Sunday, March 23, 2008

Let your light shine

Let your light shine
 
The light from an exploding star 7.5 billion light years away set a record Wednesday for the most distant object ever seen with the naked eye. It's also the brightest gamma-ray burst afterglow ever seen. (aol news)
 
 Light travels at a speed of 186,000 miles a second. Astronauts have attached a mirror to a rock on the moon; scientists on earth can aim a laser at this mirror and measure the travel time of the laser pulse--about two and a half seconds for the round trip. Electro magnetic waves and radio waves travel at the same speed as light, so there is a strong indication that electro magnetic waves and light are similar, perhaps another form of light? How long then is a light year? Five trillion, 879 billion earth miles. (5,878,625,373,183.61 ). How big is the creation, who can know? How vast is the mind of God?
 
God is pure light, a consuming fire. Light is energy and energy is power. New age thinking and Star Wars theology sees the energy as the force. A force for good and a force for evil. The Bible describes our Father God, as all powerful, the creator of all there is and a person. God is Spiritual and eternal, all powerful persons. In the vastness of light and space and time we know God as the Alpha and the Omega, the same title is given to Jesus, the Son of God and the son of man. They are Spirit as well as another person of God we know as the Holy Spirit. All three are life giving Spirits and are one God. Satan is a fallen star, the power of darkness  or possibly spiritual antimatter. Absence of light:  For years, astronomers have been baffled by the source of antimatter. Now, researchers say the matter-annihilating material is generated when stars get ripped apart by black holes or neutron stars. In the spiritual, hell is a place without light. Satan's  purpose is to lie and to steal kill and destroy.  God the Father gave us life, Jesus restores that lost spiritual life and the Holy Spirit keeps it shining and is the personal power to witness this life. Jesus came as a life giving spirit. Jesus is the light of the world. Let your light shine for the gloryof God. Jesus is risen!

Saturday, March 22, 2008

God of the resurrection

God of  the resurrection
 
Our God is a life giving God. The three personalities of God are for our new life in him. Each personality brings the ability to overcome death and to give eternal life. God is one God.
 
John 8:56  Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.
John 8:57  Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?
John 8:58  Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.
 
Mat 22:31  But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying,
Mat 22:32  I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.
 
Peter receives a revelation, but still relies on the natural mind. The Spirit had not yet been poured out.
 
Mat 16:15  He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
Mat 16:16  And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
Mat 16:17  And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
Mat 16:18  And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Mat 16:19  And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Mat 16:20  Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.
Mat 16:21  From that time forth began Jesus to show unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.
Mat 16:22  Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.
Mat 16:23  But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.

 
John 5:25  Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.
John 5:26  For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;
John 5:27  And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.
John 5:28  Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
John 5:29  And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

Jesus, the resurrection power 

John 11:21  Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.
John 11:22  But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee.
John 11:23  Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.
John 11:24  Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.
John 11:25  Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
John 11:26  And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
John 11:27  She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.
John 11:28  And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is come, and calleth for thee.
John 11:29  As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came unto him.
John 11:30  Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha met him.
John 11:31  The Jews then which were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily and went out, followed her, saying, She goeth unto the grave to weep there.
John 11:32  Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.
John 11:33  When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled,
John 11:34  And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see.
John 11:35  Jesus wept.
John 11:36  Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him!
John 11:37  And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died?
John 11:38  Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it.
John 11:39  Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.
John 11:40  Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?
John 11:41  Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.
John 11:42  And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.
John 11:43  And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.
John 11:44  And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.
John 11:45  Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him.
 
Jesus spoke in his home town
 
Mat 13:57  And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.
Mat 13:58  And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.
Mat 14:1  At that time Herod the tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus,
Mat 14:2  And said unto his servants, This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead; and therefore mighty works do show forth themselves in him.

He is greater than John

 
John 10:17  Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.
John 10:18  No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.
 
Acts 10:38  How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
Acts 10:39  And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree:
Acts 10:40  Him God raised up the third day, and showed him openly;


1 Cor 6:14  And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power.
 
Rom 8:11  But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
 Acts 4:33  And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.
1 Cor 15:45  And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
1 Cor 15:46  Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
1 Cor 15:47  The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.
 
2 Cor 13:4  For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you.
 
Phil 3:8  Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
Phil 3:9  And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
Phil 3:10  That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
Phil 3:11  If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
Phil 3:12  Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
 

Col 3:1  If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
Col 3:2  Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
Col 3:3  For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
Col 3:4  When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

Monday, March 10, 2008

Producing a Harvest - Isaiah 28

Producing a Harvest

Isa 28:23 Give ye ear, and hear my voice; hearken, and hear my speech.

God is speaking to the southern kingdom of Judah. Listen to me now you rulers of Jerusalem.

Isa 28:24 Doth the plowman plow all day to sow? doth he open and break the clods of his ground?

The LORD is using a parable, as to how he brings forth fruit out of his people. First he must break up the ground to prepare it for planting. The heart is hard and must be broken or made open, to accept the seed, the word of God that He wants to plant. Jesus spoke a parable also, about sowing seed and the different ground or hearts.

Mat 13:5 Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:
Mat 13:6 And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.
Mat 13:7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:
Mat 13:8 But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.

The soil must be prepared and things happen to prepare our hearts to receive of the seed of God's word.

Isa 28:25 When he hath made plain the face thereof, doth he not cast abroad the fitches, and scatter the cummin, and cast in the principal wheat and the appointed barley and the rie in their place?

A farmer knows where and how to plant the seed, so does our heavenly Father.

Isa 28:26 For his God doth instruct him to discretion, and doth teach him.

A wise man listens to God; we are led by the Holy Spirit as to where to plant the seed of God's message. Isaiah spoke to those God wanted him to speak too and at the appointed time. Seed planted at the wrong season will not grow.

Isa 28:27 For the fitches are not threshed with a threshing instrument, neither is a cart wheel turned about upon the cummin; but the fitches are beaten out with a staff, and the cummin with a rod.

Even the harvesting requires certain tools and abilities. I have heard that the rod and the staff refer to God's word and his spirit. Both of these are required to bring a harvest tothe master. Be not afraid to witness, for people need to be saved from hell and they need hope. The focus is on their new life.

Psa 23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Isa 28:28 Bread corn is bruised; because he will not ever be threshing it, nor break it with the wheel of his cart, nor bruise it with his horsemen.

Bread corn requires grinding; the other instruments are not suitable to prepare it. So it is with some who must be broken and crushed before they come to the Lord.

Mat 21:44 And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

I can't help but to see Jesus going before us. He was beaten and bruised for us and hung on a cross to prepare the way for us. He is the way, the truth and the life.

Isa 28:29 This also cometh forth from the LORD of hosts, which is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working.

This was a message from God, for Jerusalem and for us. He is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working. This too is from Jesus, the Word of God.

Isa 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Psa 8:9 O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!

Saturday, March 8, 2008

Increase - Genesis 30

Increase

Gen 30:22 And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb.

Luke 18:7 And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?

Gen 30:23 And she conceived, and bare a son; and said, God hath taken away my reproach:
Gen 30:24 And she called his name Joseph; and said, The LORD shall add to me another son.

The name Joseph, is made from two words, meaning to gather and to add to. God shall add; The LORD shall add to me another son. Rachel considered her son as the beginning of a "collection" of babies. She had demanded a son and after 14 years God had complied. We should be careful of how we see God; is he a servant or is he our LORD? Jesus showed us the servant heart of God, that he wishes for us to have. Rachel was used to having her own way and she manipulated people to get her own way. Have thine own way LORD. Thou art the Potter, I am the clay.

Gen 30:25 And it came to pass, when Rachel had born Joseph, that Jacob said unto Laban, Send me away, that I may go unto mine own place, and to my country.

His home was the piece of land in the promise land.

Gen 30:26 Give me my wives and my children, for whom I have served thee, and let me go: for thou knowest my service which I have done thee.

He had completed his 14 years of service.

Gen 30:27 And Laban said unto him, I pray thee, if I have found favour in thine eyes, tarry: for I have learned by experience that the LORD hath blessed me for thy sake.

Laban said that he had learned by experience, nachash: to practice divination, divine, observe signs, learn by experience, diligently observe, practice fortunetelling, take as an omen. Laban practiced occult divination and he knew by experience that the LORD has blessed him for thy sake. The blessings of Abraham follow Jacob.

Gen 30:28 And he said, Appoint me thy wages, and I will give it.

What wages do you request to continue serving me?

Gen 30:29 And he said unto him, Thou knowest how I have served thee, and how thy cattle was with me.
Gen 30:30 For it was little which thou hadst before I came, and it is now increased unto a multitude; and the LORD hath blessed thee since my coming: and now when shall I provide for mine own house also?

Jacob reminds Laban that his herds have increased greatly by his hand. Now, when will he provide for his own family as well? Wealth was not the goal, but caring for his family.

1 Tim 5:8 But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.

His herds increased under his hand. We should work to increase the bosses wealth, so that we too may be blessed. Most jobs require production.

Luke 16:10 He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.
Luke 16:11 If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?
Luke 16:12 And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own?

Gen 30:31 And he said, What shall I give thee? And Jacob said, Thou shalt not give me any thing: if thou wilt do this thing for me, I will again feed and keep thy flock.
Gen 30:32 I will pass through all thy flock to day, removing from thence all the speckled and spotted cattle, and all the brown cattle among the sheep, and the spotted and speckled among the goats: and of such shall be my hire.

Jacob would separate from the flock, all brown sheep and goats and those with spots or streaks.

Gen 30:33 So shall my righteousness answer for me in time to come, when it shall come for my hire before thy face: every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats, and brown among the sheep, that shall be counted stolen with me.

Jacob would take care of all the white, unspotted and unstreaked goats and sheep.

Gen 30:34 And Laban said, Behold, I would it might be according to thy word.
Gen 30:35 And he removed that day the he goats that were ringstreaked and spotted, and all the she goats that were speckled and spotted, and every one that had some white in it, and all the brown among the sheep, and gave them into the hand of his sons.
Gen 30:36 And he set three days' journey betwixthimself and Jacob: and Jacob fed the rest of Laban's flocks.

Laban removed all brown, streaked and spotted cattle from the herd and gave them to his son who would take them a three days journey, the distance the flock could walk in three days, and they would not be able to breed with the white sheep and goats.

Gen 30:37 And Jacob took him rods of green poplar, and of the hazel and chestnut tree; and pilled white streaks in them, and made the white appear which was in the rods.

Rods of green, undried poplar and of hazel nut and chestnut; stripping the bark away in places, so they looked white, streaked with brown.

Gen 30:38 And he set the rods which he had pilled before the flocks in the gutters in the watering troughs when the flocks came to drink, that they should conceive when they came to drink.

The piles of streaked branches were placed where the animals would see them as they drank water at the troughs, supposedly imprinting streaks in their minds, so when they breeded they would be influence by these images.

Gen 30:39 And the flocks conceived before the rods, and brought forth cattle ringstreaked, speckled, and spotted.

This magic trick brought forth ringed and streaked flocks? Or was this the blessings of God? Do we take credit for the blessings we receive because of our efforts? sometimes, but we cannot forget who gives us grace to do the work. Do not forget that God gives all that is good to us.

Deu 7:13 And he will love thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee: he will also bless the fruit of thy womb, and the fruit of thy land, thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep, in the land which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee.
Deu 7:14 Thou shalt be blessed above all people: there shall not be male or female barren among you, or among your cattle.

Gen 30:40 And Jacob did separate the lambs, and set the faces of the flocks toward the ringstreaked, and all the brown in the flock of Laban; and he put his own flocks by themselves, and put them not unto Laban's cattle.
Gen 30:41 And it came to pass, whensoever the stronger cattle did conceive, that Jacob laid the rods before the eyes of the cattle in the gutters, that they might conceive among the rods.
Gen 30:42 But when the cattle were feeble, he put them not in: so the feebler were Laban's, and the stronger Jacob's.

He only bred the stronger animals : Laban received the feebler animals and Jacob the stronger. Work hard and do your best, God gives the increase.

Eph 4:1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,

Rom 12:11 Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;

What deeper meaning can we find in all this? The sacrificial animals were white and from the pure white goats and sheep came the striped ones. By the stripes Jacob was blessed and would be free from the bondage of Laban. Jesus was the pure Lamb of God who was striped for our salvation.

John 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

1 Pet 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

Gal 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

Gen 30:43 And the man increased exceedingly, and had much cattle, and maidservants, and menservants, and camels, and asses.

His increase was great and God gave him the increase. From the increase he bought camels and asses and more servants. Have you been increased and blessed by God? God blesses our efforts if we give him our best.

Mat 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Friday, March 7, 2008

The Personalities of God

The Personalities of God

Gen 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
Gen 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
Gen 1:28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

God who is one God and yet with more than one personality, created man in "our" image, in the image of God. He gave man authority over all living things of the earth.

John 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

God is a Spirit; a spirit manifested to us in three personalities.

Luke 3:22 And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.

God has shown himself for our redemption and salvation as the Father, Jesus the Son and The Holy Spirit.

Gen 5:3 And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth:

Adam begot children after his own image. They were also of his sin nature, for man had died spiritually because of sin. Sin cannot come to abide with a Holy sinless God, so because of sin, we lost the image of God. God is a Holy Spirit, our spirit was dead in sins and trespasses.

John 3:15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Jesus was begotten of the Father. God who is Spirit came into the flesh of his son, born of woman, to redeem fallen sons and daughters of Adam.

Eph 2:5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
Eph 2:6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
Eph 2:7 That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Eph 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

John 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
John 3:7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

Man must be reborn of God's Spirit, to be renewed again in the image of God.

Rom 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Rom 8:30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

Through Jesus we are conformed to the image of Jesus, God's Son and this by receiving the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit makes us once again in the image of God. He is one God, who is everywhere at once, he is in Heaven, with the Father, in the Son and as the Holy Spirit, he also can come to us and dwell with us.

John 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
John 14:2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
John 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
John 14:4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.

John 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
John 14:17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
John 14:18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

God the Father and the Son, dwell with us in the Holy Spirit. Three personalities of the one God welling in the redeemed humans making them new Spirit creations, created in the image of God.

Rom 8:15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
Rom 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
Rom 8:17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

Now God is in those who are created in His image. More personalities, human souls, that become one with God, by receiving his Spirit. God has gathered a spiritual people as a bride for his Son. The Church, all who are born of God's Spirit are the bride of Christ.

Eph 5:23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.

Eph 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
Eph 5:27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

The Spirit, is the Spirit of truth. Others may claim to be of God, but have not the Spirit of God, but another fallen spirit. We come to God in worship, by His Spirit of truth.

Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

How do we know if we are of God's Spirit? We do his will. We have the fruit of the Holy Spirit and we have the mind of Christ, which is the living Word of God.

Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Gal 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

One quick way to check the spirit of a person is to ask them if Jesus is their Lord?

1 Cor 12:3 Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.

Another way to know is do they speak truth, the Bible is the truth of God and God is truth.

John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

God has shown himself in three personalities and he will show himself in you and me, all who are redeemed by the Blood of the Lamb. As personalities of God, let us through the Spirit give glory to the Father and to the Son.

1 John 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
1 John 3:3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

Saturday, March 1, 2008

Genesis 30 - Baby Competition

The Baby Competition

Gen 30:1 And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die.

She did not ask for one child, but children, as to catch up with her sister Leah.

Gen 30:2 And Jacob's anger was kindled against Rachel: and he said, Am I in God's stead, who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb?

It wasn't Jacob's fault, "am I God?" Rachel envied Leah, because she had four sons. Jacob thought too highly of the beauty of Rachel, having worked 14 years for her. Leah he would not have worked one day for. God saw this and favored Leah with children.

Gen 30:3 And she said, Behold my maid Bilhah, go in unto her; and she shall bear upon my knees, that I may also have children by her.

As Sarah used Hagar to bring forth a child, now Rachel repeats that foolishness. Bilhah would be as a surrogate mother, even placing the slave on her own knees as she gave birth; that is desperate and lacking faith and to me extremely selfish, not caring about the comfort of the birthmother.

Gen 30:4 And she gave him Bilhah her handmaid to wife: and Jacob went in unto her.
Gen 30:5 And Bilhah conceived, and bare Jacob a son.
Gen 30:6 And Rachel said, God hath judged me, and hath also heard my voice, and hath given me a son: therefore called she his name Dan.

Dan, meaning "judgment." Because of her own envy, she viewed this child born of the flesh as a victory and a vindication for her!

Gen 49:16 Dan shall judge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel.
Gen 49:17 Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path, that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward.

Gen 30:7 And Bilhah Rachel's maid conceived again, and bare Jacob a second son.
Gen 30:8 And Rachel said, With great wrestlings have I wrestled with my sister, and I have prevailed: and she called his name Naphtali.

Naphtali, wrestlings or twisting together. She wrestled with Leah and has prevailed, having a son by her handmade. Rachel was a doing God's work for him, like grandmother Sarah.

Heb 12:15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;

Gen 49:21 Naphtali is a hind let loose: he giveth goodly words.

Gen 30:9 When Leah saw that she had left bearing, she took Zilpah her maid, and gave her Jacob to wife.

1 Cor 7:34 There is difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband.

Keeping up with the Joneses? A baby war, who will have the most children? So Leah gets on the band wagon. If Rachel can cheat by using her handmaid, so will I. Poor (innocent?) Jacob, kept so busy by his feuding wives.

Gen 30:10 And Zilpah Leah's maid bare Jacob a son.
Gen 30:11 And Leah said, A troop cometh: and she called his name Gad.

Gad, indeed. Gad means, troop or good fortune.

Gen 49:19 Gad, a troop shall overcome him: but he shall overcome at the last.

Num 32:1 Now the children of Reuben and the children of Gad had a very great multitude of cattle: and when they saw the land of Jazer, and the land of Gilead, that, behold, the place was a place for cattle;

Num 32:5 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.
Num 32:6 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?

They sent troops over the Jordan to fight with their brethren, but they took land on this side of the Jordan.

Gen 30:12 And Zilpah Leah's maid bare Jacob a second son.
Gen 30:13 And Leah said, Happy am I, for the daughters will call me blessed: and she called his name Asher.

Asher, meaning "happy"; Leah is more concerned about the status the child will bring her (all the daughters will call me blessed) than about the child himself.

Deu 33:24 And of Asher he said, Let Asher be blessed with children; let him be acceptable to his brethren, and let him dip his foot in oil.
Deu 33:25 Thy shoes shall be iron and brass; and as thy days, so shall thy strength be.

Gen 49:20 Out of Asher his bread shall be fat, and he shall yield royal dainties.

We have a baby competition between Leah and Sarah. Sarah used her own schemes to bring forth children and Leah who had four sons, would get caught up in this competition. Leah had not let Judah (praise) be her focus. She was looking to God in praise and then she looked around and was caught up into a personal rivalry. Jealousy and envy took over their thoughts. Children were born as chess pawns, to gain favor with the world, for personal glory and to gain affection and approval. Satan controls the world where beauty is prized above godly character. Status, personal favor and power, are more important than a clean heart. They were joined to Jacob, one body, as the church is to be one body.

1 Cor 12:25 That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.
1 Cor 12:26 And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.
1 Cor 12:27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

Daughters of the world starve themselves to gain approval. They have sex, because of pressure from others, peer pressure and their desire to be loved. No longer are children the prize, abortions sometimes are done to gain a lifestyle of devotion to the god of self and pleasure. I have the right to control my body, which means that they can destroy the life of a child. Usually they are out of control, doing what is not pleasing to God. Rights also require responsibilities just as freedom requires sacrifice.

Gen 30:14 And Reuben went in the days of wheat harvest, and found mandrakes in the field, and brought them unto his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, Give me, I pray thee, of thy son's mandrakes.

Mandrakes (a root, called "love-apples" in Hebrew) were thought (and still are among some peoples) to increase fertility in women. Because Leah has the mandrakes, she knows Jacob will have relations with her, believing there is a greater likelihood she will become pregnant. (Guzik)

Gen 30:15 And she said unto her, Is it a small matter that thou hast taken my husband? and wouldest thou take away my son's mandrakes also? And Rachel said, Therefore he shall lie with thee to night for thy son's mandrakes.

No way was she going to share her mandrakes with that other wife. Whether or not mandrakes are for fertility, God would give Leah more children.

Gen 30:16 And Jacob came out of the field in the evening, and Leah went out to meet him, and said, Thou must come in unto me; for surely I have hired thee with my son's mandrakes. And he lay with her that night.

The mandrake roots have long been used in magic rituals, today also in neopagan religions such as Wicca and Germanic revivalism religions such as Odinism. (It is alleged that magicians would form this root into a crude resemblance to the human figure, by pinching a constriction a little below the top, so as to make a kind of head and neck, and twisting off the upper branches except two, which they leave as arms, and the lower, except two, which they leave as legs.)(Wikopedia)

The herb had another property, however, for the root contains hyoscine a powerful alkaloid with the ability to cause hallucinations, delirium and, in larger doses, coma. Mandrake's use as a surgical anaesthetic was first described by the Greek physician Dioscorides around AD 60, and its use as a tincture known as mandragora, or in combination with other herbs such as opium, hemlock and henbane is described in documents from pre-Roman times onwards. It was the presence of this alkaloid, as well as the shape of the root, that led to the mandrake's association with magic, witchcraft and the supernatural.

Mandrake roots became highly sought after in their native Mediterranean habitat, and attempts to protect them from theft are thought to have been the source of the second mandrake myth, which stated that a demon inhabited the root and would kill anyone who attempted to uproot it. Later elaboration of this legend attributed the herb's lethal power to a shriek or a groan emitted by the mandrake as it was uprooted, and suggested that death could be avoided either by a loud blast on a horn at the critical moment or by sealing one's ears with wax. (Mandrakes and Myths JRS)

There was a comic book character named Mandrake the magician, who worked by hypnosis to create an illusion. Babies are not illusions, nor are they things, but living human beings created by God.

Gen 30:17 And God hearkened unto Leah, and she conceived, and bare Jacob the fifth son.
Gen 30:18 And Leah said, God hath given me my hire, because I have given my maiden to my husband: and she called his name Issachar.

Issachar, meaning "reward"; Leah saw this son as a reward from God because she was "generous" enough to offer her maid to Jacob.

Gen 49:14 Issachar is a strong ass couching down between two burdens:
Gen 49:15 And he saw that rest was good, and the land that it was pleasant; and bowed his shoulder to bear, and became a servant unto tribute.

Gen 30:19 And Leah conceived again, and bare Jacob the sixth son.
Gen 30:20 And Leah said, God hath endued me with a good dowry; now will my husband dwell with me, because I have born him six sons: and she called his name Zebulun.

Zebulun, meaning "dwelling." In the pain of her heart, she is still waiting for her husband to truly love her and live with her, and she is hoping the sheer quantity of sons will win his heart to her!

Gen 49:13 Zebulun shall dwell at the haven of the sea; and he shall be for an haven of ships; and his border shall be unto Zidon.

Gen 30:21 And afterwards she bare a daughter, and called her name Dinah.

Dinah, meaning judgment. God having judged and favored Leah over Rachel. She had seven brothers to avenge her enemies. Dan, from Rachel's handmaid also meant judgment.

Two wives fighting one another in a baby making competition. With so much strife and anger it would take a tole on the children. One husband and one wife.

Gen 2:24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.