Resurrection Life in Christ Conquers All

 “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:”

‭‭John‬ ‭11‬:‭25‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“Martha,” Jesus said, “You don’t have to wait until then. I Am the Resurrection, and I Am Life Eternal. Anyone who clings to Me in faith, even though he dies, will live forever.”  Jesus said, “I Am the Living God, the Resurrection and the Life”.  Resurrection is superior to life.  Life can be defeated and ended, but resurrection overcomes.  Life is the power to exist, but resurrection is the power to conquer all, even death itself.  As those who believe in the finished work of the Cross, we must learn to live in Christ our Life, but also Christ our Resurrection to conquer all things.  That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.  Amen!

Remembering Christ with Joy & Thanksgiving

 “And the children of Israel, which were come again out of captivity, and all such as had separated themselves unto them from the filthiness of the heathen of the land, to seek the LORD God of Israel, did eat, and kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy: for the LORD had made them joyful, and turned the heart of the king of Assyria unto them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.”

‭‭Ezra‬ ‭6‬:‭21‬-‭22‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Then the Israelites who had returned from exile, along with everyone who had removed themselves from the defilements of the nations to join them and seek God, the God of Israel, ate the Passover. With great joy they celebrated the Feast of Unraised Bread for seven days. God had plunged them into a sea of joy; He had changed the mind of the king of Assyria to back them in rebuilding The Temple of God, the God of Israel.  God wants us to remember Him.  Jesus told His disciples, “Take it and eat your fill. It is My Body, which is given for you. Do this to remember Me”.  He did the same with the cup of wine after supper and said, “This cup seals the new covenant with My Blood. Drink it—and whenever you drink this, do it to remember Me”.  Christ wants us to remember Him with joy and thanksgiving.  Amen!

Jesus Christ - Our Door & Our Shepherd

 “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.”

‭‭John‬ ‭10‬:‭9‬ ‭KJV

Jesus taught, “I Am the Gateway. To enter through Me is to experience life, freedom, and satisfaction.”  A sheep pen was an enclosure with walls and no roof that would often have the sheep of an entire village kept within.  After the sheep were brought in for the night, it was common for the shepherd to sleep at the entrance so he could protect his sheep.  Only the shepherds of the sheep would be recognised by that gatekeeper.  Jesus is the One Who will remain with His flock and keep His sheep living in peace and safety.  His teaching (voice) will guard us from the unreliable teachers who want to steal our hearts and bind us to themselves.  They steal  and rob the affection that belongs only to Jesus, our kind Shepherd.  Jesus is my best Friend and my Shepherd. I always have more than enough.  Amen!

Prophecy with God’s Love

 “Then the prophets, Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied unto the Jews that were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, even unto them. Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of God which is at Jerusalem: and with them were the prophets of God helping them.”

‭‭Ezra‬ ‭5‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭KJV‬

Meanwhile the prophets Haggai and Zechariah son of Iddo were preaching to the Jews in Judah and Jerusalem in the authority of the God of Israel who ruled them. And so Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua son of Jozadak started again, rebuilding The Temple of God in Jerusalem. The prophets of God were right there helping them.  God spoke through prophets to encourage His people to fulfil His will, and He hasn’t stopped now!  For prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. In the new covenant the word of prophecy strengthens the entire church. We are not to scorn or reject gifts of prophecy or prophecies which are spoken revelation, words of instruction, exhortation or warning.  Prophesying is for this earthly age but it’s love that is eternal.  Let’s follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy to encourage and build the Body of Christ.  Amen!

Understanding by Revelation the Word of God

 “And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him. And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.”

‭‭John‬ ‭9‬:‭38‬-‭39‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Then the man threw himself at His feet and worshiped Jesus and said, “Lord, I believe in You!” And Jesus said, “I have come to judge those who think they see and make them blind. And for those who are blind, I have come to make them see.”  Although this man who was blind but now been healed by Jesus, had never  been able to read the Scriptures, he had faith in Jesus.  Traditions and superficial knowledge of the Bible can actually blind our hearts if we do not believe in Jesus above all other religious dogmas.  Many of those who knew the Scriptures refused to believe.  The miracle of blind eyes opening is proof that God had come to us. As the prophet Isaiah had said, “Say to those who are fearful-hearted, “Be strong, do not fear! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, With the recompense of God; He will come and save you.” Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, And the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.”  May we read and understand the Word of God by revelation of the Spirit of God.  Amen!

God’s Plans and the devil’s Opposition

 “Now when the copy of king Artaxerxes' letter was read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went up in haste to Jerusalem unto the Jews, and made them to cease by force and power.”

‭‭Ezra‬ ‭4‬:‭23‬ ‭KJV 

The letter of King Artaxerxes was read to Rehum and Shimshai the secretary and their associates. They lost no time. They went to the Jews in Jerusalem and made them quit work.  From the beginning the devil has opposed the work of God.  When God called the Jews to rebuild the Temple and Jerusalem, the opposing order worked by the devil, was given.  Every work of God is fiercely opposed by the devil.  The children of Israel were scattered all across the earth but God said that they will come back and now Israel is a nation.  Jerusalem was fought by the enemies of Israel but now Jerusalem is the capital of Israel.  The temple that was destroyed will now be rebuilt for the third time how much ever the devil opposes it.  Whatever God has said in His Word comes to pass.  The good news is that the reason the Son of God was revealed was to undo and destroy the works of the devil.   Because with sin, which is opposing God’s righteousness, came death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord and through His sacrifice as the Lamb of God, the sin of the world is taken away, and we are made righteous by grace through faith.  Amen!

Christ Before Me, No Turning Back

“And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.”

‭‭John‬ ‭8‬:‭8‬ ‭KJV‬‬

And then Jesus bent over again and wrote some more words in the dust.  Jesus wrote in the dust to fulfil the prophetic word by Jeremiah, “Yahweh, You are the only hope of Israel! All who forsake You will be covered with shame. Those who turn away from You will be written in the dirt. To forsake You, Yahweh, is to forsake the fountain of living waters.”  Those who forsake God are in spiritual adultery and are written in dust.  All of the accusers of the woman caught in adultery, were guilty of having forsaken God, the fountain of living water.  Yet they were so anxious to stone this woman to death.  The same finger that wrote the Ten Commandments in stone also wrote the names of each of the accusers in the dirt write in front of their eyes, pointing to their hypocrisy. So let’s put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Let’s be those who never need to verify our speech as truthful by swearing by the heavens or the earth or any other oath. But instead we must be so full of integrity that our “Yes” or “No” is convincing enough and we do not stumble into hypocrisy.  Amen!

Christ’s Love Endures Forever

 “And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, they set the priests in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites the sons of Asaph with cymbals, to praise the LORD, after the ordinance of David king of Israel.”

‭‭Ezra‬ ‭3‬:‭10‬ ‭KJV‬‬

When the workers laid the foundation of The Temple of God, the priests in their robes stood up with trumpets, and the Levites, sons of Asaph, with cymbals, to praise God in the tradition of David king of Israel. They sang antiphonally praise and thanksgiving to God: Yes! God is good! Oh yes—He’ll never quit loving Israel!  In the new covenant Jesus Christ is our foundation. This foundation has already been laid for us to build upon.  When the Jews returned from exile to Jerusalem and laid the foundation, they were so happy that they praised God.  Now that Christ has laid the foundation of our faith in the finished work of the Cross, we worship Christ as Lord of our life with great joy and happiness.  And if someone asks about our hope as a believer, we must be ready to explain it.  Let’s have thanksgiving in our heart to Christ, Yes! God is good! Oh yes—He’ll never quit loving us!  Amen!

Always Thirsty for the Living Water

 “In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.”

‭‭John‬ ‭7‬:‭37‬-‭38‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Then on the most important day of the feast, the last day, Jesus stood and shouted out to the crowds—“All you thirsty ones, come to me! Come to me and drink! Believe in me so that rivers of living water will burst out from within you, flowing from your innermost being, just like the Scripture says!”  When man’s feasting is over, there is still thirst.  Jesus comes at the last day of the feast to satisfy the thirst of those who seek God.  Only the Lord Jesus can quench the spiritual thirst of men by giving them His living water.  A drink becomes a river of living water!  As God said through the prophet, “I will pour refreshing water on the thirsty and streams on the dry ground. I will pour out my Spirit on your children, my blessing upon your descendants.”  Let’s continually drink from the living water.  Amen!

The Grace of Our Lord Jesus Christ

 “And some of the chief of the fathers, when they came to the house of the LORD which is at Jerusalem, offered freely for the house of God to set it up in his place:”

‭‭Ezra‬ ‭2‬:‭68‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Some of the heads of families, on arriving at The Temple of God in Jerusalem, made Freewill-Offerings toward the rebuilding of The Temple of God on its site. They gave to the building fund as they were able.  These were exiled people returning back to Jerusalem who couldn’t have had much.  Yet they gave for the rebuilding of the Temple.  Today, we believers of the new covenant of the Lord Jesus Christ, are the Temple of God the Holy Spirit Who is building us, the Church, to be the spotless Bride of Christ.  Our opportunity is to give cheerfully and generously toward the Kingdom of God.  For we know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for our sake He became poor, that we through His poverty might become rich.  If exiled people could give free-will offerings, how much more we in the new covenant.  Amen!

The Bread of Life Who Satisfies Mankind’s Hunger

 “And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.”

‭‭John‬ ‭6‬:‭11‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Jesus then took the barley loaves and the fish and gave thanks to God. He then gave it to the disciples to distribute to the people. Miraculously, the food multiplied, with everyone eating as much as they wanted!  Barley is the first crop to harvest in Israel and is a picture of the resurrected Christ.  Moses had been told by God that the children of Israel were to celebrate the feast of firstfruits when they reap the barley harvest and to bring a sheaf of the firstfruit to the priest.  Resurrection life has been given to all who believe in Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross.  Jesus Christ is the firstfruit of resurrection life.   When tempted by the devil, Jesus refused to turn stones to bread to satisfy his own hunger.  Yet here Jesus multiplies bread to satisfy the hunger of others.  Jesus is the Bread of Life Who satisfies mankind’s hunger.  Amen!

Our Free-Will Surrender to God Almighty

 “Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.”

‭‭Ezra‬ ‭1‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭KJV‬‬

In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia—this fulfilled the Message of God preached by Jeremiah—God prodded Cyrus king of Persia to make an official announcement throughout his kingdom. He wrote it out as follows: From Cyrus king of Persia, a Proclamation: God, the God of the heavens, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth. He has also assigned me to build Him a Temple of worship in Jerusalem, Judah.  How could God accomplish His will through a gentile?  God accomplishes His will through anyone.  Cyrus heard God, chose to obey Him, and is commended for it.  God blessed this king of Persia.  When people come to faith in Jesus Christ, they do it out of conviction, because God never interferes with mankind’s free-will.  God loves mankind so much that He doesn’t want any to perish but all to come to faith in Christ.  Thank You Father!

The Triune God

 “Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.”

‭‭John‬ ‭5‬:‭18‬ ‭KJV

This infuriated them and made them all the more eager to devise a plan to kill Him. For not only did He break their Sabbath rules, but He also called God “My Father,” which made Him equal to God.  Jesus did not break the Sabbath, He “loosed” it from the bondage of tradition and man-made rules.  Jesus’s critics clearly understood that He was claiming God as His Father in a unique way.  At Jesus’s baptism, the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, “Thou art My beloved Son; in Thee I am well pleased.”  It was no doubt unique that Jesus is the Son of God the Father, equal to Him.  We worship God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.  Three Persons and One God.  Amen!

The Sure Word of Prophecy

 “And them that had escaped from the sword carried he away to Babylon; where they were servants to him and his sons until the reign of the kingdom of Persia: to fulfil the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths: for as long as she lay desolate she kept sabbath, to fulfil threescore and ten years.”

‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭36‬:‭20‬-‭21‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the temple of God and killed the Jews.  Any survivor was taken prisoner into exile in Babylon and made a slave to Nebuchadnezzar and his family. The exile and slavery lasted until the kingdom of Persia took over. This is exactly the message of God that Jeremiah had preached: the desolate land put to an extended sabbath rest, a seventy-year Sabbath rest making up for all the unkept Sabbaths. Jeremiah, the prophet had prophesied this, “And this whole land shall be a desolation and an astonishment, and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years.”  Today, we have the prophetic word confirmed, which we will do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the Daystar, our Lord Jesus Christ, rises in our hearts.  All  prophecy will be fulfilled as we even see it happening right now in our generation.  Let’s not despise prophecy but be ready.  Jesus is coming soon.  Amen!

Christ in Us the Spring of Life Everlasting

 “Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour. There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink.”

‭‭John‬ ‭4‬:‭6‬-‭7‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Wearied by His long journey, He sat on the edge of Jacob’s well, and sent His disciples into the village to buy food, for it was already afternoon. Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.”  The well was a “spring-fed well”.  This is a picture of the “spring” of the Jacob-life inside of everyone of us.  Fed by Adam’s fall, this spring has flowed through all of humanity.  But Jesus sat as a “lid” to Jacob’s well, sealing its polluted stream.  In Christ, Jacob’s clever striving has ended.  A living well became a lid to Jacob’s well as Jesus sat there ready to give His living water to all who would come and drink.  A well sitting upon a well!  The “water” Jesus wanted was the refreshing, satisfying pleasure of her devotion.  He says to each one of us, “Nothing satisfies Me except you”.  The sinner drank of the Saviour and the Saviour drank of the sinner and both were satisfied.  Neither ate or drank, but both were satisfied.  Let’s be satisfied with our Saviour for He is our sufficiency.  Amen!

Christ, our Passover

 “So all the service of the LORD was prepared the same day, to keep the passover, and to offer burnt offerings upon the altar of the LORD, according to the commandment of king Josiah.”

‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭35‬:‭16‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Everything went without a hitch in the worship of God that day as they celebrated the Passover and the offering of the Whole-Burnt-Offering on the Altar of God. It went just as Josiah had ordered. The Passover hadn’t been celebrated like this since the days of Samuel the prophet.  Josiah ruled six hundred years before Jesus the Messiah was born in the flesh and he restored the temple.  Passover under Josiah was the last time at the temple.  Because the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world came and was sacrificed once and for all. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. By God’s will we have been purified and made holy once and for all through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus, the Messiah! Christ suffered and died for sins once and for all—the innocent for the guilty—to bring you near to God by His body being put to death and by being raised to life by the Spirit.  Hallelujah to the Lamb!

In Christ Heaven and Earth is One

 “And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.”

‭‭John‬ ‭3‬:‭13‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Jesus told Nicodemus, “No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man Who is in heaven.”  Jesus shares a mystery with Nicodemus.  While He was on earth ministering, Jesus was also in heaven in the spirit realm.  Being in two places at the same time is also the privilege given to every believer.  We are seated with Christ in the heavenly realm and living our earthly life to please Him.  This is what it means to be “in Christ”.  In the realm of the Spirit, heaven and earth is one.  Jesus is telling Nicodemus that only those who are seated in the heavenly realm will understand spiritual truths.  However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory.  Amen!

The Word of God Endures Forever

 “And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the law, that he rent his clothes. Go, enquire of the LORD for me, and for them that are left in Israel and in Judah, concerning the words of the book that is found: for great is the wrath of the LORD that is poured out upon us, because our fathers have not kept the word of the LORD, to do after all that is written in this book.”

‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭34‬:‭19‬, ‭21‬ ‭KJV‬‬

When the king heard what was written in the book, God’s Revelation, he ripped his robes in dismay. Josiah ordered them all: “Go and pray to God for me and what’s left of Israel and Judah. Find out what we must do in response to what is written in this book that has just been found! God’s anger must be burning furiously against us—our ancestors haven’t obeyed a thing written in this book of God, followed none of the instructions directed to us.”  Josiah chose to follow the written Word of God.  The Word became flesh and dwelt among us - Jesus Christ is the Word of God.  As the Word of God says, “All flesh is as grass, And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, And its flower falls away, But the Word of the Lord endures forever.” Now this is the Word which by the Gospel was preached to us and saved our souls for eternal life with God.  Amen!

Worshipping God in Spirit and in Truth

 “But he spake of the temple of his body.”

‭‭John‬ ‭2‬:‭21‬ ‭KJV‬‬

But the Pharisees failed to understand that Jesus was speaking of the “temple” of His Body.  Resurrection power would be the sign of Jesus’s supreme authority.  Jesus’s death and resurrection effectively dismantled the need for the temple, for now His powerful Gospel of the Kingdom realm builds us into a holy temple not made with hands.  This symbolic form of speaking was so different from the teachings of the Pharisees, as it is to the understanding of many Christians today.  The God Who was once worshipped by animal sacrifices is now to be worshipped in spirit and in truth with every believer as a priest.  Let’s worship Him, Who is Ruler over every nation, every government, every authority and all creation, in spirit and in truth.  Amen!

Christ Nailed All Afflictions on the Cross

 “And when he was in affliction, he besought the LORD his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers, and prayed unto him: and he was intreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD he was God.”

‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭33‬:‭12‬-‭13‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Manasseh was Hezekiah’s son but didn’t learn from his father but worshipped strange gods.  So he was taken into captivity.  Now that he was in trouble, he dropped to his knees in prayer asking for help—total repentance before the God of his ancestors. As he prayed, God was touched; God listened and brought him back to Jerusalem as king. That convinced Manasseh that God was in control.  Why learn the hard way through affliction!  David prophesied about the Lord Jesus Christ, “For He has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither has He hid His face from Him; but when He cried to Him, He heard.”  Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.  Christ has carried on the Cross all our afflictions and set us free.  Hallelujah!

The Fullness of Our Lord Jesus Christ

 “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”

‭‭John‬ ‭1‬:‭14‬ ‭KJV‬‬

John writes that the Living Expression became a Man and lived among us! We gazed upon His glory, the glory of the One and Only who came from the Father overflowing with tender mercy and truth!  God became visible in Jesus, “God with us” our Immanuel, a Man for all eternity.  God became visible and “pitched His tent among us.”  That’s what God said to Moses in the wilderness, “Let them construct a Sanctuary for Me so that I can live among them.”  As John wrote, “we gazed upon His preciousness, the unique and beloved Son of God, full of lovingkindness, goodness, grace, favour sweetness, pleasure, delight, tender mercy.”  Words are not enough to say it like it is.  Truly, Jesus Christ is full of everything that our hearts crave.  Amen!

Boast Only In the Cross of Our Lord Jesus Christ

 “Now therefore let not Hezekiah deceive you, nor persuade you on this manner, neither yet believe him: for no god of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people out of mine hand, and out of the hand of my fathers: how much less shall your God deliver you out of mine hand….And the LORD sent an angel, which cut off all the mighty men of valour, and the leaders and captains in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with shame of face to his own land. And when he was come into the house of his god, they that came forth of his own bowels slew him there with the sword.”

‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭32‬:‭15‬, ‭21‬ ‭KJV‬ 

Sennacherib threatened Hezekiah and his army, “Don’t let Hezekiah fool you; don’t let him get by with his barefaced lies; don’t trust him. No god of any country or kingdom ever has been one bit of help against me or my ancestors—what kind of odds does that give your god?”  God answered by sending an angel who wiped out everyone in the Assyrian camp, both warriors and officers. Sennacherib was forced to return home in disgrace, tail between his legs. When he went into the temple of his god, his own sons killed him.  When one boasts, it becomes a prophecy of a future failure. The higher you lift yourself up in pride, the harder you fall in disgrace.  As Paul said, “boast only in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.” Amen!

God’s Word is to be Humbly Received

 “And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭24‬:‭35‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Then the two disciples told the others what had happened to them on the road to Emmaus and how Jesus had unveiled himself in the breaking of bread.  Luke’s Gospel begins and ends with a similar story.  In the beginning of Jesus’s life, his parents are walking off from Jerusalem and leaving Him in the temple, unaware that they had left Jesus behind.  Luke ends with a story of Jesus walking alongside two disciples and they weren’t aware of who was walking next to them.  Both accounts were after the Feast. In both stories they were leaving Jerusalem.  And both the Jewish scholars in the temple at the beginning and the two Emmaus road disciples at the end were astonished at what Jesus taught them.  We join in worship with king David in the psalm, “I bow down before Your divine Presence and bring You my deepest worship as I experience Your tender love and Your living truth. For Your Word and the fame of Your Name have been magnified above all else!”  Hallelujah!

Blessed to be a Blessing

 “And thus did Hezekiah throughout all Judah, and wrought that which was good and right and truth before the LORD his God. And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered.”

‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭31‬:‭20‬-‭21‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Hezekiah carried out this work and kept it up everywhere in Judah. He was the very best—good, right, and true before his God. Everything he took up, whether it had to do with worship in God’s Temple or the carrying out of God’s Law and Commandments, he did well in a spirit of prayerful worship. He was a great success. Hezekiah prospered because he chose to obey and follow God.  God had told Moses, “Oh, that they would always have hearts like this, that they might fear me and obey all my commands! If they did, they and their descendants would prosper forever.”  In the new covenant, for those who are born again, we are co-heirs with Christ in the Kingdom of God.  Our purpose is to seek His Kingdom and His righteousness and all things will be added to us.  Now we bless others with the God-given prosperity to extend the Kingdom of God.  Let’s obey God and prosper so that we are blessed to be a blessing.  Amen!

Forgiveness is the Power to Overcome and Move Ahead

 “Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭23‬:‭34‬ ‭KJV‬‬

While they were nailing Jesus to the Cross, he prayed over and over, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they’re doing.” The soldiers, after they crucified Him, gambled over His clothing.  Jesus was praying intensely as they crucified Him.  He did not pray “forgive me”, but “forgive them”.  As the centurion crushed Him to the ground and tied His arms to the crossbeam, Jesus prayed, “Father, forgive them”.  When the spikes tore through each quivering palm, He prayed again, “Father, forgive them”.  When the soldiers parted His garments and gambled for the seamless robe, again Jesus prayed, “Father, forgive them”.  Only God knows how many times that prayer was spoken.  Jesus, when He rose from the dead and met His disciples the first time, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained”. Paul understood the Gospel clearly, as he preached, “Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins;”. Only Jesus can forgive us our sins, there is no one else who can do that.  Let’s only believe.  Amen!

The Blessed Kingdom of God

 “For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim, and Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet did they eat the passover otherwise than it was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, The good LORD pardon every one that prepareth his heart to seek God, the LORD God of his fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary. And the LORD hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people.”

‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭30‬:‭18‬-‭20‬ ‭KJV‬‬

There were a lot of people, who did not eat the Passover meal because they had not prepared themselves adequately. Hezekiah prayed for these as follows: “May God Who is all good, pardon and forgive everyone who sincerely desires God, the God of our ancestors. Even—especially!—these who do not meet the literal conditions stated for access to The Temple.” God responded to Hezekiah’s prayer and healed the people.  Some leaders and kings do not seek the good of the people they rule and come to a sad end, but Hezekiah sought to do what was written in the Word of God.  When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan.  Hezekiah prayed for his people, but God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  Amen!

Thank You, Jesus, for the Cross

 “saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭22‬:‭42‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Jesus prayed in the garden of Gethsemane, “Father, if You are willing, take this cup of agony away from Me.  But no matter what, Your will must be Mine.”  Jesus asked the Father to be spared from death in the garden so that He could go all the way to the Cross.  His prayer was answered.  The Blood that dripped in the garden would not redeem.  Jesus had to carry the Cross and fulfil all that was written of Him. During Christ’s days on earth He pleaded with God, praying with passion and with tearful agony that God would spare Him from death. And because of His perfect devotion His prayer was answered and He was delivered.    It was the crown of thorns that gave us the mind of Christ, which He bore to the Cross.  It was the nail-pierced hands and feet; the scourging on His back; till He said, “It is finished”, and committed His spirit to God, that gave us our salvation.  Thank God He rose again from the dead.  What a wonderful Saviour and Deliverer we have.  Hallelujah!

Jesus, Our Faithful High Priest

 “and the priests killed them, and they made reconciliation with their blood upon the altar, to make an atonement for all Israel: for the king commanded that the burnt offering and the sin offering should be made for all Israel.”

‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭29‬:‭24‬ ‭KJV‬‬

As much as Ahaz had done wickedly, his son Hezekiah as king restored, reconciled and sanctified the temple of God.  He then asked the priests to making atonement and they killed the goats as a sin offering and sprinkled their blood on the altar to make atonement for the sins of all Israel. The king had specifically commanded that this burnt offering and sin offering should be made for all Israel.  God blessed Hezekiah thereafter.  In the old covenant, only the high priest ever entered the Most Holy Place, once a year, offering blood for his own sins and for the sins the people who had committed in ignorance.  In the new covenant, it was necessary for Jesus Christ to be made in every respect like us, His brothers and sisters, so that He could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. Then He could offer a sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people. Unlike other high priests, He does not first need to make atonement every day for His own sins, and only then for His people's, because He already made atonement, reconciling us with God once and forever when He offered Himself as a sacrifice.  Amen!

Faith and Patient Endurance

 “And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake. But there shall not an hair of your head perish. In your patience possess ye your souls.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭21‬:‭17‬-‭19‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Jesus told His disciples, “You will be hated by all because of My Life in you. But don’t worry. My grace will never desert you or depart from your life. Stand firm with patient endurance and you will find your souls’ deliverance.”  When we accept Jesus’s love and forgiveness on our behalf, we will experience His grace.  Only the redeemed can respond to the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of our Heavenly Father, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, with total surrender.  In spite of the persecution, all of Jesus’s disciples endure with patience and faith because we know His grace will never leave us.  So let’s not allow our hearts to grow dull or lose our enthusiasm, but follow the example of those who fully received what God has promised because of their strong faith and patient endurance, and walk in our inheritance.  Amen!

Following Jesus Christ Alone

 “Moreover he burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burnt his children in the fire, after the abominations of the heathen whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel. 

‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭28‬:‭3‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king and didn’t live right in the eyes of God.  Instead he followed in pagan worship and—incredibly!—indulged in the outrageous practice of “passing his sons through the fire,” a truly abominable thing he picked up from the pagans.  He also joined in the activities of the neighborhood sex-and-religion shrines that flourished all over the place.  Ahaz took the Jews to another level of apostasy, abandoning the God of Israel.  When we encounter the resurrected Christ and His grace of forgiveness, we cannot help but to love Him.  Therefore we cannot deny Him.  Yet it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good Word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.  In the last days of this age we’re living in, many will depart from faith in Jesus Christ.  Let’s not be in this category but deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Christ.  Amen!

Jesus Christ is Victorious, Righteous & Lowly

“And David himself saith in the book of Psalms, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, Till I make thine enemies thy footstool. David therefore calleth him Lord, how is he then his son?”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭20‬:‭42‬-‭44‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Jesus told the scribes, “Haven’t you read in the Psalms where David himself wrote: The Lord Yahweh said to my Lord, ‘Sit near Me in the place of authority until I subdue all Your enemies under Your feet!’ ” Jesus explained, “If David calls this One ‘my Lord,’ how can he be His Son?”  This is the most oft quoted psalm in the new covenant.  Jesus said, “The LORD God said to My protecting Lord Messiah.” The right hand is the position of authority and honour.  The footstool symbolises what is subdued, where all the enemies become a footstool under the feet.  Jesus is challenging them to consider that Christ will be both God and Man - David’s son and David’s Lord.  This is a challenge to all mankind that God became Man to conquer sin and death to make all His sons and daughters.  This is His love for mankind.  Jesus Christ is victorious, righteous and lowly.  It is mankind’s free will to believe it or not.  Let’s choose to believe.  Amen!