Lively Hope & Eternal Inheritance

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,”

‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭1:3-4‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Peter is revealing the mystery of the ages that we celebrate with praises the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has shown us His extravagant mercy. For His fountain of mercy has given us a new life—we are reborn to experience a living, energetic hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. We are reborn into a perfect inheritance that can never perish, never be defiled, and never diminish. It is promised and preserved forever in the heavenly realm for us!  What a celebration - the first result of our new birth is that we are brought into a living hope in the power of God, based on the resurrection of Christ, to excel in life.  The second result is an eternal inheritance, which is available now by faith, and is also reserved in heaven for us.  All this, because of our heavenly Father’s matchless mercy and tender compassions!  Glory to God!

Peace & Rest from the Holy Spirit

 “and the dove came in to him in the evening; and, lo, in her mouth was an olive leaf pluckt off: so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth.”

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭8:11‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Noah released the dove from the ark again. Before evening, the dove came back to him - and there in its beak was a freshly plucked olive leaf!  Previously Noah had sent a raven which allegorically symbolises the law which was sent out first but gave no assurance that the waters of judgment had been lifted.  The dove, returning with an olive branch, the symbol of peace, symbolises the Gospel of grace given to us by the Holy Spirit.  The glorious Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ brought a better hope to us - judgment has retreated.  The Dove (Holy Spirit) cannot rest where there is corruption and death.  For generations, the Dove sought a place to rest till at last He rested on the Perfect Man, Jesus the Son of God under the open heaven at the Jordan river.  Every time the Dove of God comes, He brings a fresh olive branch - fresh oil for the sons and daughters of the Highest.  Let the Holy Spirit rest in our bodies, His temple as we surrender to Him to receive the nature of the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world.  Thank You Holy Spirit!

Focus on Christ Alone

 “Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭3:1‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The writer of Hebrews explains that we are now made holy, and each of us is invited to the feast of our heavenly calling. So let’s fasten our thoughts fully onto Jesus, whom we embrace as our Apostle and King-Priest.  The Aramaic word for priest is the same word used for Melchizedek and not for the Levites!  Let’s put our whole focus on the truth that we are co-included in Christ and are blameless as we participate in Christ’s identity.  Let’s acquaint ourselves immediately and fully with Christ confessing Him as our Apostle and High Priest and being focused on the Risen and Exalted Christ alone!  Hallelujah!

Doomed to Fall

 “but hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before thee, and thou, and thy Lords, thy wives, and thy concubines, have drunk wine in them; and thou hast praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know: and the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified:”

‭‭Daniel‬ ‭5:23‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Belshazzar the Chaldean king was petrified when he saw the hand writing on the wall and asked for Daniel to come and interpret it.  Daniel told Belshazzar that he had risen against the true Lord of heaven.  By demanding that the sacred vessels of the temple of Jerusalem his predecessor king Nebuchadnezzar had brought for Belshazzar and his officials, his wives and his concubines to drink from, issuing a challenge to the true God, they cannot win.  They have made toasts and offered praise to the idols crafted in silver and gold, bronze, iron, wood and stone - idols which cannot see or hear or know anything at all.  And they have failed to honour in all they do, the One True God Who holds the breath of life in the palm of His Hand and makes possible all their days.  In the new covenant, this God has given His own Life for all mankind.  Therefore, if people choose to dishonour Him and His Church which is His Body, rendering Christ irrelevant, they are doomed to fall.  It may not be as quick as Belshazzar, but they will fall.  Amen!

Good News of Great Joy!

 “And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭2:10‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Luke wrote that the shepherds seeing the light of glory when the angel came to them out in the field, were petrified.  But the angel reassured them, saying, “Don’t be afraid, for I have come to bring you good news, the most joyous news the world has ever heard! And it is for everyone everywhere!  The angel or the celestial messenger calmed them and said that they had no reason to fear as he had the most wonderful announcement to make - this will lead to the great encounter of the most joyful bliss for every single person on the planet!  Christians are now the messengers who give this joyful news to everyone they encounter.  The message is of joy, not of suffering.  Unfortunately, the wrong message is being given by many who call themselves Christians, to their detriment, as heaven and earth will pass away but the Word of God will never - and the Word says that the Gospel is a joyous message.  Let’s correct ourselves and be Gospel carriers with joy in our hearts!  Amen!

Humility Attracts Glory

 “For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭66:2‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Isaiah prophesied that Yahweh’s Hand made the heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth and all that is in it, they all belong to Him.  But there is one Yahweh’s eyes are drawn to: the humble one, the tender one, the trembling one who lives in awe of all He says.  The glorious God is too great, yet He humbled Himself to be born in a manger!  Our minds and our intellect cannot comprehend this wonder.  Our hearts are filled with awe and reverence that humility and glory are connected.  Let’s humble ourselves, trembling at His Word, so that we can carry His glory in us.  Amen!

In the Fullness of Time

 “but when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,”

‭‭Galatians‬ ‭4:4‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Paul wrote that when the time of fulfillment had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law.  Everything predicted was concluded in Christ when the day dawned; the most complete culmination of time!  The Son arrived, commissioned by the Father; His legal passport to the planet was His mother’s womb.  In a human body like ours He lived His life subject to the same scrutiny of the law.  The Word became a human being; we are His address - He resides in us!  The glory we see is not a religious replica - He is the authentic monogenes begotten Only of God.  The glory that Adam lost, returns in fullness.  Only Grace can communicate Truth so completely!  Glory to God in the Highest!

Wonderful Yeshua

 “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭9:6-7‬ ‭KJV

Isaiah prophesied that a Child has been born for us; a Son has been given to us.  The responsibility of complete dominion will rest on His shoulders, and His Name will be: The Wonderful One!  The Extraordinary Strategist! The Mighty God!  The Father of Eternity!  The Prince of Peace!  Great and vast is His dominion.  He will bring immeasurable peace and prosperity.  He will rule on David’s throne and over David’s kingdom to establish and uphold it by promoting justice and righteousness from this time forward and forevermore.  The marvellous passion that the Lord Yahweh, Commander of the Angel Armies, has for His people will ensure that it is finished!  Let’s believe with great faith and are fully convinced that the One Who began this gracious work in us is faithful to complete it!  Hallelujah!

The Seed of David

 “concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; and declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭1:3-4‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Paul introduced Jesus in his epistle to the Romans that the gospel is all about God’s Son. As a man he descended from David’s royal lineage, but as the mighty Son of God he was raised from the dead and miraculously set apart with a display of triumphant power supplied by the Spirit of Holiness. And now Jesus is our Lord and our Messiah.  The Son of God has His natural lineage from the seed of David; however, His powerful resurrection from the dead by the Holy Spirit, locates and confirms His Being and Sonship in God.  We were born anew in the resurrection of Christ.  The relevance of the resurrection is the revelation of mankind’s inclusion in Christ.  For this reason we bow our knees before the Father, from Whom every family in heaven and on earth receives it’s true name.  O come let us adore Him.  Glory to God in the highest!

The Seed of the Woman

 “and I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.”

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭3:15‬ ‭KJV‬‬

God said to the snake, “And I will place great hostility between you and the woman, and between her Seed and yours.  He will crush your head as you crush His heel.”  The Seed of the woman is Jesus Christ.  The male carries the seed, but with Jesus Christ, He is the Seed of the woman, for there was no human father to conceive Him.  Christ has sown Himself as the Seed into our hearts.  We have been born again, not by a corrupting seed, but by an Incorruptible Seed, the living and abiding Word of God.  Jesus would be wounded by the snake/sin on His heel, but bring a death-blow to satan by the power of His Cross and resurrection.  Victory in Jesus Christ, the Seed of the woman, Hallelujah!

The Love of our Father

 “And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭1:35‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Gabriel answered, “The Spirit of Holiness will fall upon you and Almighty God will spread His shadow of power over you in a cloud of glory! This is why the Child born to you will be holy, and He will be called the Son of God.”  Jesus Christ is holy, born without sin in His Bloodline, for His Father was God Almighty.  He would become the only Perfect Sacrifice to take away our sin and remove its power and penalty from us.  This is the love that the Father has for all humanity.  We receive Your love, Father, through Your Son, Jesus Christ!  Amen!

Land of Promises Fulfilled

 “Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭7:15‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Isaiah prophesied that Immanuel will eat curdled milk and honey, and He will know enough to refuse the evil and choose the good.  This coming Son will be One Who has the Kingdom promises as His diet.  Milk and honey represent the promised land, where God fulfils all of His promises.  Jesus is the only One Who has fulfilled the Father’s desires.  Feeding on the promises enabled Him to choose the right.  He resisted temptation by means of the Word of God dwelling in Him.  Strength to reject evil comes from feeding on truth. Bread alone will not satisfy, but true life is found in every word that constantly goes forth from God’s mouth.  Jesus is the Truth and His Word is Truth which sanctifies us.  Thank You for the Word that proceeds from You, Father!

Mary’s Song of Praise to God

 “For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: For, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; And holy is his name.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭1:48-49‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Mary’s song of praise that He set His tender gaze upon her, His lowly servant girl. And from here on, everyone will know that she has been favoured and blessed. The Mighty One has worked a mighty miracle for her; holy is His name!  Mary said she was so aware of God’s favourable gaze upon her life - even though she was a handmaid of no prominent social standing - from then on God’s favour would be endorsed in every birth and His blessing be evident for all generations to realise!  God’s favour is not a reward for good behaviour or social status.  Christ in the nations is the mystery that was hidden for ages but now unveiled in the Incarnation revelation!  His favour will be endorsed in every birth.  God has done great things for her, sang Mary - He is indeed the Mighty One and His Name is Extravagant Goodness!  Our generation has also experienced God’s awesome kindness when Jesus was born in our hearts as He forgave us our sins!  Thank You Father!

The Vine & the Branches

 “And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭11:1‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The prophecy from Isaiah concerning the royal family line of David.  Jesse, the grandson of Boaz, was the father of King David.  The cut-off stump of Jesse will sprout, and a fruitful Branch will grow from his roots.  Jesse means “upright, firm, strong.”  Christ is both the root and the offspring of David.  This means that the “branch” that grows from the roots (His spirit/nature) points to the Body of Christ, His Church on earth.  Christ in us is the Vine and we are His fruitful branches.  Jesus Christ branches out through His people and grows from His root.  Overcomers are the branches that bring forth the fruit of Christ’s Life.  This sprout will grow to become the rod of God’s power.  Let’s allow Christ in us to be the Vine, and we His fruitful branches.  Amen!

The Baptizer in the Holy Spirit

 “And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭1:41‬ ‭KJV‬‬

At the moment her aunt heard Mary’s voice, the baby within Elizabeth’s womb jumped and kicked. And suddenly, Elizabeth was filled to overflowing with the Holy Spirit!  The baby leaped in Elizabeth’s womb and the Holy Spirit flooded her being.  Elizabeth saw in the spirit what Jesus would do and her babe in the womb saw the Baptizer with the Holy Spirit in Mary’s womb!  That’s why this baby as John the Baptist, introduced Jesus as the One Who will baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire!  Let’s know that we all need the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and of power because without Him we can do nothing!  Amen!

The Great Light

 “The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭9:2‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Isaiah prophesied that those who walked in darkness have seen a radiant light shining upon them.  They once lived in the shadows of death, but now a glorious light has dawned!  This glorious light is Jesus, the Light of the world; and also includes Jesus’s teachings, His miracles, and His pure life lived before the Father.  Jesus Christ is the Light of rescue for the lost, comfort for the hurting, wholeness for the broken, and escape for the captive.  Jesus is the Light of joy, the Light of revelation, the Light of deliverance.  Jesus’s birth signals an end of night and the beginning of morning.  Jesus is the Only True Light!  Hallelujah!

Authentic Light

 “That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.”

‭‭John‬ ‭1:9‬ ‭KJV‬‬

As John the apostle recorded that the perfect Light of Truth was coming into the world and to shine upon everyone.  A new day for mankind has come.  The authentic Light of Life that illuminates everyone was about to dawn in the world!  This day would begin our calendar and record the fact that human history would forever be divided into before and after Christ.  The Incarnation would make the image of God visible in human form.  In Him, Who is the blueprint of our lives, there is more than enough Light to displace the darkness in every human life.  He is the True Light that enlightens everyone!  Hallelujah!

God Became One of Us

 “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭7:14‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The Lord Yahweh spoke through Isaiah that the Lord Himself will give you a sign.  Behold - the virgin will conceive and give birth to a Son and will name Him ‘God Among Us’.  Immanu El “God became one of us”.  A new nature is about to be planted in the soil of humanity.  Immanuel is a term used for this new creation life coming down out of heaven.  It will begin as a man but will soon  become a company of men and women.  Immanuel is the partnership of heaven and earth, God and humanity.  God is jealous over us  with godly jealousy: for He has  espoused us to One Husband, that He may present us as a chaste virgin to Christ.  Hallelujah!

God Delights in Mankind

 “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, good will toward men.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭2:14‬ ‭KJV‬

Heavenly messengers sang “Glory to God in the highest realms of heaven! For there is peace and a good hope given to the sons of men.”  God’s highest and grandest intention in the heavens is dovetailed upon earth in unbroken, Incarnate Oneness; in being human God exhibits His delight in mankind!  It is not “peace to all men and women on earth who please Him” as some have translated this; as if God’s delight is only a reward for those who qualify.  He loved us when we were at our worst, and He loved us first!  Mankind is God’s delight!  Jesus exhibits God’s happy delight to be human.  His peace and goodwill has come to us only through Jesus.  Glory to God in the Highest!

Glory revealed in Jesus Christ

 “and the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭40:5‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Then Yahweh’s radiant glory will be unveiled, and all humanity will experience it together.  Believe it, for Yahweh has spoken His decree.  John the Baptist said that all flesh shall see God’s salvation.  Bring into the light every dark way. Make right every wrong. Remove injustice. Every heart of pride will humbly bow before Him. Every deception will be exposed and replaced by the truth to prepare everyone everywhere to see the Life of God!  This prophetic Word was revealed in Christ and now Christ is in us the hope of Glory!  Let’s flow in the prophetic Word, Amen!

Non Jew Prophecy

 “I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: There shall come a Star out of Jacob, And a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, And shall smite the corners of Moab, And destroy all the children of Sheth.”

‭‭Numbers‬ ‭24:17‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Balaam, a non-Israelite, nevertheless a prophet, was asked by the Moabite king to curse Israel but Balaam prophesied that he sees Him, but at a later time, Balaam recognises Him even though He is far away.  A Star will come out of Jacob.  A Sceptre shall rise out of Israel.  It will break down Moab and tear down the people of Seth.  God is sovereign and He blesses all who put their trust in Him, His chosen people.  The world may curse and govern cruelly, but those who belong to Christ have been given the prophetic word—the written message of the prophets, made more reliable and fully validated by the confirming voice of God on the Mount of Transfiguration. And we will continue to do well if we stay focused on it. For this prophetic message is like a piercing light shining in a gloomy place until the dawning of a new day, when the Morning Star rises in our hearts.  This is the Lordship of Jesus in our hearts - no curse can touch us, no misgovernance can stop the Kingdom of God from advancing.  Hallelujah!

The Lord is my Shepherd

 “And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭2:8‬ ‭KJV

That night, in an open field near Bethlehem, shepherds were watching over their flock.  They were watching over the temple-flock specially devoted to sacrifice.  The shepherds were raising sheep to be without blemish for sacrifice.  Jerusalem’s economic heart was the holy Temple, the only place where Israelites could sacrifice animals as offerings to God.  How fitting that these shepherds would hear the announcement of the birth of the Lamb of God.  The open fields could have been the fields of Boaz and later David who watched over the flocks of his father, Jesse, and where he sang that the Lord was his Shepherd, Yahweh Rohi - Jesus, the Shepherd and Bishop of our soul.  Amen!

The Birth of the Church Bride

 “So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭1:17‬ ‭KJV‬‬

This indicates that there are forty two generations from Abraham to Christ, though when the names are counted there are only forty one.  The forty second generation is Jesus giving birth to it at the Cross when Blood and Water flowed from His side as He birthed the Church.  The first Adam “birthed” his wife out of his side, and so the last Adam - Jesus, gave birth to His Bride from His wounded side.  Jesus desires to reproduce Himself in us.  Christ is the Anointed One - now a corporate body - the Body of Christ.  We, as the Body of Christ, are also anointed ones.  Let the redeemed of the Lord say that we are anointed by the Anointed One and carry His anointing in our lives.  Glory to God!

King of Kings

“The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: The kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭72:10‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Solomon prophesied in this psalm about the King of kings Who would be born as he says, “O King of kings, they will all bow before You. O King of kings, every nation will one day serve You.  The kings or wise men from the east who came following a star were led to where Jesus was.  They had watched the heavens which proclaim the glory of God and came to where the Glory was, bowing before Him and giving Him gifts.  They returned and became Gospel bearers.  Let’s learn to be good news bearers, Gospel carriers as we, like those wise men, bow and prostrate ourselves before the risen King of kings, Amen! 

Jesus Christ is LORD

 “No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.”

‭‭John‬ ‭1:18‬ ‭KJV‬‬

No one ever before gazed upon the full splendor of God except His uniquely beloved Son, who is cherished by the Father and held close to His heart. Now that He has come to us, He has unfolded the full explanation of Who God truly is!  Until this moment God remained invisible; now the authentic, incarnate begotten Son, the blueprint of our design, Who represents the innermost Being of God, the Son Who is in the bosom of the Father, brings Him into full view!  He is the official authority qualified to announce God!  He is our guide Who accurately declares and interprets the invisible God within us.  Let all mankind willingly declare that Jesus Christ is Lord!  Glory to God in the highest!

God with Us

 “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭7:14‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Isaiah got this revelation that the Lord Himself will give a sign.  Behold, the virgin will conceive and give birth to a Son and will Name Him God Among Us - Immanuel.  This is the powerful prophetic greeting the angel Gabriel greeted Mary with.  This is the desire and resolve of God, “God with us!” - it is the boldest and grandest declaration of the essence of the Gospel - God will not be God without us!  In the Man, Jesus the Christ, mankind is fully included and represented and therefore, in the genius of God, rescued from every definition of distance and separation!  Although God alone is the immortal God, living in the unapproachable light of divine glory! No one has ever seen His fullness, nor can they, for all the glory and endless authority of the universe belongs to Him, yet Jesus told Philip that whoever has seen Jesus has seen the Father.  All separation is removed in Christ. Thank You Father, to You be all the glory!

Buy Your Enemy Lunch!

 “Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭12:20-21‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The way to overcome evil is so simple, as Paul reveals.  If your enemy is hungry, buy him lunch! Win him over with kindness. For your surprising generosity will awaken his conscience, and God will reward you with favor. Never let evil defeat you, but defeat evil with good.  If your foe is hungry, feed him and if he’s thirsty, give him something to drink.  These acts of kindness will be like heaping coals of fire on his head and certainly rid him of the dross in his mind and win him as a friend. A refiner would melt metal in a crucible and intensify the process by heaping coals of fire in it.  This is good strategy - be sensitive to the needs of your enemies - God sees gold in every person.  Hostility cannot hide our true value.  He won us while we were still hostile towards Him, His kindness led us to the radical awakening of our minds. Do not let evil be an excuse for you to feel defeated, rather seize the opportunity to turn the situation into a victory for good. Let’s love our enemies as Christ loves us and live victoriously every time!  Amen!

Word Forever Settled in Creation

 “For ever, O LORD, Thy word Is settled in heaven.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭119:89‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The psalmist proclaims that the Word of God is firm in the heavens and fastened to eternity.  To go back to the very beginning, is to find the Word already present there, face-to-face with God.  The One mirrors the Other!  The Word is “I Am”; God’s eloquence echoes and concludes in Him.  The Word equals God.  This is the Word given to us, so that when we speak it with the faith of Christ Who loves us and gave Himself for us, it has the same power as Christ Himself and the entire creation resounds with it.  Let’s speak forth, proclaim, decree the Word of God as if it is Christ Himself speaking through us!  Amen!

The Love of God Constrains Us

 “For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:”

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭5:14‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Paul reveals that the love of Christ constrains us and resonates within us; leaving us with only one conclusion - when Jesus died, every individual simultaneously died.  In God’s logic, One has died for all, thus all have died.  Jesus one hundred percent died humanity’s death, not 99% or for 99%!  If Paul had to compromise the last part of this verse to read “one died for all therefore only those who follow the prescriptions to qualify, have also died”, then he would have had to change the first half of the verse as well!  Only the agapé love of Christ can make a calculation of such enormous proportions!  The religious mind would question the extremity of God’s love and would prefer to add a condition or two to a statement like that!  We no longer live self-absorbed lives for we are convinced that He has given His life for all of us and it is Christ’s love that fuels our passion and holds us tightly! God of Love!  Hallelujah!

Man’s Origin is God

“I am sought of them that asked not for me; I am found of them that sought me not: I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not called by my name.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭65:1‬ ‭KJV‬‬

God spoke through the prophet Isaiah that He revealed Himself to those who didn’t even ask to know Him.  Those who did not seek Him, found Him.  The Lord said to a nation that did not call on His Name, “Here I am! Here I am! I will help you!”  What would it be that attracts God to engage with us?  Man began in God.  You are the greatest idea that God has ever had!  It is not our brief history on earth that introduces us to God - He has always known us.  We are not the invention of our parents!  God knew us before He formed us in our mother’s womb!  When God imagined us, He imagined mankind to partner in God’s Triune Oneness - His image and likeness in human life.  God has found us in Christ before we were lost in Adam, we are associated in Christ before the foundation of the world.  Now in Christ, we are invited to know ourselves even as we have always been known.  Human life is tailor-made for God because of Jesus!  Thank You Jesus for being born in our heart! 

Christ Came by Water & Blood

 “This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.”

‭‭1 John‬ ‭5:6‬ ‭KJV‬‬

This is He Who was to come; He arrived in the flesh through His mother’s womb - by water and blood - Jesus Christ.  And in His ministry as the Christ, He was not only borne witness to by John the Baptist in the prophetic baptism of water, but He went all the way into His baptism of death, in His shed Blood, where He died mankind’s death.  It is the Spirit that bears witness which is Truth.  If mankind’s salvation could be secured only in the incarnation of the Christ and His three year ministry, then His death and resurrection would be irrelevant.  That’s why Jesus said that the Son of Man is glorified in the single grain of wheat falling to the ground, not to abide alone, but to bear much fruit.  For this purpose did He come - to shed His Blood as a ransom for many.  As we celebrate His incarnation in this season, let’s celebrate His redemption on mankind’s behalf.  Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace and goodwill to all mankind!

Believing our Redeemer

“Of the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindful, And hast forgotten God that formed thee.”

‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭32:18‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Moses told the children of Israel that they ignored the Rock Who bore them and forgot the God Who gave birth to them.  Mankind has forgotten their Maker, and in the process, their identity.  When Jesus was sent by God, it was not to begin the Christian religion.  His mandate was to reveal and redeem the image and likeness of God in human form.  James, Jesus’s brother didn’t believe in Jesus during the three years of Jesus’s ministry, but discovered his own true identity when Jesus appeared to him after the resurrection.  James said that 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 favourite ones out of all His creation!  Let’s believe wholeheartedly in the truth of our origin through the incarnation of Jesus our Lord.  Thank You Father! 

New Wine

 “And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.”

‭‭John‬ ‭2:3-4‬ ‭KJV

At the wedding in Cana Jesus and his disciples were all invited to the banquet, but with so many guests, they ran out of wine. And when Mary realized it, she came to Jesus and asked, “They have no wine; can’t you do something about it?” Jesus replied, “My dear one, don’t you understand that if I do this, it will change nothing for you, but it will change everything for me! My hour of unveiling my power has not yet come.  Religion has run out of wine and Jesus lived aware of His mission which was to redeem and restore the joyous celebration of the union of marrying humanity and Divinity!  While Jesus is the true joy and wine, He fully understood what it would cost Him to drink the cup of mankind’s injustice and violence on the Cross.  When we are reluctant to act on the high calling and election God has purposed for us, let there be Mary sent to remind us, “They have no wine.”  Thank You, Jesus!

Messenger of the New Covenant

 “Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.”

‭‭Malachi‬ ‭3:1‬ ‭KJV‬‬

These are the words of Yahweh, Commander of the heavenly armies:  Pay attention! I am sending My messenger, and he will clear the road for Me.  The Lord you seek will suddenly arrive at His temple.  And the Messenger of God’s covenant, your soul’s delight, Watch, because He, too, is coming, prophesied Malachi, about four hundred years before this happened.  Even though John the Baptist would deny that he was actually Elijah in person, as they expected, but Jesus called him Elijah in spirit.  The angel had already told John’s father Zechariah that his son will go before the Lord as a forerunner, with the same power and anointing as Elijah the prophet; and that he will be instrumental in turning the hearts of the fathers in tenderness back to their children and the hearts of the disobedient back to the wisdom of their righteous fathers. And he will prepare a united people who are ready for the Lord’s appearing.  The prophetic word always happens!  Let’s not despise prophecies but give heed to them.  Amen!

God’s Awesome Act of Reconciliation

 “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭5:10-11‬ ‭KJV‬‬

So if while we were still enemies, God fully reconciled us to Himself through the death of His Son, then something greater than friendship is ours. Now that we are at peace with God, and because we share in His  resurrection life, how much more we will be rescued from sin’s dominion! And even more than that, we overflow with triumphant joy in our new relationship of living reconciled to God—all because of Jesus Christ!  Paul explains that our hostility and indifference towards God did not reduce His love for us; He saw equal value in us when He exchanged the life of His Son for ours.  Now that the act of reconciliation is complete, His life in us saves us from the gutter-most to the uttermost.  Thus, our joyful boasting in God continues; Jesus Christ has made reconciliation a reality.  Let’s overcome indifference and apathy and rejoice at what God has done for us.  Glory to God in the highest!

A Life of Debt is a Heavy Burden

 “There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; But a foolish man spendeth it up.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭21:20‬ ‭KJV‬‬

A fool and his money are soon parted!  In wisdom’s house you’ll find delightful treasures and the oil of the Holy Spirit. But the stupid squander what they’ve been given.  In the credit card debt ridden society that we live in, it is easy to be foolish and believe you know it all and everything will happen just the way you want it to happen and you’ll be out of debt, it’s just a matter of time!  For those who trust in Jesus, they forget that God has called us to be stewards of all the money He has given us, it belongs to Him and not to us.  We sin against Him by depending on ourselves and not on Christ for we have experienced the extravagant grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that although He was infinitely rich, He impoverished Himself for our sake, so that by His poverty, we become rich beyond measure.  Let’s depend on the exceeding great riches of the exchange that Jesus made on the Cross and depend on the wisdom of Christ.  Let’s repent of a seared conscience and the evil heart of unbelief for living according to the culture of the world today rather than living by the Word of God.  Thank You Jesus for what You did on the Cross for us all!  Amen!

Yahweh is Mindful & Gracious

 “But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭1:13‬ ‭KJV

Zechariah (whose name means ‘Yah is mindful’), is the officiating priest at this time whose job is to place incense on the altar, heated with coals from the brazen altar of sacrifice and then prostrate himself in prayer.  The incense represents the prayers of the people and outside the people are reciting their prayers.  The angel standing before Zechariah said, “Yah is mindful, Zechariah, you have no reason to fear!  This is the moment for your dream to realise!  Elizabeth will bear you a son and you shall name him John.”  Zechariah had most likely ceased to ask for offspring owing to his extreme years and he certainly was not offering this prayer during this solemn moment.  God is saying that the prayer Zechariah no longer prayed, was heard!  So Zechariah is startled to the core by the mercy and favour of God.  Yahweh’s mercy introduces and unveils the Lamb of God, Who would take away the sin of the world, through Yohannan which means Yahweh is gracious.  John the Baptist embodied the grace of God in his person and mission.  The entire prophetic priesthood and sacrificial system was to be rendered redundant when God Himself became the sacrifice concluding the judgment of creation in His death and resurrection!  Glory to God!

Our Chief Cornerstone

 “And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither: so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building.”

‭‭1 Kings‬ ‭6:7‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The temple that Solomon constructed was out of rocks that had been finished and polished at the quarry.  Not a single hammer, hatchet, or other iron tool was heard inside the temple during construction.  The cornerstone or foundation stone is the first stone set in the construction of a masonry foundation.  All other stones will be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position of the entire structure.  Jesus is the Chief Cornerstone and we are like Him.  We are invited to be His “living stones” who are continually being assembled into a sanctuary for God.  No chiseling is required, only nurturing because Jesus shed His own Blood so that we may be perfectly mirrored to the pattern of our Chief Cornerstone.  Let’s surrender to the Holy Spirit to be in the pattern of Jesus Christ Himself, our Rock from Whom we are hewn!  Amen!

Sanctification & Sprinkling of the Blood

 “elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.”

‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭1:2‬ ‭KJV‬‬

What a glorious revelation Peter received that we are not forgotten, for we have been chosen and destined by Father God. The Holy Spirit has set us apart to be God’s holy ones, obedient followers of Jesus Christ who have been gloriously sprinkled with His Blood. May God’s delightful grace and peace cascade over us many times over!  Our original identity is defined by what God, the Father of mankind has always cherished about us; how our pre-Adamic innocence would be preserved in the prophetic word, and redeemed through the obedience of Jesus Christ, and the effect of the sprinkling of His Blood.  Realising His grace and peace exceeds any definition of contradiction or reward.  Peter emphasises the priceless value of our redeemed innocence through the obedience of Christ and the shedding of His Blood.  Worthy is the Lamb of God!

Patient Endurance

 “But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.”

‭‭Job‬ ‭1:11‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Satan challenged God that if God removed His protection from Job and destroyed all his possessions, Job would curse God right to His face.  Instead, Job patiently endured his sufferings which is why we honour him as one of our faith heroes because he remained faithful even while enduring great sufferings considering all that he went through and we can now see that the Lord ultimately treated him with wonderful kindness, revealing how tenderhearted God really is.  Job prophetically said that he knew his Redeemer lived because he had a revelation of our Redeemer Who redeemed us from Satan by paying with His Own Blood.  Now no accusation of Satan comes against us because of the Blood of Jesus, our Redeemer.  Hallelujah!

Humility attracts Grace

 “But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.”

‭‭James‬ ‭4:6‬ ‭KJV‬‬

As it was revealed to James, by thanksgiving God 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.  God’s gift of grace through Christ Jesus is in direct opposition to the vanity of the proud mindset of self effort, whereby people strive to prove themselves as superior to others.  Gifts and rewards are opposite!  Humility attracts grace.  Let’s walk in life with a humble attitude honouring others and not judging and condemning others.  Grace, the unmerited favour of God, will flow through our lives.  Jesus humbled Himself even to the place of utter humiliation which is the Cross, so that God exalted Him to the highest place.  Jesus is our mirror image and we are in His likeness.  Hallelujah!

Blessings of Abraham

 “and I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:”

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭12:2‬ ‭KJV‬‬

When God told Abram to leave everything and follow Him, He told Abram that He will make him into a great nation; and will exceedingly bless and prosper him; and make him famous, so that he would be a tremendous source of blessing for others.  God was calling Abram out from more than just his relatives.  He was calling Abram out from specific diety worship connected to nations, clans and ancestors.  It was an incredible act of childlike faith on Abram’s part to go to an unknown land but it resulted in the blessings of Abraham for all the redeemed!   Because he left his nation, God would make Abram into a great nation and give ability to procreate.  God esteemed this aspect of Abram’s faith in the unseen and made his name great.  Let’s walk by faith and not by sight, it pleases God.  This will open our spiritual eyes to see as Jesus did when He said that He did what He saw the Father do.  Thank You Jesus for being the Way to see into the spiritual realm!

Childlike Confidence

 “But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭18:16‬ ‭KJV

As the disciples scolded the parents bringing babies and little children to Jesus, He summoned His disciples to Him, and clearly instructed them to immediately allow the little ones to freely come to Him and not to hinder them at all - they own God’s Kingdom instinctively!  Their minds are not cluttered with religious perceptions of performance related requirements and identity issues - they revel in their innocence and childlike confidence!  In fact, this is the very reason why so many struggle to consciously access the dimension of the Kingdom of God - they seem trapped in a religious, ‘adult’ mind of performance and self-doubt, having forgotten what it’s like to live in childlike trust and receive the blessing of the Kingdom as effortlessly as breathing!  Let’s accept the Kingdom of God with childlike trust!  Jesus gave us newness of life to be childlike not childish and immature!  Amen!

Soar like Eagles

 “but they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭40:31‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Isaiah prophesied that those who entwine their hearts with Yahweh will experience divine strength.  They will rise up on soaring wings and fly like eagles, run their race without growing weary, and walk through life without giving up.  We are wired by design to entwine our hearts with Yahweh, and then we soar as eagles.  The outer court is where we walk, the Holy Place is where we run, and we soar like eagles into the heavenly realm, in the Holy of Holies.  As we wait on Him, let’s bind our hearts together with the Lord and see His plan unfold for us.  The Holy Spirit helps us entwine our heart and thoughts with Yahweh.  Jesus gave us the mind of Christ to think His thoughts and entwine our heart with His.  Hallelujah!

Abide & Dwell

 “Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou?”

‭‭John‬ ‭1:38‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Jesus turned around and looked them in the eyes and asked, “What is it that you’re really looking for?”  They answered Him, Rabbi, which means, my Teacher, where do You abide?  Abide means to be present in seamless union.  In Jesus Christ, God has given all humanity the greatest gift.  It locates us to where He is - in the bosom of the Father.  Just as He is in the Father, so we too are in Him and He in us.  Mankind is fully included and located in Him, in His Son Jesus Christ; this means that whatever Jesus is as the Son, we are.  Thank You Jesus for dwelling and abiding in us in seamless union!

End Time Revival

 “Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvellously: for I will work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be told you.”

‭‭Habakkuk‬ ‭1:5‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Habakkuk sees the vision where the Eternal One tells him to “take a look at the nations and watch what happens!  You will be shocked and amazed.  For in your days, I am doing a work, a work you will never believe even if someone tells you plainly!”  The Apostle Paul spoke this at the synagogue in Antioch, Pisidia where he gave the Gospel with Barnabas, giving this as a future happening just before the return of the Lord of Glory.  This revelation should cause God’s people to greatly wonder and rejoice.  Jesus said He will come again and let us wonder at what the Lord is going to do to bring in the end-time harvest.  Let’s be part of the coming revival and see with the eyes of faith the wonderful end-time harvest of souls into the Kingdom of God.  Thank You Father!

The Order of Melchizedek

 “After this I will return, And will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; And I will build again the ruins thereof, And I will set it up: That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, And all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, Saith the Lord, who doeth all these things.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭15:16-17‬ ‭KJV‬‬

This is what James spoke at the Jerusalem Council of Apostles, quoting the prophet Amos that ‘the Lord will return to the Jews and raise up the tabernacle of David that has fallen into ruin. The Lord will restore and rebuild what David experienced so that all of humanity will be able to encounter the Lord including the gentiles whom He has called to be His very own,’ says the Lord.  The Tabernacle of David is the name given to the tent that King David set up on Mount Zion in Jerusalem to house the Ark of the Covenant.  Although the high priest went only once a year to where the Ark of the Covenant was, now it was open to all to come and bring high praises and worship to the Lord.  This was prophetic of the new order of Melchizedek that the Lord Jesus instituted under the new Covenant.  A new way is opened for Jews and Gentiles to come boldly to the Mercy Seat of the Throne of Grace.  Jesus, our High Priest, made the new way.  Thank You Jesus!

Jesus Destroyed Fear & Unbelief

 “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.  They were intimidating giants that kept the Israelites fearful in unbelief, which led to their wandering in the wilderness.  But Joshua eliminated  these giants and enabled the tribes of Israel to possess their inheritance, just as Jesus does today to the giants keeping us from full faith.  Giants are nothing compared to God’s omnipotence.  Let’s by faith nail fear and unbelief on the Cross of Calvary, where Jesus dealt the death blow to the devil and destroyed the devil’s works. What amazing grace that saved us even now in this present age.  Thank You Jesus!

The Sevenfold Seal on the Redeemed

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

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭1:22‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Paul writes that God 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 the redeemed with a sevenfold seal - the seal of security, secured tightly in God’s love; the seal of authentication that marks us His own; the seal to certify genuineness; the seal of ownership; the seal of approval; the seal of righteousness; and finally, the seal denoting a promise to be fulfilled.  This seal of Christ our Bridegroom, is on our hearts.  We are born of the Spirit, sealed with the Spirit, indwelt by the Spirit, baptised in the Spirit, filled with the Spirit, joined one with the Spirit, given gifts of the Spirit and given ministries by the Spirit.  He is the Promise of our full inheritance!  Thank You Holy Spirit!

Jesus our Sacrifice

 “To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the LORD: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭1:11‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Yahweh keeps saying: Why such countless sacrifices - what use are they to Me?  I’ve had My fill of your burnt offerings of rams and your fattened animals.  I find no delight in the blood of bulls, lambs or goats!  Outward sacrifices are empty if there is no inward reality.  God cannot be bought.  He looks at the heart and requires offerings given in holiness and truth.  The sacrifice of a fattened animal is an outward picture of what God wants to do inside of us.  He wants to kill that ‘fattened’ part of us that is stuffed only with the letter of the Word but not the humility taught by the Word.  It is by Jesus’s One Perfect Sacrifice He made us perfectly holy and complete for all time!  Glory to God!

Gospel Power

 “For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.”

‭‭1 Thessalonians‬ ‭1:9-10‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Paul writes to the newly founded church in Thessalonica of everyone telling the story of the kind of welcome they showed Paul and his team when they  first came there.  Everyone saw knows wonderfully they turned to God from idols to serve the true and living God. And now they eagerly expect His Son from heaven—Jesus, the Deliverer, Whom He raised from the dead and Who rescues us from the coming wrath.  The Gospel of power changes lives.  The Thessalonians had renounced the worship of false gods and turned wholeheartedly to the true God and become faithful servants.  Every time true repentance takes place, a life is changed.  The Thessalonians wholeheartedly turned to God and abandoned worshipping false gods, becoming passionate servants of the Lord Jesus Christ as they eagerly anticipated Him.  Let’s move in the power of the Gospel as true repentance happens.  Amen!

Happy are the Forgiven

 “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, And in whose spirit there is no guile.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭32:1-2‬ ‭KJV‬‬

David wrote this psalm after he seduced the wife of his most loyal soldier, then had him killed to try to keep her pregnancy a secret.  This sin with Bathsheba brought great disgrace to David, yet he finds complete forgiveness in God’s mercy.  How happy and fulfilled are those whose rebellion is forgiven, those whose sins are covered by blood.  How blessed and relieved are those who have confessed their corruption to God!  For He wipes their slates clean and removes hypocrisy from their hearts.  David foresaw the important doctrine of salvation for he wrote it in the days when the covering of sin was by the blood of sacrifice.  Today our sins are no longer simply covered, but they are removed forever by the Blood Sacrifice of Jesus Christ once and for all.  Through our faith in Him, Christ’s perfect righteousness is deposited to our account and we are declared righteous by faith.  This is the finished work of the Cross forever.  Let’s put our faith in what Christ has done for each of us, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.  The Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world!  Thank You Jesus!

In Christ Privileges

 “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 tells Nicodemus this wonderful mystery that no one has risen into the heavenly realm except the Son of Man who also exists in heaven.  While Jesus is on earth ministering, He was also in heaven in the spirit realm.  Being in different realms at the same time is a privilege given to the redeemed in Christ.  We are seated with Christ in the heavenly realm and living our earthly lives to please Him.  This is what it means to be “in Christ”.  In the realm of the Spirit, heaven and earth is one.  Jesus tells Nicodemus that only those who are seated in the heavenly realm will understand spiritual truths.  Let’s be in Christ and allow the Kingdom of God to be on earth as it is in heaven through us.  Hallelujah!

Faith defeats Death

 “and Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.”

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭5:24‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Enoch and God walked together as intimate friends; then God took Enoch to Himself, and he was seen no more.  Enoch enjoyed God’s favour by faith, in spite of Adam’s fall; he proved that faith defeats death.  His absent body prophesied the resurrection of Christ - faith does not die!  Enoch also prophesied about the coming of Christ with myriads of holy ones.  Let’s have an intimacy in our friendship with Christ because He has called us friends, not servants.  Let’s defeat death by the faith of the Son of God living in us and through us.  Amen!

Confidence in Christ’s Blood

 “Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭10:19-20‬ ‭KJV‬‬

And now we are brothers and sisters in God’s family because of the Blood of Jesus, and He welcomes us to come into the most holy sanctuary in the heavenly realm—boldly and without hesitation. For He has dedicated a new, life-giving way for us to approach God. For just as the veil was torn in two, Jesus’ body was torn open to give us free and fresh access to Him!  The Blood of Jesus communicates, seals our immediate access into this ultimate place of sacred encounter, with unashamed confidence.  This is the official inauguration of a brand new way of life.  The torn flesh of Jesus opened the veil for us.  Our own flesh can no longer be a valid excuse to stop the expression of the life of our design from within us - the most holy sanctuary where Christ our High Priest dwells is in us!  Thank You for Your Blood sacrifice, Lamb of God!

God’s Word in our Mouth

 “Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth. See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant.”

‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭1:9-10‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Then the Eternal reached out and touched Jeremiah’s mouth and gave him the divine message.  What God told Jeremiah, is what He is telling us personally and directly.  God says that He has placed His words in us.  We will know what to say now, for we will be His voice.  This very day, God has appointed us to speak with His authority over nations and kingdoms.  Our word, which is God’s Word, will have the power to uproot and stamp out; it will destroy and overturn.  And then our Word, which is God’s Word, will rebuild and plant anew.  This is exactly what the Holy Spirit endorses in us, the redeemed, having already foretold it in Scripture.  Let’s be bold to speak the life-giving Word from our mouth to uproot, stamp out, destroy, overturn; and then to rebuild and plant anew for those who walk after the law of the Spirit of Life and not after the law of sin and death.  Jesus is the Word!  Thank You, Jesus!

God’s Act of Reconciliation

 “And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; to wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.”

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭5:18-19‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The idea of man’s co-inclusion in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is entirely God’s doing!  To now realise that God has indeed brought final closure to the old and for us to see everything and everyone in this new light.  God has always known  this to be true about us in Christ; we are not debating human experience, opinion, or their contribution - this is exactly what God believes.  In Jesus Christ, God exchanged equivalent value to redeem us to Himself.  He went to the highest extreme in this act of reconciliation to persuade us of our original worth! God was present in Christ when He reconciled the total cosmos to Himself.  Deity and humanity embraced in Him; the fallen state of mankind was deleted; their trespasses would no longer count against them!  He now announces His friendship with every individual through us!  Mankind was not redeemed from the devil; a thief never becomes an owner; neither did Jesus do what He did to change His Father’s mind about us, it was our minds that needed persuasion!  God was not to be reconciled to His creation; God was in Christ when He reconciled the world to Himself!  Hallelujah!

God Delights in Me!

 “I will love thee, O LORD, my strength. He brought me forth also into a large place; He delivered me, because he delighted in me.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭18:1, 19‬ ‭KJV‬‬

David composed this psalm when the Lord rescued him from all his many enemies and from king Saul’s jealousies.  David expresses that he loves Yahweh, and is bonded to Him, his strength! Yahweh’s love broke open the way, and He brought David into a beautiful, broad place. He rescued David—because Yahweh’s delight is in David!  David loves the Lord and wants to embrace Him like “Lord, I want to hug You!”  Yahweh’s love broke open the Way, and is prophetic as we see the glorious resurrection of Christ, when the Father reached down and kissed the Son with Life and Love and Christ is raised from the tomb!  Glory to God for the resurrection of Jesus, our Lord and Saviour!

See Christ in Scripture

 “And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭24:30-31‬ ‭KJV‬‬

This is how it happened, as soon as they reclined at the table, Jesus took the bread, blessed it, broke it, and was giving it to them!  And immediately their eyes were opened, and they knew exactly Who He was!  Then He vanished from their view!  He vanished from their sight because Jesus can no longer be any more present in His Person than what He is present in the Word incarnate in us.  Jesus said that every time we eat and drink, to remember Him.  The moment we discover Jesus in Scripture, as in a mirror, our hearts ignite and our meal becomes a celebration of our incarnate union.  Our body is His temple and we celebrate Him in us!  Thank You Jesus for Your incarnate union with us!  Hallelujah!

The Glory Cloud

 “And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night: he took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.”

‭‭Exodus‬ ‭13:21-22‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The Eternal One went on ahead to guide them during the day in a cloud shaped like a pillar; at night He appeared to them in a fire shaped like a pillar to light their way.  So they were able to travel by day and by night.  God’s people were familiar with the cloud!  Whenever the cloud covered the tabernacle in the wilderness, the glory of the Lord appeared.  When Peter, James and John were on the mount with Jesus, a cloud covered them and the disciples feared as they entered the cloud when Jesus was transfigured.  After Jesus’s resurrection when He was to ascend, He was taken up and a cloud veiled Him from their sight.  When He comes to take His Bride, we will be caught up in the clouds to meet Him in the air.  When He comes again on earth, He will come in a cloud with great power and glory.  Let’s walk in His glory in an intimate relationship with Christ! Maranatha!

Love Celebrates the Truth

 “doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;”

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭13:5-6‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Paul shows the Church of the love of God in each of us who have Christ dwelling in our hearts.  Love does not traffic in shame and disrespect, nor selfishly seek its own honor. Love is not easily irritated or quick to take offense. Love joyfully celebrates honesty and finds no delight in what is wrong.  Love is predictable and does not behave out of character.  Love is not ambitious or spiteful and gets no mileage out of another’s mistakes; it bears no record of wrongs!  Love sees no joy in injustice.  Love’s delight is in everything that Truth celebrates.  The Holy Spirit has shed abroad this love in our hearts so let’s ask Him to help us release God’s Love that celebrates Truth! Amen!

Clothed in His Righteousness

 “Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.”

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭3:21‬

Yahweh God made garments from animal skins to clothe Adam and Eve.  Their first sight of death was an innocent sacrifice, killed for them.  God does not demand sacrifice; He provides the Sacrifice.  God did not clothe Adam and Eve with the skin of an animal because of a divine need to be appeased, but for Yahweh God’s unconditional love for them.  Adam was embarrassed about his nakedness, not God.  This is the embarrassing proportion of God’s love for mankind that Jesus hung naked on the Cross to clothe us with His righteousness and glory.  God clothed Himself in human skin, through His Son, for humanity to rediscover His image and likeness in our skin!  What love is this!  Worthy is the Lamb!

Grace is Sovereign

 “that as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭5:21‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Death provided sin its platform and power to reign from; now grace has taken over sovereignty through righteousness to introduce unthreatened life under the Lordship of Jesus Christ over us.  We were not made sinners by our own disobedience; neither were we made righteous by our own obedience.  The same humanity represented in the one man Adam, is triumphantly represented in the One Man Jesus Christ!  Adam’s transgression no longer holds the human race hostage.  Let’s raise a Hallelujah to our Lord Jesus!

Love the Word

 “Whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge: But he that hateth reproof is brutish.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭12:1‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Solomon’s wisdom is that to learn the truth you must long to be teachable, or you can despise correction and remain ignorant.  Even the wise need correction and they appreciate its value but those that hate being corrected are stupid!  That’s why God gave His Word, so that we may find it profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, and that we may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. God speaks to us individually when we read and meditate on Scripture for ourselves.  Let’s abide in the Word.  Amen!

Free in Christ

 “And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭6:15-16‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Paul says says that there can be no harmony between the value that Christ reveals in people and the worthlessness that Belial represents.  Faith-righteousness and work based-righteousness are two conflicting systems that can never match.  We are the living God’s physical address and He made us, we did not invent God.  He said that His dwelling place is us, and He will be our God, and we shall be His people.  So He lives and moves and has His Being in us, as we live and move and have our being in Him - we belong together.  I am His and He is mine.  That’s the unforced rhythm of grace as we learn to live freely and lightly in Christ.  Amen!

Old versus New

 “And thou shalt offer every day a bullock for a sin offering for atonement: and thou shalt cleanse the altar, when thou hast made an atonement for it, and thou shalt anoint it, to sanctify it.”

‭‭Exodus‬ ‭29:36‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Under the old covenant, the law required to offer a bull as an offering everyday for seven days to purify them from sin.  They were to cleanse the altar and consecrate it by anointing it with oil.  In this shadow system of the law, sacrifices were repeatedly slain because no permanent cleansing was possible.  The principle of repeated repentance, as practiced under the law, does not make sense in the context of the new dispensation, because it would absurdly imply that Christ was being re-crucified and subjected to public shame over and over again.  This new order is not to be confused with the old!  Grace is not a cheap excuse for sin!  Let’s awaken to faith-consciousness once and for all.  We are free from the old rules and bondage of the duty-driven law of willpower.  It is impossible for the old system to match the new!  Thank You Jesus for freeing us from the old and making us new in Christ!

Alive to Christ & Dead to Sin

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

‭‭Romans‬ ‭6:10-11‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The amazing revelation to the apostle Paul that by His  sacrifice Christ died to sin’s power once and for all, but He now lives continuously for the Father’s pleasure. So let it be the same way with you! Since you are now joined with Him, you must continually view yourselves as dead and unresponsive to sin’s appeal while living daily for God’s pleasure in union with Jesus, the Anointed One.  His appointment with death was once-off.  As far as sin is concerned Christ is dead.  The reason for His death was to take away the sin of the world; His life now exhibits our union with the life of God.  This is equally relevant for us.  He died our death which means we died to sin, and are now alive to God.  Sin-consciousness can never again feature in our future!  We are in Christ Jesus - His Lordship is the authority of this union.  Hallelujah!

Christ Subdues All Things

 “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭11:6-9‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Isaiah’s prophecy of Christ subduing all things and filling the earth with the intimate knowledge of YHWH just as the water swells the sea.  The wolf nature of the flesh in humans is subdued by the Christ nature of the Lamb; the leopard which is a difficult animal to tame will lie down with the Lamb; the calf and the ferocious lion will be together led by a little child; the cow and the bear will graze together as friends as the lion and the ox eat straw peacefully together.  All hostility is removed and subdued as in an innocent , weaned child which is Christ’s nature being produced in us, so that like a child we have power over the serpent and bring light into into its hiding place.  God’s holy mountain of Zion is our permanent home where nothing evil or harmful is found.  Let’s allow Christ’s nature in us, through the Holy Spirit, to subdue all things and glory be given to our Father! Glory to God!

God’s Rest

 “So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭3:19‬ ‭KJV

The point is this, that even though the children of Israel survived by supernatural means in the wilderness for forty years, they failed to grasp what God had in mind for them and their inheritance.  Their own unbelief disqualified them.  They did not die because of an inferior salvation from Egypt.  They died because they believed a lie about themselves.  We cannot blame the devil for our own unbelief.  We can experience God’s supernatural provision and protection and yet remain outside His rest.  The ultimate proof of faith is entering into God’s rest.  His rest celebrates the perfect work of Christ on the Cross.  For Christ is the complete fullness of Deity living in human form. And our own completeness is now found in Him. We are completely filled with God as Christ’s fullness overflows within us. He is the Head of every kingdom and authority in the universe!  God longs for us to discover our own completeness and perfection as seen from His point of view.  His rest is sustained by us in what He sees, knows, and says about us in reference to the finished work of Christ.  Jesus is what God believes about us!  Amen!

Seeking God & Finding Him

 “And I will wait upon the LORD, that hideth his face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for him.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭8:17‬ ‭KJV

Isaiah trusted in the hidden God when he said that he will wait for the Lord Yahweh, who hides His face from the family of Jacob and he says that he will put all his hope in Him.  God keeps Himself hidden and is revealed by the Holy Spirit to each one who is raised up in righteousness with Christ.  That’s why we rest our confident trust in Him.  We are in Christ and are surrounded in Him as the children whom God has given Christ.  Let’s believe that we are the children of light whom God has raised up with Christ in righteousness.  Amen!

Highest Name

 “being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭1:4‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Jesus is infinitely greater than angels, for He inherited a rank and a Name far greater than theirs.  He is beyond comparison in stature and significance to any prophetic messenger; His Name spells mankind’s salvation; the entire earth is His inheritance.  Jesus had told the Jews that they were busy analyzing the Scriptures, pouring over them hoping to gain eternal life. Everything they read there pointed to Jesus, yet they still refused to come to Him so He could give them the life they were looking for—eternal life!  Let’s believe in every promise in Scripture for through it we have eternal life right now.  Let’s believe Jesus and know that He is for us, in us and with us and His Name is the Highest!  Amen!

God Know Us

 “Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭139:2‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The greatness of our God Who perceives every movement of our heart and soul, and understands our every thought before it even enters our mind.   Throughout our history God has spoken to our ancestors by His prophets in many different ways. The revelation He gave them was only a fragment at a time, building one truth upon another. But to us living in these last days, God now speaks to us openly in the language of a Son, the appointed Heir of everything, for through Him God created the panorama of all things and all time.  This Word powerfully penetrates and impacts our whole being - body, soul and spirit.  He knows the deepest impulse of our thoughts; engaging the secret longings of the heart!  Let’s be attentive to His every Word and bring our thoughts captive to His Word!  Thank You Jesus!

Enter God’s Rest

 “For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭4:10‬ ‭KJV‬‬

As we enter into God’s faith-rest life we cease from our own works, just as God celebrates His finished works and rests in them.  Whoever enters into God’s rest immediately abandons their own efforts to improve what God has already perfected.  The language of the law is ‘do’; the language of grace is ‘done’.  Let’s not fall into the snare of unbelief but fully appropriate God’s rest, the celebration of the perfect redemption in which the exact image and likeness of God is revealed in human form.  Mankind’s innocence is redeemed.  Through the torn veil of His flesh, Jesus has triumphantly opened a new and living way for everyone!  Hallelujah!

Thirsty for God

 “Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭12:3‬ ‭KJV‬‬

On the final day of the feast of tabernacles, according to custom, the high priest would draw water from the pool of Siloam with a golden jar, mix the water with wine, and then pour it over the altar while the people would sing with great joy from the psalm and from this prophecy from Isaiah that with triumphant joy they will drink deeply from the wells of salvation.  Jesus fulfilled this prophecy when in the last day, that great day of the feast, He stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come to Me, and drink. He that believes on Me, as the scripture has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.  (But this He spoke of the Spirit, which they that believe on Him should receive: for the Holy Spirit was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.).  Let’s be those believers of the glorious Christ, who are filled with the Holy Spirit and the love of God shed abroad in our heart by Him to love Him and to love one another.  Amen!

Follow after Love

“Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.”

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭14:1‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Paul encourages us to go after a life of love as if our life depended on it—because it does. Let’s give ourselves to the gifts God gives us.  Agape is God’s only agenda! Let’s be love driven in our pursuit of spiritual gifts; love awakens our most earnest desire to speak with inspired revelation.  The best way to pursue love and spiritual gifts is to realise how pursued we are by Christ’s love.  Prophets revealed the oracles of God and hidden things in the old covenant.  In the new covenant of grace, Jesus is both the theme as well as the completeness of the prophetic word.  Every Scripture points to Christ.  The redeemed prophesy from sonship, declaring the Incarnate Word Who is the Heir of all things, the Author of the ages and we have our beginning and our being in Him.  Glory to God!

Be the Fruitful Branch

 “In that day shall the branch of the LORD be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭4:2‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Isaiah was revealed about Jesus, the Branch of Yahweh Who will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth will be the pride and glory of the remnant of Israel.  Jesus is the Vine and we are His branches through whom the life of Christ branched out to bring forth the fruit of His Spirit.  The branch of the Lord that is beautiful and glorious reveals Christ’s divine nature because He took on the earthly nature to become the Fruit on the Tree of Life.  Heaven gave its beauty and the earth its fruit for you and me!  Amen!

Declared Innocent

  “who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”

‭‭Titus‬ ‭2:14‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Paul wrote to Titus that Christ sacrificed Himself for us that He might purchase our freedom from every lawless deed and to purify for Himself a people who are His very own, passionate to do what is beautiful in His eyes.  He gave Himself as sacrifice in exchange for our freedom.  We are redeemed from every obligation and accusation under the law and declared absolutely innocent.  Christ defines who we are because we are exclusively His.  We are His passionate people who excel in doing everything we do beautifully.  Let’s believe passionately that the redemption price has been paid for us and we are not our own!  Hallelujah!

The Third Day Truth

 “Now it came to pass on the third day, that Esther put on her royal apparel, and stood in the inner court of the king's house, over against the king's house: and the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal house, over against the gate of the house. And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained favour in his sight: and the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the sceptre.”

‭‭Esther‬ ‭5:1-2‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Queen Esther and her maids fasted for three days.  On the third day Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the king’s palace opposite the entrance to the palace; and when the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court, she found favour in his sight and he held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand.  Then Esther approached and touched the top of the sceptre.  Throughout the Old Testament, God speaks in a Messianic language, revealing His resolve to redeem His image and likeness in human form.  On the third day, Esther received favour from the king.  Jesus said that if they destroyed the temple, in three days He would raise it up.  Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the whale, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.  The resurrection of Jesus from the dead on the third day, and mankind’s mystical union with Him is the crux of the Gospel.  Let’s be carriers of this amazing Gospel, Amen!

Our Motivation

 “No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully. The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits.”

‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭2:4-6‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Paul encouraged and taught his disciple Timothy that every soldier called to active duty must divorce himself from the distractions of this world so that he may fully satisfy the one who chose him. An athlete who doesn’t play by the rules will never receive the trophy, so remain faithful to God! The farmer who labors to produce a crop should be the first one to be fed from its harvest.  Paul taught Timothy to picture himself as a soldier who endures hardship for the cause of Christ and who doesn’t get himself distracted by civilian pursuits; he fully engages himself with the job at hand.  An athlete stands no chance of winning the trophy if he cheats in his training.  A farmer understands how much hard work goes into a harvest.  In all three examples, Paul reminds Timothy that our aim is to win the world with the Gospel; the world is the trophy and the harvest of the Cross.  This is our motivation.  Amen!

God Hastens to Accomplish His Word

 “Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Jeremiah, what seest thou? And I said, I see a rod of an almond tree. Then said the LORD unto me, Thou hast well seen: for I will hasten my word to perform it.”

‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭1:11-12‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The Eternal One’s Word came to Jeremiah asking him what he saw.  Jeremiah replied that he saw the branch of an almond tree.  The Eternal One commended Jeremiah and told him that He is awake over His Word to perform it.  The almond tree was called the ‘awake tree’, because it blossomed first, while the other trees were still in their winter sleep.  Mankind does not live by bread alone, but by every Word that proceeds from the mouth of God - God’s original intent, His image and likeness incarnated, revealed and redeemed in human life - Jesus Christ.  Jeremiah prophesied that Jesus would redeem mankind through His death, burial and resurrection because He is the fulfilment of Scripture.  Thank You, Jesus!

Invisible God made Visible

 “Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:”

‭‭Colossians‬ ‭1:15‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Paul’s revelation of the Christ was that in Christ the image and likeness of God is made visible in human form so that everyone may recognise their true origins in Him.  He is the firstborn of every creature.  What darkness veiled, Christ unveiled.  The Son of God’s Love gave humanity the accurate evidence of God’s image in human form.  The Incarnation means that God can never again be invisible!  Christ is the divine portrait, the true likeness of the invisible God, and the firstborn heir of all creation.  Thank You Father for making Yourself visible to us through Your Son, Jesus Christ!  Amen!

Teach Children to Honour God

 “And I will raise me up a faithful priest, that shall do according to that which is in mine heart and in my mind: and I will build him a sure house; and he shall walk before mine anointed for ever.” “And the child Samuel ministered unto the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was precious in those days; there was no open vision.”

1 Samuel‬ ‭2:35‬ ‭and 3:1‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Eli the high priest had sons who misused their position and a prophet came to Eli and prophesied that God would raise up to Him a faithful prophet who would do according to God’s heart.  In a miraculous way God gave a child to Hannah whom she dedicated to the Lord God of Israel and brought him to the tabernacle when he was weaned just as she promised to the Lord.  Samuel served God as a child and the word of God was rare and as were visions.  Eli hadn’t brought up his own sons to honour God so God Himself raised up Samuel and called Him to minister to God.  Samuel heeded God’s voice even as a child.  Let’s raise up our children to honour God and to hear His voice even as young children.  They’ll hear His voice and understand Him.  As Jesus said “Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.”  Let’s raise up the next generation to know God.  Amen!

Being Christ Like

 “Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”

‭‭1 Thessalonians‬ ‭5:16-18‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Paul’s simple remedy for being Christ-like is to let joy be our continual feast, and to be cheerfully happy at all times.  Let’s make our life a prayer, constantly engaging our thoughts in worshipful prayer. And in the midst of everything let’s be always giving thanks, for this is God’s perfect plan for us in Christ Jesus.  Our gratitude is not based on anything fragile or fading, but secured in the fact that God’s purpose for us was concluded in Christ Jesus.  These three virtues as we focus on: unbounded joy; praying continually; and giving thanks to God no matter what happens in our lives - combine to form the wonderful expression of Christ’s life within us.  Amen!

Living Sacrifice

 “And there came a fire out from before the LORD, and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering and the fat: which when all the people saw, they shouted, and fell on their faces.”

‭‭Leviticus‬ ‭9:24‬ ‭KJV‬‬

When Aaron had laid the offering on the altar, flames came from the Presence of the LORD God, the Eternal One and devoured the burnt offering and all the fat on the altar.  At the sight of this, everyone cried out and fell on their faces.  Today, in the new covenant of grace Jesus Himself is the High Priest who perfectly fits our need—holy, without a trace of evil, without the ability to deceive, incapable of sin, and exalted beyond the heavens! Unlike the former high priests, He is not compelled to offer daily sacrifices. They had to bring a sacrifice first for their own sins, then for the sins of the people, but He finished the sacrificial system, once and for all, when He offered Himself.  Now He asks us by the mercies of God, that we present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is our reasonable service.  The fire of the Holy Spirit which came first at Pentecost, will ignite the Presence of God in us when we become a living sacrifice surrendered to Him, so that we witness to our LORD God, the Eternal One, the Living God!  Thank You Holy Spirit!

Seamless Union with God

 “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.”

‭‭John‬ ‭15:4‬ ‭KJV‬‬

If we can receive an understanding of what Jesus said here, it would change our whole outlook and help us see from God’s perspective.  Jesus says that we must remain in life-union with Him, for He remains in life-union with us. For as a branch severed from the vine will not bear fruit, so our life will be fruitless unless we live our life intimately joined to His.  Our seamless union (Jesus in me and I in Jesus) is pictured in the vine: the shoot cannot bear fruit outside of this union.  In its abiding in the vine, fruit happens naturally - as with our abiding in Him.  When we understand this mutual union, we will naturally bear much fruit, which is impossible to happen apart from Jesus.  Let’s repeatedly say to ourselves - “I am in Christ and Christ is in me”, and allow the Holy Spirit to open our understanding of this awesome union.  Hallelujah!

The Victorious Bride of Christ

 “Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭31:10‬ ‭KJV‬‬

This is both a picture of the virtuous wife and an allegory of the end time victorious Bride of the Lord Jesus Christ - the Church, full of virtue and grace.  Who could ever find a wife like this one — she is a woman of strength and mighty valor! She’s full of wealth and wisdom. The price paid for her was greater than many jewels - the sacred Blood of the Lamb of God, her Bridegroom!  For it is the Blood of Jesus that continually cleanses us and makes us virtuous and righteous before our Bridegroom - there is no other way!  Let’s surrender to the Holy Spirit and present ourselves as a living sacrifice as holy and acceptable to God.  Let’s not be conformed to this world: but be transformed by the renewing of our mind, that we may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.  The virtuous Bride will not bring disgrace to Jesus’s Name and He will not be ashamed to display her to the world.  Thank You Holy Spirit for preparing us to be the virtuous Bride of our Beloved Bridegroom!  Amen!

Scripture will be Fulfilled

 “While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.”

‭‭John‬ ‭17:12‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Jesus prayed to the Father just before He was arrested saying that while He was with these that the Father had given Jesus, He was guarding them and keeping them in the Father’s Name. Jesus told the Father that not one of them was lost, except the one that was destined to be lost, so that the Scripture would be fulfilled.  This is the beauty of the Holy Word,  that it has to be fulfilled.  David had prophetically spoken in a psalm - “Even my ally, my friend, has turned against me. He was one I totally trusted with my life, sharing supper with him, and now he shows me nothing but betrayal and treachery. He has sold me as an enemy.”  Eating a meal together with a friend was a sign of covenant relationship.  Every Word will be fulfilled if it hasn’t been already.  Let’s be those who receive revelation knowledge of the Word by the Holy Spirit.  Thank You Father for Your Word given to us!

Our Amazing Kinsman Redeemer

 “For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee. Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel; I will help thee, saith the LORD, and thy redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭41:13-14‬ ‭KJV‬‬

David had already seen Jesus on the Cross as a worm and not as a man.  Here Isaiah reminds the decadent Israel telling them that Yahweh is their mighty God Who will grip their right hand and not let them go, telling them not to be afraid, He is there to help them.  Even though Jacob (Israel) feels like a worm, they may not fear for their Kinsman Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel is there to help them.  There is a species of worm in the Middle East which female lays eggs between its body and the tree and the hatched baby worms feed on her living body and the blood remains as a crimson stain on the tree.  When Jesus died on the Cross, His Blood left a crimson stain and He gave birth to the Church.  He nourishes us and sustains us with His broken Body and shed Blood.  The Kinsman Redeemer was a male relative, culturally responsible to act on behalf of a relative who needed to be rescued from slavery, trouble or danger.  Let’s believe that although God is holy, He stooped through Christ to tenderly lift up the unholy.  Our Amazing Kinsman Redeemer!  Amen!

Sinners to Saints

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

‭‭Colossians‬ ‭1:12-13‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Paul received this wonderful revelation of grace wherein we are grateful to the Father Who qualified us to participate in the complete portion of the inheritance of the saints in the light.  The light of the Gospel reveals what God accomplished through Christ, to transform the sinner into a saint.  He rescued us from the dominion of darkness - the sense-ruled world dominated by the law of performance - and relocated us into the Kingdom where the love of His Son rules.  Let’s receive the Gospel of grace, not only in our minds, but also in our hearts.  Thank You Jesus for qualifying us to receive our inheritance in the saints as joint heirs with Christ and to be glorified together with Him!  Glory to God!

God’s Righteousness is Our Faith

 “Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.”

‭‭Habakkuk‬ ‭2:4‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Righteousness by God’s faith defines life.  Instead of reading the curse when disaster strikes, Habakkuk realised that the Promise outdates performance as the basis of mankind’s justification.  The good news is the fact that the Cross of Christ was a success.  God rescued the life of our design - He redeemed our innocence.  Mankind would never again be judged just or unjust by their own ability to obey moral laws.  It is not about what someone must or must not do but about what Jesus has done!  It is from faith to faith, and not a person’s good or bad behaviour or what we interpret as blessing or curse.  Let’s look away from the law of works to Jesus - He is the Author and Finisher of faith.  Thank You, Jesus!

Found in Christ

 “and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭3:9‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Paul wanted his passion to be consumed with Christ and not cling to his own “righteousness” based in keeping the written law. Paul’s only “righteousness” was Christ’s, based on the faithfulness of Jesus Christ—the very righteousness that comes from God.  When it counted, Paul wanted to be found belonging to Christ, not clinging to his own righteousness based on law, but actively relying on the faithfulness of the Anointed One.  This is the true righteousness, supplied by God, acquired by faith.  Let’s like Paul, be found in Christ and not in all the wrong places of the duty-and-guilt-driven religious performance snaring us into the dead-end of self-righteousness, seduced by the law of works!  It’s the faith of Christ that reveals our identity, that righteousness, which defines who God believes we really are.  This righteousness is sourced in God and gives us the substance and authority of faith.  Let’s be found in Christ!  Amen!

Wisdom Eludes Mockers

 “A scorner seeketh wisdom, and findeth it not: But knowledge is easy unto him that understandeth.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭14:6‬ ‭KJV‬‬

In today’s world there’s so much knowledge available at one’s fingertips but no solutions to the ills of our world.  The intellectually arrogant seek for wisdom, but they never seem to discover what they claim they’re looking for. For revelation-knowledge flows to the one who hungers for understanding.  There’s cynicism and sarcasm but wisdom eludes mockery, though they seek it, but insight comes quickly to those with understanding.  True wisdom and understanding comes by the Holy Spirit Who has been given to the Church to fulfill God’s purposes on earth through the shed Blood of Jesus Christ.  Let’s ask God to raise a new generation of disciples who are hungry to fulfill God’s purposes by surrendering themselves to walk in wisdom and understanding and glorify our heavenly Father.  Amen!

Putting On the New Man

 “and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.”

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭4:23-24‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Paul gives the revelation that it’s time to be made new by every revelation that’s been given to us. And to be transformed as we embrace the glorious Christ-within as our new life and live in union with Him! For God has re-created us all over again in His perfect righteousness, and we now belong to Him in the realm of true holiness.  Let’s take a fresh breath to let God renew our attitude and spirit.  Then we are ready to put on our new self, modelled after the very likeness of God: truthful, righteous and holy.  We are habitually renewed in our innermost mind and this causes us to be completely re-programmed in the way we think about ourselves!  Let’s remain fully immersed in this God-shaped new person from above!  We are created in the image and likeness of God.  This is what righteousness and true holiness are all about.  This is the resurrection life of Christ in us given to us by the new covenant.   Thank You Father for this mystery hidden for ages, now revealed as Christ in us, the hope of glory!

The Beautiful Feet of Gospel Carriers

 “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!”

‭‭Isaiah 52:7 KJV

What a beautiful sight to behold as Isaiah saw, the precious feet of the messenger coming over the mountains to announce good news! He comes to refresh us with wonderful news, announcing salvation to Zion and saying, “Your Mighty God reigns!”  The messenger who declares the good news of victory, of peace and liberation.  Zion is the chosen place for God’s promise people.  We are not here to see the works of the devil - we can never put the devil back into business by thinking about him.  Jesus stripped the devil naked from all sham authority in the universe.  When Israel was delivered out of Egypt, Pharaoh ceased to be in the picture.  So the devil has been removed from the picture at the Cross.  If we are double-minded we deceive ourselves.  Let’s have the deepest conviction to be good news carriers, effectively communicating the Gospel with passion, having shod our feet with the Gospel of peace! Hallelujah!