Fruitful in the Land of my Affliction

GEN 41:51-52 ESV

Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh. "For," he said, "God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father's house."  The name of the second he called Ephraim, "For God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction."

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Joseph has had it hard. He was singled out by his father as the most loved of 12 boys. That's gotta hurt! The whole robe thing is embarrassing. He's sent by his Father to effectively be a nark and check up on his brothers. That's not going to make you popular. Then God gives Joseph these dreams that no one wants to hear, not even his father. He's tossed in a deep hole and then sold to his cousins as a slave and in turn sold in Egypt. Joseph does well though until a sex crazed woman lies about him. And He's tossed into another pit, jail. And again he does well and even gets a big break with the cupbearer to Pharaoh, only to be forgotten for another two years. So when Joseph is 30 he has a huge life change and comes into fame and fortune! And he is railroaded into marrying the daughter of a false religion's leader.

But Joseph makes the best of the situation and gets busy! Now he has two sons. Joseph's son's names are significant. In fact when the twelve tribes of Israel are named throughout all history you will not hear Joseph himself named. Instead you hear of Joseph's sons! Have you ever thought about the fact that built into the twelve tribes of Israel are two half Egyptian grandson's to the high priest of an Egyptian god? 

Sometimes we need another perspective. And nothing can quite give us a new vantage point like a newborn baby. All that a newborn encapsulates fills us with hope. They are needy, vulnerable, and full of possibility and still they are resilient and demanding.

Joseph sees a new future when God blesses him with sons. And the blessing erases the past and provides for the future.

Now I'd like to encourage each one of you to have sons! But I mean spiritual sons! You are not too old, too single, too afflicted to ask God to make your faith fruitful. What your church needs are new believers. What your family needs is someone who has newly come to trust Jesus. We need in the church today the hope that comes with people being born again. Wherever you are, whatever your state in life, I'm asking you to pray that God makes you fruitful! I'm asking that you hope for newborns in the kingdom of God. And I pray as they come you give them names, may be new names. In addition to brother or sister call them Hope! Name them Ephraim! 

As time goes on and God speaks of his people, he uses different tribes to refer to the whole or called them all Israel after Jacob's name change. When heartbroken over his people God's term of endearment in the book of Hosea is Ephraim. So an Egyptian boy whose grandfather was a very important religious leader for an Egyptian god and his other grandfather was a man who actually wrestled with the one true God of promise. Ephraim, the son of Joseph is a sign of fruitfulness that comes from affliction.

Go in, listen to , lie beside, be with

Genesis 38:7-10 ESV

But Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the Lord , and the Lord put him to death. Then Judah said to Onan, "Go in to your brother's wife and perform the duty of a brother-in-law to her, and raise up offspring for your brother." But Onan knew that the offspring would not be his. So whenever he went in to his brother's wife he would waste the semen on the ground, so as not to give offspring to his brother. And what he did was wicked in the sight of the Lord , and he put him to death also.

Genesis 39:5-10 ESV

From the time that he made him overseer in his house and over all that he had the Lord blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake; the blessing of the Lord was on all that he had, in house and field. So he left all that he had in Joseph's charge, and because of him he had no concern about anything but the food he ate. Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance. And after a time his master's wife cast her eyes on Joseph and said, "Lie with me." But he refused and said to his master's wife, "Behold, because of me my master has no concern about anything in the house, and he has put everything that he has in my charge. He is not greater in this house than I am, nor has he kept back anything from me except yourself, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?" And as she spoke to Joseph day after day, he would not listen to her, to lie beside her or to be with her.

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I won't pretend to have all the answers when it comes to understanding these chapters in Genesis (38-39).
However there are hints and themes that point us towards God's intent.

May I remind you that proliferation of the human race has been job one since man's creation. And although the blessing of offspring has been particularly promised to Abraham's family that promise has required a lot of faith. And proliferation when it does happen seems to be mired in family conflict, deceit, and immorality.

But the key to gaining clarity in this mottled ancestry is to look for God, and God's promise. Who is trusting God even when it appears to be counter productive in realising the promise. See God comes before even the promise. Hearken back to Abraham and Isaac with the lamb. Our experience of blessing should never need to be at the cost of God's glory. We can be faithful to God without forcing our self interest at the cost of regard for God's word.

To be honest I don't have all the answers about these two chapters. But I know that we are meant to notice the contrast. Two of Judah's sons are killed by God. Joseph is blessed. But it's not quite that simple. Joseph is a slave. Joseph is in Egypt. Joseph has no children.
Judah's sons Er and Onan are wicked and they are not blessed.
Judah, Er, Onan, and Joseph all have to make a choice about sex. Only Joseph's abstinence policy is blessed. But again blessing includes prison, slander, and loss. In Joseph's life the way up is very much down.
The Lord blessed Joseph's regard for God's way. Judah, Er, and Onan did not consider God's plan.

Do you?
Are you willing to be blessed while in prison, slandered for doing right, or sold into slavery because you are relating God's plan revealed to you?

Ultimately this is a story about Jesus. Can you see Jesus? How would Jesus explain his Father's plan to rescue the world through his humiliation and  death in these few chapters of Genesis?

a silent tsunami crashing the shore without warning.

Psalms 34:18 (NLT)

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.

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There is a heaviness. It fills the breast and presses in like a weight. It takes your breath away but sometimes slowly crushing and other times coming like a silent tsunami crashing the shore without warning. While trying to shift it you feel guilt for a thing you can not put your finger on and everything you've ever done wrong. The burden of failures not your own coupled with inadequacies long felt and denied rush in to fill the black hole that is sucking your life away.

I pray.

The weight does not shift.

Fear invades.

Cold analysis seems painful and facts unable to change the feeling.

Keep telling myself the truth.

What is physical? What is mental? What is from outside myself and what is from deep within?

I am not a slave to this feeling. I will not be defeated by it; it will not overwhelm me! Tell my chest that. Tell my laboured breathing. Tell my tense muscles and tell my weary soul, that years of trying, and happy times have not erased that past. The future looms.

The future is sure. The past is erased. You are free. Even if you don't feel free you are free. Today, Now begins anew. Newness is a promise. You know newness and freedom. You will not be robbed.

You need sleep. You need to pray. You need to reach out. In reaching out you feel help. Make a list. Point your finger. Dismiss the Accuser! The debt is paid. The burden is shared. The burden is light. There is a lightness.

Let your worries for others go. Take them to the Father. Lay them down. He can raise the dead.
I meant it for evil but he can use it for good. They mean it for evil but He can use it for good. Evil does not win!

The head hurts from the battle. The neck aches. But I surrender not to darkness but to light.

Darkness can not defeat the light.

Wait for his rescue. It will come!

Comparing Promises, Jacob v. God

Genesis 28:13-22 ESV

And behold, the Lord stood above it and said, "I am the Lord , the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. The land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring. Your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south, and in you and your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed. Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you." Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, "Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it." And he was afraid and said, "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven." So early in the morning Jacob took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up for a pillar and poured oil on the top of it. He called the name of that place Bethel, but the name of the city was Luz at the first. Then Jacob made a vow, saying, "If God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear, so that I come again to my father's house in peace, then the Lord shall be my God, and this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be God's house. And of all that you give me I will give a full tenth to you."

A few things you may have missed about Abraham

Genesis 25:1-18 ESV

1Abraham took another wife, whose name was Keturah.2She bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. 3Jokshan fathered Sheba and Dedan. The sons of Dedan were Asshurim, Letushim, and Leummim. 4The sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah. 5Abraham gave all he had to Isaac. 6But to the sons of his concubines Abraham gave gifts, and while he was still living he sent them away from his son Isaac, eastward to the east country. 

7These are the days of the years of Abraham's life, 175 years. 8Abraham breathed his last and died in a good old age, an old man and full of years, and was gathered to his people. 9Isaac and Ishmael his sons buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, east of Mamre, 10the field that Abraham purchased from the Hittites. There Abraham was buried, with Sarah his wife. 11After the death of Abraham, God blessed Isaac his son. And Isaac settled at Beer-lahai-roi.

12These are the generations of Ishmael, Abraham's son,whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah's servant, bore to Abraham.13These are the names of the sons of Ishmael, named in the order of their birth: Nebaioth, the firstborn of Ishmael; and Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, 14Mishma, Dumah, Massa,15Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. 16These are the sons of Ishmael and these are their names, by their villages and by their encampments, twelve princes according to their tribes. 17(These are the years of the life of Ishmael: 137 years. He breathed his last and died, and was gathered to his people.) 18They settled from Havilah to Shur, which is opposite Egypt in the direction of Assyria. He settled over against all his kinsmen.

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Did you know that Abraham had at least two wives and concubines and the liaison with Hagar?

Did you know Abraham sent all his concubines and sons away to the East with gifts?

Did you know Ishmael and Isaac together buried thier Father Abraham?
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God is not endorsing Abraham's choices.
Have we forgot already that this is a story about God?

A Sheffield Working Man's Hero

But let's learn some things through a little review. God spent a lot of time on the Abraham project.
(How long has God been on your radar?)
Abraham lived 175 years. God didn't even ask Abram to start the journey of the covenant till he was 75 years old! So all the story we know spans the last 100 years of God's life. Of that bit, Isaac is the centre piece of the promise and he doesn't show up for 25 years! Lots of stuff happens but until Isaac is born were all wondering if God might have forgot. Well not really forgot but not sure what's going on. Then there is the sacrifice incident about 37 years after the call and initial promise. And although Genesis 25 puts a pretty good light on Abraham's life, the facts and a bit of reality sure look like a different story.

Abram is a foreigner with designs on other people's land. This would not make you immediately popular. Delayed by his dad's plans in Haran. Then he's moved out by famine to Egypt (this becomes a theme right through to Jesus). He had a run in with Egyptian authority's over a woman and convenient truth. Then he has a full scale war and had to rescue Lot. They have more encounters with God along the way, a city destroyed by fire from heaven , a pillar of salt for a niece-in-law, and the Hagar situation which becomes a major domestic scene. Things look like they might be turning around, over the years business had been good, Sarah had Isaac, God provided a lamb in the faith test. And then Sarah dies. So although once a foreigner always a foreigner, when faced with funeral negotiations for his wife Sarah's resting place the locals appear to be cordial enough.
Then we read about more wives, concubines and family schisms. And after all this time, waiting, trusting, and often doing the wrong thing Abraham's two sons Isaac and Ishmael who represent the biggest family feud many times worse and longer than the Hatfields and the McCoys, come together and bury their Father.

Abraham is not the star,  nor the villain.

We are not to read the bible story making our own saints of men who have exemplary faith or moral character.

We are to marvel at what God is doing through and in spite of mankind. What God is doing is on their behalf to glorify himself through his promise. A promise always pointing to Jesus. Whether we look back or forward with an expectation of his return or we were Abraham wondering why I'm sending away Ishmael or binding Isaac we are trusting God to write the story for his glory. and that is the way it should be.

This should help you get past yourself, your timetables, your judgemental attitudes and ask yourself, "What does God want me to believe about himself?"
What promise fulfilled in Jesus am I trusting in?

How can I quit trying to get my name on the marquee of my life's story.

Most Christians these days would be too embarrassed to have the things written about Abraham written in their biography. Abraham could never have been a church leader in the contemporary Christian church.

We think we are better than Abraham. And come to think of it we'd not have done ministry like Jesus did either.

We know better.

Don't we?

Bound Isaac

GEN 22:5-18 ESV

Then Abraham said to his young men, "Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you." And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. And Isaac said to his father Abraham, "My father!" And he said, "Here am I, my son." He said, "Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?" Abraham said, "God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son." So they went both of them together. When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, "Abraham, Abraham!" And he said, "Here am I." He said, "Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me." And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called the name of that place, "The Lord will provide"; as it is said to this day, "On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided."  And the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven and said, "By myself I have sworn, declares the Lord , because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice."
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You've been blessed by God because of this very difficult episode.

" for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me."

Jesus is the lamb provided as a sacrifice by God instead.

Jesus is God's only son.

Look at what the author of Hebrews says Abraham was thinking as he prepared to sacrifice Isaac.

Hebrews 11:17-19 ESV

By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, "Through Isaac shall your offspring be named." He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.

Now consider God the Father. Think about his offering of Jesus. Think how God planned to raise Jesus from the dead. See how Jesus is the lamb that God provided.

John 1:28-29 ESV

These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing. The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

Do you fear God?

What are you withholding?

What is God asking you to give?

Who will be blessed by God when you obey God by giving?

Mistaken identity

Genesis 21:1-7 ESV

The Lord
visited Sarah
as he had said, and the Lord did to Sarah as he had promised.
And Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age
at the time of which God had spoken to him. Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore him, Isaac.  And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old,
as God had commanded him. Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. And Sarah said,
"God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh over me." And she said, "Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age."
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How many times have you heard this story? I know I've heard it many times. And it seems to me every time I've ever heard it before I've left thinking of Abraham and even more so of Sarah. And to be sure both of them are key characters. We should empathise with them. It is an exciting miracle. A very old couple have become first time parents. Sarah is ninety! Ninety year old women don't have babies!
But this is not first and foremost a story about Abraham, Sarah, or Isaac.

This is a story about God!

If you take a moment to thumb through your Bible around these chapters in Genesis. Look for the number of times the narration punctuates the action with God or the Lord. God said. The Lord said. The Lord went. God came. God caused.
And crucially in these seven verses above, God has made.

Listen to how Paul puts God the focus of Abraham's sorry in Romans,
Romans 4:19-22 ESV

He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead ( since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah's womb. No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. That is why his faith was "counted to him as righteousness."

Romans 9:8-11 ESV

This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring. For this is what the promise said: "About this time next year I will return, and Sarah shall have a son." And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God's purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls—

Later the author of the book of Hebrews sheds this light on these events,

Hebrews 11:11-19 ESV

By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore. These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city. By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, "Through Isaac shall your offspring be named." He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.

In every case the story is about God. Is your life story about God? Are you putting your faith in the promise of God to you?

When you review your past or contemplate your future is it seen though the lens of God's plan and God's promise?

Don't try to be the star of this epic saga. Trust God who, keeps giving. Expect God to enable you to fulfil his promise to you.

Do you even know God's promise to you? Here's a clue it is a promise about Jesus. Jesus is the son of promise, born out of time. Born into impossible circumstances. Born to declare God's intention to save. Born to show God to you. Jesus is ultimately the one who in every way fulfils the many promises of God.

Do you know him?
Do you trust him?
Are you expecting him to work out the promise of God to you?
Are you making sure the story of your life is a story about God fulfilling his promise through Jesus?

A Catch-Up Day Promise

I'm currently on day seven of a ten week plan to read through the first five books of the Bible written by Moses. Every week the plan has built in a catch-up day. Here's a bit about the reading plan and an invitation to join me. For today's Bible thought skip to the passage from 2 Timothy. On this catch-up day I decided to add in another reading plan and I have included information about it and have written today's note in response to it. I'll plan to read this plan once a week on the catch-up days if I'm not behind.
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Info and invite
Old Testament – The Books of Moses

10 Weeks

This simple plan will lead you through the first five books of the Old Testament. With just a few chapters to read each day, this is a great plan for individual or group study.

This plan was created by YouVersion. For more information, visit: www.youversion.com

bible.us/r/3a Join me in reading Old Testament – The Books of Moses:

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2TI 4:16-18 ESV

At my first defense no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me. May it not be charged against them! But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion's mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

Pray: God, connect with me here, as I seek you in your Word. Begin with focus and openness to see what God has for you.

Read: the selected section of Scripture slowly. Take note of intriguing words and phrases and read them a second time.
Reflect: on what strikes you as you read. Think through what God is communicating to you at this point in your life.

Respond: to the passage. Speak to God directly about what's on your mind and heart. Look for ways to live out what you've uncovered.

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Info about the 7 Days of God's Promises plan below

God's Promises

7 Days

Friends and loved ones will occasionally let us down; nobody's perfect. But when others disappoint us, we can take comfort in knowing God never fails.

We would like to thank American Bible Society for their generosity in providing this Uncover the Word reading plan.
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William's thoughts on today's passage.
Paul is writing to encourage his young coworker in the gospel work, Timothy.

Both Timothy and Paul faced opposition from evil men who opposed the message about Jesus being talked about.
Any one who makes it thier aim to spread the good news about Jesus will have opposition from people like the ones opposing Paul and Timothy.
So you too should read these promises and find encouragement because it will happen to you.

Share it if it's good!

If you are a believer, you will be compelled by the Holy Spirit of God to tell others. It only makes sense. Who could keep it to themselves? Once I heard it is like one beggar telling the other beggars where he found free bread. I'm sure you are aware of the terrible wrath of God coming to this world and you can not let your friends, family members, neighbours and colleagues race headlong into such a hideous end if in fact you know how they can be saved. You wouldn't let a group of children walk around the corner and plunge into a fresh sinkhole leading to a volcanic pit of fire? You'd warn them. You'd offer to lead them to safety.

So the christian must tell about Jesus' being the way the truth and the life. But evil people will oppose you.

Paul says to Timothy here in the passage above, When you face opposition although people may fail you, Jesus will strengthen you. God will come to your aid.
You will be able to keep proclaiming the good news that Jesus saves us from the coming wrath of God. Jesus will stand by you strengthen you and rescue you so that you can keep telling others even when you are opposed or abandoned.

Jesus will save you too!

So keep telling unbelievers, keep telling each other, keep telling yourself, Jesus saves!

Is God not more just and merciful than you?

Genesis 18:32 ESV

Then he said, "Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak again but this once. Suppose ten are found there." He answered, "For the sake of ten I will not destroy it."
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Here in Genesis 18 God debates within himself the appropriateness of telling Abraham his plan to judge Sodom. (v.17) Abraham, most likely thinking of Lot, his nephew, begins to consider the consequences of judgement on Sodom.

Abraham like us knew Lot was wealthy and he had many employees, and some married daughters as well as sons in laws,  so from this considerable family and business surely there'd be 50 people who did not deserve to be judged. 

But Abraham reconsidered his original negotiation with God. He thought about things in Lot's town being pretty bad. So with determination and a bit of fear Abraham haggles with God down to a mere ten. Could this number represent just Lot and his immediate family?
Whatever it was Abraham had hoped there were ten! There were not ten.

But God let's Lot warn family that doesn't take heed and then let's Lot escape to a very small near by village.

I hope you read the Bible everyday and that you read it honestly.

Maybe you've followed along reading some of the passages I've been reading. If you have, you should be seeing a trend in Genesis so far.

People are given everything they need to do right and they choose to do wrong.

It starts with the curse and being driven out of Eden. Then there is Cain the murderer being driven to wander. And people go so far from God's way that during the time of Noah the whole of creation is judged for the wickedness of all the people. And Noah and his family are saved alone. Now Lot and his daughters are saved alone as fire and brimstone rain from heaven.

You should ask yourself, 'Will any one take God seriously?'

It is not like God had not displayed his power and intention. But what do we do with our free will? What do we do to our Eden? What do we do to our brother? What do we do to our neighbour or the weary travellers?

Who is faithful and who is corrupt?

And even now today you have a choice as do I. Who will I believe? Who will I serve?  Who will I fear and worship?

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Genesis 18:25 ESV

Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?"

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God's promise to you today is a resounding yes. He will indeed do what is just. And yet he will also be merciful. And for your sake his mercy is your salvation.

Romans 5:17 ESV

For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.

Belief is the key to righteousness

Genesis 15:6 ESV

And he believed the Lord , and he counted it to him as righteousness.
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Abram is not young and he's moved around a bit. Although he's done well for himself financial news seen a bit of trouble too. It's not all been smooth sailing.
There was the initial call by God and then the delay in Haran until Terrah, Abram's father died. Following that set back was the famine and trouble in Egypt.
Even prosperity had its drawbacks as the families' businesses had grown too large to stay in the same area and Abram humbly lets his nephew Lot have the choice land. Although that turns out to be a blessing in disguise. The better land fell prey to warrior raids and later judgment on Sodom with fire due to the wickedness.

So actually all God’s promises to Abram for all these years weren't panning out the way Abram thought they were going to. But God reassures Abram that God's plan was still on track despite what seemed like a long string of setbacks.
And Abram believed God. Not a slap happy foolish belief that denies all that had happened nor the hardship ahead. But God recognises it as belief nonetheless.
Abram still needs some convincing but is still counted as believing.

Are you believing God's promises? Will your belief be seen by God as righteousness?

Abram will have to wait quite a bit longer and he'll falter a bit and even take some bad advice from his wife and take God's promise into his own hands only to fail and set in motion a conflict that exists to this day.

But God makes good on his promises. To be sure Abram doesn’t in his life get to see it all come to pass. But he knows it will. And it does.

What promise of God to you believe?
If you read the Bible and listen carefully as you do, God's promise for you in Jesus will become clear. But will you believe that God is faithful to his promise?

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Genesis 15:1-21 ESV

After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: "Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great." But Abram said, "O Lord God , what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?" And Abram said, "Behold, you have given me no offspring, and a member of my household will be my heir." And behold, the word of the Lord came to him: "This man shall not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir." And he brought him outside and said, "Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them." Then he said to him, "So shall your offspring be." And he believed the Lord , and he counted it to him as righteousness. And he said to him, "I am the Lord who brought you out from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to possess." But he said, "O Lord God , how am I to know that I shall possess it?" He said to him, "Bring me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtledove, and a young pigeon." And he brought him all these, cut them in half, and laid each half over against the other. But he did not cut the birds in half. And when birds of prey came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away. As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell on Abram. And behold, dreadful and great darkness fell upon him. Then the Lord said to Abram, "Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there, and they will be afflicted for four hundred years. But I will bring judgment on the nation that they serve, and afterward they shall come out with great possessions. As for yourself, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried in a good old age. And they shall come back here in the fourth generation, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete." When the sun had gone down and it was dark, behold, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces. On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, "To your offspring I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates, the land of the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites and the Jebusites."

Clarity on the pecking order

I've been gone on holiday for the past two weeks. During that time I finished reading the major prophets of the Old Testament ending with Daniel. Then I began reading the five books of Moses or the pentateuch (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy)

One clear theme coming through loud and clear is the determinative rule of God.

Daniel 2:21 ESV

He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding;

So how will you respond to this news?

Will you feel safe because you trust God? Will you view his awesome creative power, his control of world affairs, and his promise of protection as comfort?

Those who feel upset with God's leadership possibly don't trust God. Maybe you don't think God knows what he's doing.

But God looks at his creative work and assesses it as good.

Genesis 1:31 ESV

And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

But we should not assume that although God is in control and that he deems his creation as good means the world can not go bad. But should you assume that the world going bad means God has lost control.

In Daniel's account of the three young men thrown into the furnace they're answer shows a trust in God regardless of the circumstances of apparent outcome.

Daniel 3:16-18 ESV

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.  But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up."

  Things can look extremely bad. Even God can be throughly disgusted with the situation in this world, so much so that he is moved to intervene to set things right.
Genesis 6:5-8 ESV

The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the Lord was sorry that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. So the Lord said, "I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them." But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord .

But as can be seen, firstly, God is not without options or power. And even though it looks as bleak a can be God preserves his plan through Noah.

It is never or of God's control.
God is always working his plan out.
Even when it looks like everyone is gone wrong God is preserving people.

Can you let this truth change the way you think?

The Watchman is Responsible!

Ezekiel 33:1-13 NLT

Once again a message came to me from the Lord: “Son of man, give your people this message: ‘When I bring an army against a country, the people of that land choose one of their own to be a watchman. When the watchman sees the enemy coming, he sounds the alarm to warn the people. Then if those who hear the alarm refuse to take action, it is their own fault if they die. They heard the alarm but ignored it, so the responsibility is theirs. If they had listened to the warning, they could have saved their lives. But if the watchman sees the enemy coming and doesn’t sound the alarm to warn the people, he is responsible for their captivity. They will die in their sins, but I will hold the watchman responsible for their deaths.’ “Now, son of man, I am making you a watchman for the people of Israel. Therefore, listen to what I say and warn them for me. If I announce that some wicked people are sure to die and you fail to tell them to change their ways, then they will die in their sins, and I will hold you responsible for their deaths. But if you warn them to repent and they don’t repent, they will die in their sins, but you will have saved yourself. “Son of man, give the people of Israel this message: You are saying, ‘Our sins are heavy upon us; we are wasting away! How can we survive?’ As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of wicked people. I only want them to turn from their wicked ways so they can live.

Turn!

Turn from your wickedness, O people of Israel! Why should you die? “Son of man, give your people this message: The righteous behavior of righteous people will not save them if they turn to sin, nor will the wicked behavior of wicked people destroy them if they repent and turn from their sins. When I tell righteous people that they will live, but then they sin, expecting their past righteousness to save them, then none of their righteous acts will be remembered. I will destroy them for their sins.

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Are you neglecting your responsibility? Did you know God holds you responsible to warn people of his coming judgment? Ezekiel was given the job of being a watchman.

People need to know that the wrath of God is coming.

But rather than judging people the watchman's job is to warn, to plead, and to warn as one who shares the same fate. The watchman is from among the people, the watchman is chosen to warn and watch. The watchman lives among the people.

The watchman bears responsibility for the death of the people if he does not warn them.

Do you recognise you have a responsibility?

Do you know you are in peril?

Do you understand the peril facing those you have not warned?

You are responsible!

Who is the prince of Tyre?

Ezekiel 28:1-19, 25-26 NLT

Then this message came to me from the Lord: “Son of man, give the prince of Tyre this message from the Sovereign Lord: “In your great pride you claim, ‘I am a god! I sit on a divine throne in the heart of the sea.’ But you are only a man and not a god, though you boast that you are a god. You regard yourself as wiser than Daniel and think no secret is hidden from you. With your wisdom and understanding you have amassed great wealth— gold and silver for your treasuries. Yes, your wisdom has made you very rich, and your riches have made you very proud. “Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because you think you are as wise as a god, I will now bring against you a foreign army, the terror of the nations. They will draw their swords against your marvelous wisdom and defile your splendor! They will bring you down to the pit, and you will die in the heart of the sea, pierced with many wounds. Will you then boast, ‘I am a god!’ to those who kill you? To them you will be no god but merely a man! You will die like an outcast at the hands of foreigners. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!” Then this further message came to me from the L ord : “Son of man, sing this funeral song for the king of Tyre. Give him this message from the Sovereign Lord: “You were the model of perfection, full of wisdom and exquisite in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God. Your clothing was adorned with every precious stone — red carnelian, pale-green peridot, white moonstone, blue-green beryl, onyx, green jasper, blue lapis lazuli, turquoise, and emerald— all beautifully crafted for you and set in the finest gold. They were given to you on the day you were created. I ordained and anointed you as the mighty angelic guardian. You had access to the holy mountain of God and walked among the stones of fire. “You were blameless in all you did from the day you were created until the day evil was found in you. Your rich commerce led you to violence, and you sinned. So I banished you in disgrace from the mountain of God. I expelled you, O mighty guardian, from your place among the stones of fire. Your heart was filled with pride because of all your beauty. Your wisdom was corrupted by your love of splendor. So I threw you to the ground and exposed you to the curious gaze of kings. You defiled your sanctuaries with your many sins and your dishonest trade. So I brought fire out from within you, and it consumed you. I reduced you to ashes on the ground in the sight of all who were watching. All who knew you are appalled at your fate. You have come to a terrible end, and you will exist no more.”

“This is what the Sovereign Lord says: The people of Israel will again live in their own land, the land I gave my servant Jacob. For I will gather them from the distant lands where I have scattered them. I will reveal to the nations of the world my holiness among my people. They will live safely in Israel and build homes and plant vineyards. And when I punish the neighboring nations that treated them with contempt, they will know that I am the Lord their God.”
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Are you reading the Bible?

Is it changing your view of God?

When you read the Bible do you see the world differently?

I've had this passage running around in my head since I read it this morning.

I have lots of questions but to be honest not many answers.

Then it dawned on me. I'm reading these verses focused on the wrong subject.

When ever you read the Bible you have got to keep the main thing the main thing.

So what does this part of the Bible say about God?

Trickle Down Systemic Sin

Ezekiel 22:23-31 NLT

Again a message came to me from the Lord: “Son of man, give the people of Israel this message: In the day of my indignation, you will be like a polluted land, a land without rain. Your princes plot conspiracies just as lions stalk their prey. They devour innocent people, seizing treasures and extorting wealth. They make many widows in the land. Your priests have violated my instructions and defiled my holy things. They make no distinction between what is holy and what is not. And they do not teach my people the difference between what is ceremonially clean and unclean. They disregard my Sabbath days so that I am dishonored among them. Your leaders are like wolves who tear apart their victims. They actually destroy people’s lives for money! And your prophets cover up for them by announcing false visions and making lying predictions. They say, ‘My message is from the Sovereign Lord,’ when the Lord hasn’t spoken a single word to them. Even common people oppress the poor, rob the needy, and deprive foreigners of justice. “

I looked for someone who might rebuild the wall of righteousness that guards the land. I searched for someone to stand in the gap in the wall so I wouldn’t have to destroy the land, but I found no one. So now I will pour out my fury on them, consuming them with the fire of my anger. I will heap on their heads the full penalty for all their sins. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!”

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One of the economic policies of the past 30 years was termed "trickle down" but it's not new. And the policy falls over in the same way that communism did. Both systems assume people are good. The conservatives think the rich will be kind and benevolent and the liberals think people will be honest and fair.
But just like this indictment from God through Ezekiel to God's people nearly three thousand years ago shows people haven't changed. Enlightened, educated, informed people at all levels of society take advantage of those under them.
What does seem to trickle down is corruption. So the result is oppression and suffering at every level. And everyone is in on it. The aristocracy harms the weak and their good position is not used for justice. The religious elite fail to fulfil their duty and don't set an upright example. The leaders of the people abuse their position and so destroy others for their own financial gain. The Prophets collude with the leaders. And the common person is abusive to the vulnerable too.

The result is the wrath of God!

Even with all the evil corruption God sought out people who would help rebuild a society of protection. God looked for individuals that would be a voice for the poor, the weak and the oppressed. But no one took seriously God's word. None were willing to 'stand in the gap.'

Although we should aspire to be better and although we should want leaders without corruption, men are never going to be truly trustworthy.

We must trust God who is the only one not corrupt. We must trust God who stands in the gap. We must trust Jesus who was a voice for the poor and oppressed. Our only hope is to hide behind the very one who can judge us. The only safe place is by the judge.

If you want a society that is right don't look to men, look to God.

(written while playing with my nearly three year old grandson .)

Not a fairy tale.

Not a fairy tale. real people, real places,

Ezekiel 20:1-3 NLT

On August 14, during the seventh year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity, some of the leaders of Israel came to request a message from the Lord. They sat down in front of me to wait for his reply. Then this message came to me from the Lord: “Son of man, tell the leaders of Israel, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: How dare you come to ask me for a message? As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord , I will tell you nothing!’

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The Bible is littered with times, places and people.

The Bible isn't self-congratulatory of God's people nor does it paint the picture of a man-made God. The gods of men usually are all sop or all bluster. Sugarcoated gods of self aggrandisement fill the pages of fiction in cultures around the world.

The one true God works in time and space although he exists beyond them.

So six days and nearly three thousand years before my birthday during the reign of an exiled Jewish king plotting a coup against the powerful Babylonians with Egypt, God's prophet spoke on God's behalf to His rebellious people.

See? Time, place, people are all represented. Although God is unknowable far beyond a mystery, He works within time and history!

And what does he say? This God says some unexpected things. And firstly this time he says he'll say nothing.

Real people, real places,
hurt feelings and downcast faces
The Bible records a tale of woe
And God's own people become his foe
Travel in time and you'd find them there Plotting schemers God will not spare
Trusting, humble hearts He does require
If they are to avoid the judgment fire

A costly defeat!

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(First published on 12/19/11, edited and republished 03/05/13)

{Middle of the last book of the Bible}

Revelation 12:9 

This great dragon—the ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, the one deceiving the whole world—was thrown down to the earth with all his angels.

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The Devil is real! Here in Revelation chapter 12 you get a great correlation of information, Dragon, Serpent, Devil, Satan, "fallen" Angel all referring to the same entity or being.

Satan is described as this great enemy of God and accuser of us who believe in God.

If you read on in the passage (included below) you'll see those people that Satan accuses are the same who defeat him by the Blood of the Lamb. You with Jesus defeat Satan! Not only is there a great enemy but He is defeated. But at a cost? We win but blood is shed. And it is the blood of Jesus and his followers' blood that is shed.

The defeat of Satan is sure, but it is also sure that it is costly to defeat him.

Jesus blood was a great cost. You too must suffer and some of the followers of Jesus will suffer to death to be involved in the defeat of Satan.

Have you thought about the serious and important role you have in the fight against evil?  God's salvation involves his people's participation. Please follower of Jesus don't ignore the fact that, Satan is a real and powerful enemy. But also don't despair, because we are confident that the Devil's defeat is sure!

But recognise this defeat comes at a great cost and you will suffer. Although this suffering now is nothing compared with Jesus' suffering and your suffering is guaranteed a victorious outcome.

The book of Revelation is full of picture language, simile, metaphor, analogy and symbolism. But although it is full of figures of speech, Revelation is also plain and clear. Because the pictures aren't as familiar as the ones we use today the meaning seems a bit more obscure. If you don't understand then email me and I'll write you a paragraph of current modern picture language /slang that you'll understand but won't mean exactly what it says but will mean exactly what you'll understand.

Here's are some guidelines for understanding the Bible:

• Always ask what this passage contributed to God's revelation of Jesus. Genesis to Revelation the Bible is about Jesus. That's what Jesus said. Look for Jesus. What does this part of the Bible tell me about God's character, promise, will or expectations?
• Compare the Bible with the Bible. Jesus referred to the Bible nearly in everything he said. It not only reinforced the truth but further explained it.
• What did this mean for the original audience? Try to understand the words firstly in the whole Jesus /Biblical context and then secondly what did the immediate context of the first intended audience understand by it?
• Lastly, how can this move you to trust Jesus today?

Revelation 12:1-18 NLT

Then I witnessed in heaven an event of great significance. I saw a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon beneath her feet, and a crown of twelve stars on her head. She was pregnant, and she cried out because of her labor pains and the agony of giving birth. Then I witnessed in heaven another significant event. I saw a large red dragon with seven heads and ten horns, with seven crowns on his heads. His tail swept away one-third of the stars in the sky, and he threw them to the earth. He stood in front of the woman as she was about to give birth, ready to devour her baby as soon as it was born. She gave birth to a son who was to rule all nations with an iron rod. And her child was snatched away from the dragon and was caught up to God and to his throne. And the woman fled into the wilderness, where God had prepared a place to care for her for 1,260 days. Then there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon and his angels. And the dragon lost the battle, and he and his angels were forced out of heaven. This great dragon—the ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, the one deceiving the whole world—was thrown down to the earth with all his angels. Then I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens, “It has come at last— salvation and power and the Kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters has been thrown down to earth— the one who accuses them before our God day and night. And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony. And they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die. Therefore, rejoice, O heavens! And you who live in the heavens, rejoice! But terror will come on the earth and the sea, for the devil has come down to you in great anger, knowing that he has little time.” When the dragon realized that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. But she was given two wings like those of a great eagle so she could fly to the place prepared for her in the wilderness. There she would be cared for and protected from the dragon for a time, times, and half a time. Then the dragon tried to drown the woman with a flood of water that flowed from his mouth. But the earth helped her by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that gushed out from the mouth of the dragon. And the dragon was angry at the woman and declared war against the rest of her children—all who keep God’s commandments and maintain their testimony for Jesus. Then the dragon took his stand on the shore beside the sea.

https://soundcloud.com/wkbode/the-defeat-of-the-devil

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Excessive Sin Given Excessive Forgiveness

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Ezekiel 16:23-25, 42-43, 48-52, 62-63 NLT

“What sorrow awaits you, says the Sovereign Lord. In addition to all your other wickedness, you built a pagan shrine and put altars to idols in every town square. On every street corner you defiled your beauty, offering your body to every passerby in an endless stream of prostitution.

“Then at last my fury against you will be spent, and my jealous anger will subside. I will be calm and will not be angry with you anymore. But first, because you have not remembered your youth but have angered me by doing all these evil things, I will fully repay you for all of your sins, says the Sovereign Lord. For you have added lewd acts to all your detestable sins.

As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, Sodom and her daughters were never as wicked as you and your daughters. Sodom’s sins were pride, gluttony, and laziness, while the poor and needy suffered outside her door. She was proud and committed detestable sins,  so I wiped her out, as you have seen. “Even Samaria did not commit half your sins. You have done far more detestable things than your sisters ever did. They seem righteous compared to you. Shame on you! Your sins are so terrible that you make your sisters seem righteous, even virtuous.

And I will reaffirm my covenant with you, and you will know that I am the Lord. You will remember your sins and cover your mouth in silent shame when I forgive you of all that you have done. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!”

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Having grown up hearing people preach and teach the Bible and continuing to hear it for the better part of these past 47 years I have heard of Sodom. Who hasn't? Famous for their sin and maybe even more famous for their destruction by fire and brimstone rained down from heaven because of their terrible evil.

If a person wants to say that someone or some place is really perverted and evil then they compare them to Sodom!

Ezekiel puts things in perspective. First, the really detestable thing about Sodom contrary to common misconception isn't apparently their lewd sexual practices particularly homosexual gang rape of strangers. But rather Sodom is rebuked by God in Ezekiel for their economic unfairness! The people of Sodom apparently fostered an economic apathy towards the poor and this was the pinnacle of their sinful practice. Before you point that finger look in the mirror!

But secondly it turns out according to God we have the wrong iconic sinners! If you want to feel smug and point the finger at the real detestable sinners you'd have to point at God's people. Apparently, the all time evil lewd crude dudes were the Jews! Nobody was as evil , sexually promiscuous, or economically unfair than God's chosen people. 

The Sun finds a way through!

And God isn't messing around either he has judgements planned for them that are far worse than Sodom experienced. And it is a bit embarrassing when you think the Israelites themselves used to always point the finger at bad old Sodom or the dolt Samaria only to look in the mirror and see they were the really bad guys! Remember Abraham pleaded with God to save Sodom if only a handful of people were not completely against God. But it turns out no one was good so they all had to die a terrible death as did their children, babies  animals, and culture. If Abraham could not save Sodom, he will not be able to save the worst sinners of all time, Israel.

But hold on! What is God ending this passage with now? He has exposed his people as completely off the chart sinners of a magnitude unheard of and then he says the whole lot will be restored. Sodom, Samaria, and the all time gross sad filthy disgusting people of God too will be forgiven!

Watch out who you think you are better than!

Watch out who God can forgive and restore!

Look for Unity.

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Ezekiel 9:4-10 NASB

The Lord said to him, "Go through the midst of the city, even through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and groan over all the abominations which are being committed in its midst." But to the others He said in my hearing, "Go through the city after him and strike; do not let your eye have pity and do not spare. Utterly slay old men, young men, maidens, little children, and women, but do not touch any man on whom is the mark; and you shall start from My sanctuary." So they started with the elders who were before the temple. And He said to them, "Defile the temple and fill the courts with the slain. Go out!" Thus they went out and struck down the people in the city. As they were striking the people and I alone was left, I fell on my face and cried out saying, "Alas, Lord God ! Are You destroying the whole remnant of Israel by pouring out Your wrath on Jerusalem?"   Then He said to me, "The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is very, very great, and the land is filled with blood and the city is full of perversion; for they say, 'The Lord has forsaken the land, and the Lord does not see!' But as for Me, My eye will have no pity nor will I spare, but I will bring their conduct upon their heads."

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Ezekiel 11:19-20 NASB

And I will give them one heart, 

and put a new spirit within them. And I will take the heart of stone out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in My statutes and keep My ordinances and do them. 

Then they will be My people, and I shall be their God. 

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Three Sisters in Unity!

Transformation of the human heart may be the greatest miracle ever planned and performed by God.

Listen to the promise of restoration:

Unity characterises the first move of God in bringing restoration. Do you want to know if you are in a revival? Ask yourself if God is creating unity in worship and obedience.

Have people begun to act in obedience to God's word in unison? Are they obedient soft hearted and identifying themselves as God's people?

Unity, soft-heartedness, obedience to God and a strong identity with God are the characteristics of real restoration.


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