Freed from the Laws of Sin & Death

 “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭7‬:‭24‬-‭25‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Paul explains, “What an agonizing situation I am in! So who has the power to rescue this miserable man from the unwelcome intruder of sin and death? I give all my thanks to God, for his mighty power has finally provided a way out through our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One! So if left to myself, the flesh is aligned with the law of sin, but now my renewed mind is fixed on and submitted to God’s righteous principles.”  Paul is saying that it doesn’t matter how he weighs himself by his own efforts, he just doesn’t measure up to expectations!  The situation is absolutely desperate for mankind; is there anyone who can deliver from this death-trap?  Thank God, this is exactly what He has done through Jesus Christ, our Leader: He has come to our rescue!  Mankind is finally freed from this conflict between the law of the mind and the law of sin in the body.  In the human body exactly like ours, Jesus balanced the scales!  He is the true measure of the life of our design - He revealed and redeemed the image and likeness of God in us as in a mirror!  Hallelujah!

Being Kind to the Unkind

 “Surely such are the dwellings of the wicked, And this is the place of him that knoweth not God.”

‭‭Job‬ ‭18‬:‭21‬ ‭KJV

Bildad the Shuhite again comes forward and tries to indicate that Job is wicked, that’s why calamity came upon him, ending his speech with, “Oh no! So this is what happens to perverse people. This is how the God-ignorant end up!”  Many times, we offer explanations to our suffering friends as to why things have gone wrong for them, without giving any solution to their predicament.  Bildad was like that, quite apathetic towards Job.  For us in the new covenant, the solution is always Jesus and the finished work of the Cross, where the defeat of satan was nailed once and for all.  Let’s be kind, compassionate and merciful to others, especially those who are against us and despitefully use us, because we are the righteousness of God in Christ.  The right thing to do is to be merciful for we obtain mercy ourselves and we are blessed when we do that.  Vengeance belongs to God, He Alone is the Righteous Judge and we surrender to Him all wrongdoing done to us so that we receive His mercy.  Amen!

Enjoying Newness of Life through Baptism

 “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭6‬:‭3‬-‭4‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Paul explains what water baptism means, “Or have you forgotten that all of us who were immersed into union with Jesus, the Anointed One, were immersed into union with His death? Sharing in His death by our baptism means that we were co-buried with Him, so that when the Father’s glory raised Christ from the dead, we were also raised with Him.  We have been co-resurrected with Him so that we could be empowered to walk in the freshness of new life.”  What are we saying then in baptism, if we are not declaring that we understand our union with Christ in His death?  Baptism pictures how we were co-buried together with Christ in His death; then it powerfully illustrates how in God’s mind we were co-raised with Christ into a new lifestyle.  The prophet Hosea had already declared it hundreds of years before Christ, “After two days He will revive us; On the third day He will raise us up, That we may live in His sight.”  May we believe the Word and enjoy newness of life through baptism.  Amen!

We Have Wisdom in Christ

 “But as for you all, do ye return, and come now: For I cannot find one wise man among you.”

‭‭Job‬ ‭17‬:‭10‬ ‭KJV

Job continues his anger towards his three friends, “Maybe you’d all like to start over, to try it again, the bunch of you. So far I haven’t come across one scrap of wisdom in anything you’ve said.“. Job justified his own righteousness before God but he recognised the lack of wisdom in what his three friends were saying to him.  Today Christ is to us the power of God and the wisdom of God.  For the wisdom of this world is selfish and devilish. But the wisdom from above is always pure, filled with peace, considerate and teachable. It is filled with love and never displays prejudice or hypocrisy in any form and it always bears the beautiful harvest of righteousness! Good seeds of wisdom’s fruit will be planted with peaceful acts by those who cherish making peace.  May we always submit to the wisdom given to us in Christ!  Amen!

Law Reveals Sin; Gospel Reveals Righteousness

 “Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭5‬:‭18‬-‭19‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The conclusion is clear - it took just one offence to condemn mankind; one act of righteousness declares the same mankind innocent.  The disobedience of the one exhibits mankind as sinners; the obedience of another exhibits mankind as righteous.  Just as all mankind became exceedingly sinful through one person’s disobedience but did not know it until the law revealed it, so all mankind became exceedingly righteous through one act of righteousness, but they did not know it until the Gospel revealed it.  The principle of faith is to see what God sees.  God calls things that seem not to be as though they were.  While we look not at the things that the senses observe, we look at the revelation of the unseen as it is unveiled in our understanding through the mirror revelation of the Gospel of Christ.  This is the obedience of faith unto righteousness.  Amen!

Christ Who Mediates for Us

 “My friends scorn me: but mine eye poureth out tears unto God. O that one might plead for a man with God, As a man pleadeth for his neighbour!”

‭‭Job‬ ‭16‬:‭20‬-‭21‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Job now replies to Eliphaz, “Don’t muffle my cry! There must be Someone in heaven who knows the truth about me, in highest heaven, some Attorney who can clear my name— My Champion, my Friend, while I’m weeping my eyes out before God. I appeal to the One who represents mortals before God as a neighbor stands up for a neighbor..”. The heartfelt cry of Job for a mediator to speak on his behalf was the need of all in the old covenant.  Because Jesus was born on the earth as a man, identifying with every need of mankind, He can now speak for us. Jesus, as a man, lived for a short time lower than the angels and has now been crowned with glorious honor because of what He suffered in His death. For it was by God’s grace that He experienced death’s bitterness on behalf of everyone!  There is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.  May we know the power of the Cross on an ongoing basis to allow our Mediator to represent us personally before our Holy God.  Amen!

Being Righteousness Conscious

 “saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, And whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭4‬:‭7‬-‭8‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Paul quotes David as he explains the perfect righteousness we have received through Christ, “What happy fulfillment is ahead for those whose rebellion has been forgiven and whose sins are covered by blood. What happy progress comes to them when they hear the Lord speak over them, I will never hold your sins against you!”  When David wrote this psalm, it was in the days of covering sin by the blood of sacrifice.  Today, in the new covenant, our sins are no longer simply covered, but removed forever.  Now when God takes an inventory and settles accounts, it’s not the blood of bulls, goats or lambs, but He takes inventory by virtue of Christ, the Blood Sacrifice of the Lamb of God at the Cross and the complete removal of our sins.  Through our faith in Him, Christ’s perfect righteousness is now deposited in our account.  It is settled, we are declared righteous by faith.  This is our continual happiness, bliss and blessedness.  May we be righteousness-conscious rather than sin-conscious, enjoying this status that God has graced us with.  Amen!

Our Great Friend Who Loves Us More than His Life

 “For the congregation of hypocrites shall be desolate, And fire shall consume the tabernacles of bribery. They conceive mischief, and bring forth vanity, And their belly prepareth deceit.”

‭‭Job‬ ‭15‬:‭34‬-‭35‬ ‭KJV‬‬

It’s now Job’s third friend Eliphaz the Temanite who answers him.  “The godless are fruitless—a barren crew; a life built on bribes goes up in smoke. They have sex with sin and give birth to evil. Their lives are wombs for breeding deceit.  Eliphaz calls Job a hypocrite and accuses him that his life is built on bribes so it has gone up in smoke.  What a sad commentary from a friend.  Thank God that He rebuked Job’s friends for speaking the wrong thing.  In the new covenant Jesus is our Friend, for He said, “Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.  You are My friends, if you do whatsoever I command you.”  We can be real with Jesus and tell Him everything that is in our heart - the pain, the confusion, the grief - anything!  Christ will teach us the power of forgiveness and of letting go.  Let’s make Jesus our greatest Friend.  Amen!

Faith in Christ is Superior to Keeping the Law

 “Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭3‬:‭31‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Does emphasizing our faith invalidate the law? Absolutely not. Instead, our faith establishes the role the law should rightfully have.  Paul’s conviction was that faith in Christ is superior to keeping the law.  The rightful role of the law is to bring conviction of sin and to present God’s standard of holiness, now fulfilled in Christ.  As Paul later explains that now every righteous requirement of the law can be fulfilled through the Anointed One living His life in us. And we are free to live, not according to our flesh, but by the dynamic power of the Holy Spirit!  For Christ is the end of the law and because of Him, God has transferred His perfect righteousness to all who have faith to believe.  God has placed faith in us after we made the free-will choice to follow Christ and He enables us by His Holy Spirit to become like Christ in Whose image we are made.  It’s not about conversion, it’s about conviction of faith!  Amen!

Jesus Took God’s Wrath for Mankind on Himself

 “O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave, That thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, That thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me!”

‭‭Job‬ ‭14‬:‭13‬ ‭KJV

Job continues his argument with God, “So mortals lie down and never get up, never wake up again—never. Why don’t you just bury me alive, get me out of the way until your anger cools? But don’t leave me there! Set a date when you’ll see me again..”. Job knew God’s wrath against sin and had the fear of God in him and he didn’t know that the Messiah would come to deliver mankind from God’s wrath. God had said through Moses “Do not fear; for God has come to test you, and that His fear may be before you, so that you may not sin.”  The fear of God is a respect and honour towards God that causes us not to sin.  It was prophesied of the Messiah that  “The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, The Spirit of wisdom and understanding, The Spirit of counsel and might, The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord. His delight is in the fear of the Lord”. Jesus took the wrath of God upon Him at the Cross for all mankind so that sin would not have dominion over us.  In the new covenant through faith in this Blood covenant, we are delivered from sin, just by believing in Christ.  Only believe.  Amen!

Don’t Judge - Live by the Holy Spirit

“Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭2‬:‭1‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Paul explains, “No matter who you are, before you judge the wickedness of others, you had better remember this: you are also without excuse, for you too are guilty of the same kind of things! When you judge others, and then do the same things they do, you condemn yourself.”  It can read as, “Because of this, O human, the Spirit is not speaking through you, as you judge another, for against what you judge, you will also revert.”  It is the carnal mindedness in mankind, operating through our flesh, that causes us to condemn others.  It is through the flesh that satan uses mankind to accuse and condemn one another as that is the accuser’s chosen role!  For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that we do not do the things that we wish. When we sow to our flesh we of the flesh reap corruption, but when we who sow to the Spirit we of the Spirit reap everlasting life.  When we live according to the flesh we die; but by the Spirit we put to death the deeds of the body, we live.  God has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Christ Who called us by glory and virtue.  Let’s receive it.  Amen!

Trusting God in the Midst of Calamity

 “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: But I will maintain mine own ways before him.”

‭‭Job‬ ‭13‬:‭15‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Job said, “Because even if he killed me, I’d keep on hoping. I’d defend my innocence to the very end.”  It is no wonder that God had put His reputation on Job’s integrity when He said to satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil? And still he holds fast to his integrity, although you incited Me against him, to destroy him without cause.”  Job’s friends couldn’t do anything for him so he shut them up and said of God that he’d continue to ask God all his questions.  In the midst of his calamity, Job was still able to say that he trusted in God.  In the new covenant, Jesus has made us co-heirs with Him so that all in heaven belongs to us as He said, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”  In the midst of distress and calamity, believers in Christ have the peace of God.  Let’s receive it and abide in it as our inheritance and our lifestyle.  Amen!

Mankind Lives Once - After That is the Judgment

 “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭1‬:‭18‬ ‭KJV

For God in heaven unveils his holy anger breaking forth against every form of sin, both toward ungodliness that lives in hearts and evil actions. For the wickedness of humanity deliberately smothers the truth and keeps people from acknowledging the truth about God.  God’s wrath is His action in punishing evil, a holy disapproval of all that is wicked in the eyes of His holiness.  Righteousness is revealed in the Gospel, through faith in Christ Who became sin for us that we might be the righteousness of God in Him.  Wrath is revealed on all those who reject Christ and is an activity God takes to uphold His glory.  Christ is the propitiation for sins, the atoning sacrifice that holds back the wrath of God that would otherwise be directed at mankind because of the sinful nature—the worldliness and lifestyle; and for the sins of all the whole world. Every human being is appointed to die once, and then to face God’s judgment.  Let’s give the good news of Christ now more than ever.  Amen!

Through Christ Come Power & Wisdom

 “With him is strength and wisdom: The deceived and the deceiver are his.”

‭‭Job‬ ‭12‬:‭16‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Strength and success belong to God; both deceived and deceiver must answer to him.  Job replies to Zophar the Namaathite and challenges his words.  Job has had a relationship with Yahweh and knows the nature of God better than his three friends!  So he scorns Zophar’s clumsy comfort.  Job, Daniel and many other prophets and kings recognised that God is mighty, and despises not any: He is mighty in strength and wisdom.  In the new covenant, this has come to us through Jesus Christ.  As Paul put it that for those who are the called, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God.  The whole of heaven resounds with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.  We echo this sound on earth.  Hallelujah!

Holy Spirit Power Works through Every Surrendered Disciple

 “And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him, preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭28‬:‭30‬-‭31‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Paul lived two more years in Rome, in his own rented quarters, welcoming all who came to visit. He continued to proclaim to all the truths of God’s kingdom realm, teaching them about the Lord Jesus, the Anointed One, speaking triumphantly and without any restriction.  Tradition says that Paul was eventually released from house arrest and travelled to Spain.  But the book of Acts ends here with Paul ministering to all who came to him.  This completes the Acts of the Holy Spirit as recorded by Luke, but the acts of our living and resurrected God continue to be accomplished through the surrendered disciples and lovers of God.  Every believer has the same Holy Spirit and can do the works of Jesus on the earth today.  Surrender to the Holy Spirit if you believe in Jesus Christ and His power working through you.  Amen!

God Made Us Righteous in Christ

 “But oh that God would speak, And open his lips against thee;”

‭‭Job‬ ‭11‬:‭5‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Now it was the turn of Job’s third friend, Zophar from Naamath: “How I wish God would give you a piece of His mind, and tell you what’s what!”  Zophar accused Job that if God would speak, He would scold Job.  This is the deception that the world practices, that God is against mankind and ready to speak against human beings.  They cannot accept that God is good and His mercy endures forever and He’s never going to change!  The world cannot seem to accept that God loved the world—He gave His only, unique Son as a gift. So now everyone who believes in Him will never perish but experience everlasting life.  The world finds it hard to accept that God made Christ Who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.  Let’s just believe in Christ.  Amen!

True Authority Given To Us In Christ

 “But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭27‬:‭21‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Paul, who was being taken as a prisoner on the ship to Rome, was encouraging the crew of the storm battered ship. After being without food for a long time, Paul stepped before them all and said, “Men, you should have obeyed me and avoided all of this pain and suffering by not leaving Crete”.  Paul was the true captain of the ship being in authority as he told them that they should have obeyed him.  True authority comes when we are in Christ and led by the Holy Spirit. Jesus tells all disciples, “I've given you true authority. You can smash vipers and scorpions under your feet. You can walk all over the power of the enemy. You can't be harmed”.  As believers, who are righteous by the Blood of Jesus and are walking in holiness, in relationship with the living God, must release the true authority that is in Christ!  This is the true authority of the Kingdom of God on earth.  Paul went on to feed with bread the whole hungry crew who hadn’t eaten for days and then to lead every one of them to swim to safety on the shore when the ship was battered and sank. Let’s walk in the true authority given to us in Christ.  Amen!

In Christ We are No Longer Condemned

 “My soul is weary of my life; I will leave my complaint upon myself; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul. I will say unto God, Do not condemn me; Shew me wherefore thou contendest with me.”

‭‭Job‬ ‭10‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Job continued his diatribe against God, “I can’t stand my life—I hate it! I’m putting it all out on the table, all the bitterness of my life—I’m holding back nothing. Here’s what I want to say: Don’t, God, bring in a verdict of guilty without letting me know the charges you’re bringing”.  Sometimes there are so many questions one has towards God that it creates a bitterness of soul.  Job was able to talk directly to God of his dilemma.  How blessed we are in the new covenant to be free from a guilty conscience through the Blood of Jesus Christ. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.  The Blood of Christ, through the eternal Spirit offered without spot to God, cleanses our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.  May we believe it.  Amen!

Our Destiny is Our Victorious Christ Jesus

 “And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭26‬:‭15‬-‭16‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Saul as he was then, asked, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ “And the Lord replied, ‘I Am Jesus, the One you are persecuting. Get up and stand to your feet, for I have appeared to you to reveal your destiny and to commission you as My assistant. You will be a witness to what you have seen and to the things I will reveal whenever I appear to you.”  In the Hebrew, Jesus said, “I Am Jesus, the Victorious..”.   Jesus promised Paul not only his destiny but that He would appear to him in future appearances also.  As the prophet spoke of the Messiah, “Look! Here comes Lord Yahweh as a victorious warrior; He triumphs with His awesome power. Watch as He brings with Him His reward and the spoils of victory to give to His people.”  Jesus’s victory on the Cross was complete and He promises the same to us, His people, in our relationship with Him, that He will appear to us like He did with Paul.  Our destiny is in our Victorious Christ.  Amen!

God Hears & Answers Us

 “Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer, But I would make supplication to my judge. If I had called, and he had answered me; Yet would I not believe that he had hearkened unto my voice.”

‭‭Job‬ ‭9‬:‭15‬-‭16 KJV 

Job replied to his friend Bildad the Shuhite, “Even though I’m innocent I could never prove it; I can only throw myself on the Judge’s mercy. If I called on God and He Himself answered me, then, and only then, would I believe that He’d heard me”.  Job knew the greatness of God and in this hurting and grieving moment, he sought a comforting word.  Unfortunately for Job, his friends didn’t seem to empathise with him and he thought that God was too high and lofty, too distant and wouldn’t answer him.  We know how God did answer him later!  But we identify with Job’s need for comfort and we thank God that He spared not His own Son but delivered Him up for us all through the Cross and the new covenant He made with us.  So now we have God the Holy Spirit Who comforts, guides and leads us.  We talk to Him, we unburden our heart to Him because He hears us and answers us.  God said, “Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.”  Thank You, Father, for loving us.  Amen!

Christ Gave Us His Overcoming Power

 “And when he was come, the Jews which came down from Jerusalem stood round about, and laid many and grievous complaints against Paul, which they could not prove.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭25‬:‭7‬ ‭KJV‬

Festus, the new proconsul for Judæa, invited the Jewish leaders who came from Jerusalem encircled Paul  and leveled against him many serious charges, which they were unable to substantiate.  When the enemies of the Cross of Jesus persecute and accuse you, they cannot prove charges against you but have to resort to manipulation of justice to prove these accusations.  It happened then and it happens now.  The devil hates what Jesus did on the Cross and knows its power.  So be well balanced and always alert, because your enemy, the devil, roams around incessantly, like a roaring lion looking for its prey to devour.  Intimidation and manipulation are the devil’s old tactics because he is like a roaring lion.  But the real Lion of Judah says, “In the world you shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”  Christ gives us His overcoming power to remain in the peace of God and to vanquish every plan of the wicked one.  Let’s enjoy God’s peace forever and be victorious in Christ!  Amen!

Grace is that God Cancelled Your Sins in Christ

 “Behold, God will not cast away a perfect man, Neither will he help the evil doers:”

‭‭Job‬ ‭8‬:‭20‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Yet another friend, Bildad the Shuhite, tries to comfort Job, “There’s no way that God will reject a good person, and there is no way He’ll help a bad one.”  Bildad straightaway accuses that Job must have done something wrong and therefore is having to suffer.  Even today, self righteous people afflict others instead of comforting, by saying that God has brought calamity because some evil must be there in your past.  Such thinking is based on your action, works or deeds and its effect or consequences in your life.  Bildad didn’t really know God and His goodness but tried to comfort Job in this uncomfortable way!  The God Who loves all humanity, says the opposite of Bildad’s philosophy!  Jesus says, “Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.” Jesus died on the Cross to take the penalty of sin for humanity. This shows God's love and forgiveness, and that believers in Christ will not be condemned by death. Christ suffered and died for sins once and for all—the innocent for the guilty —to bring you near to God by His body being put to death and by being raised to life by the Spirit.  That is why Jesus suffered, so that mankind would receive salvation.  This is the Gospel.  Let’s believe it.  Amen!

Forgiveness from Christ Clears the Conscience

 “And after certain days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, which was a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ. And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭24‬:‭24‬-‭25‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Several days later, Felix came back with his wife, Drusilla, who was Jewish. They sent for Paul and listened as he shared with them about faith in Jesus, the Anointed One. As Paul spoke about true righteousness, self-control, and the coming judgment, Felix became terrified and said, “Leave me for now. I’ll send for you later when it’s more convenient.”  Drusilla was the sister of Agrippa II. As a Jewess, she was the source of Felix’s understanding of the Way.  Felix, was known for his cruelty and for taking bribes.  When Paul spoke in the power of the Holy Spirit about God’s righteousness through Christ, Felix trembled with terror and told Paul, “When my conscience is clear I will call you”.  The convenient opportunity for Felix to repent never came. Two years later, the Jews in Cæsarea brought an accusation against him before Nero and he was dismissed with a sharp rebuke. Some historians believe that Felix later died of tuberculosis.  May all repent and receive the forgiveness of sins through Christ.  Amen!

Sin Has Been Given A Death Blow on Calvary’s Cross

 “And why dost thou not pardon my transgression, And take away mine iniquity? For now shall I sleep in the dust; And thou shalt seek me in the morning, but I shall not be.”

‭‭Job‬ ‭7‬:‭21‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Job had a relationship with Almighty God and walked in His blessings, knowing that God forgives sins.  Here Job cries out to God, “Why don’t you just forgive my sins and start me off with a clean slate? The way things are going, I’ll soon be dead. You’ll look high and low, but I won’t be around.”  Sin is such a death burden on humanity that Job felt a dire need for forgiveness.  Mankind was created to live in the blessings of God.  When God created man in His own image, in the image of God created; male and female He created them. And God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.” However, satan enticed  mankind to sin and through the entrance of sin, the free will choice was made to give the dominion of earth to satan.  So satan thought he had the superiority over Almighty God.  But Jesus, the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil.  Jesus is the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world, God’s sacrifice to  cleanse our sins.  Hallelujah!

Christ the Firstborn from the Dead

 “But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭23‬:‭6‬ ‭KJV

Just then Paul realized that part of the council were Sadducees, who deny the resurrection of the dead, and others were of the separated ones. So he shouted, “My fellow Jews, I am a separated one, and the son of a separated one. That’s why I’m on trial here. It’s because of the hope I have that the dead will rise to live again.”  The Pharisees and Sadducees were major Jewish sects in Jesus’s time.  The Sadducees, though a small group, were influential and denied  the supernatural, including the resurrection of the dead or angels and spirits; but they believed in the political control of the people.  The Pharisees were the separated ones who strictly kept the law and believed in angels and the hope of the resurrection from the dead.  Such was Paul’s desire for the Gospel to reach the Pharisees and Sadducees that he identified with the resurrection of the dead.  Jesus Christ is our Living Hope and He is the Head of the Body, the Church, Who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.  Through Christ alone we have the hope of being resurrected from the dead.  Amen!

Christ’s Friendship

 “To him that is afflicted pity should be shewed from his friend; But he forsaketh the fear of the Almighty. My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook, And as the stream of brooks they pass away;”

‭‭Job‬ ‭6‬:‭14‬-‭15‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Job replied to his friend Eliphaz, “When desperate people give up on God Almighty, their friends, at least, should stick with them. But my brothers are fickle as a gulch in the desert—”.   This was how Job responded to his friend.  Love overlooks the mistakes of others, but dwelling on the failures of others devastates friendships. Sweet friendships refresh the soul and awaken our hearts with joy, for good friends are like the anointing oil that yields the fragrant incense of God’s Presence. Jesus told us, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.”  Look at how much encouragement we’ve found in our relationship with the Anointed One! We are filled to overflowing with His comforting love. We have experienced a deepening friendship with the Holy Spirit and have felt His tender affection and mercy.  Let’s receive Christ’s Friendship. Amen!

Gospel is For All and To All

 “And it came to pass, that, when I was come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance; and saw him saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭22‬:‭17‬-‭18‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Then Paul returned to Jerusalem, and while he was  praying in the temple, he entered another realm and saw the Lord Jesus Who said to Paul, ‘Hurry and depart from Jerusalem quickly, for the people here will not receive the truths you share about Me.’  Paul was in a trance and in Greek trance is ekstasis from which we get ecstasy which means taken to another state or realm.  He was actually taken to another realm as a trance came over him.  The more revelation Paul received, the more humble he became - let it be for us too!  Jesus tells us all to follow Him and make disciples.  When we obey Him, we will find that we are sharing the Gospel with those who don’t believe what we’re telling them.  Jesus gave the good news and even though many believed yet many turned away from Him.  The same happened to Paul and we may be sure it happens to us as well.  People’s responses should not stop us from giving the good news to all!  That’s our purpose on planet earth, to give the Gospel to all.  Amen!

God’s Goodness is Forever

 “Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: Therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty: For he maketh sore, and bindeth up: He woundeth, and his hands make whole.”

‭‭Job‬ ‭5‬:‭17‬-‭18‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Eliphaz, Job’s friend continues to comfort Job, “So, what a blessing when God steps in and corrects you! Mind you, don’t despise the discipline of Almighty God! True, he wounds, but he also dresses the wound; the same hand that hurts you, heals you”..  This lie is the misunderstanding that many in the world have about God, that God teaches us lessons by piling disasters on to mankind.  Neither Job nor his friends knew that satan took permission from God to bring calamity to Job, because God said that Job will not turn against God inspite of the disasters.  So the devil attacks mankind so they would never believe the goodness of God.  God’s love, mercy and His goodness are the same yesterday, today and forever.  That’s God’s character, but satan wants everyone to believe otherwise.  Of course God, our Father, corrects us  as any loving Father does for His children. Even Jesus, though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered, so that all mankind would become righteous before God through faith in Christ.  Let’s always believe in God’s goodness and not in satan’s lies.  Amen!

Blessed is He Who Comes in the Name of the Lord

 “And when he had given him licence, Paul stood on the stairs, and beckoned with the hand unto the people. And when there was made a great silence, he spake unto them in the Hebrew tongue, saying,”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭21‬:‭40‬ ‭KJV‬‬

When the commander gave his permission, Paul stood on the steps and gestured with his hands for the people to listen. When the crowd quieted down, Paul addressed them in Aramaic.  Just a while back Paul spoke in Greek to the Roman commander, but now he addressed the Jews in Hebrew or Aramaic which had replaced Hebrew during the Babylonian captivity.  He did not address the Jews in Greek!  Paul knew how to communicate the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the Jews as well as to the Gentiles.  His love for his fellow Jews to receive Jesus as their Messiah was so intense that he said, “I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh”.  Because of Jesus, Paul had such an intense desire for the Jews to accept Christ.  Jesus prophesied to the Jews, “Behold, your house is forsaken. And I tell you, you will not see Me until you say, 'Blessed is He Who comes in the Name of the Lord!'"  Our prayer is for Israel today to believe and confess this.  Amen!

The Only Comforter Who Helps Us

 “Then a spirit passed before my face; The hair of my flesh stood up: It stood still, But I could not discern the form thereof: An image was before mine eyes, There was silence, and I heard a voice, saying, Shall mortal man be more just than God? Shall a man be more pure than his maker?”

‭‭Job‬ ‭4‬:‭15‬-‭17‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Eliphaz, Job’s friend, had come with two others to comfort Job. He tells of his vision or a dream, “A spirit glided right in front of me— the hair on my head stood on end. I couldn’t tell what it was that appeared there— a blur. . . and then I heard a muffled voice: “‘How can mere mortals be more righteous than God? How can humans be purer than their Creator?”..  It seemed a scary vision or dream and it indicated that Eliphaz did not have the kind of relationship with God as Job had.  Yet Eliphaz wanted to comfort Job.  Many times as friends we want to comfort our friends in a well meaning way but we can’t empathise with what they’re going through and we aren’t able to get through to them.  Through Jesus coming as the Son of Man, and being our great High Priest, He understands humanity, for as a Man, our magnificent King-Priest was tempted in every way just as we are, and conquered sin.  Now He has given us the Holy Spirit, our Comforter to comfort us just in the way we need it.  Let’s believe and receive.  Amen!

All of Christ, Nothing Of Myself

 “save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me. But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭20‬:‭23‬-‭24‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Paul said, “Yet I know that the Holy Spirit warns me in town after town, saying, ‘Chains and afflictions are prepared for you.’ “But whether I live or die is not important, for I don’t esteem my life as indispensable. It’s more important for me to fulfill my destiny and to finish the ministry my Lord Jesus has assigned to me, which is to faithfully preach the wonderful news of God’s grace”.  This warning may have come to Paul through prophecies, dreams, visions or the voice of the Holy Spirit speaking within him.  Paul did not consider his life at all but viewed it as not worth mentioning.  We don’t need to see our lives as precious in our own eyes, for they are precious in the eyes of our Lord Jesus, and that must be enough.  That is true sonship as we’re led by the Holy Spirit.  Amen!