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!

Washing Us by the Word

 “that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,”

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭5:26‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Paul likens the love between the husband and wife as between Christ and the glorious Church.  Christ sacrificed Himself for the Church that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word.  Christ is the voice of God’s language,  immersed in this conversation, His love words bathe us and remove from us every stain of sin.  We know  Christ gave Himself up completely to make the Church His own, washing her clean of all her impurity with water and the powerful presence of His word.  Let’s believe in Christ’s so great love for us and agree to wash and cleanse ourselves with the washing of water by the word.  Thank You, Jesus, for loving us and washing us by Your word.  Amen!

The Immeasurable Love of God in Christ

 “Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: Thou hast received gifts for men; Yea, for the rebellious also, that the Lord GOD might dwell among them.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭68:18‬ ‭KJV‬‬

David saw in the Spirit, the Pure and Shining One Who ascends into the heavenly heights, taking His many captured ones with Him, leading them in triumphal procession. And gifts were given to men, even the once rebellious, so that they may dwell with Yah.  Paul writing from a prison captivity saw the same extravagant extent and dimensions of the measure of the gift of Christ to mankind.  Paul who is imprisoned for Christ, was once a prisoner of the law of performance but now a prisoner of Christ.  He celebrates God rescuing the prisoners from their captivity, even the rebellious, the unbelievers, the ones resisting persuasion, the backsliding, the headstrong, the wayward.  This is the relevance of Jesus dying our death and entering into our darkness and hell to rescue us through His triumphant resurrection.  This is how Grace rescued us.  Let’s celebrate the immeasurable love of God for us in Christ Jesus, Who set us free from captivity into the glorious liberty of the children of God.  Hallelujah to the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world!

Overcome Evil with Good

“Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭12:21‬ ‭KJV‬‬

This is God’s solution for mankind to succeed.  Never let evil defeat you, but defeat evil with good.  Let not evil be an excuse for us to feel defeated, but rather seize the opportunity to turn the situation into a victory for good.  Let’s not be conquered by the evil one, but conquer evil through union with the Good One.  Give thanks to the LORD for He is good and His mercy endures forever.  Jesus said, “Why do you call me good? there is none good but one, that is, God”.  Union with God only through Christ and the new covenant of grace, enables us to never let evil get the best of us; instead, we overpower evil with the good.  Amen!

That Rock Was Christ

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

‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭32:18‬ ‭KJV‬‬

God told Moses to sing this song in the final time of his life.  The children of Israel ignored the Rock that bore them and forgot the God Who gave birth to them.  In the new covenant of grace, God found us and quickened us, who were dead in trespasses and sins.  We were in a death trap of an inferior lifestyle, constantly living below the blueprint measure of our lives, out of tune with God’s original design.  Yet this didn’t distract God from His extravagant love for us - He continued to love us with the exact same intensity.  This is how grace rescued us: while we were yet in that state of deadness and indifference, He quickened us together with Christ!  We had nothing to do with it.  Grace freed us, once and for all from the lies that we believed about ourselves under the performance driven system, and gave us a new identity in Christ.  The same Rock that was there in the wilderness with the children of Israel is the Rock that begot us through the Cross and that Rock was Christ!  Thank You, Jesus our Lord and our God!

Walk in Grace

 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.”

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭2:8-9‬ ‭KJV‬‬

To believe that by grace we have been saved by faith is hard for those who depend on their performance to be accepted by God. Nothing we did could ever earn this salvation, for it was the love gift from God that brought us to Christ! So no one will ever be able to boast, for salvation is never a reward for good works or human striving.  Our salvation is not a reward for good behaviour!  It is a grace thing from start to finish, we have no hand in it.  Even the gift to simply believe reflects God’s faith.  If this could be accomplished through any action of ours then there would be ground for boasting.  Grace reveals who we are and the faith of God persuades us of it.  We did not invent faith - it was God’s faith to begin with!  It is from faith to faith and Jesus is both the source and conclusion of it.  Let’s learn to receive Christ’s grace and wholly depend on it.  Thank You Jesus!

Our Passionate Focus on the Cross

 “And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so.”

‭‭2 Kings‬ ‭2:10‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Elijah was known to appear and disappear as the Spirit of the Lord willed and when it was time for him to go, all the prophets in Bethel, Jericho and Jordan where Elijah went with Elisha told Elisha that Elijah will be taken by the Lord.  Elisha determinedly kept his eyes on Elijah and followed till beyond the Jordan where Elijah asked Elisha what he wanted Elijah to do for him.  Elisha answered to give him a double portion of Elijah’s spirit.  Elijah said, “You have asked for a difficult thing. However, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so.”  Elisha’s focus was so fixed on Elijah that he saw Elijah being taken in a whirlwind and God gave Elisha the double portion of Elijah’s spirit.  In the new covenant of grace, we are called to have the focus and passion on the Cross of Jesus, and we continually long to know the wonders of Jesus and to experience the overflowing power of His resurrection working in us; that we will be one with Him in His sufferings and become like Him in His death. Only then will we be able to experience complete oneness with Christ in His resurrection from the realm of death.  Let’s keep our focus on Christ and what the finished work of the Cross has done for us.  Amen!

Mankind’s Innocence is a Free Gift

 “being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭3:24 KJV‬‬

A beautiful revelation given by Paul that through Christ’s  powerful declaration of acquittal, God freely gives away His righteousness. His gift of love and favor now cascades over us, all because Jesus, the Anointed One, has liberated us from the guilt, punishment, and power of sin! While the law proved mankind’s dilemma, the grace of God announces the same mankind’s redemption in Jesus Christ.  Their blameless innocence is a free gift!  This gift principle puts the idea of reward out of business.  There is no exception - this belongs to every single person, Jew and Gentile alike.  Mankind’s righteousness is now redeemed.  Jesus Christ is proof of God’s grace gift; He redeemed the glory of God in human life; mankind condemned in the language of religion, is now mankind justified in the language of the Gospel!  This is the glorious Gospel.  Hallelujah!

Nation Born At Once

 “Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭66:8‬ ‭KJV‬‬

This prophecy of the future was fulfilled when Isaiah spoke for God that who has ever seen or heard of such a wonder?  Could a country be born in a day? Can a nation be birthed so suddenly?  Yet no sooner does Zion go into labour than she gives birth to sons!  This actually happened with Israel being “reborn” as a nation in mid twentieth century after two thousand years of being the diaspora.  Two thousand years ago, a holy nation - the Church - was birthed by the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.  All prophecy in Scripture is being fulfilled in our time to enable us to look up to our redemption as it draws nigh!  Let’s be in readiness to be caught up at the trumpet of God!  Hallelujah!

Redeemed to Full Sonship

 “to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.”

‭‭Galatians‬ ‭4:5‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Paul reveals how we became adopted as children of God. Christ came in the flesh so that He would redeem and set free those held hostage to the law so that we would receive our freedom and a full legal adoption as God’s children.  The Lord Jesus’s mandate was to rescue the human race from the regime of the law of performance and announce the revelation of their true sonship in God.  Through the Cross our true state of sonship is realised but when He came to His own, they didn’t recognise Him.  But to everyone who realises our connection with Him are convinced that He is our original life and He confirms that we are God’s offspring.  We began in God beyond our natural conception.  It is the Word that became human and dwelt among us and through His resurrection, now dwells in us.  The glory that Adam lost has been returned through Christ in us.  Now He resides in us and we are His address.  The fullness of His glory dwells in us.  Only Grace can communicate this truth in its completeness.  Thank You for redeeming us and making us God’s sons, Hallelujah!

Blessed to Bless Others

 “that in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;”

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭22:17‬ ‭KJV‬‬

God blessed Abraham because Abraham believed God’s Word.  God said He will greatly bless Abraham and make sure his seed becomes as numerous as the stars of heaven and as the sand of the seashore.  Abraham’s offspring would take possession of the city gates of their enemies.  God stopped Abraham from delivering up Isaac as a sacrifice to reveal to Abraham that His Son was to be the human sacrifice.  Righteousness was credited to Abraham by faith.  Through Jesus the righteousness by faith has come upon us as the blessing of Abraham.  It’s not by keeping the law that we are made righteous, but only through faith in Christ’s supreme sacrifice on the Cross.  The law did not replace faith as Abraham believed God much before the law was given.  God’s faith as embodied in Christ, is the only basis to mankind’s acquittal and could never be replaced by our own ability to justify ourselves.  What grace God extended to fallen humanity through the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ! Thank You for the blessings of Abraham.  Thank You Father!

Living by the Faith of Christ

 “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”

‭‭Galatians‬ ‭2:20‬ ‭KJV

Paul’s revelation of his old identity that has been co-crucified with Christ and no longer lives and now the essence of this new life is no longer his, for the Anointed One lives His life through Paul and to all who believe—we live in union as one! Our new life is empowered by the faith of the Son of God who loves us so much that He gave Himself for us, dispensing His life into ours!  We who believe, can say that we are dead and alive at the same time!  We are dead to the old self and trying to be alive to the real us, which is Christ in us!  Co-crucified, now co-alive!  What a union - we were in Him in His death; now we discover that He is infused in us, in our lives!  For the first time, we are free to be ourselves, immersed in His faith in our being sons along with Him in joint-sonship!  He loves us and believes in us and is God’s gift to us!  Hallelujah!

Celebrating Christ Every Time

 “Sing unto the LORD a new song, and his praise from the end of the earth, ye that go down to the sea, and all that is therein; the isles, and the inhabitants thereof. Let the wilderness and the cities thereof lift up their voice, the villages that Kedar doth inhabit: let the inhabitants of the rock sing, let them shout from the top of the mountains. Let them give glory unto the LORD, and declare his praise in the islands. The LORD shall go forth as a mighty man, he shall stir up jealousy like a man of war: he shall cry, yea, roar; he shall prevail against his enemies.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭42:10-13‬ ‭KJV‬‬

When we praise the LORD in every circumstance particularly the negative one, we create a platform for Him to dwell in the praises of His people.  Through this the Kingdom of God comes on earth as it is in heaven, and destroys the kingdom of darkness.  When we praise God, He Himself destroys our enemies.  Let’s always be celebrating our Lord Jesus with a new song for He destroyed the enemy by the Blood of His Cross and made a new covenant of grace with us.  We celebrate Christ and He removes the enemy!  Awesome God!

Owning the Gospel

 “Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;)”

‭‭Galatians‬ ‭1:1‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Paul introduces himself in this letter to the Church in Galatia by saying that he is an apostle of Jesus Christ, and that his apostleship was not granted to him by men, for he was appointed by the Lord Jesus Christ, and God the Father, Who raised Christ from the dead.  Paul clearly states that his ministry and message were neither accredited to a theological education, nor was he sponsored by a religious institution.  Paul was sanctioned by Jesus Himself, the Messiah and God the Father who raised Christ from the dead.  As an apostle, Paul was compelled to go, commissioned.  Rather than a title, apostleship defined the urgency that prompted the spreading of the Gospel.  The resurrection revelation inspired the commission.  Paul saw that mankind was co-raised together with Christ.  May each one of us endorse the Gospel we own and proclaim as a gift by the revelation of Christ within us.  Christ in us, the hope of glory!  Hallelujah!

God’s Kingdom Mountain

“And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. 

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭2:2. KJV

Isaiah’s vision of the last days when the mountain of Yahweh’s temple will be raised up as the head of the mountains, towering over all the hills.  A sparkling stream of every nation will flow into it.  God’s grace fully establishes His people, no matter how despicable the past - as the mountain rising above every other mountain.  This is the mountain Kingdom of God.  The secular world sees Christ’s Kingdom as irrelevant and powerless.  Yet Isaiah prophesied thousands of years ago that the kingdoms of the earth will be levelled and the King’s mountain will be high and exalted.  With no rival, Jesus will sit enthroned.  Be glorified, King Jesus now and forever, in Your people with whom You cut the covenant of grace by the Cross, and in Your Kingdom.  For Yours is the Kingdom, the power and the glory, both now and forever, Amen!

Anointed Words of Life

 “Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said unto them, Why have ye not brought him? The officers answered, Never man spake like this man.”

‭‭John‬ ‭7:45-46‬ ‭KJV‬‬

When Jesus spoke, everyone listened because He spoke words of life.  Even the priests and the Pharisees couldn’t lay hands on Him.  They tried by sending the temple guards to catch Jesus and bring Him to them.  But when the temple guards returned to the Pharisees and the leading priests without Jesus, they were questioned, “Where is he? Why didn’t you bring that man back with you?” They answered, “You don’t understand—he speaks amazing things like no one else has ever spoken!”  This same anointing has now been given to us by the death, burial and resurrection of the Anointed One.  So when we speak His Word, it is Christ speaking through us.  The more we release Jesus through us, the more He gives increase.  Let all who hear us say of Jesus - “Never have we heard anyone speak like this!” All ill-will disappears when we speak resurrection life through our mouth.  Let’s believe it and speak words of life in all our situations.  May Jesus be glorified through us.  Amen!

King Over All the Earth

 “For the LORD most high is terrible; He is a great King over all the earth.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭47:2‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The psalmist remembers how God helped Israel to come into the promised land as he proclaims the Lord God Most High is astonishing, awesome beyond words! He’s the formidable and powerful King over all the earth.  For those who belong to the Kingdom of God know that our Lord Jesus Christ has taken on Himself the fiery wrath and judgment of God on Himself, we know that the Lord Most High is powerful over all the earth.  To the people of this world it doesn’t seem so, but Jesus conquered hate and ill-will when He forgave the chief priests, Pharisees, the Romans, Pilate and all those who shamed and humiliated Him.  The shedding of His Blood was for all when He said, “It is finished”.  Jesus even conquered death when He rose again.  As He said to Pilate, that His Kingdom is not of this world, He showed through His Resurrection that His Kingdom is over all the earth and everyone who believes in Him shall not die but have everlasting life, from whichever part of the world they may be.  The earth belongs to Him and He has given it to us who believe in Him.  The whole earth is the Lord and the fulness thereof, the world and they that dwell therein.  Let’s believe it! Thank You Jesus!

Jesus Became Poor so We would Become Rich

 “But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭19:26‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Jesus had just watched the rich man walk away from Him.  The rich man wanted to follow Jesus but his heart was wrapped up in his wealth which he could not part from.  So Jesus said how hard it is for those whose heart is in their wealth to follow Him.  This surprised the disciples and they asked who then can enter the Kingdom of God?  Jesus replied that, humanly speaking, no one, because no one can save himself. But what seems impossible to the disciples is never impossible to God!  We are so used to thinking of God as distant, majestic and indifferent to the plight of humans that we forget that Jesus, because of His love for humans, left His glory, position and riches to identify with the least of us.  Jesus was not rejecting wealthy people into His Kingdom, as the disciples thought, but He spoke of those whose heart is wrapped up in their wealth.  By faith we believe that Jesus comes to dwell in our hearts when we believe that He loves us with all His heart.  Let’s believe in His finished work of the Cross where He gave all humans His extravagant grace, that although He was infinitely rich, he impoverished Himself for our sake, so that by His poverty, we become rich beyond measure.  Hallelujah!

Joined One Spirit with the Lord

 “And it shall come to pass, as soon as I am gone from thee, that the Spirit of the LORD shall carry thee whither I know not; and so when I come and tell Ahab, and he cannot find thee, he shall slay me: but I thy servant fear the LORD from my youth.”

‭‭1 Kings‬ ‭18:12‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Elijah was asked by God to show himself to king Ahab and met with Obadiah the king’s servant.  When Elijah told Obadiah to convey to Ahab that he would meet the king, Obadiah said, “And as soon as I leave you, the Spirit of the Lord will carry you to a place I do not know; so when I come to tell Ahab and he does not find you, he will kill me. Yet your servant has reverently feared the Lord from my youth”.   At Pentecost, the same Holy Spirit came upon Jesus’s disciples and continues to empower those who have been baptised with the Holy Spirit and with fire by the Lord Jesus.  We are joined one spirit with the Lord and in Him we live and move and have our being.  This is made possible only by the Blood sacrifice of Jesus at the Cross.  Let’s be empowered by the Spirit of the Lord to witness boldly and courageously of our risen and resurrected Lord Jesus so that the Kingdom of God increases more and more.  Even when persecution confines us, let’s believe that the Spirit of the Lord will take us to unknown places to preach the glorious Gospel of the Lord Jesus.  Amen!

Reality of Being in Christ

 “As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia.”

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭11:10‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Not only did Paul experience an inward change when he became in Christ but the reality of Christ living within him, made him glad to boast of offering the gospel free of charge and he wouldn’t be silenced wherever he went.  This is the passion the Lord ignites in us when we are in Christ, to boast about Him and the power of His Cross and His shed Blood wherever we go.  Each one is significant to Christ but a lot depends on our response to Him.  Do we love Him as an afterthought or is He our consuming passion?  Let’s learn to boast about Christ and drive out the lukewarmness and the dullness of our relationship with Him.  He is real but all that we see and feel around us is passing away, is temporary.  He is the same yesterday, today and forever!  Let’s lift Christ up and He will draw all people to Him.  Amen!

Qualified in Every Way

 “Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; Try my reins and my heart.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭26:2‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Here in David’s psalm he asks YHWH to examine him and test him and to judge his desires and thoughts.  It is the Lord Who examines us and no one else, not even ourselves, to expose our sin and to show the extent of our sin.  It is not our diligence but the Lord Who does all the revealing.  If we examine ourselves, we will not be able to see our true state as the Lord sees us.  Only the Lord Jesus can reveal to us the proper way to deal with sin because He identified with it at the Cross in exchange for His righteousness.  So when Paul asks us to examine ourselves when we partake of the Body and Blood of Jesus, it is to take His broken Body and receive His wholeness in us, His shed Blood in exchange of our sin for His forgiveness and righteousness.  This proper way of dealing with sickness, disease and sin is the result of an intimate relationship with Christ Whose passion it is to heal us and make us whole, to make us righteous and forgiven and not condemned and hopeless.  Let’s establish the right attitude and intimate relationship with Jesus, the Lover of our soul, so we walk in the confidence, liberty and victory magnifying Christ and His finished work Who qualified us in every way.  Hallelujah!

Every Knee Bows, Every Tongue Confesses

 “that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2:10-11‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Paul received this revelation of the Cross, that authority of the Name of Jesus causes every knee to bow in reverence! Everything and everyone will one day submit to this Name—in the heavenly realm, in the earthly realm, and in the demonic realm. And every tongue will proclaim in every language: “Jesus Christ is Lord Yahweh,” bringing glory and honor to God, His Father! Jesus had to shed His Blood as a Man to secure our relationship as sons and daughters of God the Father who now have bold access to the Throne of Grace, which even the angels don’t have.  This had been lost by Adam but now through the Lord Jesus Christ our peace was made through the Blood of His cross, by Him to reconcile all things to Himself; by Him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.  Glory to Jesus forever!

Kinsman-Redeemer

 “And he said, Who art thou? And she answered, I am Ruth thine handmaid: spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid; for thou art a near kinsman.”

‭‭Ruth‬ ‭3:9‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Boaz was surprised to find a woman lying at his feet.  When Boaz asked her who she was, Ruth answered that she was Ruth, his servant girl and to spread the corner of his garment over her because he was a close relative by marriage, one who was her kinsman-redeemer.  This shows our Kinsman-Redeemer, the Lord Jesus Christ and we ask Him to spread His wings over us and heals us.  His mantle of anointing covers us.  Ruth had no false humility and she boldly requested grace from Boaz.  We too come boldly to the Throne of Grace and boldly ask for Grace Who is the Lord Jesus Himself.  Grace and Truth came from Him.  Let’s not walk in false humility but remember the covenant of grace given to us by the finished work of the Cross.  Thank You for redeeming us, our Kinsman-Redeemer!

Father of Faith

 “(as it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭4:17‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Paul explained about Abraham’s faith and what the Scripture means when it says: “I have made you the father of many nations.” He is our example and father, for in God’s Presence he believed that God can raise the dead and call into being things that don’t even exist yet.  This is perfectly illustrated with God speaking to Abraham about nations coming from him and his wife Sarah even though they had no children and were beyond the age of childbearing.  The God Who creates out of nothing could give children, and eventually nations to Abraham and Sarah.  Let’s believe God’s promises to us like Abraham did and when we declare them into our lives, we demonstrate it in our lives.  All His promises to us are “Yes” and “Amen”!   Hallelujah!

The Radiant & Blood Washed Church

 “Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭60:1-2‬ ‭KJV‬‬

What a glorious vision Isaian prophesied for the Church to rise up in splendour and be radiant, for her light has dawned, and the glory of the Lord Jesus streams upon her! Even though darkness blankets the earth, and thick clouds cover the nations, but the Lord arises upon her and the brightness of His glory appears over her!  Jesus is the Light that shines upon us, the Church, and the Light of the Church upon the nations.  This is in preparation for the new heaven and a new earth and as John saw,  the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a Bride adorned for her Husband!  Who is the Bride but the radiant Church of the redeemed, Blood washed, cleansed and robed in Christ’s righteousness.  Let’s not look at the gross darkness around us but be about fulfilling our God ordained purpose in this life and be prepared for our Lord’s coming for His radiant Bride, the Church.  Amen!

Light & Love of Jesus

 “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”

‭‭John‬ ‭8:12‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Jesus is the Light to the world, and those who embrace Him will experience life-giving light, and they will never walk in darkness.  We all find ourselves in dark places needing light - light that brings direction, healing, vision, warmth and hope.  Without the Light and Love of Jesus, this world is truly a dark place and we are lost forever.  Love unlocks mysteries and as we love Jesus, our hearts are unlocked to see more of His beauty and glory.  Let’s stop defining ourselves by our failures and start seeing ourselves as the ones whom Jesus loves.  Then our hearts begin to open to the breathtaking discovery of the wonder of Jesus Christ.  If we want to know Jesus more, we may see what is written in the Scriptures for these are written, that we might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing we might have Life through His Name.  Amen!

God Rejoices Over Us with Singing

 “The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.”

‭‭Zephaniah‬ ‭3:17‬ ‭KJV‬‬

This is a revelation to the prophet Zephaniah of him revealing that not only is the Lord our God with us; and that His power gives us victory; but the Lord takes delight in us, and in His love gives us new life. He sings and is joyful over us.  What an awesome prophecy that Jesus gave us victory through the Cross and in His love gave us new life.  He enjoys us by singing over us.  A picture of His tender love for us.  Thank You Father for loving us by giving us Your Son Jesus.  Let’s respond by surrendering ourselves to God to be His sacred, living sacrifices, and live in holiness, experiencing all that delights His heart. For this becomes our genuine expression of worship.  Let’s have a deep and intimate relationship with our loving God, in Christ Jesus and enjoy Him singing over us.  Amen!

Our Shepherd-King

 “And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.”

‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭5:4‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Peter, the forgiven and restored apostle, introduces himself as an elder pointing to the Lord Jesus when the Shepherd-King appears, and we will win the victor’s crown of glory that never fades away.  Jesus is the Lord of the shepherds and Peter models the shepherds based on the role model of the Chief Shepherd.  The true shepherds serve God’s flock and not their own, lovingly guiding and caring for God’s people.  They take their responsibilities of overseeing their flock willingly, eager to serve, not eager for financial gain.  They feed and nurture God’s people, rejecting a domineering leadership model, leading by examples of godliness and humility.  May God give grace to the shepherds to serve as Jesus our Shepherd-King came to serve and not to be served.  Thank You Jesus that You rule with a Servant’s heart and serve with a King’s heart.  Amen!

Enemies His Footstool

 “The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭110:1‬ ‭KJV‬‬

David’s psalm says that Yahweh said to my Lord, the Messiah: “Sit with Me as enthroned ruler while I subdue Your every enemy. They will bow low before You as I make them a footstool for Your feet.”  This was fulfilled by Jesus for He must reign, till He has put all enemies under His feet.  Jesus’s dominion is destined to subdue all hostility and contradiction under His feet.  That is what the Cross of Calvary did, by blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that were against us, which were contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to His Cross; and having spoiled principalities and powers, He made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.  Worthy is the Lamb of God!