‘It Is Finished’ - The Victory Has Been Won, The Victory Is Complete.

Genesis 32:22-32
At the place called Peniel, Jacob ‘saw God face to face’(30). We see ‘the glory of God in the face of Christ’(2 Corinthians 4:6). Jacob wrestled with God and became an overcomer (28). Christ wrestled with the powers of evil, and has won a mighty victory for us. When He cried out from the Cross, ‘It is finished’(John 19:30), this was not an admission of defeat. It was the declaration of victory - the victory has been won, the victory is complete. ‘Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ’(1 Corinthians 15:57). For Jacob, crossing the Jabbok involved a spiritual ‘crossing over’. Jacob became Israel, a new man (28). After he had been ‘touched’ by God, Jacob was ‘limping’(31-32). This was a reminder of his own weakness. His true strength was in the Lord. Wait on the Lord, and renew your strength (Isaiah 40:31).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

Confess Your Sin. Pray For Salvation. Stand On God’s Word. Make It Personal!

Genesis 31:43-32:21
Jacob and Laban were not exactly the best of friends. Nevertheless, they came to an agreement that they would not continue feuding with each other (52). Jacob prepares to meet Esau (1-21). From verses 9-12, we learn some important spiritual lessons - (a) Make sure that God is your God, and not only the God of your father and grandfather (9). (b) Confess your unworthiness of ‘all the steadfast love and all the faithfulness’ of God (10). (c) Pray to God for salvation - ‘Save me I pray...’(11). (d) Stand on the promises of God - ‘You have said...’(12). Jacob, soon to be renamed Israel (32:28), was preparing to meet Esau. There is, in his prayer, the way of being prepared for a more important meeting: ‘Prepare to meet your God, O Israel!’(Amos 4:12). Confess your sin, pray for salvation, stand on God’s Word - make it personal!
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

God Is With Us.

Genesis 31:22-42
As we try to unravel the complexities of Jacob’s dealings with Laban, we must remember this one thing: ‘If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the fear of Isaac (the God before whom Isaac bowed in reverence) had not been with me...’(42). This is the spiritual dimension. We must not lose sight of this. Life can be complicated at times, but we must not forget this: God is with us. Jacob, who was renamed ‘Israel’(32:28), confessed his faith: God is with me. Later on, the nation of Israel confessed its faith in God: ‘If it had not been the Lord who was on our side...’, it would have been disaster. ‘Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth’. The Lord is with us still. With the Psalmist, we say, ‘Blessed be the Lord’. He is the God of our salvation (Psalm 124).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

Let God ‘Guide’ You By His ‘Light And Truth.’

Genesis 30:25-31:21
Jacob was still a complex character, trying to arrange his own prosperity (37-43). There is, however, another, better reason for his prosperity - God had promised to bless him, and God did bless him (28:15). Inner desire, favourable circumstances, the divine Word - all three were present in Jacob’s decision to leave Laban and ‘go to his father Isaac in the land of Canaan’(18). (a) Inner desire - Jacob had been badly treated by Laban, and he did not want to work for him any longer (2); (b) Favourable circumstances - Jacob had grown ‘exceedingly prosperous’(43). He didn’t need to keep on working for Laban; (c) The divine Word - Inner desire and circumstances were not enough to confirm God’s guidance to Jacob. He needed God’s command and promise (3). Let God ‘guide’ you by His ‘light and truth’ (Psalm 48:14; 43:3).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

The Spirit of God’s Son Lives In Us. We Are God’s Children And He Is Our Father.

Genesis 29:31-30:24
Leah progressed beyond her own concerns (32-34) to the most important thing: ‘This time I will praise the Lord’(35). Of the many children, the most significant, in terms of God’s purpose of redemption, was Joseph (22-24). An answer to prayer, it was the work of divine grace (22). ‘Rachel was barren’(31) yet the Lord gave her this testimony: ‘God has taken away my disgrace’(23). We move from one Joseph to another - the husband of Mary, the mother of Jesus. We see an even greater work of grace: the birth of our Saviour. Rachel was to have a second son, Benjamin (24). Through Christ, God has many sons and daughters (Galatians 4:4-5). Rachel rejoiced in the gift of a son, her son. We rejoice in the gift of the Son, God’s Son. Through the Spirit of God’s Son living in our hearts, we are God’s children and He is our Father (Galatians 4:6).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

Going God’s Way Is Better Than Getting Your Own Way.

Genesis 29:1-30
The tables are turned on Jacob. The trickster is tricked! The ‘trick’ was according to the ‘custom’ that the elder daughter should be given in marriage before the younger one (23,25-26). Seven years became fourteen years (18-20,27,30). Jacob did receive his heart’s desire, but there was a lesson to be learned: Going God’s way is better than getting your own way. ‘All things work together for good to those who love God’(Romans 8:28) - this doesn’t mean that we always get what we want. We must learn to ‘let go and let God have His wonderful way’, and to say, ‘This God - His way is perfect’(Psalm 18:30). Out of love for Rachel (18,20), Jacob served Laban for an extra seven years. We would serve Christ better if we loved Him more. Jesus still asks the question, ‘Do you love Me?’(John 21:15-17).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

‘I Will Not Leave You Until I Have Done What I Have Promised You.’

Genesis 28:10-22
Just another night (11)? No! - this was a night to remember, a night Jacob would never forget. God came to him with His wonderful promise of love: ‘I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you’(15). At Bethel (‘the house of God’), powerfully transformed by the presence of God - ‘Surely the Lord is in this place’(16) - , Jacob consecrated himself to the Lord. ‘If’(20) means ‘Since’. See Romans 8:31 - ‘If (Since) God is for us, who can be against us?’. Giving the tenth (22) - this is not legalism, a kind of repayment scheme. There can be no ‘salvation by works’. We are saved by grace (Ephesians 2:8-9). Our giving must always be a heartfelt expression of thanksgiving to the God of grace: ‘Loving Him who first loved me’. We are saved ‘to do good works’(Ephesians 2:10) - not because we do good works!
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

Prophetic Ministry Study

There are tons of books out there, and for $5.00 to $25.00 one can get the latest class 101 to the latest this and that. Cool! I read em too. However I would like to share something very profound with you about the office of a prophet. And guess what? "IT IS FREE" and wont cost you a dime. In fact! FREELY I RECEIVE, FREELY I GIVE........ Blessings, in His Most Glorious Name..

Men do not appoint prophets. THE LORD DOES. Books do not purpose prophets, THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST DOES. Books do teach and mentor to prophets, BUT PROPHETS ARE MOVED BY THE HOLY GHOST.

The following scriptures are a personal bible study that the Holy Spirit led me to search out and study after receiving a vision in 1997, that vision being the DAY OF THE LORD and THE RETURN OF JESUS CHRIST which will soon be posted on this site.

That first vision as the Spirit of Christ came upon me and as I stood in the future, was shown, witnessed, and heard all that was before me within the vision led me deep into the Word of God as the Holy Spirit literally led me on a journey, as I asked one question being "Lord! why have you shown me this".

Such led to a intense 2 year bible study around one vision as the Holy Spirit simply opened the Word of God to me and continued to give me eye's to see, ears to hear and a heart to perceive.

This is one of those bible studies, the 1st.

PROPHET or PROPHETS Inspired Messengers of God" God's Servant - Zech. 1:6 God's Messenger - 2 Chr. 3:16 Holy Prophets - Luke 1:70 Watch Men - Ezek. 3:17
Prophet of God - Ezra. 5:2

MESSAGE OF THE PROPHETS Centered in Christ - Luke 10:24
Interpreted by Christ - Luke 24:27 United in Testimony - Acts 3:21, 24
Contain Grace/Salvation - 1 Peter 1:9-21 Abiding Revelation - Matt.5: 17-18

PROPHETS IN THE NEW TESTAMENT Paul - 1 Tim. 4:1 Peter - 2 Peter 2:1-2 John - Revelations 1:1

OFFICE BASED ON "Christ's Prophetic Office - Duet. 18:15, 18 thru 22"

THE SPIRIT OF THE PROPHETS IS SUBJECT TO THE PROPHETS 1 Cor. 14:32

FUNCTIONS OF THE PROPHET Strengthen - Acts 15:32 Define God's Will - Acts 13:1-3 Predict the future - Acts 21:10-11
FALSE PROPHETS PROPHECY PEACE Prophecy Peace - Jeremiah 23:17 Doctrine - Is. 8:20 Prophecies - 1 Kings - 13:1-32 Lives - Matt.- 7:15,16

PROPHETIC VISION Understandable - Dan. 7:15-19
Authenticated by Divine Glory - Ezek. 8:1-4
Personal / Phenomenal - Dan: 10:7-9 Dated/
Localized - Ezek. 1:1-3 Prophetic - Dan. 9:21-24
"Absence of Tragic - Proverbs 29:18"
Performance of Sure - Ezek. 12:21-28
Proof of Messianic Times - Joel 2:28 / Acts 2:17 / Ezek. 33:9-12
Conformation (steadfast and sure) - Dan. 9:12-27
Faithfulness in Performance of Duty - Dan: 6:1-3, 28
The Lord's Day - Rev. 1:10
Dreams - Gen.20:3
Prophecy - Gen: 3:15
Holiness of Christ - Prophets - Is. 11:4-5

PRESENCE DIVINE Glory - 1 Chr. 16:27
Joyful - Psalms - 16:11
Protective - Psalms 31:20
Everywhere - Psalms 139:7 Guide - Ex. 33:14, 15

PROPHECY - Inspired foretelling of events Given by God - Is. 41:22, 23
Centered in Christ - Luke 24:26,27,44
Inspired by the Spirit - 2Peter 1:21
Not of one's own interpretation - 2Peter 1:20
Always Relevant - Rev. 22:10

TRUE BASED ON Inspiration - Mic. 3:8
Foreknowledge - Is. 42:9

FALSE BASED ON Peaceful Message - Jer. 23:17-22
Apostasy from God - Deut. 13:1-5
Lying - Jer. 23: 25-34
Scoffing - 2 Peter 3: 3,4

FULFILLMENT OF Unconditional - Ezek. 12:25-28
Sometimes Unconditional - Jon. 3:1-10
Dated - Daniel 9:24-27 Non literal - Matt. 17:10-12
Unrecognized by Jews - Acts 13:27-29
Interpretation of needed - Luke 24:25-44
Often referred to - Matt. 1:22-23 / Matt. 2:14-23

FUTURE - that which is beyond the present Only God knows - Is. 41: 21-23
Revealed by Christ - John 13:19
By the Spirit - John 16:13
Man's Ignorance of - Luke 19:41-44
No provision for, dangerous - Luke 12:16-21
Proper provision for - Matt. 6:19-34

INTERPRETATION - making the unknown known Agents of: Jesus Christ - Luke 24:25-47
Holy Spirit - 1 Cor. 2:11-16
Angels - Luke 1:26-37
Prophets and apostles - Eph. 3:2-11

MESSENGER - one sent on a mission Deliver the Lord's Message - Hag. 1:13

RECEPTION OF; Rejected - Deut. 2:26-30
Humiliated - 1 Chr. 19:2-4
Rebuked - 2 Kings 1:2-5, 16

HOLY SPIRIT Prophecy - Rev.19:10
Teaches - John 14:26
Empowers - Mic. 3:8
Truth - John 14:17
Speaks in Prophets - Acts 28:25
Illuminates the Mind - 1 Cor. 2:12-13 / Eph. 1:17-17
Reveals things of God - Is. 40:13-14 / 1 Cor. 2:10-13

MOUNTAIN - High Elevation -
Used for Distant Visions - Duet.3:27
Place of prophecy - Matt. 24:3 Distant Vision - Deut. 3:27
Judgements - Jer. 13:16
Move - To Change Positions - Prophets - 2 Peter 1:21
Signs - God's Wonders - Ps. 65:8
Confirm a Prophecy - 1 Kings 13:3-5

SPIRIT OF CHRIST 1 Peter 1:10 / Gal.4:6 / Rom. 8:9 / Phil. 1:19 / Acts 4:29-31 / Eph.5:18 1 Cor.12:10 / 1 Thess. 5:19-21 / Eph. 5:18
Applied to Gifts - 1 Cor. 12:1
Discernment - 1 Cor. 2:13-15

HOLINESS OF CHRIST Announced in Prophets - Is. 11:4-5
Proclaimed by - Gabriel - Luke 1:35 Peter - Acts - 4:27-30 Paul - 2 Cor. 5:21 John - 1 John 2:1,29

ANOINTING - Pouring Oil Upon Priest - 1 Kings Ex. 29:7 Prophets - 1 Kings 19:16

SACRED PURPOSES Set apart - Ex. 30:22-39
Institute Into Office - 1 Sam. 16:12,13 (Significance of, as indicating)
Divine Appointment - 2 Chn. 22:7 Special Honor - 1 Sam. 24:6, 10
Special Privilege - Psalms 105:15
God's Blessings - Psalms 23:5

APPOINT - to set in an official position or office Prophetic Office - Heb. 3:2 Ordain, establish, set decree - Jer. 1:5
Striving Spiritual To enter the straight gate - Luke 13:24
With Divine help - Col. 1:29 In prayer - Rom. 15:30
For the faith of the gospel - Phil. 1:27
Valley of Decisions - location unknown Called "valley of Jehoshaphat" - Joel 3:2, 12, 14
Refers to final Judgement - Joel 3:1-21

FIRE - Supernatural Uses Manifest God - Ex. 3:2
Indicate God's Power - Ex. 9:24 Express God's Approval - Revelations 9:24
God's Protection - Zech. 2:5
Christ - Mal. 3:2
Holy Spirit - Acts 2:3
Angels - Heb. 1:7
Purification - Is. 6:5-7
Love - Song 8:6 Hot - Heat - Zeal Psalms 39:3 /
Real Faith - Rev. 3:15

FINGER - Used figuratively of; God's Power - Ex. 8:19
Lord's Authority - Luke 11:20
Incense - Perfume - Sweet Perfume- Aroma Typical of : Worship - Psalm 141:2
Prayer - Rev. 5:8 / 8:34 Praise - Mal. 1:11
Approved Service - Eph. 5:2
Of Sacrifices - Lev. 26:31
Figurative of gifts - Ph. 4:18
Ointment fragrance - John 12:3
Glories - Psalms 45:8
Righteousness and intercession - Song 3:6
Priestly garments Purpose of: Used in Holy oil - Ex. 30:34-38 "Holy unto the Lord"

We are the temple of God Figurative of: New Life - Hos.14:7
Prayers - Rev. 5:8
Christian Service - Ph.4:18

Fragrance - "a sweet odor" figurative of restoration - Hosea 14:1-9 Lebanon - figurative of Spiritual Transformation- Is.29:17 Spiritual Growth - Hosea 5:7 Frankincense - "fragrant" - figurative of worship Psalms 141:2 Aroma - "a pleasant smell" - figurative of gifts - odor of a sweet smell - a sacrifice well pleasing to God - Phil. 4:18 Sweet - Figurative of Spiritual Fellowship - Psalm 55:14 God's Word - Psalm 119:103

"Thy Kingdom Come, Thy Will be done in earth, as it is in heaven".
Blessings, in Christ
Prophetic Ministry Blogspot
In His Glorious Name Ministries Online

Baptised Into Christ

http://picturemythoughts.blogspot.com

God's Purpose of Salvation

Genesis 27:41-28:9
What a tangled web! Jacob has cheated Esau. Now, Esau is saying, ‘I will kill my brother Jacob’(41). What are we to make of all this? We must look beyond the human scene. Behind it all, there is ‘God Almighty’(3). God will fulfil His promises. Nothing will distract Him from His ultimate purpose of salvation. We look at the complex series of events involving Rebekah, Isaac, Jacob and Esau. God looks beyond all of that to Jesus Christ. He looks beyond the nation of Israel. His purpose concerns ‘the ends of the earth’(Acts 1:8). ‘The blessing of Abraham’ refers not only to the ‘land’(4). There is also ‘the promise of the Spirit’(Galatians 3:14). We are to live ‘by the power of the Spirit’, and not ‘according to the flesh’ as Esau did when ‘he went to Ishmael (the child of Abraham's unbelief...)’(9; Galatians 4:29).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

God Will Complete His Good Work In Us.

Genesis 27:1-40
The deception of Isaac by Jacob (prompted by Rebekah) is a sad episode, yet God - in grace - really bestows His blessing on Jacob. Beneath Jacob’s deceit, there was a real desire to be blessed by God. To Esau (the late arrival), Isaac says, ‘I have blessed him - yes, and he shall be blessed. I blessed him, and blessed he will remain’(33). Once the blessing had been given, it could not be recalled. The blessing could not be undone. Power bestowed by God could not be removed. This had nothing to do with ‘Jacob’s righteousness’. It had everything to do with God’s faithfulness. The good work begun by God, will be completed by Him (Philippians 1:6). This was true for Jacob (28:15). It is true for us - ‘All the promises of God find their Yes in Christ’. To this, we say ‘Amen’ and ‘To God be the Glory’(2 Corinthians 1:20)!
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

Forgiveness and Victory

Genesis 26:1-35
‘History repeats itself’. Sin has a ‘like father, like son’ quality about it - Isaac is like Abraham (7; 12:13, 20:2, 12-13), Jacob is like Isaac (7; 25:31,27:19). Grace repeats itself. God is faithful. He gives forgiveness and victory over temptation (1 John 1:9; 1 Corinthians 10:13). He cannot deny Himself (2 Timothy 2:13). Deceived by ‘the father of lies’(the devil), ‘man’ denies the truth (John 8:44). ‘Let God be true, and every man a liar’(Romans 3:4). In verses 19-22, there’s ‘the story of the three wells’- ‘Dispute’, ‘Opposition’, ‘Room’. Things went from bad to worse, then there was progress. There is room for both, when there is no more quarrelling. Isaac worshipped God, and was recognized as God’s man (25,28). We are to be recognized as God’s people, but remember - verse 34 - even the Lord’s people can make mistakes!
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

The ‘Amazing Grace’ Of God: ‘Wonderful Grace Of Jesus, Greater Than All My Sin!’

Genesis 25:1-18
What will we leave behind us? What will we pass on to the next generation? In this passage of many names, there is a challenging contrast between the influence of Abraham and Ishmael on the next generation. In verse 11, we read, ‘After Abraham’s death, God blessed his son Isaac’. In verse 18, we find that ‘Ishmael’s descendants lived in hostility toward all their brothers’. In Isaiah 52:13-53:12, there is a great prophecy concerning the death of Christ. We read of His suffering, as He becomes ‘an offering for sin’. We learn also of His glorious future - ‘He will see His offspring and prolong His days’(53:10). Unlike Abraham (175 years) and Ishmael (137 years), Jesus did not live a long life on earth (33 years), yet ‘He shall see the fruit of the travail of His soul and be satisfied’- ‘many’will be ‘accounted righteous’(11).

Genesis 25:19-34
Esau was a fool. He chose his own way rather than the Lord’s way. Jacob was a ‘heel’! ‘Born with his hand holding on to Esau’s heel..., he was named Jacob (Heel)’(26). A crafty twister, a manipulating cheat, there was nothing about him that merited God’s blessing. He was not superior to Esau. Like Esau, Jacob was a sinner. Esau was not inferior to Jacob. Both were guilty before God. Why, then - in God’s purpose - does ‘the elder’(Esau) ‘serve the younger’(Jacob) (23)? The answer is grace, the ‘amazing grace’ of God. Grace lifted Jacob. The glory belongs to God. Grace could have lifted Esau. By grace Jacob valued the birthright (God’s blessing). His way of seeking God’s blessing was devious. Nevertheless, he was seeking for God - and God, in His grace, found him and made him a new man (32:28). ‘Wonderful grace of Jesus, Greater than all my sin!’
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

A Great Multitude Will Sing The Song Of Salvation: 'Salvation Belongs To Our God... '

Genesis 24:1-21
The servant was sent on a mission. He was ‘to get a wife for... Isaac’(4). When Christ entered Jerusalem (Matthew 21:1-11), He was on a mission. He had come for His Bride, the Church (Ephesians 5:25; Revelation 21:2-3). The servant was not to ‘get a wife... from... the Canaanites’(3). The Church is to be made ‘holy,... a radiant Church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless’(Ephesians 5:26-27). The servant carried out his mission carefully and prayerfully (12-14). Jesus was careful to fulfil the words of the prophet - entering Jerusalem 'on a donkey' (Matthew 21:2-7). In His journey to the Cross, Jesus was concerned with this one thing - ‘to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work’(John 4:34). The servant prayed, and the answer was given (15-16). Not my will but Thine, Lord!

Genesis 24:22-49
The detailed account of Isaac's marriage highlights the guidance of God. He directs the life of His people. This is our testimony - ‘the Lord... has led me on the right road’(48). The great lessons of this story are stated in verse 27 - (a) the ‘steadfast love’ of the Lord; (b) the ‘faithfulness’ of God; (c) the guidance of God - ‘the Lord has led me’; (d) worshipping the Lord - ‘Blessed be the Lord...’. We are to seek God’s guidance, rejoicing in His love and trusting in His faithfulness. Looking to Christ, who went to the Cross for us, we are to say, with Him, ‘I have come to do Thy will, O God’, ‘I will praise Thee’, ‘I will put my trust in Him’, ‘Here am I, and the children God has given Me’(Hebrews 10:7; 2:12-13). To those who do His will, praising Him and trusting Him, God will give much blessing - ‘an overflowing blessing’(Malachi 3:10).

Genesis 24:50-67
In verse 60, we read of the blessing of God upon Rebekah - ‘Our sister, may you increase to thousands upon thousands; may your offspring possess the gates of their enemies’. This refers to the long-term fulfilment of God’s promise to Abraham. Through the death of Christ, the Lamb of God, ‘a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation,’will sing the song of salvation, ‘Salvation belongs to our God ...and to the Lamb’(Revelation 7: 9-10). This is what we must pray for in our own community. In homes where Christ has not been honoured, there will be transformation. The Lord’s messengers will be received - ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’- and the Lord’s Name will be praised - ‘Hosanna in the highest!’(Matthew 21:9). Such blessing will be given to those who spend time with God (63; Joshua 1:8).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

Thank God For This And That And ... Jesus!

Genesis 21:1-21
We have here the contrast between Isaac, the child of promise, and Ishmael, the fruit of unbelief. Ishmael was born as a result of impatience, the failure to wait upon the Lord. In the birth of Isaac, the initiative belonged with God, and the glory belonged to Him. In Christ, we are the children of promise - ‘children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God’(John 1:13). God did not forget Ishmael. There were blessings for him (17-21). The difference between Ishmael and Isaac is the difference between common grace and saving grace. Many people know much of the grace of God in ‘the common things of life’(Church Hymnary, 457). There are so many blessings for them to count. Still they fail to appreciate God’s greatest gift - His Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Thank God for this and that and... Jesus!

Genesis 21:22-22:14
Here, we see Abraham in his relationship with the world (22-34) and his relationship with the Lord (1-14). Abraham deals honestly and wisely with the pagan king, Abimelech, who acknowledges Abraham's closeness to God - ‘God is with you in all that you do’(22). We are to be honest and wise in our relationship with the world (Romans 12:17; Colossians 4:5; Ephesians 5:15; 1 Peter 2:12). Our relationship with the world is to be grounded in our relationship with God. In the testing of Abraham, we catch a glimpse of ‘the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world’(John 1:29). Christ is the Lamb whom God will provide (8). In verse 14, we read, ‘On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided’. On Calvary’s hill, Christ died to bring us to God, so that we might learn to live for Him in this world (1 Peter 3:18; 2:24).

Genesis 22:15-23:20
After the renewal of God’s promise (15-18), Abraham went to Beersheba (19). He returned to the place where he had ‘called...on the Name of the Lord, the Everlasting God’(21:33). This is a good ‘place’ to be, the ‘place’ of calling on the Name of the Lord, the Everlasting God. As we read of the death and burial of Sarah, we must remember this: the Lord is the Everlasting God. The death of Sarah took place in God's time. Her death signified that her work had been done. She had mothered the child of promise. Beyond the death of Sarah, there was the continuing purpose of God. The cave at Machpelah (23:19-20) became the burial place for Sarah, Abraham, Isaac, Rebekah, Jacob and Leah. We see the continuity of history, and we thank God for His continuing faithfulness down through the generations.
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

Devotion To The Lord Needs To Be Renewed Day-By-Day.

Genesis 19:1-29
In Genesis 3, we read of humanity’s fall into sin. Here, we see the awfulness of human sin and the awesomeness of divine judgment. We must take God with the utmost seriousness. If we refuse to take Him seriously, He will continue to take us seriously - in His judgment! Sin leads to judgment - that’s the lesson of Sodom and Gomorrah. There is sadness in the story of Lot. A compromised believer for whom the world had no respect, he chose Sodom. This choice brought him nothing but sin and shame - ‘and now he wants to play the judge!’(9). The amazing thing is that God did not give up on this ‘backslider’- ‘the Lord was merciful to them... He brought Lot out of the catastrophe’(16,29). What a great thing it is to have God’s salvation: ‘everything we need for life and godliness’ to ‘escape the corruption in the world’(2 Peter 1:3-5).

Genesis 19:30-20:18
These are stories of deception and deceit. Lot is deceived by his daughters (30-38). Abraham deceives Abimelech (1-18). Even with the divine provision for godliness, we need to be constantly on our guard. Even those to whom we had looked for help can turn out to be a hindrance. Lot was drawn into word not allowed. This had drastic effects - ‘the father of the Moabites, the father of the Ammonites’(37-38)! Devotion to the Lord needs to be renewed day-by-day. Otherwise, we will be vulnerable to the attacks of the enemy and overcome by him. Abraham concealed the whole truth by telling a half-truth (12). Abraham was regarded as ‘a prophet’(7). He ought to have lived the life of a prophet, a true life. We are to be true - the people of God.
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

The Word Of God Does Not Benefit Us When We Do Not Receive It With Faith.

Genesis 18:1-15
Is anything too hard for the Lord? (14). We need to hear these words as God’s call to greater faith. Sarah, like Abraham, had heard God’s promises, yet ‘she laughed to herself’(12). We can hear God’s Word, and still remain, in our hearts, men and women of unbelief. The Word of God does not benefit us when we do not receive it with faith (Hebrews 4:2). God knows what is in our hearts, just as He knew what was in Sarah’s heart (13-15). He knows the human heart, ‘deceitful above all things’(Jeremiah 17:9), yet He continues to love us. He does not give up on us. He perseveres with us. He could have given up on Sarah as a hopeless waste of His time, but He did not. ‘The evil heart of unbelief’ is always with us, but God is constantly at work to create in us ‘a clean heart’( Hebrews 3:12: Psalm 51:10). 'Soften my heart, Lord’(Mission Praise, 606).

Genesis 18:16-33
In the face of the threatened judgment of God upon Sodom and Gomorrah, we find Abraham engaging in mighty intercessory prayer. He is not concerned only about himself and his own salvation. He is prayerfully committed to seeking the salvation of others. This is a mark of spiritual maturity - a deep concern for the salvation of sinners, leading to earnest intercessory prayer for them. Abraham drew near to God (23; James 4:8). He pleaded with the God of grace to have mercy on the city (23-25; 2 Peter 3:9; 1 Timothy 2:3-4, 1:15; John 3:17). With a deep love for the people, Abraham prays with boldness and persistence (27,32; Hebrews 4:16). A great many people refused to honour God, yet His purpose was not hindered. The remnant seemed impossibly small. It was the beginning of blessing for all nations. ‘To God be the glory, Great things He has done’(Church Hymnary, 374).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

‘Sin Shall Not Have Dominion. Grace Is Victorious.’

Genesis 16:1-16
From salvation and the assurance of salvation, we turn to Satan and the activity of Satan. Sarai came with temptation (1). Abraham yielded to temptation (2). Temptation becomes sin when we yield to it. In Abraham, we see the conflict between ‘the old man’ that he was and ‘the new man’ God was calling him to become (17:5; Galatians 5:17). He chose the way of unbelief. Listening to the voice of Satan, speaking through Sarai, he walked straight into immorality. Unbelief and immorality belong together (Romans 1:18). We must guard our hearts with respect to both what we believe and how we behave. We must not imagine that Satan will win the victory over the Lord and His purpose of salvation. Satan will try to overcome God's gracious purpose, but he will not succeed (Revelation 20:10). ‘Hallelujah!... the Lord our God the Almighty reigns’(Revelation 19:6).

Genesis 17:1-27
Amazing grace - this is the marvellous theme of this chapter. Abram became Abraham (5). Sarai became Sarah (15-16). What they were belonged to their sinful past. What they became was the work of God's grace. What a contrast there is between human sin and divine grace. We look at ourselves. We see sin, and we lose hope. We look at the God of grace, and we say, ‘Sin shall not have dominion. Grace is victorious’(Romans 6:14). Abram and Sarai appeared to be hopeless cases. They had failed the Lord, but He did not fail them. He made them new people. They became the father and mother of nations. To those who do not deserve His love, God still renews His ‘covenant’, His promise of love (2). He still says, ‘I have loved you with an everlasting love’(Jeremiah 31:3). In the Cross of Christ, we have the greatest ‘sign of the covenant’(11; Romans 5:8).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

Trusting In Christ, We Receive A Sure Salvation.

Genesis 14:1-24
Following an account of military conflict, we come to a passage that is full of Christ (18-20). In Melchisedek, we see Jesus. In Hebrews 7:3, we learn that Melchisedek resembles the Son of God. We read on, in verse 4, ‘See how great he is’, and, in our hearts we say, ‘How great is our Lord Jesus Christ’. Melchisedek is ‘the King of Salem (peace)’(18), pointing to Christ through whom we have ‘peace with God’(Romans 5:1). Melchisedek brings ‘bread and wine’(18), pointing to Christ whose body was broken for us and whose blood was shed for us (1 Corinthians 11:23-26). Melchisedek spoke of the divine deliverance from enemies (20), pointing to Christ's victory over Satan (Colossians 2:15). In this episode we see the origins of tithing. It is not a legalistic practice. God had been good to Abraham. In grateful worship, Abraham responded, giving the tenth to Him (20).

Genesis 15:1-21
God is greater than our circumstances. God had given great promises to Abraham, yet there appeared no sign that His promises were being fulfilled. The circumstances seemed bleak, and Abraham felt despondent. Abraham was full of questions. In verse 2, he asks, ‘What can you give me...?’. This is the question of salvation. What does God give? He gives salvation. In verse 8, he asks, ‘How can I know...?’. This is the question of assurance. We ask for assurance. God gives it - the assurance of salvation, the assurance that salvation has been given and received. Where are we to look for answers to these questions? Are we to look to our circumstances? Are we to look to our feelings? No. We look to the ‘Almighty God’(2,8). Trusting in Christ, the ‘Passover Lamb...sacrificed for us’, we receive a sure salvation (6:1; 1 Corinthians 5:7; John 20:31; 1 John 5:13).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

Seek God’s Glory And Find His Blessing.

Genesis 12:1-20
This is a divine Story, carried forward by God’s grace and power. God’s very great promises (1-3) find their ultimate fulfilment in the coming of God’s eternal Kingdom (Revelation 21:10). We have not reached our heavenly destination. We are still caught in the tension between obedience (4) and disobedience (11-13). We are conscious of our human failure, yet we rejoice in the divine faithfulness. We read of Abraham’s sin (10-20), yet we look beyond this to God's salvation. This is not simply the story of Abraham. It is the Story of Abraham's God. This becomes clear in the change of name. Abram (‘exalted father’) draws attention to the man. Abraham (‘Father of Many’) points to God’s purpose (17:5). Like Abraham, we are to worship God (7-8). We are to say, ‘Heis exalted’. We are to say, ‘Christ must increase, and I must decrease’(John 3:30).

Genesis 13:1-18
Life is full of choices. Lot made a selfish choice (10-12). He allied himself with ‘the men of Sodom (who) were wicked and were sinning greatly against the Lord’(13). Abraham made a godly choice, and he was blessed by the Lord (14-17). The lesson of Abraham’s choice is the lesson of Matthew 6:33 - Seek God’s glory and find His blessing. We read later of Lot’s restoration (19:29). This is ‘amazing grace’! How much better it would have been if Lot had chosen the Lord’s way in the first place! The choices we make reveal the people that we are. The worldly man, Lot, thought only of himself. The spiritual man, Abraham, concerned himself with doing the Lord’s will. The worldly man takes for himself (11). The spiritual man receives from the Lord (15). Our sin comes from ourselves. Our salvation comes from the Lord. Confess your sin. Receive God’s forgiveness.
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

Everyone Is Important: "God So Loved The World" - Not Only The ‘Important’ People But All People!

Genesis 10:1-32
What a lot of names! Why is all this included in God’s Word? It may describe the historical context of God’s unfolding purpose of providing salvation for sinners, but what does it say to us? The inclusion of so many obscure names emphasizes that everyone - however obscure - is important. ‘God so loved the world’(John 3:16) - not only the ‘important’ people but all people. Names are important to God. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, calls His sheep ‘by name’(John 10:3). Among the many names there is an interesting reference to ‘Nimrod, the first mighty warrior on the earth...a mighty hunter whom the Lord blessed’(8-9). First among ‘the cities of his kingdom’ was ‘Babylon’(10). Alarm bells ring! - Babylon's rebellion! The privilege of God’s blessing brings the responsibility of maintaining His blessing. We must be ‘mighty warriors’ for God (2 Corinthians 10:4; Ephesians 6:10-20).

Genesis 11:1-9
Human pride sets itself up against the authority of God. This is the oft-repeated story of the ‘Tower of Babel’. The end of godless men is sure - ‘Tower and temple, fall to dust’(Church Hymnary, 405). Sin can be analyzed psychologically n terms of the human attitude of proud independence - ‘let us make a name for ourselves’(5), sociologically in terms of sin’s pervasive influence on a whole society (this was the sin of a whole society), and theologically n terms of the divine judgment which human sin brings upon itself (5-9). What a contrast there is between the Tower of Babel and the great declaration of Proverbs 18:10 - ‘The Name of the Lord is a strong tower’. In Babel there is scattering (9). In the Lord, there is safety - ‘A righteous man runs to it and is safe’. Do not imagine yourself to be strong (Proverbs 18:11). True strength is in Christ alone (1 Corinthians 1:27).

Genesis 11:10-32
Another list of names! Again, there is something here for us - God is moving on. These many names summarize the times between Noah and Abraham. We must look beyond this list of names. We must see them in connection with His Story. History can be tedious, until we see it as His Story. From the human standpoint, things seem to have come to a dead end: ‘Now Sarai was barren; she had no child’(30). There are, however, no dead ends when God is at work. From verse 30, we move on to 12:1-3. We read on though the story of Abraham. We learn of the faith of Sarah and the faithfulness of God (Hebrews 11:11-12). We follow the Story on to Christ, who is the fulfilment of the promise given to Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3; Galatians 3:16). This is the Story of ‘the God of Abraham’, the ‘God of love’. Through Christ our Saviour, we will ‘sing the wonders of His grace for ever more’(Church Hymnary, 358).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

'‘When You See A Rainbow, Remember God Is Love.’

Genesis 9:1-19
'‘When you see a rainbow, remember God is love’. The rainbow reminds us of the gracious promise of God (13-15). If the love of God is revealed in the rainbow, it is more fully revealed in the Cross: ‘We sing the praise of Him who died, of Him who died upon the Cross... upon the Cross we see in shining letters. ‘God is love’, He bears our sins upon the tree. He brings us mercy from above’. When we read the Old Testament stories, we must learn to see their place within the fuller Story, the Story of God’s salvation: ‘I will sing the wondrous Story of the Christ who died for me’. This is the greatest Story of all - ‘the Story of Jesus and His glory, of Jesus and His love,... the Story of wonderful redemption, God’s remedy for sin’. ‘This is our Story. This is our Song, praising our Saviour all the day long’. This is ‘the Story to tell to the nations’(Church Hymnary, 258,381,132; Mission Praise, 59,744).

Genesis 9:20-29
What a sad episode this is! It teaches us that yesterday's victories can become today's defeats, if we do not keep close to God. We read, in Hebrews 11:7 of Noah the man of faith, but here we have a very different picture. The lesson is clear - ‘The arm of flesh will fail you; Ye dare not trust your own’. We must not look to our own strength to keep us in the way of faith and obedience. It cannot be done. We fail. ‘God can do anything but fail’. We must affirm our faith in God - ‘All my hope on God is founded’. In man, there is no sure foundation - only ‘change and chance’. There is nothing that will last - ‘only pride of man and earthly glory’(Church Hymnary, 481,405). Can we be guided through change and chance? Yes, but we must learn from Noah’s fall - Past grace is no guarantee of present growth - , and we must keep our eyes on Jesus, ‘the Author and Finisher of our faith' (Hebrews 12: 2).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

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Jesus - The Name That Is Above Every Name, The Name Of Our Salvation

Genesis 7:1-24
Here, we pick up on the words of verse 16 - ‘the Lord closed the door behind them’. What was going on outside of the ark is contrasted with the haven of salvation inside the ark. What was it that made the ark a place of salvation? - The Lord. What is it that makes Jesus Christ the Source of our salvation? - God has given Him the Name that is above every name, the Name of our salvation (Philippians 2:9-11; Acts 4:12). From the ark, we learn of (a) the one way of salvation - The ark had only one door. Jesus is ‘the Door’ which leads to salvation (John 10:9); (b) the eternal security of salvation - All were safe inside the ark. In Christ there is eternal security (John 10:28); (c) the absolute necessity of salvation - Outside of the ark, there was certain death. Refusal to come to Christ for salvation leads to judgment: ‘How shall we escape...?’(Hebrews 2:3).

Genesis 8:1-22
Following the flood, we have this simple yet striking declaration: ‘the ground was dry’(13). Safe from judgment! This is the message which comes to us from the Cross: ‘Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world’(John 1:29). The judgment has fallen upon Christ. We are no longer swept away in the judgment. We can stand on solid ground: ‘On Christ the solid Rock I stand’(Church Hymnary, 411). He is our Support in ‘the whelming flood’. God said to Noah, ‘Come out of the ship’(15). We are in Christ. He is the Source of our salvation. God has brought us into Christ (1 Corinthians 1:30). He does not bring us into Christ solely for our own benefit. We are sent out to be fruitful (17; John 15:16). We are to ‘abide in Christ’. This is the way of fruitfulness (John 15:4-5). We are not sent out alone. Strengthened in ‘the ship’(in Christ), we step out with Christ and for Him.
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

‘Amazing Grace...I Once Was Lost But Now Am Found.’

Genesis 6:1-8
The story of Noah is the story of God’s grace - ‘Noah found grace’(8). Noah lived in very difficult times (5-7), yet ‘Grace found Noah’. His testimony could be summed up: ‘Amazing grace...I once was lost but now am found’(Mission Praise, 31). Expanding on the thought of 5:29 - ‘this one (Noah) shall bring relief from our work and from the toil of our hands’- we may allow our thoughts to turn to Christ and say to Him: ‘Not the labour of my hands can fulfil Thy law's demands...All for sin could not atone, Thou must save, and Thou alone. Nothing in my hand I bring, Simply to Thy Cross I cling' (Church Hymnary, 83). In these two statements - ‘Noah found grace’ and ‘this one will bring...’, we see both salvation and service. We are saved to serve. Once we ourselves have been found by grace, we are to seek to bring others to Christ that they also may be saved by Him and become His servants.

Genesis 6:9-22
To view the flood exclusively in terms of judgment is to see only one side of what God was doing. As well as judging, He was also saving - ‘In this ship a few people - eight in all - were saved by water’(1 Peter 3:20). The ark points forward to Christ ‘who came back from death to life’, Christ who ‘saves’ us (1 Peter 3:21). God was working out His purpose of salvation. In Noah’s day, the remnant of faith was very small, yet the promise of God's love was given to them - ‘I will establish My covenant with you’(18). Even when wickedness threatens to overwhelm us, we still have God’s promise of love, ‘the new covenant in Christ’s blood’(1 Corinthians 11:25). ‘The blood of Jesus, God’s Son, cleanses us from all sin’(1 John 1:7). Knowing that Christ loved us and died for us, we are to be like Noah (22). We are to walk with the Lord and serve Him.
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

Let's Walk With God And Enjoy His Blessing.

Genesis 5:1-17
From the story of Cain - taking God for granted (the opposite of grace), approaching God proudly (the opposite of faith), rebelling against God (the opposite of obedience) - , we come to a list of names and numbers. In this first part of the chapter, there is nothing of any note. Perhaps, this is the significant feature of this long list of names. There is nothing considered to be worthy of special note, except the length of their lives. What a sad reflection on the value of a life when all that can be said is this: He lived, and he died! What we must remember is this: the quantity of our years is less important than the quality of our living. How long we live is less important than how well we live. We have been ‘created...in the likeness of God’(1), yet so often we miss out on this spiritual dimension. We have been ‘blessed’ by God (2) - ‘Count your blessings’.

Genesis 5:18-32
In this second part of the list, two names get a special mention - Enoch and Noah (22,24,29). The reference to Enoch is the more memorable of the two. Enoch's life was characterized by grace, faith and obedience. The life-story of so many others could be told without reference to God. Enoch's story was the story of God at work in his life. So many life-stories end with the words, ‘he died’. Enoch's life on earth points beyond itself (24). Enoch had ‘walked with God’(22, 24 ). Building his life upon the God of grace, Enoch had, by faith, stepped out of this present world and into ‘what we hope for’, ‘what we do not see’(Hebrews 11:5,1). What a testimony Enoch left behind him! Not much is said about him, but what power of the Spirit of God there is in these few words! The reference to ‘the Lord’ in Noah's life (29) prepares us for what is to come (chapters 6-9).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

‘Without The Shedding Of Blood There Is No Forgiveness’ - ‘The Blood Of Jesus Christ Cleanses Us From All Sin.’

Genesis 4:1-5
The name of Abel appears among ‘the heroes of the faith’(Hebrews 11:14). The story of Abel is a story of grace, faith and obedience. Abel's sacrifice was a blood sacrifice while Cain’s was a fruit sacrifice (3-4). The blood sacrifice points forward - via the Old Testament sacrificial system - to the greatest sacrifice of all - ‘the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin’(1 John 1:7; Hebrews 9:12). The blood sacrifice points to salvation by grace - ‘without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness’(Hebrews 9:22). Abel’s sacrifice was an act of faith: ‘By faith Abel offered a better sacrifice than Cain did’(Hebrews 11:4). The blood reminds us that true faith is always faith in Christ and never ‘faith’ in anything we can ever offer to God. Abel was obedient, bringing ‘the firstborn’to God. ‘In the course of time Cain brought some...’.

Genesis 4:6-16
In the story of Cain, we see the development of sin. Jealousy leads to anger, and anger leads to murder. In this story, we see ourselves in the ‘mirror’ of God’s Word. Here, God emphasizes our exceeding sinfulness - ‘The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately corrupt’(Jeremiah 17:9). Our sinfulness leads us away from ‘the presence of the Lord’ to ‘the land of wandering (Nod)’(16). This is the work of Satan in our lives - Genesis 4 is an extension of Genesis 3. Even in the land of wandering, the hand of God is upon us. This is the meaning of ‘the mark of Cain’- ‘so that no one who found him would kill him’(15). Even in our wanderings, God is waiting in mercy for us to make our way back to Him by coming in faith to Jesus Christ our Saviour. Even when ‘sin’ is a good bit more than ‘crouching at the door’, it can be ‘mastered’ through Christ (6; Hebrews 7:25).

Genesis 4:17-26
The story of Cain and Abel is a continuing story. Abel died, yet ‘by faith still speaks, even though he is dead’(Hebrews 11:4). Cain ‘went out from the presence of the Lord’. He became ‘a restless wanderer’(14,16). What a contrast there is between these two brothers! For Abel, there was glory in the presence of the Lord - ‘By faith he was commended as a righteous man’(Hebrews 11:4), he was ‘justified by faith’(Romans 5:1). Cain was quite different. Far from God, he had no peace. He was haunted by his sins. What does God’s Word say to us about Cain? - ‘Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother... because his own actions were evil and his brothers were righteous’(1 John 3:12). Cain’s sinful influence continues. We must be on our guard. The chapter ends with hope: ‘At that time men began to call on the name of the Lord’(26).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

There Is No Way To Heaven Which Begins With The Word ‘I’. We Must Begin With God - ‘God So Loved The World...’

Genesis 3:10-15
Having chosen the way of sin, we are ‘naked’ and ashamed (10). The Gospel teaches us that ‘there’s a way back to God from the dark paths of sin’. We can be clothed with the righteousness of Christ. We can bring the ‘filthy rags’ of ‘our righteous acts’ (Isaiah 64:6) to God, and we can exchange them for the perfect righteousness of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21). Putting our trust in Christ, we need not be ashamed in God’s presence (Romans 10:11). There must be no ‘passing the buck’ - the man blaming the woman, the woman blaming the serpent (12-13). We are to confess our sins and receive God’s forgiveness (1 John 1:9). This forgiveness comes to us through the Cross where the suffering Saviour becomes the victorious Victor and the subtle serpent became the defeated devil. This is the message of verse 15: through the Cross, God has provided for us a full salvation!

Genesis 3:16-25
Sin has consequences. Human life could never be the same once sin had entered it. The effects of sin can be seen in the whole of life. The most profound effect of sin is summed up in verse 22. We cannot reach out our hands and take hold of eternal life. There is no way to heaven which begins with the word ‘I’. We must begin with God - ‘God so loved the world...’ (John 3:16). No sinner can open the door of heaven: ‘Christ only could unlock the gate of heaven, and let us in’. Sin leads not to heaven but to ‘death’. If we insist on trying to get to heaven by our own good works, we will earn our ‘wages’ - ‘the wages of sin is death’. Come as a sinner to Jesus. Come to Him, saying, ‘Nothing in my hand I bring, simply to Thy Cross I cling’ ( Church Hymnary, 83). Look to Him alone for salvation, and know the truth of God's Word: ‘the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord’ (Romans 6:23).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

‘Where Are You?’ - God Is Looking For Us To Bring Us Back To Himself.

Genesis 3:1-5
We have read about the beginning of creation (1:1). Now we come to the beginning of sin. In these verses, we have temptation. Note that temptation is not sin. It only becomes sin when we do what the tempter suggests (6). Temptation comes from ‘that ancient serpent called the devil or Satan’ (Revelation 12:9). Satan reverses the priorities of God, God’s Word and God’s Spirit. God is ‘our Father’ (Matthew 6:9). Satan is the father of lies (John 8:44). Satan quotes and questions God’s Word (1). He not only questions God’s Word . He contradicts it (4). Satan is spiritual, an evil spirit. We must be aware of his schemes, and , in Christ, we must take our stand against his schemes (2 Corinthians 2:11; Ephesians 6:11). When Satan says, ‘Did God really say?’ (1), we must wage war for God, filled with His Word and Spirit (2 Corinthians 10:3-5).

Genesis 3:6-9
Once we were innocent. Now we are guilty. The story of Adam and Eve is repeated over and over again. This is our story as well as Adam and Eve’s story. Even in the face of sin, we see something else. We see the God of love, seeking to restore the fallen to Himself. In His words, ‘Where are you?’, we catch an early glimpse of the Gospel of salvation: ‘the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost’ (Luke 19:10). Adam and Eve had lost their way. Now, God was looking for them to bring them back to Himself. In the question, ‘Where are you?’, there is the searching question, ‘What have you done?’, but there is also the passionate appeal, ‘Will you not return to me?’. This is the call of mercy: ‘Softly and tenderly, Jesus is calling, Calling, “O sinner, come home”’ (Sacred Songs & Solos, 414). Our loving Father is waiting patiently to welcome the returning prodigal (Luke 15:20).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

In Christ, We Are Set Free To Obey God.

Genesis 2:15-17
We noted, in 1:1-3, the importance of getting our priorities right - God, God’s Word, God’s Spirit. Here, we emphasize the importance of these priorities. We are under God. We must remember that He is God (15). We are to obey God’s Word (16-17). Here, we learn that the act of obedience is an act of freedom. In Christ, we are set free to obey God. God says, ‘You are free to eat from any tree in the garden’. He does not then say, ‘You are free to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil’. He says, ‘You must not’. The act of disobedience is not an act of freedom. By choosing the way of sin, we show that we are in bondage. We are not free. We are the captives of sin, and we need to be set free - by Christ (John 8:32,36). We come to know God, choosing good rather than evil, as we follow the way of God’s Spirit (Galatians 5:16; Hebrews 5:14).

Genesis 2:18-25
We come here to the creation of woman. Her creation is bound up with the creation of man. She is created from man’s ‘rib’ (21-22). The ‘rib’ is taken from his side, emphasizing that man and woman are to be together, side-by-side, not one in front of the other. The ‘rib’, rather than the head or the feet, emphasizes this togetherness rather than any superiority-inferiority relationship. The ‘rib’ is close to the heart. Woman is close to the heart of man. Both are close to the heart of God. The contrast between humanity and the animals is again clear. Among the animals, there was ‘no suitable helper’ for the man (20). The animals had been ‘formed out of the ground’ (19). Humanity has come from ‘the breath of life’ (7). Like the animals, we come from ‘the dust of the ground’, but there is more: the Breath of God, created in His image to glorify Him!
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

Creation Has Been Completed. Salvation Will Be Completed.

Genesis 1:26-2:3
We now come to the creation of humanity, male and female. Our creation is described in a distinctive way - created in the image of God (26-27). We are different from the rest of creation. We have been given dominion over ‘all the earth’ and ‘every living creature’ (26,28). We are different from God. He is the Creator. We are His creation. Created in God’s image, we have been created by Him and for Him. Though we have sinned (Genesis 3, Romans 3:23), now - in Jesus Christ - we have begun to live as a new creation (Ephesians 4:22-24; Colossians 3:9-10). The Bible teaches us that Jesus Christ is God (John 1:1) and that ‘all things were created by Him and for Him’ (Colossians 1:16). This is the Saviour who is at work in us, enabling us to live as a new creation! Creation has been ‘completed’ (2:1). Salvation will be completed (Philippians 1:6)!

Genesis 2:4-14
We read of ‘the breath of life’, producing ‘a living being’ (7). Separated from God through our sin, we have become spiritually dead (Ephesians 4:18; 2:1). Through the Spirit, we have been ‘born again’. This new birth is brought about by the breath of life, the wind of the Spirit (John 3:5-8). As the river watered the garden (10), so our lives are to be watered by ‘the river’ which flows ‘from the throne of God and of the Lamb’ (Revelation 22:1). As we read of the ‘tree’ which features in our fall into sin (9; 3:2-6), our thoughts turn also to the ‘tree’ which forms the foundation of our salvation - Christ ‘Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness’ (1 Peter 2:24). In our hearts, we say, ‘God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ’ (Galatians 6:14).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

What The Spirit Is Saying

Do we listen, when others speak? Or do we only want to hear, what we want to hear?



In His Glorious Name Ministries Online

Putting God First And Listening To His Word, We Are To Pray For The Moving Of God’s Spirit.

Genesis 1:1-3
'‘Genesis’ means ‘beginning’. These opening verses challenge us to get our priorities right - (a) The priority of God (1). God comes first. Before anyone else is mentioned, He is there. (b) The priority of God’s Word (3). God is the first to speak. Before any human word is spoken, there is the Word of the Lord. (c) The priority of God’s Spirit (2). All was ‘empty’, all was ‘darkness’, yet the ‘Spirit of God’ was at work, and transformation was set in motion. Here, we have God’s priorities, set out in the Bible’s first three verses - Putting God first and listening to His Word, we are to pray for the moving of God’s Spirit, ‘hovering over’ our lives to transform them. For those who make God’s priorities their own, there is a promise of great blessing (Psalm 1:1-2). It is the great blessing of knowing Jesus Christ, our Saviour, as ‘God with us’ (Matthew 1:23).

Genesis 1:4-13
God speaks, and it is done (3,6-7,11). God is pleased with what He has done (4,10,12). This is the pattern of God’s original creation. It is to be the pattern of our life as a ‘new creation’ (2 Corinthians 5:17). God speaks to us and we say, ‘Your will be done’ (Matthew 6:10). We say, ‘let it be to me according to Your Word’ (Luke 1:38). God looks on such obedience, this ‘walking in the Spirit’ (Galatians 5:16,22-23), and He sees that it is ‘good’ (Micah 6:8). In these verses we read of the separation of the light and the darkness, the separation of the waters and the dry land, and the fruitfulness of God's creation. There are lessons for us here. We are to ‘walk in the light’ (1 John 1:7). We are to let the Spirit's ‘living water’ flow in us (John 7:39-39). Walking in the light, letting the living water flow - this is the way of fruitfulness.

Genesis 1:14-25
The Bible’s opening chapter is a great hymn of praise, emphasizing that all things have been created for the glory of God (Revelation 4:11). Nothing can be permitted to distract our attention from the Lord. He alone is worthy of worship. The creation of the ‘lights’ makes no reference to the sun and the moon. These were worshipped by neighbouring peoples. They are not gods. They are simply ‘lights’. Our worship is to be given to God alone. The waters teemed with living creatures. The land produced living creatures. Here, we have a picture of life. There is life where the living water of the Spirit is flowing freely among God’s people (Ezekiel 47:5-9). This water brings life to the land (Ezekiel 47:12). Moving with the flow of God’s Spirit, we are to pray that ‘the water of life’ will flow freely ‘for the healing of the nations’ (Revelation 22:2).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

God Remembers Us ‘According To The Greatness Of His Steadfast Love.’

Nehemiah 10:1-39
God is calling us to commit our lives to Him. At the heart of our commitment to the Lord, there must be worship: ‘We will not neglect the House of our God’(39). ‘Worship God’(Revelation 19:10). This is our reason for coming to the Lord’s House. We come to worship Him. Our worship is to be more than mere words. We worship God when we bring our offerings to Him. God’s people brought ‘the tithe’(tenth) to Him (37). We meet with the Lord when we worship in His House: ‘How awesome is this place! This is none other than the House of God, and this is the gate of heaven’. Through our giving - ‘Of all that You give me I will give You the tenth’- , let us express our commitment to the Lord - ‘the Lord will be my God’(Genesis 28:17,21-22).

Nehemiah 11:1-12:30
Like the walls of Jerusalem, our lives lay in ruins until Christ puts us together again. In Christ, our lives have been rebuilt. Now, we can ‘celebrate’. We can worship the Lord ‘with gladness’(12:27). We are to build our lives upon Christ (1 Corinthians 3:11). This will not be easy. Our faith will be put to the test. Often, we will be tempted to take our eyes off Christ. We must keep our eyes on Him. He is the solid Rock upon which we must build (Matthew 7:24-27). Again and again, we must make our choice. We must choose Christ. We must choose to be ‘holy’. This is the choice which is ‘blessed’ by the Lord. ‘Many’ choose the ‘other’ way, the way of self. We must choose the way of the ‘few’, the way of Christ, the way of holiness and blessing (11:1-2; Matthew 7:13-14).

Nehemiah 12:31-13:31
God’s people sang ‘songs of praise and thanksgiving to God’. Where does the song of praise come from? - It comes from the Lord: ‘God had given them great joy’(46,43). Often, we seek our joy in other people and other things. We forget the Source of true joy - the Lord our God. God sees our self-centred way of life. He asks us to think about the way we’re living: ‘Why is the House of God forsaken?’(11). We have forgotten Him. Have we any right to expect Him to remember us? Time and time again, we have failed Him. Our many sins have given Him plenty of reasons for turning His back on us. Does He turn His back on us? No! He remembers us ‘according to the greatness of His steadfast love’(22) - He sent His Son to die for us. Let His great love fill you with great joy.
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

Our Sins Are Great. The Love Of God Is Even Greater.

Nehemiah 8:1-9:5
What happens when God’s people ‘gather together’(8:1)? - (a) We hear the Word of the Lord (8:2-3,8). We come to the Lord’s House, seeking a fresh understanding of His Word. We look to the Lord, speaking through His Word, to fill us ‘with great joy’(8:12). (b) We thank God for His Son, our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ(8:13-18). In ‘the feast of the seventh month’, ‘the Lord’s Feast of Tabernacles’, God’s people remembered how much He had done for them (Leviticus 23:34,42). In the Lord’s Supper, we remember that Christ died for our sins (1 Corinthians 11:23-26). (c) We dedicate our lives to the Lord(9:2). ‘Do not be conformed to this world’. ‘Be transformed’ by God’s Word (Romans 12:2). (d) We worship the Lord(9:5). Let us ‘praise the Lord our God...’.

Nehemiah 9:6-38
At the heart of Ezra’s prayer, there is a tremendous description of God: ‘You are a God ready to forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love’(17). This is ‘our God’. ‘Our sins’ are great. The love of God is even greater. We look at ‘our sins’, and we feel that everything is hopeless. We look to ‘our God’, and everything changes. We see Him as the ‘gracious and merciful God’, and we are filled with hope. Our life need not be controlled by ‘our sins’. It can be changed by ‘our God’(31-32,37). Our God ‘delights in steadfast love’. He ‘will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea’(Micah 7:18-19). How do we know that God loves us? - ‘Christ died for our sins’. Bring your sins to Jesus, and let ‘His blood cleanse you from all sin’(1 Corinthians 15:3; 1 John 1:7).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

"Take Me As I Am, Lord, And Make Me All Thine Own."

Nehemiah 5:1-6:19
What are we to do when we face those who are ‘scheming to harm’ the Lord’s servants and the Lord’s work? - We are to devote ourselves to the ‘work’ of the Lord. We are to ‘pray’ for His strength (6:2; 5:16; 6:9). Critics of the Lord’s work want to argue with us. Are we to ‘come down’ to their level, going round in circles with arguments that lead us nowhere? Nehemiah shows us a better way, God’s way - ‘I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?’(6:3). ‘Completing the work with the help of our God’(6:15-16) - This is the best ‘argument’ against the critics of Christ and His Gospel. Keep working for God and pray that’ many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord’(Psalm 40:3).

Nehemiah 7:1-73
What kind of people are we? Are we ‘faithful and God-fearing’ people’(2)? It is so easy to lose our way and become ‘unclean’(64)? What are we to do when we lose our way, when we forget the Lord, when we wander away from Him? We must return to the Lord. We must begin again with Him, confessing our sin, receiving His forgiveness and learning to live in the power of the Holy Spirit. These words may help you to make a new beginning with God: ‘There’s a way back to God from the dark paths of sin. There’s a door that is open and you may go in: at Calvary’s Cross is where you begin, when you come as a sinner to Jesus’. ‘Cleanse me from my sin, Lord. Put Thy power within, Lord. Take me as I am, Lord, and make me all Thine own...’(Mission Praise, 682, 82).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

When Your Problems Threaten To Overwhelm You, Remember This: God Has ‘Redeemed Us By His Great Power And His Mighty Hand.’

Nehemiah 1:1-2:18
‘You see the trouble we are in’- How do you react when the going gets tough? Do you collapse in despair and succeed only in making your troubles seem even bigger than they really are? There is a better way of dealing with our problems. Believing that ‘the hand of his God was upon him for good’, Nehemiah looks at the problem - ‘Jerusalem lies in ruins’- and sets about solving it - ‘Come. let us build the wall of Jerusalem’ (2:17-18). Our problems may be great. Our God is greater. When your problems threaten to overwhelm you, remember this: God has ‘redeemed us by His great power and His mighty hand’(1:3-6,10). There is no greater problem than our sin and God has dealt with that problem - Christ has ‘put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself’(Hebrews 9:26). ‘Pack up your troubles’ and take them to Jesus!

Nehemiah 2:19-4:23
Serving the Lord is not easy. There are always those who ‘mock and ridicule’ the Lord’s servants (2:19; 4:1-3). What are we to do when we encounter this type of thing? We must pray to God and we must work for Him - ‘The God of heaven will make us prosper, and we His servants will arise and build’(4:4-6; 2:20). When we face determined opposition from the enemies of Christ and His Gospel, we must pray and we must be practical - ‘we prayed to our God and set a guard as a protection against them day and night’(4:9). We need to know our God - ‘the people who know their God will be strong’. We need to know our enemy - ‘we are not ignorant about Satan’s scheming’. When Satan comes to us, we must be ready for him and we ‘must firmly resist him’- in the Name of Christ (Daniel 11:32; 2 Corinthians 2:11).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

The Wisdom of the Prudent

"Oh, I just did that without thinking.." "I really didn't mean that--I just wasn't thinking..."

How many times have I done something without thinking? Numerous. Words are hard to chase down. Actions may even be worse. Can we somehow come to a place in our lives where we actually consider what we're doing before we do it?

As we ask God for guidance in our lives, we can ask Him to help us to be wise by remembering to give thought to our ways when incidents come up and choices present themselves.

http://picturemythoughts.blogspot.com

Christ Will Come Again - ‘With Power And Great Glory’. ‘Come, Lord Jesus.’

Zechariah 9:1-10:12
'...See your King comes to you... gentle and riding on a donkey...’(9:9). These words point us to our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Jesus is our King. Jesus comes to us. How are we to welcome our King? We are to welcome Him with joyful praise - ‘Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord’(Matthew 21:1-9; John 12:12-16). Jesus our King has come to us from God the Father: ‘When the time had fully come, God sent His Son...’. Jesus our King has come to us to be our Saviour: ‘Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners’(Galatians 4:4; 1 Timothy 1:15). Christ will come again - ‘with power and great glory’. ‘Come, Lord Jesus’(Matthew 24:30; Revelation 22:20).

Zechariah 11:1-12:14
'‘They will look on Him whom they have pierced...’(12:10). These words point us to Christ’s crucifixion. In Psalm 22:1, we read Christ’s prayer from the Cross: ‘My God, my God, why have You forsaken Me?’(Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:34). In the same Psalm, we read these words: ‘They have pierced My hands and My feet’(16). In Isaiah 53:5, we learn that Christ ‘was pierced for our sins’(53:5). In Revelation 1:7, the words of Zechariah 12:10 form part of a prophecy concerning Christ’s Return: ‘Look, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him ...’. In His heavenly glory, Christ will always be ‘the Lamb’ who was ‘slain’(Revelation 5:6,9).

Zechariah 13:1-14:21
We ‘call on the Lord’s Name’. He ‘answers’ our prayer - ‘I will say, “They are My people”, and they will say, “The Lord is our God’(13:9). We confess our faith in ‘the Lord’. He is ‘Lord of lords’. The Lord is King. He is ‘King of kings’. His Name is ‘the only Name’ of our salvation. His Name is ‘the Name that is above every name’(14:9; Revelation 19:16; Acts 4:12; Philippians 2:9-11). We ‘worship the King, the Lord Almighty’. We sing ‘Holy to the Lord’: ‘Holy is the Lord God Almighty who was and is and is to come! Worthy is the Lord God Almighty who was and is and is to come! Glory to the Lord God Almighty who was and is and is to come!’(16,20; Mission Praise, 239).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

‘Here I Am, Wholly Available - As For Me, I Will Serve The Lord.’

Zechariah 5:1-6:15
‘Here is the Man whose Name is the Branch... It is He who will build the Temple of the Lord...’(12-13). These words point us to our Lord Jesus Christ: ‘I will build My Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it’(Matthew 16:18). How does Christ build His Church? He sends His blessing when His people are obedient to Him: ‘Those who are far away will come and help to build the Temple of the Lord... This will happen if you diligently obey the Lord your God’(15). Christ is ‘building a people of power’. He calls us to ‘move through this land by His Spirit and glorify His precious Name’. Let us pray, ‘Here I am, wholly available - as for me, I will serve the Lord’(Mission Praise, 151,229).

Zechariah 7:1-8:23
When people stop listening to God’s Word, their life becomes ‘a desolate wasteland’(7:11-14). What are we to do when we see this happening? - ‘Do not be afraid... Be strong’. We must keep on believing God’s promise: ‘I will save you, and you will be a blessing’. We must keep on praying that our faithful witness will bring others to the Lord: ‘Let us go with you, because we have heard that God is with you’(8:13,23). We must pray that ‘the Spirit will be poured upon us from on high and the desert will become a fertile field’. ‘Don’t hide your light! Let it shine for all; let your good deeds glow for all to see, so that they will praise your heavenly Father’(Isaiah 32:15; Matthew 5:15-16).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com

W.W.Y.D

There are a lot of hurting people in the world. Truth is we don't have to look far to find them. They are around us daily. At work, at the grocery store, within our communities, on the very streets that we live on and sometimes in our own homes.

What can each of us as Christian's do to reach out to others? Maybe the simplicity of a smile, maybe inviting and buying someone lunch, maybe that single mother that's struggling, maybe that girl or boy down the street that lost a father or mother through a divorce. Truly the opportunities to bless others are all around us, and everywhere. May we all be a friend to someone in need and simply be Christ like.

What Will You Do?

Blessings, from
In His Glorious Name Ministries Online

Let Us Pray That God Will "Pour Out" His Spirit Upon Us.

Zechariah 1:1-2:13
God promises to bless His faithful people: ‘I will return to Jerusalem with mercy, and there My House will be rebuilt’(16). God looks upon His House, and He sees His glory - ‘I will be the glory within it’(2:5). He sees the glory of His presence - ‘I will live among you’(2:10). We read here about the Temple at Jerusalem. We read about its glory. God’s Word speaks about another ‘temple’ and another ‘glory’. Through ‘faith’ in ‘Christ’, we have become ‘a holy temple in the Lord’- ‘a dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit’(Ephesians 2:21-22; 3:16-17). To every believer, God says, ‘Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you... Glorify God in your body’(1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

Zechariah 3:1-4:14
“Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit”, says the Lord Almighty’(4:6). There is only one Power by which the work of the Lord can be done. It is the power of the Holy Spirit. We must not try to do God’s work in our own strength. We must exchange our weakness for His strength. We must ‘wait for the promise of the Father’- ‘You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you’. Great things happen when God’s people are ‘filled with the Holy Spirit’- ‘About three thousand were added to their number that day... The Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved’! Let us pray that God will ‘pour out’ His Spirit upon us (Acts 1:4,8; 2:4,17-18,41,47).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com