Found in Christ

 “Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.”

‭‭2 Peter‬ ‭3‬:‭13‬-‭14‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Peter’s revelation echoing the prophecies of old, “But as we wait, we trust in God’s royal proclamation to be fulfilled. There are coming heavens new in quality, and an earth new in quality, where righteousness will be fully at home. So, my beloved friends, with all that you have to look forward to, may you be eager to be found living pure lives when you come into His Presence, without blemish and filled with peace.”  There is coming a day when all will live according to God’s perfect will for their lives and righteousness will be at home on earth and in every heart.  This will be the day when justice reigns on earth.  We expect from His promise a new sky and a new earth in which the virtuous people will dwell and it will be in God’s Presence before Him.  Isaiah had prophesied centuries ago, ““For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; And the former shall not be remembered or come to mind.”  Instead of seeing the darkness around us, let’s trust in God’s promises which He fulfilled for all those who believe in the death and resurrection of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and that we are in Christ.  Amen!

The Cross of Christ Activated the New Covenant

 “Keep not thou silence, O God: Hold not thy peace, and be not still, O God. For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult: And they that hate thee have lifted up the head. They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, And consulted against thy hidden ones.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭83‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The last of Asaph’s psalms, “God, you have to do something! Don’t be silent and just sit idly by. Can’t you see what they’re doing? All your enemies are stirred up in an uproar! They despise you, Lord. In their defiant arrogance they rise up to host their secret council against your people. They conspire together to come and harm your cherished ones—your hidden ones.”  In the old covenant, the children of Israel cried out to God time and time again, and God answered their prayers.  In the new covenant God gave all authority for Jesus to come to earth as Man and through His sacrifice on the Cross cancelled the power of sin, death and hell over mankind.  Through the new covenant, He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.  The Church has now been given the authority that Adam lost and Christ restored back to mankind for He said, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Let’s walk in this authority given to the Church by Jesus our Lord Himself.  Amen!

God Rescues the Righteous

 “the Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: but chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.”

‭‭2 Peter‬ ‭2‬:‭9‬-‭10‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Peter’s warnings are for the coming ungodly generations, “If the Lord Yahweh rescued Lot, He knows how to continually rescue the godly from their trials and to reserve the ungodly for punishment on the day of judgment. And this especially applies to those who live their lives despising authorities and who abandon themselves to chasing the depraved lusts of their flesh. They are willfully arrogant and insolent, unafraid to insult the glorious ones.”  There is a doom that awaits the ungodly who do not believe in Jesus Christ, the Saviour.  Even though it seems hard to imagine how anyone can be saved yet God knows how to rescue the righteous.  The wicked are living under the coming day of judgment, who despise the realms of power and do not tremble with fear when they blaspheme.  But the righteous look to Jesus Christ from Whom the power of overcoming every enemy of the Cross is available by faith.  The Son of God undid and destroyed every work of the devil through the Cross and gave us the victory.  Amen!

God Stands With the Poor & Defenceless

 “God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; He judgeth among the gods. How long will ye judge unjustly, And accept the persons of the wicked? Selah. Defend the poor and fatherless: Do justice to the afflicted and needy. Deliver the poor and needy: Rid them out of the hand of the wicked.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭82‬:‭1‬-‭4‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Asaph’s psalm of God being the ultimate Judge.  “All rise! For God now comes to judge as he convenes heaven’s courtroom. He judges every judge and rules in the midst of the gods, saying, “How long will you judges refuse to listen to the voice of true justice and continue to corrupt what is right by judging in favor of the wrong?  Defend the defenseless, the fatherless and the forgotten, the disenfranchised and the destitute. Your duty is to deliver the poor and the powerless; liberate them from the grasp of the wicked.”  There is only one life and after that the judgment.  For us who know that all judgment came upon Jesus Christ on the Cross, we believe what He said,  ““Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.”  Therefore, our part as the Body of Christ the Church, is that through the Gospel we defend the poor and fatherless; do justice to the afflicted and needy. This is how we bring God’s will on earth as it is in heaven, and increase the Kingdom of God.  Amen!

God’s Magnificent Promises are Ours by Faith

 “whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”

‭‭2 Peter‬ ‭1‬:‭4‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Peter tells that God has called us.  “As a result of this, He has given us magnificent promises that are beyond all price, so that through the power of these tremendous promises we can experience partnership with the divine nature, by which we have escaped the corrupt desires that are of the world.”  Through the glorious manifestation of His goodness He has given us His magnificent promises.  As we claim these tremendous promises as our very own, faith releases the power of the Word of God in us.  So we partake of His divine nature, which is one of the great mysteries of our faith.  It is amazing to know that God chooses to share His nature with us.  We are given birth by the Holy Spirit to be God’s true sons and daughters, and every father imparts his DNA and his “nature” to his children.  Christ lives in us and transforms us into His very own likeness.  In Christ we share with Him the divine nature.  We will all bear the image of the Man from heaven, Jesus Christ.  Hallelujah!

Jesus Rescued Mankind from the Bondage of Sin

 “I removed his shoulder from the burden: His hands were delivered from the pots. Thou calledst in trouble, and I delivered thee; I answered thee in the secret place of thunder: I proved thee At the waters of Meribah. Selah.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭81‬:‭6‬-‭7‬ ‭KJV‬

Asaph reminds Israel, ““I have removed your backbreaking burdens and have freed your hands from the hard labor and toil. You called out to me in your time of trouble, and I rescued you. I came down from the realm of the secret place of thunder, where mysteries hide. I came down to save you. I tested your hearts at the place where there was no water to drink, the place of your bitter argument with me.” Pause in his presence”. These burdens were what the Hebrew slaves carried for their Egyptian masters, which God removed when He rescued them. For the congregation of the children of Israel set out on their journey, according to the commandment of the Lord, and camped in Rephidim; but there was no water for the people to drink. Therefore the people contended with Moses, and said, “Give us water, that we may drink.” So Moses said to them, “Why do you contend with me? Why do you tempt the Lord?” So he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the contention of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the Lord.  The Lord Jesus came down from glory to deliver us from our sins.  He wants us to believe in what He did on the Cross to make us righteous.  There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved, except the Name of Jesus.  Let’s not contend about this but freely believe in the Name above all names, JESUS.  Amen!

Looking to Jesus Alone

 “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.”

‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭5‬:‭8‬-‭9‬ ‭KJV‬

Peter explains, “Be well balanced and always alert, because your enemy, the devil, roams around incessantly, like a roaring lion looking for its prey to devour. Take a decisive stand against him and resist his every attack with strong, vigorous faith. For you know that your believing brothers and sisters around the world are experiencing the same kinds of troubles you endure.”  The accuser of the brethren presses a lawsuit against believers in Christ, that must be defended.  If we do not bring our worries and cares to God our Father and make our divine exchange on the Cross of Christ, the devil will use depression and discouragement to devour us.  Just as lions go after the feeble, the young and the stragglers, so the enemy of our soul will always seek out those who are isolated, alone or depressed, to devour them.  The secret is to keep looking to Jesus, the Founder and Perfecter of our faith, Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the Cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.  Amen!

God’s Mighty Power Through Christ’s Cross

 “Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; Thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth. Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh stir up thy strength, And come and save us.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭80‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Asaph’s song, “God-Enthroned, be revealed in splendor as You ride upon the cherubim! How perfectly You lead us, a people set free. Loving Shepherd of Israel—listen to our hearts’ cry! Shine forth from Your throne of dazzling light. In the sight of Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh, stir up Your mighty power in full display before our eyes. Break through and reveal Yourself by coming to our rescue.”  Joseph is a picture of our God Who set His people free, once imprisoned in slavery in Egypt and now set free to rule and reign, in the promised land. Ephraim which means “doubly fruitful”, Benjamin which means “son of my right hand” and Manasseh which means “you made me forget”, are the three sons of Rachel.  They marched together behind the ark of glory and became representatives of all who follow the glory of God.  They will be doubly fruitful sons of God’s right hand and who have forgotten their past.  This is a picture of our Loving Shepherd, our Lord Jesus, Who through the Cross set us free from the bondage of sin to rule and reign in righteousness, our free gift, right here and now as the Church and in the hereafter in eternity.  Amen!

Be Strong in Faith

 “If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”

‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭4‬:‭11‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Peter here teaches, “For example, if you have a speaking gift, speak as though God were speaking His words through you. If you have the gift of serving, do it passionately with the strength God gives you, so that in everything God alone will be glorified through Jesus Christ. For to Him belong the power and the glory forever throughout all ages! Amen.”  If anyone preaches, teaches and prophesies, speak as if it is God speaking through you, it is God’s Word.  The one who provides finances should do it with the strength of God, Who supplies all things.  Peter exhorts us, as the end draws near, to be given to prayer, and devoted to loving our fellow believers and using our spiritual gifts to serve one another.  Let’s be compassionate to the stranger and the foreigner.  Let’s give glory to God in all things.  We learn from Abraham, the father of faith, who lived in decadent times, that he staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God.  Let’s give glory to God in Christ, always.  Amen!

Our Conscience Purged by Christ’s Blood

 “Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name: And deliver us, and purge away our sins, for thy name's sake.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭79‬:‭9‬ ‭KJV

Asaph’s psalm, “Our hero, come and rescue us! O God of the breakthrough, for the glory of Your Name, come and help us! Forgive and restore us; heal us and cover us in Your love.”  The prophets in the old covenant cried out to God because they knew of the better things that were coming.  That was the Gospel - our breakthrough in the new covenant.  There was great joy when the disciples realised that the Gospel was for all mankind, not just the Jews. After they were sent off and on their way, they told everyone they met as they traveled, about the breakthrough to the non-Jewish outsiders. Everyone who heard the news cheered—it was terrific news!  The prophets of old called on God to save them, and He did, in spite of the wayward ways of the children of Israel.  But now through the finished work of the Cross, how much more shall the Blood of Christ, Who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse our conscience from dead works to serve the living God?  The blood of bulls and goats as the Jews sacrificed, cannot take away sins. It only reminds people of their sins from one year to the next.  That is why Christ said as He came into the world, "O God, the blood of bulls and goats cannot satisfy You, so You have made ready this body of Mine for Me to lay as a sacrifice upon Your altar, once and for all mankind.” Hallelujah!

Persecuted for the Cause of Christ

 “But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;”

‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭3‬:‭14‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Peter explains the response to persecution, “But even if you happen to suffer for doing what is right, you will have the joyful experience of the blessing of God. And don’t be intimidated or terrified by those who would terrify you.”  When we suffer mistreatment or persecution for the cause of Christ, the eyes of God rest upon us.  We are confident that God’s heart responds to our prayers and we will experience the blessings of God in spite of our enemies, with nothing to fear.  The Lord tells us not to think like our enemies or retaliate, neither call everything a conspiracy, like they do, and let’s not live in dread of what frightens them. Let’s make the Lord of Hosts holy in our life. He is the One we should fear. He is the One Who makes us tremble.  Let’s worship Him and wait on Him.  Amen!

Never Ending Gratitude for Christ’s Limitless Grace

 “Yea, they turned back and tempted God, And limited the Holy One of Israel. They remembered not his hand, Nor the day when he delivered them from the enemy.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭78‬:‭41‬-‭42‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Asaph’s reminder, “Again and again they limited God, preventing Him from blessing them. Continually they turned back from Him and provoked the Holy One of Israel! They forgot His great love, how He took them by His hand, and with redemption’s kiss He delivered them from their enemies.”  This has been Israel’s history of the stubbornness of their heart to remember not the miracles that God did for them in the past and therefore limiting God.  This is the same with us in the new covenant, we forget God’s mercy in sending Jesus to the Cross to remove our sins and we turn around and ask, “Why did this happen to me?”  We tempt God, just like the children of Israel.  Let’s not blame God when we are tempted! God cannot be tempted by evil, and He doesn't use evil to tempt others.  We remember that 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?  Our hearts are filled with never ending gratitude for His unlimited grace.  Amen!

Nourished by Pure Spiritual Milk

 “Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, as newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:”

‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭2‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Peter explains the hunger in us to be nourished by the purity of the Word, “So abandon every form of evil, deceit, hypocrisy, feelings of jealousy and slander. In the same way that nursing infants cry for milk, you must intensely crave the pure spiritual milk of God’s Word. For this “milk” will cause you to grow into maturity, fully nourished and strong for life —”. We must be completely free from evil and be at rest within.  Purity is an oasis rest for the people of God.  The opposite of that rest is the behaviour of hypocrites who have that hypercritical attitude of pulling things apart for judgmental analysis, all the time wearing a mask!  All manner of guile, hypocrisies , spiteful jealousies as well as any kind of backbiting is to be shunned.  We do away with the old performance based mindset!  There is zero nourishment in such conversation.  But the nourishment of the Word is like an antibiotic for hypocrisy and guile.  This milk contains an element that can eliminate hypocrisy.  This pure spiritual milk is the sustaining power of God’s Word coming from His very breast to nourish and strengthen our inner being.  Our craving for the milk of the Word is not only because of necessity but of delight.  This is our true nourishment in our growth into salvation.  Amen!

Miracles Happen through Faith in Christ

 “Thy way is in the sea, and thy path in the great waters, And thy footsteps are not known.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭77‬:‭19‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Asaph’s psalms reveal that when you complain and grumble to God nothing happens but when you release faith with your mouth and trust Him, He reaches out and makes the impossible happen.  “Your steps formed a highway through the seas with footprints on a pathway no one even knew was there.”  Although Moses led the children of Israel on dry ground in the parting of the Red Sea, it was Jesus Who walked on water and Peter at His Word, though later he doubted.  What faith in the Living Christ can do, Who is the Way, the Truth and the Life.  When we trust Him, He makes a pathway for us no one knew was there.  Let’s make His Word, our foundation and know that what is impossible with mankind is possible with God.  However, doubt and double-mindedness will not achieve anything.  Without faith in God’s Word, it is impossible to please God.  When we ask God for a miracle, let’s not doubt because when we are born of God we overcome the world: and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith.  Amen!

The Spirit of Christ Empowers Us

 “searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.”

‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭1‬:‭11‬ ‭KJV‬‬

As Peter explains, “as they probed into the mysteries of who would fulfill them and the time period when it would all take place. The Spirit of the Anointed One was in them and was pointing prophetically to the sufferings that Christ was destined to suffer and the glories that would be released afterward.”  The Spirit of Christ was in the prophets of the Old Testament, like Enoch, Abraham, Jacob, Moses, Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah, Jeremiah and all prophets who prophesied.  They did so by the Holy Spirit living in them pointing prophetically and giving testimony to the sufferings of the Messiah and the subsequent glory.  In all their conversation there was a constant quest to determine Who the Messiah would be and when would this happen.  Today every believer has the Holy Spirit within him or her and everyone may prophesy.  Let’s believe that when the Spirit of Christ empowers our life, we are not dominated by the flesh but by the Spirit. And if we are not joined to the Spirit of the Anointed One, we are not of Him.  Amen!

Transformation in Christ

 “Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: The remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain. Vow, and pay unto the LORD your God: Let all that be round about him Bring presents unto him that ought to be feared.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭76‬:‭10‬-‭11‬ ‭KJV‬‬

A psalm of Asaph, “You have power to transform man’s futile anger into praise. The fury of Your enemies only causes Your fame to increase. So you’d better keep every promise you’ve ever made to the Awesome One, Yahweh! Let all people bring their extravagant gifts to Him alone.”  A tremendous example of this is how the Lord Jesus transformed Saul to Paul, changing the wrath of man into praise, on the road to Damascus!  Before the glory of God and in the light of His revelation, man’s futile anger is nothing.  This Pharisee Saul was in the process of persecuting and arresting Christians in painful ways when he himself was arrested and transformed.  God’s ways are beyond our understanding - obedience to God’s Word and under the leadership of the Holy Spirit is the only way for the extension of Christ’s Kingdom.  Surely the time is coming when every knee shall bow before Christ and every tongue confess His Lordship, every nation, every people group, governments and authorities, will know Him as King of kings and Lord of lords.  God’s promise to us is, “I have sworn by Myself, the Word is gone out of My mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto Me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.”  If we have promised to follow Him, we better keep our vow to Him with all our heart.  Amen!

The Prayers of the Righteous

 “and the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”

‭‭James‬ ‭5‬:‭15‬-‭16‬ ‭KJV‬‬

James teaches about the prayer of faith, “And the prayer of faith will heal the sick and the Lord will raise them up, and if they have committed sins they will be forgiven. Confess and acknowledge how you have offended one another and then pray for one another to be instantly healed, for tremendous power is released through the passionate, heartfelt prayer of a godly believer!”  Not only is the prayer for the physically sick believer but also for the spiritually weary and worn down believers who have been arguing with each other.  They are to be restored back to health with resurrection power.  Sickness and weakness is a result of sin, which is why we are told to examine ourselves when partaking of the Body & Blood at the communion table of our Lord and Master.  Repentance and forgiveness is so key to our physical and spiritual health.  The Church needs to awake to righteousness and know our responsibility of releasing the power of righteousness through our prayers.  The prayers of the righteous are what our Heavenly Father hears to release answers from above.  Amen!

Praise in the Midst of Tribulations

 “But I will declare for ever; I will sing praises to the God of Jacob. All the horns of the wicked also will I cut off; But the horns of the righteous shall be exalted.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭75‬:‭9‬-‭10‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Asaph was the chief musician in David’s court appointed to lead worship before the Ark of the Covenant.  “But I will proclaim the victory of the God of Jacob. My melodies of praise will make him known. My praises will break the powers of wickedness, while the righteous will be promoted and become powerful!”  In the midst of the prosperity of the wicked, the psalmist puts confident trust in God’s ultimate justice.  Many believers think that they will escape tribulations but the Lord Jesus Christ clearly said, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”  We know that Paul and Silas were severely beaten and were thrown into prison and the jailer was commanded to guard them securely. So the jailer placed them in the innermost cell of the prison and had their feet bound and chained. Paul and Silas, undaunted, prayed in the middle of the night and sang songs of praise to God, while all the other prisoners listened to their worship.  The result was an earthquake and freedom for all the prisoners and salvation to the jailer.  The power of the Holy Spirit is released when we lift up the Name of Jesus in praise, in the midst of tribulations.  Amen!

Grace Reserved for the Humble Only

 “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.”

‭‭James‬ ‭4‬:‭3‬-‭4‬, ‭6‬ ‭KJV

James teaches us to live close to God.  “And if you ask, you won’t receive it for you’re asking with corrupt motives, seeking only to fulfill your own selfish desires. You have become spiritual adulterers who are having an affair, an unholy relationship with the world. Don’t you know that flirting with the world’s values places you at odds with God? Whoever chooses to be the world’s friend makes himself God’s enemy! But He continues to pour out more and more grace upon us. For it says, “God resists you when you are proud but continually pours out grace when you are humble.””  We are not to pray sickly prayers that don’t get answers.  God the Holy Spirit pursues us relentlessly but when we pursue friendship with the world, He takes it personally.  That is why we open our inner motives to Him, humbly, so that His grace is poured into us to correct us, and we choose to be obedient to Him.  So our proper response to God’s marvelous mercies is to surrender ourselves  to God to be His sacred, living sacrifices. And live in holiness, experiencing all that delights His heart. For this becomes our genuine expression of worship.  Amen!

God’s Image & Likeness Restored in Mankind

 “Thou didst divide the sea by thy strength: Thou brakest the heads of the dragons in the waters. Thou brakest the heads of leviathan in pieces, And gavest him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wilderness. Arise, O God, plead thine own cause: Remember how the foolish man reproacheth thee daily. Forget not the voice of thine enemies: The tumult of those that rise up against thee increaseth continually.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭74‬:‭13‬-‭14‬, ‭22‬-‭23‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Asaph’s psalm describes what the enemy of our souls has done spiritually to mar the image of God in our inner place.  “It was You Who split the sea in two by Your glorious strength. You smashed the power of Tannin, the sea monster. You crushed the might of Leviathan, the great dragon, then You took the crumbs and fed them to the sharks. Don’t ignore these ignorant words, this continual mocking. Rise up, God; it’s time to defend Yourself from all this. Never forget what Your adversaries are saying. For their rage and uproar rise continually against You. It’s time to stand up to them!”  Leviathan means “twisted and coiled” and considered a sea monster.  At the Cross, where God sent His Son Jesus, He restored God’s image and likeness back to mankind.  For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the Blood of His Cross.  Amen!

True Freedom is Knowing Our Identity in Christ

 “Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.”

‭‭James‬ ‭3‬:‭9‬-‭10‬ ‭KJV‬‬

James warns about taming the tongue, “We use our tongue to praise God our Father and then turn around and curse a person who was made in His very image!  Out of the same mouth we pour out words of praise one minute and curses the next. My brothers and sisters, this should never be!” We can say beautiful things about God the Father but with the same mouth curse a fellow human made in God’s image and likeness.  We curse a person and pretend to be God.  The point is not what the person did to deserve the insult, but that people are mirror likeness bearers of God by design!  True worship is to touch someone’s life with the same devotion and care we would touch Jesus Himself, even if the other person seems a most unlikely candidate.  Blessing and curse cannot originate from the same source. Every gift God freely gives us is good and perfect, streaming down from the Father of lights, Who shines from the heavens with no hidden shadow or darkness and is never subject to change. God was delighted to give us birth by the truth of His infallible Word so that we would fulfill His chosen destiny for us and become the favorite ones out of all His creation!  Discovering our True Source and our identity in Christ, brings true freedom.  Amen!

God’s Justice & Wisdom is the Cross of Christ

 “So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee. Nevertheless I am continually with thee: Thou hast holden me by my right hand. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, And afterward receive me to glory.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭73‬:‭22‬-‭24‬ ‭KJV‬‬

This is Asaph’s psalm about God’s justice, “I was so stupid. I was senseless and ignorant, acting like a brute beast before You, Lord. Yet, in spite of all this, I still belong to You; You hold me by my right hand. You lead me with Your secret wisdom. And following You brings me into Your brightness and glory!”  Without God, everyone is stupid, senseless, ignorant and beastly!  That would be so until we receive by faith the righteousness of God in Christ.  This is the finished work of the Cross whereby God made the new covenant through Jesus Christ.  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. So where is the wise philosopher who understands? Where is the expert scholar who comprehends? And where is the skilled debater of our time who could win a debate with God? Hasn’t God demonstrated that the wisdom of this world system is utter foolishness? For in His wisdom, God designed that all the world’s wisdom would be insufficient to lead people to the discovery of Himself. He took great delight in baffling the wisdom of the world by using the simplicity of preaching the story of the Cross in order to save those who believe it.  This is God’s justice and His wisdom.  Amen!

Friendship Bond with God in Christ

 “And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.”

‭‭James‬ ‭2‬:‭23‬ ‭KJV‬‬

James explains how Abraham was the father of faith.  “So in this way the Scripture was fulfilled: Because Abraham believed God, his faith was exchanged for God’s righteousness. So he became known as the lover of God!” This was so because Abram trusted every word Yahweh had spoken! And because of his faith, Yahweh credited it to him as righteousness.  Abraham’s friendship with God was the fruit of the righteousness he received by faith and his lifestyle confirmed that faith. Jehoshaphat the king of Judah had already called Abraham God’s friend, “Are You not our God, Who drove out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel, and gave it to the descendants of Abraham Your friend forever?”  Abraham’s love for God was what bonded his friendship with God.  How intimate our personal relationship is with our Saviour, reveals the fruit of the righteousness of our life.  Amen!

The Gospel of Jesus Christ Covering the Whole Earth

 “Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel, Who only doeth wondrous things. And blessed be his glorious name for ever: And let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭72‬:‭18‬-‭19‬ ‭KJV‬‬

David wrote this psalm for his son Solomon though it is prophetically for Jesus our Messiah.  “Praise Yahweh forever, the God of Israel! He is the One and Only God of wonders, surpassing every expectation. The blazing glory of His Name will be praised forever! May all the earth overflow with His glory! Faithful is our King! Amen!”  The LORD God spoke to Moses when he interceded for the children of Israel as they’d refused to enter the promised land and God wanted to destroy them.  Then God heard Moses’ intercession and said: “I have pardoned, according to your word; but truly, as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord—”.  The prophets of old had seen the glory of the Lord cover the whole earth, but John, the disciple whom Jesus loved, put it like this, “And the Word became 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.”  The knowledge of Jesus through the Gospel will cover this whole earth among all people, tribes and nations, for this is the power of God to salvation.  Amen!

Knowing the Father of Lights

 “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”

‭‭James‬ ‭1‬:‭17‬ ‭KJV‬‬

As James, Jesus’s half brother tells us, “Every gift God freely gives us is good and perfect, streaming down from the Father of lights, Who shines from the heavens with no hidden shadow or darkness and is never subject to change.”  Without exception, God’s gifts which are our legacy, are complete, wholesome, abundant, sufficient, good and perfect!  They come from above proceeding like light rays from its Source, the Father of lights.  Jesus calls us the light of the world and Paul said that we are shining lights in this crooked and perverse generation.  God, our Father, created angels but He brought us into new birth, born from above, as Jesus told Nicodemus.  We are lights from above.  The more we know God, our Father, we realise that there is nothing evil, no distortion, no hidden agenda, no evil hiding, nor any shadow of shifting to stop or intercept the light - in total contrast to the perverted passions of sin and the deceptions of satan, claiming the illegitimate parenthood of mankind.  The more we know Him, the more we find how beautiful, how holy, how loving our Father of lights is.  Hallelujah!

Abundant Life through Our Magnificent God

 “Now also when I am old and greyheaded, O God, forsake me not; Until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come. Thy righteousness also, O God, is very high, Who hast done great things: O God, who is like unto thee!”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭71‬:‭18‬-‭19‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The psalmist extols Yahweh, “God, now that I’m old and gray, don’t walk away. Give me grace to demonstrate to the next generation all Your mighty miracles and Your excitement, to show them Your magnificent power! For Your glorious righteousness reaches up to the high heavens. No one could ever be compared to You! Who is Your equal, O God of marvels and wonders?”  As he recognises that God’s righteousness is high, the psalmist wants to tell of God’s magnificence to the next generation.  Our God promised us, “I have come to give you everything in abundance, more than you expect —life in its fullness until you overflow!”  He did this through the Cross by taking our sin and giving us His righteousness.  For God made the only One Who did not know sin to become sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God through our union with Him.”  This abundant life came to us by God coming down from on high and exchanging His righteousness with our sin at the Cross.  He died to give us His life.  No one can compare our Lord Jesus for His magnificence in giving us His righteousness whether we are old and gray or young and spritely - His abundant life is ours by faith.  Thank You, Lord!

God Perfects Us In Christ

 “Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭13‬:‭20‬-‭21‬ ‭KJV‬‬

This is a life-changing prayer, “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 you giving you all that you need to fulfill your destiny. And may He express through you all that is excellent and pleasing to Him through your life-union with Jesus the Anointed One Who is to receive all glory forever! Amen!”  The God Who made peace with the human race through the Blood of the eternal Testament, raised Jesus from the dead as the Supreme Shepherd of the sheep, He thoroughly equips us in the most distinguished way possible, to give expression to His design in us according to His delight realised in Jesus Christ, Who is the blueprint of the ages.  Jesus is the accurate expression of God’s glory.  Our lives confirm and echo the Amen!

Salvation Through No Other Name But Jesus

 “Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: And let such as love thy salvation say continually, let God be magnified.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭70‬:‭4‬ ‭KJV‬‬

David’s psalm of poetic lament, “But let all who passionately seek You erupt with excitement and joy over what You’ve done! Let all Your devoted lovers, who continually rejoice in the Savior, say aloud, How great and glorious is our God!”  David knew prophetically what Jesus said, “For even the Son of Man did not come expecting to be served by everyone, but to serve everyone, and to give His life as the ransom price for the salvation of many.”  As Peter spoke by the Holy Spirit, “let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, Whom you crucified, Whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”  Yeshua in Hebrew is salvation.  Amen!

The Blood of Jesus Speaks Forgiveness

 “and to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭12‬:‭24‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Here is explained that the Blood of Jesus speaks, “And we have come to Jesus Who established a New Covenant with His Blood sprinkled upon the mercy seat; Blood that continues to speak from heaven, ‘forgiveness’, a better message than Abel’s blood that cries from the earth, ‘justice’.”  Jesus is the Spokesman and Arbitrator of the New Testament order.  His Blood signature sanctions mankind’s innocence.  This is a completely new language that communicates better things, in that it is the very substance of what was spoken in the shadow blood sacrifice that Abel brought.  Abel’s faith was a prophetic introduction to the sacrificial shadow system of the old covenant.  Jesus is the substance of things hoped for.  It was faith that made the difference between the sacrifices of Abel and Cain, and confirmed Abel’s righteousness.  God bore witness to righteousness as a gift rather than a reward!  Even though he was murdered, Abel’s faith still has a most relevant prophetic voice.  Thanks be to God that we have Jesus’s faith in us today through His Blood Sacrifice.  Amen!

Salvation Through Christ’s Sufferings

 “Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness: And I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; And for comforters, but I found none. They gave me also gall for my meat; And in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭69‬:‭20‬-‭21‬ ‭KJV‬‬

This is considered one of the two most outstanding messianic psalms prophetically spoken by David, of the sufferings and Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. “I’m heartsick and heartbroken by it all. Their contempt has crushed my soul. I looked for sympathy and compassion but found only empty stares. I was hungry and they gave me bitter food. I was thirsty and they offered me vinegar.”  It explains in the Gospel, of the broken heart of our Saviour.  A multitude of people stood dazed at the spectacle they beheld of Jesus’s suffering on the Cross.  The religious leaders  were ridiculing Him; the soldiers were making fun of Him while coming up to Him and offering Him vinegar and gall to drink; even the thieves being crucified with Him insulted Him.  Can anyone bear all this and yet look with love upon them all, with His heart breaking and say, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do”?  Only Jesus could, and forgiveness of sin came upon all humanity through the suffering, death, burial and resurrection of the Messiah!  This is the only way for sin to be removed from our life and receive freedom from sin forever!  When we go through trials and sufferings, may we focus on the Cross and nail our sufferings on the Cross receiving His grace in exchange, by faith.  Hallelujah!

Christ - Our Desired One

 “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭11‬:‭6‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The famous Scripture on faith, “And without faith living within us it would be impossible to please God. For we come to God in faith knowing that He is real and that He rewards the faith of those who passionately seek Him.”  There is no substitute reward for faith.  Faith’s return exceeds any other sense of achievement.  Faith knows that God is - those who respond to His invitation to draw near, realise by faith that He is life’s most Perfect Gift. If Christ is the Desired One then no substitute will suffice.  Jesus Christ defines God’s faith, He is Immanuel.   He is the substance and evidence of all that God believes.  Jesus is what God believes.  Jesus is our righteousness, revealed to us by faith.  He is the Gift not a reward for keeping the law - faith pleases God, not good or bad behaviour.  Let’s please God with faith in Christ, our Perfect Gift.  Amen