Our Substitute

 “Now therefore, I pray thee, let thy servant abide instead of the lad a bondman to my Lord; and let the lad go up with his brethren. For how shall I go up to my father, and the lad be not with me? lest peradventure I see the evil that shall come on my father.”

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭44‬:‭33‬-‭34‬ ‭KJV‬‬

So, please let me take the place of the boy, and I will remain here as a slave to you, my lord.  Please let the boy go back with his brothers.  How could I return to my father without the boy?  I don’t want to witness the woe and grief that would overtake my father.  Judah spoke for his brothers and did not justify himself or pass the blame to Benjamin.  Judah had changed greatly from being the chief conspirator to sell his brother into slavery.  Now he offers himself to be a slave and substitute for Benjamin.  The Lion of the tribe of Judah came as a substitute and He is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.  As the psalmist said, “They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: They that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: Then I restored that which I took not away.”  Jesus Christ became Man to restore that which He took not away - righteousness in Christ - our right standing before God.  Amen!

Being in Christ is Being Free from Sin

 “Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.”

‭‭1 John‬ ‭3‬:‭9‬ ‭KJV‬‬

To discover one’s authentic sonship in God, is to discover true freedom from sin.  We are born of Him and His seed remains in us; this is the only possible reference to sober up the mind from the intoxicating influence of deception.  The incorruptible seed of our Father carries the exact pattern of the authentic life of our design!  Jesus calls the devil, the father of lies.  When he lies, he speaks from his own distorted opinion; for he is a liar and the father of lies.  His intention was to kill mankind’s awareness of their god-identity.  Let’s live our life from who we are in Christ for this Truth has set us free and those whom the Son sets free are free indeed!  Grace beats living our life from who we are in Adam, which is the law of works from the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  We are in Christ from the fruit of the Tree of Life.  Hallelujah!

God Yearns for Mankind

 “And Joseph made haste; for his bowels did yearn upon his brother: and he sought where to weep; and he entered into his chamber, and wept there.”

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭43‬:‭30‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Joseph hastily left the room, for he was overwhelmed with feelings of love for his brother and on the verge of tears.  He went into a private room and sobbed, as tears ran down his cheeks.  The word used for love is the same as God’s compassionate, merciful love for us.  All of a sudden, this world leader, this captain over millions, collapsed inside.  It was beginning to make sense to him - all the loneliness, those dark days in prison, the misunderstanding, the pain of rejection.  A family shattered for over two decades was being reunited.  This took great discipline for Joseph to keep his secret from them.  Joseph’s heart moved him to tears - tears of tenderness and affection for his younger brother and his long lost family.  Like a little boy, Joseph missed his daddy when he was betrayed and forsaken.  Jesus was betrayed by His own disciple and forsaken by His Father when He took the sin of all humanity upon Himself.  It took great discipline to be nailed to the Cross but it was His love for mankind that kept Him there.  Thank You Jesus, You alone are worthy!

Knowing the Truth

 “He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.”

‭‭1 John‬ ‭2‬:‭4‬ ‭KJV‬‬

To merely claim that you know Him, based on your own academic or even sentimental interpretation of Him, and not upon the conclusion of His prophetic purpose unveiled in a heart that treasures His truth, is to continue to live a life of pretence!  We once knew Christ from a human point of view but we no longer know Him like that!  God is radiant Light and in Him there exists not even a trace of obscurity or darkness at all.  This is the real deal!  To live a life of pretence is such a waste!  The Truth has no competition.  Light is not threatened by darkness!  Why say something with darkness as your reference?  We are invited to explore the dimensions of this same Light that engulfs God; when we see the Light in His Light, fellowship ignites!  In His Light we understand how the Blood of Jesus Christ is the removal of every stain of sin!  The success of the Cross celebrates our redeemed innocence!  Let’s not ignore this Truth but walk in the Light!  Hallelujah!

Mercy Triumphed Over Judgment at the Cross

 “And he turned himself about from them, and wept; and returned to them again, and communed with them, and took from them Simeon, and bound him before their eyes.”

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭42‬:‭24‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Deeply affected by what he heard, Joseph began to weep and hurriedly left their presence.  After he had composed himself, he returned to them, and pointing to Simeon, said, “This one will remain here.”  Then he had him tied and bound while they all watched. Joseph did this to ensure that his brothers would return to Egypt.  Simeon’s name means he who hears.  By keeping Simeon, Joseph is showing them that they lost their hearing.  Also, Joseph was testing them to see if they would abandon Simeon as they had done to him.  While in prison, Simeon would have lots of time on his hands to listen - and discern.  Simeon was known for his cruelty and he possibly was the one that led the way in their persecution of Joseph.  But Joseph was wise in testing his brothers and forgave them completely for he did not act in revenge.  Joseph is a type of Jesus, Who forgave all who were cruel to Him when He said, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they’re doing.”  Mercy always triumphs over judgment! Amen!

God’s Life Manifested in Christ

 “(for the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)”

‭‭1 John‬ ‭1‬:‭2‬ ‭KJV

The same life that was face to face with the Father from the beginning, has now dawned on  us!  The infinite life of the Father became visible before our eyes in a human person!  Suddenly the invisible eternal Word takes on visible form!  The Word became a human being; we are His address, He resides in us and captivates our gaze!  The glory that Adam lost, returns in fullness!  Only grace can communicate truth in such complete context!  He is the official authority qualified to reveal God.  Thank You Jesus!  Glory to God!

Interpreting Dreams

 “Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon: and he shaved himself, and changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh.”

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭41‬:‭14‬ ‭KJV‬‬

After hearing this, Pharaoh immediately sent for Joseph.  They rushed him out of the dungeon to prepare him to meet the king.  When he had shaved and changed his clothes, he came and stood before Pharaoh.  Joseph’s dreams landed him in a pit and later in a prison.  It was Joseph’s gift for interpreting dreams that brought him out from the prison to stand before Pharaoh.  When we are helpless to save ourselves, the Saviour steps in.  Joseph did not immediately beg to be released from prison.  He approaches the mighty Pharaoh with dignity and respect.  Joseph quickly acknowledged that only God has the power to interpret dreams, for He is the One Who gives them.  Like the Lord Jesus, Joseph did only what the Father revealed to him.   Let’s surrender to the Holy Spirit and ask Him to give understanding of the dreams that come to us.  Thank You Lord, Amen!

New Heaven & a New Earth

“Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.”

‭‭2 Peter‬ ‭3‬:‭13‬ ‭KJV‬‬

But as we wait, we trust in God’s royal proclamation to be fulfilled. There are coming heavens new in quality, and an earth new in quality, where righteousness will be fully at home.  The Aramaic for promise is royal proclamation.  There is coming a day when all will live according as God’s perfect will for our lives and righteousness will be at home on earth and in every heart.  This will be the day when justice reigns on earth.  We expect from His promise a new sky and a new earth in which the virtuous people will dwell.  For all those who believe in Jesus Christ as the only Way, God says, “behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.”  Amen!

Learn to Serve

 “And the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he served them: and they continued a season in ward.”

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭40‬:‭4‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The captain of the guard placed them under Joseph’s charge, and they remained in custody for some time.  Joseph was a type of Christ.  Jesus was falsely accused, maligned and crucified between two thieves at Calvary.  The one next to Jesus was released to enter Paradise, and the other killed.  So it was with the two men imprisoned with Joseph, three days after they were released!  Christ was rejected by His brothers, sold by one of His own and then cast into the prison of death.  The inner strength of loving and serving in painful circumstances made Joseph’s soul as strong as iron.  He learned to serve and rule over himself first, before God released him to rule over others.  The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.  That is why He is the King of kings and Lord of lords.  Hallelujah!

Believe in Jesus

 “and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;”

‭‭2 Peter‬ ‭2‬:‭6‬ ‭KJV

And don’t forget that He reduced to ashes the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, condemning them to ruin and destruction.  God appointed them to be examples as to what is coming to the ungodly.  After seeing these three examples of fallen angels, people who lived at the time of the flood, Sodom and Gomorrah - it is difficult to believe that anyone will be saved.  There is a doom that awaits the ungodly - those who do not believe in Jesus Christ, the Saviour of mankind.  All the more reason for the Church to preach the glorious Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, in season and out of season, exalting His sinless Blood sacrifice on the Cross, and in the demonstration of the mighty Holy Spirit!  Amen

God’s Presence

 “And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. And his master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand.”

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭39‬:‭2‬-‭3‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Yahweh’s Presence was with Joseph and he became successful while living in the house of his Egyptian master.  His master realised that Yahweh’s Presence was with Joseph and caused everything he did to prosper.  Joseph excelled in everything.  God’s Presence and favour do more for us than our skill, intelligence, and cleverness could ever achieve.  God had His Hand on everything that happened to Joseph.  We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.  Jewish translation says that “Yahweh was continually on Joseph’s lips”.  In other words, Potiphar noted that Joseph did everything as unto God and gave Him the glory.  Jesus has caused the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon us.  Let’s be those who do everything as unto the Lord, giving glory to Him with our lips.  Amen!

True Worship

 “and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.”

‭‭2 Peter‬ ‭1‬:‭7‬ ‭KJV‬‬

In worship you will find a genuine fondness for others.  At the heart of everything that faith unfolds is the agapé love of God.  Worship and devotion includes esteeming people and honouring friendship - the same voice that magnifies God cannot insult a person made in God’s image.  True worship is to touch someone’s life with the same devotion and care you would touch Jesus Himself, even if the other person seems a most unlikely candidate.  The word agapé comes from leading like a Shepherd besides still waters and restoring our soul to remember what our identity is!  In Christ we can worship in spirit and in truth the One Who is Worthy.  Worthy is the Lamb!

Put On the Lord Jesus Christ

 “And Judah acknowledged them, and said, She hath been more righteous than I; because that I gave her not to Shelah my son. And he knew her again no more.”

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭38‬:‭26‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Judah recognised them as his and said, “She is more righteous than I, for I never gave my son Shelah to marry her.”  And he let her go free and never slept with her again.  Judah did not have sex with Tamar again. The following story is that of the lust that Potiphar’s wife had for young Joseph.  These are accounts of lust and the evil it spawns.  Why did God include these stories in His inspired Word?  One reason is that these stories show the contrast between Judah’s unwise choices and immorality with Joseph’s righteous character.  It is good to walk in the Spirit, and not fulfil the lust of the flesh.  Because of the finished work of the Cross we now put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.  Amen!

Our Shepherd-King Crowns Us with Glory

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

‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭5‬:‭4‬ ‭KJV‬‬

And when the Shepherd-King appears, you will win the victor’s crown of glory that never fades away.  The Latin translation to English of shepherd is pastor.  The true shepherds who are under the Chief Shepherd, Jesus, are those who understand that they serve God’s flock not their own.  They lovingly guide and care for God’s people.  These pastors take responsibilities of oversight willingly, being eager to serve, not eager for financial gain.  Pastors under the leadership of the Shepherd-King, feed and nurture God’s people, rejecting a domineering leadership model - they lead by examples of godliness and humility.  If we know of those that have taken on the mantle of pastorship under the Chief Shepherd, let’s believe for them that they will win the crown of glory that doesn’t fade away.  Amen!

Favour Garment of Righteousness on Us

“And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stript Joseph out of his coat, his coat of many colours that was on him; and they took him, and cast him into a pit: and the pit was empty, there was no water in it.”

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭37‬:‭23‬-‭24‬ ‭KJV‬‬

When Joseph finally caught up with his brothers, they seized him, stripped him of his ornamental robe, his beautiful full length robe, and threw him into the dry, empty pit.  If we remain faithful in a time of betrayal, we will be restored and wear the favour-garment once again.  Joseph’s life is a series of three robes - the “robe of favour” given to him by Jacob and taken by his jealous brothers.  The “stolen robe” that the false accusations of Potiphar’s wife ripped from him, and the “royal robe” of reigning in Egypt as God’s saviour for Israel.  Let’s allow our Lord to remove any robe that is a hindrance and when we wear the garment of salvation, Jesus puts on us the robe of His righteousness which He won for us through the Cross, so that we may reign with Him!  Thank You Jesus! 

God Speaks Through You His Word

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

‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭4‬:‭11‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Peter explains how to serve God and bring glory to Him.  If you have a speaking gift, speak as though God were speaking his words through you. If you have the gift of serving, do it passionately with the strength God gives you, so that in everything God alone will be glorified through Jesus Christ. For to him belong the power and the glory forever throughout all ages! Amen.  In context to the preceding verses, Peter tells five ways to be intimate with God - be given to prayer; be devoted to loving our fellow believers; be compassionate to the stranger and foreigner; use spiritual gifts to serve one another; give glory to God in all things.  Let’s surrender to the Lord truly acknowledging that Jesus Christ is Lord in our hearts by obeying in these five ways for a closer walk with the Lord.  Hallelujah!

Personal Relationship with God

 “And Bela died, and Jobab the son of Zerah of Bozrah reigned in his stead.”

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭36‬:‭33‬ ‭KJV‬‬

When Bela died, Jobab son of Zerah from the city of Bozrah succeeded.  There is an ancient Jewish tradition that equates Jobab with the biblical figure of Job.  Bozrah is identified as the modern city of Buseirah.  God Himself commended Job when the Lord asked Satan, “Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless—a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil. And he has maintained his integrity, even though you urged me to harm him without cause.”  Job had a personal relationship with Yahweh.  This relationship was not intellectual.  When Job went through trials, he spoke his heart to Yahweh without holding anything back, because he knew Yahweh to be just and fair.  Job’s endurance is commended by Jacob, the Lord’s brother, who said, “We give great honor to those who endure under suffering. For instance, you know about Job, a man of great endurance. You can see how the Lord was kind to him at the end, for the Lord is full of tenderness and mercy.”  In our relationship with Almighty God, let’s not depend on intellectual knowledge but in our experience of the living God based on the Word of God.  Amen!

Proclaim the True Gospel of Grace

 “which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.”

‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭3‬:‭20‬ ‭KJV‬‬

His audience included all who died in unbelief, in the days of Noah when he built the Ark!  Jesus is the extension of the patience of God, Who waited for mankind at a time when only 8 survived the flood!  There is now a new baptism!  Immersed in Jesus’s death and co-quickened in His resurrection, mankind once dead and drowned are now made alive and crowned!  This points prophetically to our new life in Christ where the law of love is inscribed in our inner consciousness, through the True Bread from heaven.  Thus we find favour in the eyes of the Lord just as Noah did.  Noah means rest and the Hebrew letters when reversed mean grace/favour.  Jesus has already emptied hell when He led captivity captive and took the keys of hell and death and ascended to the highest place in heaven.  That’s the Gospel!  Let’s not preach that Christ has yet to do that!  Let’s proclaim the true Gospel of grace.  Thank You, Jesus!

Put On Christ

 “Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments:”

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭35‬:‭2‬ ‭KJV‬‬

So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, “Get rid of every foreign god you have, purify yourselves, and change your clothes..”. Our old clothes speak of our old life that must be laid aside as we put on Christ.  But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.  Changing our garments is to change our manner of life and put on a new man.  But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.  Let’s change our filthy rags and put on the Lord Jesus Christ, He is our only Hope.  Glory!

Christ our Chief Cornerstone

 “Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: And he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.”

‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭2‬:‭6‬ ‭KJV‬‬

This is central to the prophetic theme of Scripture: as voiced by the prophet Isaiah: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone, the exact and precise reference to the authentic thought of God; the One Who exhibits the perfect idea of human life indwelt by God.  This makes Him most precious and desirable; He will not disappoint anyone’s belief that He is indeed the Messiah, the Saviour of the world!  He exhibits human life as the true temple of God.  The cornerstone 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.  When Solomon’s temple was built, not a sound of a hammer or chisel was heard, every stone was perfectly cut in the quarry (the Cross), to exactly mirror the pattern of the chief cornerstone!  Our lives now give tangible definition to the spiritual structure, having been built into it by God upon the foundation of the prophets and apostles.  Jesus Christ Himself is the Chief Cornerstone.  Amen!

Better Covenant

 “And Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, Ye have troubled me to make me to stink among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites: and I being few in number, they shall gather themselves together against me, and slay me; and I shall be destroyed, I and my house. And they said, Should he deal with our sister as with an harlot?”

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭34‬:‭30‬-‭31‬ ‭KJV‬‬

When Jacob found out, he said to Simeon and Levi, “What have you done?  You have ruined my name, and made me stink, and now the Canaanites and Perizzites and all the people of this land will hate me!  My men are so few that if they unite against me and attack, I and all my household will be destroyed!”  But they answered him, “Why should they treat our sister like a whore?”  Abraham’s children were not perfect and faced moral failures and ethical dilemmas.  Today, because of the Blood Sacrifice of Jesus, we have God the Holy Spirit in us, we have the Word of God, and the Lord Jesus Christ has obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also He is the Mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.  Thank You for the leading of the Holy Spirit to make the right choices in life because of the better covenant.  Amen!

The Scandal of the Cross

 “but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:”

‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭1‬:‭19‬ ‭KJV‬‬

But you were redeemed with the priceless Blood of Christ.  He is the ultimate Sacrifice; and without blemish.  Jesus completes the prophetic picture!  In Christ, God speaks the most radical scapegoat language of the law of judgment and brings final closure to a dead and redundant system!  God in the Psalms clearly stated that He does not require sacrifices or offerings! Jesus is the Lamb of God!  He is victorious over the futile and constant sacrificial system made to the pseudo, moody, monster gods of our imagination!  This is the scandal of the Cross! God does not demand a sacrifice that would change the way He thinks about mankind; He provides the Sacrifice Himself in Christ, in order to forever eradicate sin-consciousness from our minds and radically change the way we think about our Maker, one another and ourselves!  Thank You Jesus for sacrificing Yourself for me.  Amen!

How Sweet is Forgiveness

 “And Jacob said, Nay, I pray thee, if now I have found grace in thy sight, then receive my present at my hand: for therefore I have seen thy face, as though I had seen the face of God, and thou wast pleased with me. Take, I pray thee, my blessing that is brought to thee; because God hath dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough. And he urged him, and he took it.”

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭33‬:‭10‬-‭11‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Jacob replied, “No, please.  If I have found favour in your eyes, please take the gifts.  For truly, seeing your face after all these years, it’s like looking upon the face of God!  Since you have received me so warmly, please accept the blessing I have brought to you, for God has poured His grace over me, and I have everything I want!”  So Jacob urged him, and Esau accepted the gifts.  Jacob sees again that same glorious face of God when he wrestled with Him, through the mending of his relationship with his brother.  How sweet is forgiveness, how pleasant to the soul when we are made one again with those we love!  It is like gazing on the face of God.  We see God clearly as we touch mercy and forgiveness.  Jacob also offered to share the blessing he took away from Esau many years earlier.  In this season of peace and goodwill, there may be someone that needs to see the face of God in our countenance, let’s show them!  Amen!

Practice the Presence of the Lord

 “Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.”

‭‭James‬ ‭5‬:‭7‬ ‭KJV‬‬

My friends, if you are the ones abused, remain passionate about the Presence of the Lord.  Consider how the farmer lays hold of the harvest by patiently letting the early and latter rain do its work in the soil to prepare its precious yield.  The Greek word translated as the coming of the Lord is actually the Presence of the Lord.  Religion thrives on two lies, distance and delay!  Immanuel cancelled both in Christ!  Jesus said, “Do you not say, ‘there are yet four months then comes the harvest’.  Yet you are looking at the wrong harvest.  Lift up your eyes, look away from your own labour and see the harvest that is already ripe”.  Let’s practice the Presence of the Lord now and obey Him in winning souls as labourers worthy of Him hiring us, rather than waiting for Him to come.  He is already in us!  Hallelujah!

Acknowledging our True Nature

 “And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.”

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭32‬:‭27‬-‭28‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“What is your name?” asked the Man.  “Jacob” he replied.  “Not anymore,” the Man said to him.  “Your new name is Israel, for you have struggled both with God and with people and have overcome.”  This was a strange question because God knew his name.  God not only touched his thigh but his slumbering conscience.  Jacob remembered how twenty years ago his father had asked him the same question and he had said, “I am Esau”, and got away with it!  Jacob acknowledged that he had grabbed Esau’s heel and supplanted him.  As Jacob confessed his true nature as a deceiver, cheat and heel grabber, it liberated Jacob and opened the way for inner transformation.  Jacob was forgiven.  Let’s not give up.  For even though our outer person gradually wears out, our inner being is renewed every single day.  Israel means the one who struggled with God and became a prince.  Let us thank God for the Lord Jesus Who through the Cross forgave us.  We confess our true nature and trust Him to forgive us, inwardly transform us and make a prince out of us! Amen

God is the Origin & Source of Wisdom

 “Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.”

‭‭James‬ ‭4‬:‭2‬ ‭KJV‬‬

You allow your heart to become so consumed with longing for something until you are ready to kill for it.  Then you are still not satisfied.  What you want keeps evading you; you quarrel and strive, and you just can’t get it.  If you are desperately unfulfilled, why don’t you simply ask God to give you what you need?  This is such a contrast to the wisdom from above which is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.  The only thing you could possibly lack is wisdom (one might sometimes feel challenged beyond the point of sanity); however, make your request in such a way that you draw directly from the Source (not filtered through other opinions).  God is the Origin and Author of wisdom.  He intertwines your thoughts with good judgment.  His gifts are available to all, without regret.  Let’s always take the help of our Helper for any choice we have to make.  Amen!

Jesus, our Peace

 “and Mizpah; for he said, The LORD watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another.”

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭31‬:‭49‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Laban called it Witness Heap and Watchpost, for he declared, “May Yahweh keep His eyes on us when we are absent from each other..”. Mizpah means Watchpost, or the one who looks out for our peace.  Jesus is our Mizpah.  Our reconciling “Peace” is Jesus! He has made Jew and non-Jew one in Christ. By dying as our sacrifice, He has broken down every wall of prejudice that separated us and has now made us equal through our union with Christ.  Jacob, the father of Israelites, and Laban, a Gentile, find peace at Mizpah.  The sacrifice of Jesus is for all humanity, whether Hindu, Muslim, Jew, Sikh, Parsi, Jain, Buddhist, Atheist, Agnostic, Secular, Animist, Tribal -  every wall of separation has been removed to unite us to Almighty God, through Christ Jesus.  Amen!

Yield Your Tongue to God

 “but the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.”

‭‭James‬ ‭3‬:‭8‬-‭10‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Yet no one can tame a tongue; no one can restrain the evil in its fatal venom.  We can say beautiful things about God the Father but with the same mouth curse a fellow human made in His mirror likeness.  My friends, a blessing and a curse cannot originate from the same source.  The law of works operated by willpower cannot match the effect of the law of perfect liberty!  Mirror likeness ignites true freedom to utter that which is precious!  The point is not what the person did to deserve the insult, but that people are image and likeness bearers of God by design!  True worship is to touch someone’s life with the same devotion and care you would touch Jesus Himself, even if the other person seems a most unlikely candidate.  Discovering our true source brings true freedom.  Amen!

Gaze Upon the Resurrected Christ

 “And the flocks conceived before the rods, and brought forth cattle ringstraked, speckled, and spotted.”

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭30‬:‭39‬ ‭KJV

For they mated when they came to the water troughs, and as they lowered their heads to drink, they saw the stripped branches in front of their eyes.  Miraculously they gave birth to streaked, speckled and spotted young.  This was not simply principles of animal husbandry, but a divine miracle revealed to Jacob through a dream.  God always has unique and puzzling methods to perform a miracle.  He may require bathing seven times in the Jordan river, parting the Red Sea, or having the Sun stand still.  God displayed His creative power through the birth of these multi-coloured young goats.  We learn that what we gaze upon, impregnates us with the object of our vision, for we determine what we conceive by what we behold.  God’s greatest power is revealed in the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.  As we gaze upon the Lord Jesus Christ and make Him our vision, we reflect this great and awesome resurrection power given to us by faith.  Hallelujah!

Love Union Fellowship

 “For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.”

‭‭James‬ ‭2‬:‭13‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Judgment showed no mercy to those who do not walk in mercy, but mercy triumphs over judgment.  Those who walk in mercy walk in the law of liberty.  There is no law against love.  While judgment threatens condemnation, mercy interposes and prevails over judgment.  So, even if our hearts would condemn us for not being true to ourselves, God is greater than our hearts and He has the full picture!  His knowledge of us is not compromised.  When we know what God knows to be true about us, then instead of condemning us, our hearts will endorse our innocence and free our conversation before God.  Fear cannot co-exist in this love realm - the perfect love union expels fear.  Fear torments us with an expectation of crisis, judgment and due punishment.  But when we realise the mercy of God in inviting us into this love union fellowship with the Father, Son and Spirit, it completes us and we bow in humble adoration before Him.  Glory to God!

Love at First Sight

 “And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother's brother, that Jacob went near, and rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother's brother. And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept.”

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭29‬:‭10‬-‭11‬ ‭KJV‬‬

As soon as Jacob took one good look at Rachel, the beautiful daughter of his uncle Laban, he quickly went over to the mouth of the well and single-handedly rolled away the stone and watered all the flock of his uncle Laban!  Immediately he walked up to Rachel and kissed her!  Unable to hold back his tears, Jacob wept aloud.  At the sight of the lovely Rachel, Jacob’s soul is so moved that he gains the strength to roll away the stone all by himself.  One flash of her eyes made him a momentary “superman “.  After he moved the heavy stone, Jacob drew gallons and gallons of water for her flock.  Then he kisses her and lifts up his voice with passionate tears.  Jesus’s resurrection rolled away the heavy stone so that He could meet you to draw you in faith to Him and then offered you a drink from the well of Life!  Hallelujah!