Move Africa

And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him. And when Jacob saw them, he said, This is God’s host: and he called the name of that place Mahanaim. …….. Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed: and he divided the people that was with him, and the flocks, and herds, and the camels, into two bands; …… And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him. And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. Genesis 32:1-2, 7, 24-26

Obeying the Lord, the has the assurance of protection of Angels. The Lord pull back the cover of the spirit world and allows Jacob to see the Angelic Host which will accompany him.

In verse 7, Jacob did not remember the host of Angels around him? Before we criticize Jacob, we must as well, look at ourselves.

God had a controversy with Jacob because of his faulty life. When as a consequence, he found himself in deadly peril and realised that God Himself was behind that peril, and that it really was not with his brother Esau that he had to contend, but rather with the Angel of Jehovah Himself, he then learned a valuable lesson.

When sore broken by that Mighty Hand, when he ceased to wrestle and clung instead with weeping and supplication to the very God Who wounded him, it was then he got the victory and the glorious name of “Israel”

The great principle that God cannot give victory “to the flesh” appears in this scene. It is the broken heart that begins to experience what Divine Power means. Better for the sun to rise upon a limping Israel than to set upon a lying Jacob.

Jacob, for his misconduct, was exiled from the Promised Land, having nothing but his staff. He returns a wealthy prince, but lamed. So Israel, cast out of Jehovah’s land because of her sin, also will return with abundance, but broken and contrite in spirit, all typified by Jacob.

God had to cripple the “flesh” in Jacob, as He has to cripple the flesh in us. It can only be done one way: Beloved, it is the Holy Spirit Alone Who can subdue the flesh. He demands only one thing of us, and that is that our Faith be anchored squarely in Christ and the Cross, never wavering.
Apostle Paul said “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.”

LET’S PRAY
Holy Spirit, by Divine Mercy and Favour, subdue my flesh in total obedience of Your Word and Will. Holy Spirit, anchor my faith squarely in the Finished Work of Jesus Christ at the Cross.

BENEDICTION
Now the God of peace HIMSELF give you peace ALWAYS by ALL means. The Lord be with you as He has been with Jacob and bless him Israel. Fountain 😇

Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off. And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you. …. And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together…. And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah Jireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen. Genesis 22:4-5,8,13-14

The name, “Jehovah-Jireh,” means “the LORD will see” or “provide.” Provide what?
He will provide a Redeemer, which all of this, as it regards the proposed offering of Isaac, represented.

The great test of Faith which the Lord required of Abraham, as it regards the proposed offering of his son Isaac, was for the purpose of telling the great Patriarch how mankind would be delivered. It would be by and through the death of God’s Only Son, of which Isaac was a Type.

However, as the Lord told Abraham of the MANNER of Redemption, which would be by death, He did not tell him HOW this death would be brought about, which would be by the Cross.

That information would be given to Moses some 400 years later “And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.” Numbers 21:8-9

LET’S PRAY
Almighty God, by Your Divine Mercy and Favour open my heart to Your Word for revelation concerning my purpose in life. O Lord, connect my heart to Your Heart in Your Word by Divine Mercy and Favour to see life clearly as You see it. Open my spiritual ears to hear when You speak and follow Your leading in all l do to glorify You in Jesus’ Name.

BENEDICTION
Now, the Lord of peace HIMSELF give you peace ALWAYS by all MEANS. May the Ever Faithful God be with you ALWAYS to walk in power and perpetual Victory due to the Finished Work of Christ on the Cross in the matchless name of Jesus Christ. Fountain 😇

“And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking. Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac. And the thing was very grievous in Abraham’s sight because of his son.” Genesis 21:9-11

The effect of the birth of Isaac was to make manifest the character of Ishmael. Ishmael hated Isaac and so did his mother, Hagar. Prompted by her, Ishmael sought to murder Isaac, “But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.” Galatians 4:29 and, with his mother, was justly expelled.

Both merited the severer sentence of death. Thus, the birth of Isaac, which filled Sarah’s heart with joy, filled Hagar’s with murder.

Isaac and Ishmael symbolise the new and the old natures in the Believer. Hagar and Sarah typify the two covenant of works and Grace, of bondage and liberty.

The birth of the new nature demands the expulsion of the old. It is impossible, in fact, to improve the old nature. The Holy Spirit says it is “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” Romans 8:7

If, therefore, the old nature cannot be subject to the Law of God, how can it be improved?

How foolish, therefore, appears the doctrine of moral evolution!

The Divine way of holiness is to “put off the old man” just as Abraham “put off” Ishmael. Man’s way of holiness is to improve the “old man” that is, to improve Ishmael. The effort is both foolish and hopeless.

The only way the “old man,” which refers to the old way, the way of the flesh, can be put off is by the Believer evidencing and maintaining Faith in Christ and the Cross. As the Cross is the only answer for “sin,” it also is the only answer for “self” “And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.” Luke 9:23-24

LET’S PRAY
O God Creator of heaven and earth, by Your Divine Mercy and Favour open my heart to hear and agree with Your Word for deeper revelation, knowledge and understanding to do Your Will everyday in every circumstances in the glorious name of Jesus Christ.

BENEDICTION
Now, the Lord of peace HIMSELF give you peace ALWAYS by all MEANS. May the Ever Faithful God be with you to walk in power and perpetual Victory always due to the Finished Work of Christ on the Cross in the matchless name of Jesus Christ. Fountain 😇

“After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward. …. And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness.” Genesis 15:1, 4-6

If one properly understand the verse 6 of today’s Scripture, then one basically understands the entirety of the Bible.

What is this that Abraham believed?

First of all “he believed in the Lord.” And what does that mean?

Regarding the dealings of the Lord with Abraham, this means that Abraham believed that God ultimately would send a Redeemer into the world and would do so through his offspring.

The Apostle Paul in addressing this very thing said “Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.” Galatians 3:16

So the entire nation of Israel, which would come from the loins of Abraham and the womb of Sarah, was but one reason and that was to bring forth “One Seed, which is Christ.” That “Seed” was brought forth for one reason, and one reason only, and that was to go to the Cross which was necessary, that is, if the sin debt was to be paid and man thereby redeemed.

In essence, “Christ and Him Crucified” presents the entirety of the story of the Bible. Consequently, that’s where my Faith and your Faith had better be anchored. “For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.” Romans 4:3

LET’S PRAY
Heavenly Father, by Your Divine Mercy and Favour open my spiritual eyes and ears in Your Word to build my Faith to trust You always. Open my heart for understanding in Your Word for revelation concerning my life, ministry and current situation in the glorious name of Jesus Christ.

BENEDICTION
May the God of HOPE fill you with all JOY and PEACE in believing, so that by the POWER of the Holy Spirit you may abound in HOPE. May you have Faith in Christ and what He did at the Cross be established, well grounded with His peace and tranquility by all means. 😇

“And the Lord appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the Lord, who appeared unto him. And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he built an altar unto the Lord, and called upon the name of the Lord.” Genesis 12:7-8

“Beth-el” means “House of God.” “Hai” means “garbage dump”

The Altar alone, typifying the Cross, can keep the Believer to know the difference between the “House of God” and the “garbage dump” other than by the Cross. That’s the reason we have do much false doctrine presently and so many Christians following false doctrine.

For the last several decades, the Church has drifted so far from the Cross that it hardly knows any more where it has been, where it is or where it is going. Because it no longer plants its doctrine on the foundation of the Cross, it has lost completely its moorings.

Without an understanding of the Cross, there is absolutely no discernment regarding false doctrine.

That’s the reason that Paul the apostle said: “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times (the times in which we are now) some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils” 1 Timothy 4:1

A “departure from the Faith” i.e., Christ and Him Crucified” is the reason!

Never forget: Satan dresses up his: garbage dump” to look like something else altogether. In other words, they look like anything, but garbage dumps; and, without an understanding of the Cross, invariably that’s the way the Believer will go. Galatians 6:14

LET’S PRAY
Heavenly Father, by Your Divine Mercy and Favour, open my eyes to see Your Heart to enable me follow Your leading to see as You see, to desire as You desires and do what You do for Your Glory in the glorious name of Jesus Christ.

BENEDICTION
Now the God of Hope fill you (……….) with all Joy and Peace in believing that you (…….) may abound in Hope, through the Power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will help you (……) have all these things if you (……) place your Faith exclusively in Christ and the Cross. 😇

“And Noah builded an altar unto the LORD; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake; for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done. While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.” Genesis 8:20-22

Noah built an Altar and worshiped; not the Altar, but God. The Altar was the instrument of his Salvation, as the Cross was Paul’s, and every other Believer who has ever lived. But the Apostle did not worship the Cross, as multitudes do today, but worshiped Him Who died upon it.

The “Altar” built by Noah and his sacrifices offered upon it were symbols of Christ and what He would do to redeem the lost sons of Adam’s fallen race. When Noah offered up his sacrifices, even as commanded by the Lord, the Scripture says that “the Lord smelled a sweet savor.”

What could have been “sweet” about carcass of an animal being burned to a crisp on an Altar?

The “sweet savor” had to do with what it represented, which was the Coming Redeemer, Whose Coming and Sacrifice of Himself would redeem fallen humanity.

Please, understand: The Lord “smells a sweet savor” only as it regards our Faith in Christ and what He did for us at the Cross. This means that everything else is repugnant to Him, coming up rather as a “stink” in His nostrils.

That rules out every fad, every scheme, anything and everything for that matter, which is not anchored solely in “But we preach Christ crucified…. 1 Corinthians 1:23

Every single Believer should, therefore, check very carefully as to what his Pastor is preaching. If he or she is not preaching the Cross, there is no “sweet savor” going up to the Lord, but something else entirely!

LET’S PRAY
Heavenly Father, by Your Divine Mercy and Favour, open my understanding to know Your will concerning my health, marriage, family, children, business, finances, career, ministry and current situation in the glorious name of Jesus Christ

BENEDICTION
Now the Lord of peace HIMSELF give you peace ALWAYS by ALL MEANS. The Lord be with you all. 😇

Saint Paul said in his darkest hour of trial: “…we rejoice in hope of the glory of God” (Romans 5:2, ESV).

Hope is faith reaching out in the darkness knowing the God we serve never fails. Hope achieves the impossible! In what area of your life is hope fading or gone? Revive it! God gave His only begotten Son to redeem us and give us hope for the future. Jesus gave His life.

Through the pages of Scripture, Jesus offers hope for a better life. If God has done it in the past, He will do it today. Therefore, our hope is based on God’s performance knowing that He is faithful to His Word, which accomplishes all He has assigned it to accomplish.

God doesn’t use you because you are holy or because of your holiness. God has never had anybody qualified working for Him yet, never!
Seriously, don’t think because I’m the Pastor, I’m qualified than you. Friends, l was and still am, so unqualified to do His job. You too! Do you know what has God done? God has taken my unqualified self and shown me how to connect with Him, so He can do what I couldn’t do. And He put me in a position where I have to depend on Him.

My dearly beloved in Christ, get this imprinted on your mind and heart now and always for the rest of your life that “God doesn’t call the qualified, God qualifies the called!” So, read the Bible, study the Bible, talk about the Bible, get in the Word, and get the Word in you.

Stay connected and focused on Jesus Christ, Who is the Fountain of Life, for in His Light we see light leading us to the Cross of Christ for Victory.