Freed from fear

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Until now, being afraid of dying has not been a problem. Before this virus came the majority of us did not think that death could come anytime soon, so we did not react. Now, we have videos of people crossing the street just not to come close to others. In fact, at the supermarkets we have security making sure that we keep six feet distance. Because the reality that we could die has become our worst nightmare, and we have become fearful of that. John teaches that fear has its torment (1Jh4:18), but that perfect love casts out that fear. We have all dealt with some sort of fear at some point or another, but now most of us trace our steps to see if we cleaned the door handle, carefully removed the mask, cleansed the soul of our shoe, etc… Fear affects our heart with pain, the bible speaks that when they enemies of God came to his city to attack, fear came upon them and then pain (ps48:4-6). All of us at one point or another have behaved in an uncommon way because of fear. Fear leads to bondage or being enslaved and God did not gives that type of spirit (Ro8:15). 

Hebrews 2:14-16

14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.16 For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.

Now, our verse tell us that Satan had the power of death before Christ came. And, Satan, aka  Lucifer was known as the “morning star”. His beauty was so, that pride came into his heart. He was kicked out of heaven along with one third of the angels of God (Is14:11-12). When Adam and Eve came they freely gave Satan the power of death and they were cast from the presences of God. So, Jesus could not come to man in the form of that very thing that deceived them, the fallen angels or any angel. In order for man to come out of bondage (Heb2:15) or slavery someone had to buy them out, and Jesus did just that (Ga3:13-14). He had to take the form of the seed of Abraham which is the seed of faith (Heb2:16). God told Abraham to leave to land without directions, and he took everything he owned and followed God; without any information. He became the father of faith, and so Jesus took that seed and liberated us from the fear of death. That is why Paul said “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? ” (1Cor15:55) 

Nothing is really lost!

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The Shunammites Blessing

One thing is for sure that God never forgets those who think and act on him and his elects. God’s rewards are on time, they are never late. When someone acts with compassion and mercy towards one of God’s little ones, their reward is not forgotten (Mt10:42). In Fact, when a person does something nice to you because you are a follower of Christ that person attracts God’s attention.  Isaiah 49:15 Says that although a women might forget the child she gave labor too, he will not forget those whom think on him.

2 Kings 8:5-6

5 Just as Gehazi was telling the king how Elisha had restored the dead to life, the woman whose son Elisha had brought back to life came to appeal to the king for her house and land. Gehazi said, “This is the woman, my lord the king, and this is her son whom Elisha restored to life.” 6 The king asked the woman about it, and she told him. Then he assigned an official to her case and said to him, “Give back everything that belonged to her, including all the income from her land from the day she left the country until now.”

This story of this women the Shunamite is a powerful illustration of God not forgetting his rewards. It begins with this women, because Elisha was a man of God,  preparing a meal for him each time he passed by. She then had her husband prepare a room for Elisha, so that each time he would pass by he could lodge there and rest. Such characteristic profiles a women of a virtuous (chayil) heart such as depicted in Proverbs 31:10. Virtuous is defined as  strong, wealth, army, force. Now, both her and her husband were old and were without children. And, so while Elisha is trying to figure out what is this women in need of to bless her, his servant reminds him that she is barren. Elisha calls her and prophesied to her that her barren days are over (2k4:15-17). 

Because this women displayed her innate ability to be compassion especially to the man of God, the promise for her to be blessed took into effect, and now all the things that were going to happen to her had meaning (Ro8:38-39). The unthinkable happened to her, her son died. But, she did not loose faith; in fact, her run to God for a miracle defied all religiosity and she took her son to Elisha on the sabbath and brought him back to life. This women’s response when her child died was not of fear as the virtuous women in Proverbs 31:21.   A famine was about to strike the land, and because God watches for those who trust in him, Elisha tells the woman that she needs to leave and go to a nearby land and reside there for 7 years. Now, what amazes me the most is God precision with time, that as soon as she comes back everything she had was restored. As children of God nothing is really lost.

 

Spring cleaning

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There is nothing like coming to a clean house. Spring is here and the desire to freshen up the house is in the hearts, so we take out the winter stored items and vacuum the rugs and begin to give a nice clean feeling to our home. But, what if once we did this spring cleaning at our homes, we went to work and came back and everything that we did was back scattered all over the house as if someone had broke in and rampaged our home. What a horrible feeling that would be! Our lives are full of things that need to be cleaned out, and sometimes no matter how many times we put them away or cast them out they find there way back in. Our lives have to be built on solitude, there needs to be some sure foundation as to where it needs to reside. The prophet Isaiah tells us that God has laid a foundation in Zion; Christ, and if anyone relies on him he will never be stricken with panic (Is28:16). And, in Matthew 7:24 Jesus spoke a parable of a wise man who built his house on a rock verse one who built his on sand, that when the rains and the floods came only one fell; the one built on sand. Being cooked up in our homes can store up attitudes and behaviors that mess up our homes, things that are probably of ancient times and it might take a more authoritative approach. 

Matthew 12:43-45

43 “When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. 44 Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. 45 Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation.”

Let this be known for sure, that when Christ takes out something from our lives it is gone with no return. When we are struggling with things in our lives that we want to be released, unless God takes it out it will not leave. In fact, sometimes the things that we are dealing with only get worst with time. And, Jesus was referring to this when he was speaking about the spirit that once he leaves goes around looking for a place to rest, decides to go back and find his house clean when he finds no other. Change does not come without decisiveness, but we can be determined to change and for a time we might achieve it. But, it will be only for a period of time that change will last, yet when Christ makes the change it is permanent. Jesus commanded spirits to leave and never to return again to the people they came out of (Mk9:25). The legion of the man of Gadarenes requested Christ not to send them to the abyss, because they knew that they could not come back to where they came from (lk8:30-31). Now, there are things once were gone from our lives, we spring cleaned them that have come back and need to leave once and for all. For example, according to Newsweek and increase of 55% of alcohol sales spiked, people who at one time drank alcohol have gone back to drinking. Making sure that your home is once and for all is cleaned consist of pinpointing that area in your life where the old habits are arising, and surrendering them to Christ (2Cor10:3-5).  

Resurrecting good practices

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Resurrection Sunday is the third day after the Lord Jesus Christ was crucified. Without the resurrection everything that Jesus did on earth would have classified him as just another prophet, but because he came back from the dead as noted by the apostles and about 500 other believers as well as non-believer he is found to be Lord of Lords and King of Kings. Jesus did not just displayed this power to come back to life on the third day after his crucifixion, but he had it throughout his walk while on earth. He fulfilled the prophecy that the lame would walk and the blind would see by the prophet Isaiah (29:18). Jesus brought back people from the dead, for example, a widow’s son whom when they were in the funeral procession Jesus stopped the bier and told the young man to rise and he rose (Lk7:11-17). And, Jairus daughter whom was dying and died, when he came to Jesus and explained what was going on Jesus went to his house and rose her from the dead (Lk8:49-56). The power of resurrection was in Christ throughout his time, but it was not evident in his own life until he had to experience death himself. Jesus knew that he had the power to take back his life (Jh10:18).     

John 5:6-10

6 When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?” 7 “Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.” 8 Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” 9 At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked. The day on which this took place was a Sabbath, 10 and so the Jewish leaders said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath; the law forbids you to carry your mat.

The power of resurrection is to restore those things that were once dead and bring them back to life. And, as this story goes, this man was paralyzed for 38 years which means that he used to walk before. He was laid on a stretcher near this pool at the gate of Bethesda for a long time waiting to be the first one in the pool after the angel who at certain times would stir the waters. The first person who made it to the pool after the angel stirred the waters would be healed from any sickness. After Jesus had learned about this man’s case he asked him do you want to be healed, and if we noticed he did not ask him if he needed help getting into the pool. The power to restore all things in Christ was about to restore this man. Jesus told this man get up and take your bed, and immediately he got up and took his bed. In our lives there are things that need to be restored, good things; things that benefited us as well as others, and with the power of Christ resurrection they can be restored. The bed this man was carrying represents those good things in our lives that we have been laying on, and now we have the ability to carry it; that is if we listen to his voice to get up and take our beds. Jesus said that we should take his burden because it is light (Mt11:28-29) and it will provide rest for our souls. 

My healing and what I do with it!

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There is nothing in life that is compared to a miraculous healing. One can take a couple of pills and find relieve or go through a procedure at the hospital or medical office and it is good, but it can not be compared to a divine healing. When a person experiences a divine healing many changes other then the healing occur that become evident in that person. For example, there is a change in the mind set thinking of a person that experiences divine healing; he/she becomes passionately attracted to God. When we go to a doctor and he/she is able to pinpoint a diagnosis in us, we say he is a good doctor and we classify him as our doctor. And, when something affects our physical state of being the way a divine healing does it creates a powerful attraction to the source of healing; God. Depending on ones heart, that is how sensitive it is, it is how he/she will react to a healing. Ezekiel said “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh” (Eze36:26). When ones heart is in the process of changing at divine healing will become that changing agent to transform that heart. So, the question for you is, what would you do if you were divinely healed? How would you react?  

Jesus Heals a Man With Leprosy Mark 1:40-43

40 A man with leprosyh] came to him and begged him on his knees, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.”

41 Jesus was indignant.i] He reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” 42 Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed.

43 Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning: 44 “See that you don’t tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” 45 Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to him from everywhere.

God wants us to be healed (Jer33:6, 17:14). He wants to heal our land (2Chr7:14). As in the times of Elisha in 2 Kings 2:19-22 when the waters of the land caused death and were ill that the people tapped into God’s heart to see if he would heal them, and sure enough he did; so will he heal our land and our people.  This man’s inquiry is like we are at this stage and age, does God want to heal us. He tapped into the heart of God towards his will for man kind, and he asked Jesus “If you are willing, you can make me clean”. Jesus came for that very purpose to heal and to save humanity, and so he could not pass this opportunity to heal this fellow. After Jesus finished preaching and healing many of the sick he came went to heal the sick family of his disciples. Peter’s mother in-law was in bed with a high fever and he came and took her by the hand and the fever left her (Mt8:14-15). One of the questions that comes to mind is, why did Jesus strongly warn him to not tell anyone, but to go and offer the sacrifice that Moses commanded (Lev 14:1-4)? The impact of this healing was so great on this man’s life that he began speaking to everyone he came across, and it was so that Jesus could no longer minister in this land because of it. But, that was just in this land that his witnessing impacted and for that time, but if he had gone to the priest and followed what Jesus had commanded him his testimony would have done a great impact for generations. 

 

The voice in you

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We are here as a testimony to the world of what God has done in our lives through Christ Jesus. People need to see and hear what God has done, and we need not to be ashamed to speak about those things. Just like the woman at the well, whom when Jesus encountered her told her all the secret things she was doing went and told the people of her town about him (Jhn4:28-30). We cannot hold back from saying the things that Christ does in our everyday life, because it is our solemn duty as witnesses of Christ (Lk24:47-48).  Jesus said that if we are a shame of him and the things he has done he in turn will also be ashamed of us before the Father (Mk8:38). Now, being a witness of Christ and the things he has done and is doing in our lives is not just to other people, but to situations that may arise.   The fact is that there is a small voice in us dying to come out and speak on his behalf to situations, people and life. 

Matthew 10:18-21

18 And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.

19 But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. 20 For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.

Whatever situation we are delivered unto the Spirit of God is ready to speak as a witness on our behalf (Jhn15:26), and we do not need to worry what to say.  We don’t know when our lives are going to hit bumpy roads, or tumultuous. But, the Spirit of God knows what to say and speaks inside of you. The Spirit of God does not verbalize through you, but speaks in you so that you can speak. His words are Christ’s words, Jesus said ” the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life”(Jhn6:63).  We can turn down none edifying voices when we listen to what the Spirit says in us. The question that comes to mind is, how do we know when it is the Spirit of God speaking and not some other force? Elijah had to decipher through all the voices that came to him while at the mountain to hear God’s still small voice (1Kg19).  When the Spirit of God speaks in you is to confirm what God has already done in you and to testify against all the negative voices that come against you. The scriptures says that we do not fight against flesh and blood, but against principalities and rulers of dark forces (Eph6:12). There is a difference between when we speak and when the Spirit speaks. When we speak we can be pretty hard on our selves and even speak things that can hurt us and against what God has done, but when the Spirit speaks he speaks to edify and build up and to testify against the ways of this world.  The voice is in you! 

Worship a response to healing

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Matthew 8:1-4

Worship a response to healing

There are many diseases in the world today that are doing away with man and beast. From the Ebola,  to Aids, and now to the Coronavirus we have been plagued with no end in sight. Now, some disease were, though they had the symptoms of a disease, categorized as uncleanness. And, an uncleaned person, unlike one with a disease was not supposed to see a physician, but a priest because there was no medicine to heal him; only an act of God would heal him. People who contracted leprosy were categorized as uncleaned and were supposed to keep away from society. The idea that someone or that person sin merited the contraction of the syndrome or illness (Jhn9:3). Leprosy was considered a God induced and God healed syndrome, in other words God was the one who plagued someone with the uncleanliness like he did with Moses sister Miriam (Nm12:10) because she rebelled against Moses, and he is the one who heals us. The bible teaches us that God with one hand disciplines us and with the other he heals us (Job5:18). The correct response to when something happens to us say like an illness is to drop on our knees and worship the Lord, even if he does not heal us. 

Matthew 8:1-4

When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him.2 And, behold, there came a leper and worshiped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.3 And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.4 And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.

Jesus came down from the mountain with his three inner circle disciples where he changed himself to his majestic being, that is he took Andrew, John and Peter and went to Peter’s house. He found Peter’s mother in-law sick with a fever and took her by the hand, and immediately her fever left her and she began to serve him. The attitude after the healing was service from Peter’s mother in-law. Healing’s should be followed with worship, and serving is a type of worship. This leper man, when he saw Jesus he immediately dropped on his knees (barak- to drop on your knees and worship) and worshiped him. Within the worship time this leper man petition healing, and since God is seeking worshipers to worship him in spirit and in truth(Jhn4:24) this man was healed. Some people will not lift their voices to worship, because of their illness, but that is when the richness of worship takes place; when you can’t no more.

Reports of miraculous healing’s are causing rivals in China and other parts of the world with regards to the coronavirus. Healing’s should cause revivals in us. We should not be blind sighted to what God is doing in us just as were the nine lepers in Luke 17. When these ten men who were plagued with lepers noticed Jesus and from afar off they called upon him and he instructed them to go and see the priest. As they were on their way to see the priest their leprosy left, but only one of them recognized it, and went back and worshiped the Lord (Lk17:12-15). Sometimes, our negligence to notice God working, or healing, does not allow for him to heal us. God’s hand has not been shorten that he cannot heal (Is50:2), it is that our response with worship has not been there for God. 

 

Pillars of the foundation

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King David promised God that he would build a temple for him, so that no more the Ark of the Covenant would be carried around and would have a stationary place to reside at. But, towards the end of the king’s life when he decided to erect this temple God resisted him and requested that one of his sons be the one to build this temple. It is a good thing that we build our homes in God, because our families need God. And, when we build our homes in God he promises to give eternal salvation to them as with Cornelius and his family(Acts11:13-14). King David’s son Solomon decided to take on the charge of building this house for the Lord and the specs of the house were “the inside ceiling was was 180 feet long, 90 feet wide, and 50 feet high. The highest point on the Temple that King Solomon built was actually 120 cubits tall (about 20 stories or about 207 feet)”. This temple had a porch which was overlaid with pure gold. To the front of the porch 2 huge pillars and unlike the other parts of the temple, the pillars had human names. The temple took 7 years to build. Solomon searched out the best material for this temple. Solomon ordered the people Jew or non-Jew to anytime they were going to pray to kneel towards the temple.

1 Kings 7:20-22
20 On the capitals of both pillars, above the bowl-shaped part next to the network, were the two hundred pomegranates in rows all around. 21 He erected the pillars at the portico of the temple. The pillar to the south he named Jakin[a] and the one to the north Boaz.[b] 22 The capitals on top were in the shape of lilies. And so the work on the pillars was completed.

Now, the two pillars that stood in front of the temple porch were named Jakin and Boaz and they were to symbolize those who keep watch on the house no other item or fixture had a human name. Each house needs a pillar to hold the structure of the house. Someone has to be the pillar. Now the name Jakin; the right hand pillar, means “He will establish”, and it attributed to three influential leaders, one was the 4th son of Simeon found of the Jachinites, a priest in David’s time, and a priest in Nehemiah’s time. And, Boaz; fleetness meaning swift or rapid, who married Ruth was in the direct line of descendants of the Messiah. Throughout time we have come across people who hold pillar position, such as Aaron and Hur, and Peter with the church. During the battle with Amalec each time Moses’ arms would get tired Aaron and Hur would pick them up allowing God’s people to have victory during the war (Ex17:11-13). Jesus told Peter out of his confession he was going to build the church (Mt16:18). Jesus also told Peter that he was one who had to feed the church (Jhn21:16), and as pillars we are the ones to nurture the foundation we are holding. As pillars, sometimes we will find ourselves holding on by ourselves making sure the foundation does not move. We are built into the pillarship of foundation of the Apostles, they held the foundation of the church (eph2:20).

 

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Worthy Home “Peace”

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Worthy home “peace”

Matthew 10:9-15

9 “Do not get any gold or silver or copper to take with you in your belts— 10 no bag for the journey or extra shirt or sandals or a staff, for the worker is worth his keep. 11 Whatever town or village you enter, search there for some worthy person and stay at their house until you leave. 12 As you enter the home, give it your greeting. 13 If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. 14 If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet. 15 Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.

God supplies all our needs when we make it a priority to do his will!

One of the things that is rewarding is when you work on a project, say building a shelf, repairing a broken pipe, searching for that wanting item for the right price, or helping a child learn a school problem and achieving the desired outcome. It is a great feeling of accomplishment, when you set out to do something and it gets down the way you want it to. Jesus sent out his disciples with that same mindset, that they would accomplish that what he sent them to do. The disciples needs as they went out on their mission was going to be satisfied, whether they would need food, money, clothing or what ever they would need it was going to be done. When we ad-heed to the mission God has for us the same goes for us, he will provide everything we need to accomplish what we are commanded to do. We do have a mission! In Matthew 28:18-20 and it reads “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen”. And, in order for us to do what we are supposed to God promised that all our needs would be met. Paul said that God would supply all our needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus (Ph4:19). David said that the righteous is not forsaken nor do they beg for bread (Ps37:25). One of the things that qualifies us to having God supply our needs is our decision to do what he calls us to do, many have their needs met because of their efforts and chance in life.

But, when one is passion to doing God’s will they are classified as a worthy person to his kingdom. Now, according to the dictionary one of the definitions for worthy is weighing, having weight, having the weight of another thing of like value, worth as much. And, we become Christ like when we seek to do the will of the Father (Ro6:4). As Christ followers we weigh the same, we are all the same, and we are going to encounter others in Christ. Our homes need to reflect who we are in Christ, because it is one thing that we are worthy before the Lord and our homes are havoc. When we are out seeking to do the will of God it is when his peace rules our homes. The word peace in our text today means exemption from the rage and havoc of war, and if we notice today how many people are filled with rage it is astronomical. So, it is possible that while we are believers that our homes could be filled with rage and havoc. Jesus said my peace I give you not like the world I give you (Jh14:27). In order for much of the rage in our society to seize, the people of God have to rise to the expectation. We are peace makers, but before spreading peace to other homes are homes need to be in order (Mt5:9). 

 

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:27

 

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Short of the Promise land

Numbers 32:5-7

5 Wherefore, said they, if we have found grace in thy sight, let this land be given unto thy servants for a possession, and bring us not over Jordan.6 And Moses said unto the children of Gad and to the children of Reuben, Shall your brethren go to war, and shall ye sit here? 7 And wherefore discourage ye the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which the Lord hath given them?

Becoming prosperous and obtaining all the goodies this life can offer is tempting.

Today, we have the opportunity to acquire riches that at other times were unreachable. Back in the 80’s the minimum wage was about $3.35 per hour, and today we can find jobs with the minimum of $12.00 per hour. Only the rich could offer cell phones back then, and today anyone even homeless people can obtain one. Riches of this world are becoming easier then ever to get. Jesus taught us that this world’s riches choke the word of God (Mt13:22). It is easy to fall in love with today’s riches, I mean who does like to speak to another person over a video from thousands of miles away. In fact, two young men were playing a game thousands of miles apart, one was in the US and the other was in London, and the one in the US started to get seizures. The young man in London was able to find the address of his friend and send first responders to save him. So, falling in love with today’s riches is easier to do then ever, but the bible tells us not love this world otherwise the love of the Father is not in us (1Jhn2:15-17). Paul tells us that through the craving of the riches of this world many have gone astray (1Tim6:10).

Now, the people of Israel were promised a land which flowed with mild and honey when they came out of Egypt. They wondered through the wilderness many years trying to get to this land. And, when they were getting close to the land, the land became tempting to keep them from continuing their journey. The children of Gad and of Ruben became enticed with the land and decided not to continue to land God promised; they found the land better then the one God had promised. Now, what is better then what God promises? God’s promises are true and they are precious (2Pt1:4), they enable us to escape the world’s corruption. Gad and Ruben fell into the trance of this world and did not experience the promises of God. The riches of this world are temporary Solomon tells us that they will make themselves wings and fly away (Pro23:5). But, God’s promises bring about a promising future and hope (Jer29:11). And, when we choose the riches of this world rather then his promise land, well it brings a distaste savoir to him, and God was not happy with the children of Gad and Ruben. 

Settling for something short of the promise is not what God expects from us. We are to press forward for towards God’s promises, because they are true and faithful (1Cor1:9). They are yes and Amen, God’s promises (2Cor1:20).

 

God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? Num23:19.