving at every victory.  The attitude of gratitude is the shortest way to create havoc in the spirit world by showing off the Cross of Christ and His Blood Sacrifice.  Let’s flow in the gifts of the Spirit, not taking it for granted and praying in the Spirit more than others.  Let’s say what Paul did, “I subdue my body and get it under my control, so that after preaching the good news to others I myself won’t be disqualified.”  Amen!

God’s Righteousness in Me

 “For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭7‬:‭15‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Paul, explaining about his old man transformation into the new man, says, “I’m a mystery to myself, for I want to do what is right, but end up doing what my moral instincts condemn.”  As the old man, he identified with the people of Israel under the law, prior to receiving Christ.  This is not the present experience of those who are delivered, but describes the condition of the undelivered person.  No human can bring about this deliverance, which is why Paul says “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?”  Then he answers it himself, “I give all my thanks to God, for his mighty power has finally provided a way out through our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One! So if left to myself, the flesh is aligned with the law of sin, but now my renewed mind is fixed on and submitted to God’s righteous principles.”  Let’s thank God that we have the privilege to bury our old man, instead of dragging it around, and now live a condemnation-free life of the new man.  Hallelujah!

Dominion over Sin

 “Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff. Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they were accursed: neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you.”

‭‭Joshua‬ ‭7‬:‭11‬-‭12‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The Israelites learned a bitter lesson after the fall of Jericho, when they tried to possess the city of Ai, a small Canaanite city.  They faced a shameful defeat when their army which was victorious over the great city of Jericho, could not stand before the small city of Ai.  They had stolen the accursed things and thought that God would still fight a victorious battle for them.  This gives us an alarm to walk in purity and obedience.  Life in Christ never tolerates sin in any form, never gives license to licentious living.  Defilement weakens God’s people.  When we are in Christ, all God’s strength is ours.  Let’s detest defeat and continue to have dominion over sin, never allowing defeat in any form.  Our glorying is not good.  Let’s know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump.  Let’s live holy for our God is holy.  Amen!

Jesus Eliminated Sin

 “knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭6‬:‭6‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Could it be any clearer that our former identity is now and forever deprived of its power? For we were co-crucified with him to dismantle the stronghold of sin within us, so that we would not continue to live one moment longer submitted to sin’s power.  We come to the realisation that our old identity of sin from Adam is dead and gone and the body of sin no longer has dominion over us for it has been annulled.  Now to beg God for victory over sin, is a refusal to understand that we have already died to sin.  Our joyful task is to believe the good news rather than to seek to “crucify ourselves.”  Sin is not suppressed by the Cross, it is eliminated.  Upon this “water” God commands us to step out and walk upon it, for we are now in Christ.  Let’s believe and receive everything Christ won for us through the Cross.  Hallelujah!

Our Faith Shout brings Victory

 “So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.”

‭‭Joshua‬ ‭6‬:‭20‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Joshua commanded the millions of the children of Israel to not speak one word till he would command them to shout.  For six days they silently marched around the city.  It was only on the seventh time, the trumpets were blown and the people shouted with all their might, that the Jericho city wall collapsed.  Then the children of Israel went in and took the city in victory!  In Christ when we face our Jericho wall, we don’t speak any negative or doubtful word.  Our silence at such times, increases our inner strength and the peace of Jesus that can never be taken away.  When we speak, we share effectively every good thing that belongs to us in Christ.  When people shouted, the walls collapsed.  We shout our victory out even before our wall collapses, and then we see our victory.  We shout out our faith, boldly proclaiming what we have in Christ, and then we see our victory manifest.  Let’s speak our faith-word for the word is near us, in our mouth and in our heart.  Hallelujah!

Life Reigns in Christ

 “Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭5‬:‭14‬-‭15‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Yet death reigned as king from Adam to Moses even though they hadn’t broken a command the way Adam had. The first man, Adam, was a picture of the Messiah, who was to come. Now, there is no comparison between Adam’s transgression and the gracious gift that we experience. For the magnitude of the gift far outweighs the crime. It’s true that many died because of one man’s transgression, but how much greater will God’s grace and His gracious gift of acceptance overflow to many because of what One Man, Jesus, the Messiah, did for us!  Death is a temporary monarch that exercises dominion over humanity, but one day it will be completely deposed and removed through Jesus Christ.  Death passes to all who are in Adam.  Life passes to all who are in Christ.  Each is a corporate head of a race of people, either in Adam or in Christ, the contrast between Adam’s transgression and Christ’s redemption.  May we all share  this good news of being in Christ with all, so that none perish.  Amen!

Demonstrate Miracle to Manifest Enemy’s Defeat

 “And it came to pass, when all the kings of the Amorites, which were on the side of Jordan westward, and all the kings of the Canaanites, which were by the sea, heard that the LORD had dried up the waters of Jordan from before the children of Israel, until we were passed over, that their heart melted, neither was there spirit in them any more, because of the children of Israel.”

‭‭Joshua‬ ‭5‬:‭1‬ ‭KJV‬

As believers in Christ, God wants us lead a life of miracles.  God wants His people to covet HIs miracle power.  The same God Who terrified the enemies of the children of Israel at Joshua’s time, is the One Who silences our enemies today.  The Lord answered the prayers in the early Church to heal the sick, raise the dead, open blind eyes and deaf ears, the lame walked, the mute spoke and many more.  Let’s, in the new covenant, continue in this same power because miracles confirm the defeat of the enemy.  For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.  We as the Body of Christ, need to demonstrate miracles now more than ever before.  Enemies are rising up, challenging God’s Word and God’s people.  Bible standards are ridiculed and rejected by the wisdom of this world.  Sin is increasing uncontrollably.  Persecutors are rising up breathing murder threats against believers in Christ. Rise up, and show Christ’s power in you today.  Hallelujah!

Justified by the Blood of Jesus Christ

 “Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; but for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭4‬:‭23‬-‭25‬ ‭KJV‬‬

This declaration was not just spoken over Abraham, but also over us. For when we believe and embrace the One who brought our Lord Jesus back to life, perfect righteousness will be credited to our account as well. Jesus was handed over to be crucified for the forgiveness of our sins and was raised back to life to prove that He had made us right with God!  The Blood of the Cross is the means of our justification and the resurrection is the proof that God now sees believers as righteous in His sight.  The Holy Spirit sees the Blood of Jesus through our faith and seals us back into the image of God, once and for all removing the fallen mindset which resulted from sin.  How great is our God!  Let’s not go back into the sin culture Jesus rescued us from, but steadfastly believe that His Word is spirit and life to us as we live by His Word.  Hallelujah!

Walking in the Miraculous

 “that all the people of the earth might know the hand of the LORD, that it is mighty: that ye might fear the LORD your God for ever.”

‭‭Joshua‬ ‭4‬:‭24‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Joshua told the children of Israel, “The LORD God has done these miracles so that all the earth will be in awe of the mighty power of Yahweh and that you might always obey Yahweh your God!”  The two miracles - the parting of the Red Sea and the miracle crossing of the Jordan - carry a message for the entire world to learn.  As believers in our heavenly Joshua, our Lord Yeshua, we can learn from the symbolism of these miracles.  The Red Sea parting shows us deep lessons of our salvation from sin, as does the Jordan crossing.  We were co-buried with Christ in baptism into His death (Jordan), and now we are co-raised with Him on the “dry ground” of resurrection territory.  We were buried with Him in baptism, in which we also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.  Miracles convince the world of the Lordship of Jesus.  We build these memorials for the next generations to believe in Christ.  Let’s walk in the miraculous because we are in Christ and the Holy Spirit releases miracles through us.  Hallelujah!

Mercy through Faith in Christ’s Blood

 “whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭3‬:‭25‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Jesus’ God-given destiny was to be the sacrifice to take away sins, and now He is our mercy seat because of His death on the Cross. We come to Him for mercy, for God has made a provision for us to be forgiven by faith in the sacred Blood of Jesus. This is the perfect demonstration of God’s justice, because until now, He had been so patient—holding back His justice out of His tolerance for us. So He covered over the sins of those who lived prior to Jesus’ sacrifice.  The mercy seat becomes the sacrificial, redemptive work of Christ on the Cross.  The mercy seat was the lid to the ark of the covenant, which was carried throughout the wilderness for years and finally found a home in the temple of Jerusalem.  The “blood of mercy” was sprinkled on the mercy seat yearly on the Day of Atonement, which covered the sins of the people, until Jesus sprinkled His Blood on the mercy seat in the heavens.  Only the high priest went into the holy of holies to sprinkle blood upon the mercy seat.  Yet Jesus was publicly offered as the satisfaction for sin’s consequences.  We come to the Lord Jesus for mercy in the new covenant as He is our propitiation through faith in His Blood.  Hallelujah!

A Life of Miracles

 “And Joshua said, Hereby ye shall know that the living God is among you, and that he will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Hivites, and the Perizzites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Jebusites.”

‭‭Joshua‬ ‭3‬:‭10‬ ‭KJV‬‬

As Joshua led the Israelites crossing over the Jordan into the promised land, he told them of the great miracle that this was!  Life in Yeshua is a life of miracles and supernatural experiences.  The very purpose of God’s indwelling Presence in us is to manifest His power and wisdom to the world.  God shows the world through miracles that His children are great - miracles are God’s credentials for His believers and His ministers. Jesus began His ministry with the miracle in Cana, the first of the many extraordinary miracles He performed in Galilee that revealed His glory, and His disciples believed in Him.  As we want the living and resurrected Christ to be revealed through us, let’s put our trust in Him to have faith for miracles.  Jesus wants each one of us to reveal Him to others who don’t know Him, so that they fall in love with Him and experience the greatness of having Him live through us.  Amen!

What Pleases God Comes from Faith

 “to them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: but unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭2‬:‭7‬-‭9‬ ‭KJV‬‬

For those living in constant goodness and doing what pleases Him, seeking an unfading glory and honor and imperishable virtue, will experience eternal life. But those governed by selfishness and self-promotion, whose hearts are unresponsive to God’s truth and would rather embrace unrighteousness, will experience the fullness of wrath. Anyone who does evil can expect tribulation and distress—to the Jew first and also to the non-Jew.  Doing what pleases God comes from faith.  We must first believe in Jesus, the Anointed One, then our life and works will bring honour to Him.  All those who reject Jesus Christ and the truth that the wrath of God fell upon Him on the Cross for all our sins, will face the lake of fire forever, Jews and non-Jews alike, because their names were not found in the Book of Life.  This will be along with the devil and his cohorts.  Amen!

Transformed by Faith

 “And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went, and came into an harlot's house, named Rahab, and lodged there.”

‭‭Joshua‬ ‭2‬:‭1‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Then Joshua son of Nun secretly sent out two spies who arrived at Jericho and entered the house of Rahab the prostitute and lodged there.  Shittim in Hebrew is acacia, the thorny, piercing tree whose hardwood was used to make the tabernacle furniture including the ark of the covenant.  Rahab was an innkeeper too and the meaning of her name is “overcome” or “overcomer”.  She possessed the spirit of prophecy and had the revelation that God was giving the land to Israel.  One of the spies was Salmon, from the tribe of Judah, who later married Rahab.  God rewarded Rahab by having prophets and kings as her descendants.  Rahab, woman of faith, protected the spies at the risk of her own life.  This valiant woman knew the power of God to cleanse and transform her to represent in the old covenant, the virtuous and radiant Bride of Christ, in the new covenant.  May we recognise the power of the Blood Sacrifice of Jesus and the Holy Spirit to change us, in the new covenant, and transform us as the Bride Jesus is longing for, whatever our background might be.  Hallelujah!

Gospel is the Power of God to Salvation

 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭1‬:‭16‬-‭17‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Paul announced, “I refuse to be ashamed of the wonderful message of God’s liberating power unleashed in us through Christ! For I am thrilled to preach that everyone who believes is saved—the Jew first, and then people everywhere! This Gospel unveils a continual revelation of God’s righteousness—a perfect righteousness given to us when we believe. And it moves us from receiving life through faith, to the power of living by faith. This is what the Scripture means when it says: “We are right with God through life-giving faith!”  Salvation came to us through the Jewish people in our Lord Jesus Christ, historically.  For the Jew it meant moving from faith in the Torah and doing well, to faith in the works of Yeshua, the Living Torah, Who alone brings us into salvation’s power - it is through faith in the finished work of the Cross, that the righteous enter into Life, Jew or non-Jew alike.  There is no other way.  Jesus asks us to only believe in Him!  Thank You, Jesus!

God’s Encouragement in Nervous Situations

 “Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.”

‭‭Joshua‬ ‭1‬:‭9‬ ‭KJV

God again encouraged a nervous Joshua, “I repeat, be strong and brave!  Do not yield to fear nor be discouraged, for I Am Yahweh your God, and I will be with you wherever you go!”  God had told Joshua that he would possess a vast territory and no one would defeat him.  Yahweh would be with him just as He was with Moses and He would never fail Joshua, nor abandon him.  Yahweh said that Joshua would enjoy prosperity and success and He would be with him wherever he went.  What Yahweh promised Joshua, He fulfilled and now in our better Joshua (Jesus), He has fulfilled greater promises through His Holy Spirit in the better covenant.  Now may the God Who brought us peace by raising from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ so that He would be the Great Shepherd of His  flock; and by the power of the Blood of the eternal covenant may He work perfection into every part of us giving us all that we need to fulfill our destiny. And may He express through us all that is excellent and pleasing to Him through our life-union with Jesus the Anointed One Who is to receive all glory forever! Amen!

Imitate Paul as he Imitates Christ

 “So when this was done, others also, which had diseases in the island, came, and were healed:”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭28‬:‭9‬ ‭KJV‬‬

When the people of the island heard about this miracle, they brought all the sick to Paul, and they were also healed.  Paul was actually a prisoner of Rome, but he was the one setting everyone free.  It is without doubt that Paul preached the Gospel with signs and wonders, leaving the island healed, in more ways than one.  Also included was the Roman governor of the island, Publius’s father.  The Lord Jesus started His ministry with this declaration, prophesied through Isaiah hundreds of years ago - “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon Me, for the Lord has anointed Me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent Me to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed.”  The Lord Jesus desires that this anointing be released in every believer down the ages, so that He is seen by the world around us through His Body, the Church!  Paul took this seriously and even as a prisoner in the world system, he brought true freedom to the people he encountered, so that they came into the Kingdom of God.  Let’s obey the Lord Jesus as Paul did, and be used to bring people to Christ, in spite of our earthly circumstances.  Amen!