For Those Loved Ones Caught Up In Sin and Disbelief

So, I’m doing my daily devo and run across this passage from the Gospel of John.

Joh 11:5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.

 6 So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was.

 7 Then after this He said to the disciples, "Let us go to Judea again."

Doesn’t this seem strange to you? It sounds like Jesus demonstrated His love for the three by delaying His coming to their rescue! Strange way to express love wouldn’t you say?

But then I began to think about my own conversion to Christ. Events that led up to it were not very pretty as the effects of sin ravaged my personal life. Surely if Jesus really loved me, He would’ve come to my rescue, and the rescue of my family sooner than later right?

Evidently not.

Sin had to run it’s course.

In the case of Lazarus it had to run all the way to his death, (the ultimate end of sin) In my case, I had to be brought to a place where I finally was teachable and reachable with the love of Christ. I don’t like revisiting that part of my life and I’m sure Lazarus didn’t like recounting stumbling out of the grave all wrapped up like a mummy either.

But the ultimate lesson learned for both of us was priceless. Jesus summed it up in Jn 11:25, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.”

I say these things as a way to encourage those who have loved ones caught up in sin and disbelief. Sometimes sin has to run its course in order for God to breakthrough. Keep praying! Keep living your faith! Keep loving! Take heart from the words of the Psalmist found in  Ps 107:10-16,

“Those who sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, Bound in affliction and irons-

 11 Because they rebelled against the words of God, And despised the counsel of the Most High,

 12 Therefore He brought down their heart with labor; They fell down, and there was none to help.

 13 Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, And He saved them out of their distresses.

 14 He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, And broke their chains in pieces.

 15 Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men!

 16 For He has broken the gates of bronze, And cut the bars of iron in two.

Pray for those imprisoned by sin and disbelief, that sin and all of its associated woes, may run it’s course and consequently cause them to cry out to God  in their trouble, that He would save them from their distresses.

Help For Those Struggling With Pornography

Doing my morning devo today and stumbled across this verse in  Lu 24:16. These were the two disciples walking along the road to Emmaus when Jesus drew near to them and went with them. Even as He joined them on the road, they did not recognize Him, the Bible says, “But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him.”

Imagine that! We have a God who is so powerful that He can restrain eyes! Think about that if you struggle with pornography or any other lustful glances! GOD IS ABLE! Take it to Him in prayer! Ask Him for His help so that you can say with David in  Ps 101:3, “I will set nothing wicked before my eyes;” It’s a prayer that God is willing and able to help you with!

Micah Speaks To Abortion

It’s always amazing to me how the Scriptures, written so many years ago are so relevant in our culture today. The Book of Micah for instance, was written about 2700 years ago and it speaks graphically to the matter of abortion.

Listen to the words of Micah 3:2-4, “You who hate good and love evil; Who strip the skin from My people, And the flesh from their bones;  3 Who also eat the flesh of My people, Flay their skin from them, Break their bones, And chop them in pieces Like meat for the pot, Like flesh in the caldron."  4 Then they will cry to the LORD, But He will not hear them; He will even hide His face from them at that time, Because they have been evil in their deeds.

Well, we aren’t eating our unborn children yet, but one has to wonder about some of the uses of human collagen.

Clearly, this kind of treatment of other human beings created by God in His image is displeasing to Him! So much so, that He will not hear their prayers, or show His face to them! That’s the bad news!

But do not despair! The good news is there is no sin that we have committed that Jesus did not pay for on the cross, yes even the sin of abortion.  God welcomes the repentant heart and promises to forgive us when we confess our misdeeds. 1Jo 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

When one considers abortion techniques that are legal and common today, from the pills that prevent implantation of the conceived human being to the violent methodology of the curette, to the morning after pill, the infamous RU 486 dosages, and the cruel partial birth abortion procedures, one should also consider  Mic 2:1, “Woe to those who devise iniquity, And work out evil on their beds! At morning light they practice it, Because it is in the power of their hand.”

Pray for these people who come up with and promote these different ways of destroying God’s precious children, because, believe, me, you do not want to be on the receiving end of God’s “Woe!”

Abortion is evil according to Micah 3:2, let us turn from this evil in our world today and promote life! It is God given, and as the Psalmist states in  Ps 127:3, “Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.”

The End Is Near!

The End Is Near!

Da 12:4 "But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase."

Every single day brings us closer to Judgment Day! Yes, Jesus will return, and this time it won’t be to “seek and save the lost.” (Luke 19:10) This time it will be to separate the sheep from the goats. The believers from the unbelievers! It will be as it says in Da 12:2, “And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, Some to everlasting life, Some to shame and everlasting contempt.”

Much is written and has been written through the ages on the Second Coming of Christ. It seems every generation has good reasons to expect His coming in their particular times and seasons! Pestilence, violence, political maneuvering of nations, turmoil in the Mideast, wars, earthquakes, etc.  are all biblical signs of the end.

But I wonder how many have considered this prophecy from the Book of Daniel? Knowledge has increased to the point of blowing off the charts, and it increases exponentially every single day! And then there’s the “to and fro!” The “to and fro” speaking of an unprecedented scurrying about much 

like a colony of ants! It speaks of an unparalleled busyness.

Now just think about it for a while. All this increased knowledge has not created any more leisure time, it’s created a busyness that turns our day planners it one big blot of activity.  

People! This is not the way God intended us to live. Sabbath rest is good for the body and soul!

We talked about this at our men’s Bible Study this week as we read about the early church in the Book of Acts! Ac 2:42 says this about the early church: “And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.” And in verses 46,47, “So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart,  47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.

“Did you catch that? “Gladness and simplicity!”

The early church took time for fellowship! After reading this we kind of looked at each other and realized this is missing in our own lives, and it’s missing because of busyness. We don’t have time for each other, or our neighbors, and if we do, we are often too “pooped to participate!”

We can’t change the fact that this “busyness” is a sign of the end anymore than we can change the fact that the end will come after the gospel has been preached to all nations. Mt 24:14 "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.

But as the world scurries around like headless chickens, let us strive to continue in meaningful fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ. Let’s offer an alternative and see if the Lord doesn’t “add to His church daily, those who are being saved!”

Heb 10:24,25 reminds us: “ And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works,

 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

We are in the final rush hour before the Lord’s return. The Day IS approaching! Even so, come Lord Jesus!

The Best Construction on Everything

Measure Your Words

Pr 13:2 A man shall eat well by the fruit of his mouth, But the soul of the unfaithful feeds on violence. 3 He who guards his mouth preserves his life, But he who opens wide his lips shall have destruction.

You will have opportunity today to speak of another person. It may be the president of the United States, or an athlete who you think is overpaid, or a right fielder on your little league team, or that person slowing down things at the express line in the grocery store, or maybe a person at work or school who just doesn’t seem to fit in, or maybe someone on social media whose views don’t match yours.  

You will have an opportunity to speak!

This proverb reminds us two things to consider whenever we open our yapper. Measure your words and speak well. Speak well of others!

I grew up in the Lutheran church and that meant confirmation classes. In these classes we had to memorize the Ten Commandments along with Luther’s explanation of each one.  His take on the eight commandment, (by Lutheran count…..don’t judge me on this) has always stuck with me through the years.

“Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.”

What does this mean?

“We should fear and love God that we may not deceitfully belie, betray, slander, nor defame our neighbor, but defend him, speak well of him, and put the best construction on everything.”

“The best construction on everything???????? You don’t understand Martin! You’ve never been cut off on the freeway by an impatient driver! You’ve never seen some of the ways these people dress! And what am I supposed to do when someone attacks my political views on Twitter?

Where do you get this “best construction on everything business from anyway?"

Maybe he was reading Col 4:6 Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.

Or maybe:  Ec 10:12 The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious, But the lips of a fool shall swallow him up;

Or maybe:

 Pr 15:1 A soft answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger.

 Well, you get the idea.

You WILL have the opportunity to speak about others today! Measure your words, speak well, and put the best construction on everything.

# 463 Prolonged Days

The Book of Genesis

Day 463

Ge 50:22 So Joseph dwelt in Egypt, he and his father's household. And Joseph lived one hundred and ten years.  23 Joseph saw Ephraim's children to the third generation. The children of Machir, the son of Manasseh, were also brought up on Joseph's knees.  24 And Joseph said to his brethren, "I am dying; but God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land to the land of which He swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob."  25 Then Joseph took an oath from the children of Israel, saying, "God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here."  26 So Joseph died, being one hundred and ten years old; and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.

I like the picture we are left with in the Book of Genesis! A great grandfather bouncing his great grandchildren on his knees! As the Proverb states: “Children's children are the crown of old men, And the glory of children is their father.” (Prov 17:6)

Further, the psalmist proclaims a blessing on all those who fear the Lord and walk in His ways when he says, “Yes, may you see your children's children. Peace be upon Israel!”

Joseph’s life had been an example of one who “feared the Lord and walked in His ways.” And even though the commandment, “Honor thy father and mother, that it may be well with thee and thou mayest live long on the earth had not yet been etched in stone, it certainly had been etched on the heart of Joseph!

He demonstrated to all of us what this commandment really means as it relates to respect for authority. He spent his whole life honoring those who were in positions of authority over him. He honored God, his father Jacob, Potiphar, and Pharaoh, and in so doing his days were literally prolonged

Now I don’t know about you, but I have always struggled with this “promise.” I mean not everyone who has consistently honored authority has been grant a long life on earth in chronological years! So “prolonged days,” must have something more going for it than old age, and I think that “something” is productivity! A life, lived well, that makes a difference in the kingdom of God!  A prolonged day is an effective day, a day that makes an impact.

Jesus said in Joh 9:4 "I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.”

Prolonged days are effective kingdom labors. This is the promise of this commandment. Jesus only lived a short time on this earth. He died at the young age of 33, yet He had prolonged days!  There has never been or ever will be anyone with a more effective life on this earth!

So, if you want to be an effective worker in serving Jesus. If you want to truly make a difference in this world for Christ, it starts with Joseph and Jesus like respect, for those authorities that God has placed over us.  To be honest, I don’t think we emphasize this enough in our families and in the church. Maybe we ought to look at the examples of respecting authority that we are setting for our children! (Hint) Was that you I heard in the bleachers?)

# 462 Let This Be Your Beginning Today

The Book of Genesis

Day 462

Ge 50:17 'Thus you shall say to Joseph: "I beg you, please forgive the trespass of your brothers and their sin; for they did evil to you."' Now, please, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of your father." And Joseph wept when they spoke to him. 18 Then his brothers also went and fell down before his face, and they said, "Behold, we are your servants." 19 Joseph said to them, "Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God? 20 "But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive. 21 "Now therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones." And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.

There’s that phrase again! “Do not be afraid!” Just consider what has been taking place here. The brothers come before Joseph. (who is a type of Christ) that is, He is a foreshadow of what Jesus is like, and they confess their sin against him. Remember that when confessing your own sins, you have sinned against God! When David confessed his sin with Bathsheba, he didn’t say “I have sinned against her husband!” He said, "I have sinned against the LORD." And Nathan said to David, "The LORD also has put away your sin; you shall not die. (2 Sam 12:13)

Note too, on the heels of their confession, they bow before him and say, “behold we are your servants.” So, they have acknowledged him not only as the one who forgives, but also acknowledging him as their lord. This is what is meant by receiving Jesus as both Savior and Lord!

 When you arrive at this point in your personal life, when you are ready to acknowledge your sins, and humbly come before Jesus, asking for forgiveness and surrendering to Him as Lord, you too, will hear these comforting words, “Fear not.”  And as Joseph comforted them (and the word “comforted” here is related to sighing, or breathing strongly, and consoling) it is not too much of a stretch to see a foreshadowing of Jesus breathing on His disciples and saying, “Receive ye the Holy Ghost…..the Comforter, the One who consoles.

Further, the phrase “spoke kindly to them,” can be translated, “spoke to their hearts.” These are the same words uttered to your heart when fully surrendered to Christ. That same consolation and comfort enters your soul, and suddenly you have the “peace that passes all understanding,” and you realize you have nothing to fear!

Not only is your soul saved for eternity, but you have the Lord’s promise that He will provide for you and your family. How did Jesus put it? “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things, (the things needed) shall be added unto you.”

This is how the Book of Genesis, the Book of beginnings, ends. Let it be your new beginning today, as you bow before your Savior and Master, saying, “Behold I am your servant.”

# 461 God’s Amazing Timing

The Book of Genesis

Day 461

Ge 50:19 Joseph said to them, "Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God?  20 "But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.

It’s mind boggling isn’t it? The brothers meant to cause harm to their brother Joseph. It was their intent from the very beginning. Their jealous hearts caused them to hate him with a passion, yet God meant it for good all along!

Think about it! He gives Joseph the “just right dream to infuriate his brothers, who were already ticked off about the “coat of many colors.” God knew their hearts; He knew what it would take for them to sell him into slavery. And wasn’t it great timing to have a band of Ishmaelites arrive on the scene in order to cart Joseph off to Egypt where he needed to be for God’s plan to unfold?

Then look at the timing of God raising Joseph to power in Egypt! A ruler in Potiphar’s house, a ruler in jail, all training for Joseph for the time when he would be raised to second in command in Egypt. The latter promotion just in time for the severe famine that would move Jacob and his sons to Egypt where they needed to be for the next 400 years according to the prophecy given to Abraham!

This was all part of God’s plan to make Israel a great nation!  Note these events well because they demonstrate God’s perfect timing and His faithfulness which always aims for the ultimate good!

There may be some things in your life right now that don’t make sense. They appear to be meant for evil, well hang in there! Knowing that as a “spiritual “ child of Jacob through faith in Jesus,  God means your situation for good. Our part is to seek to walk the path of the moral high ground of Joseph, trusting God for the results.

Ro 5:3,4 says, “ And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance;  4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope.

Look at the fruit that Joseph’s faithfulness produced. Look at his last hope filled words, “God will surely visit you and you shall carry up my bones from here.” (Gen 50:25)  That statement oozes with hope! A hope that as this passage in Romans states was borne out of trials and steadfast faith in God!

In this, your time of trial, remain faithful…..give birth to hope!

# 460 God’s Justice is Much More Creative Than Yours

The Book of Genesis

Day 460

Ge 50:18 Then his brothers also went and fell down before his face, and they said, "Behold, we are your servants."  19 Joseph said to them, "Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God?  20 "But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.  21 "Now therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones." And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.

By my count, this is the third time the brothers have bowed to Joseph. These are the same brothers who, when told of Joseph’s dream mocked him and said, “Shall you indeed reign over us?” Well, here they are kneeling before Joseph with fear and trembling. They were sorry for their sins, and Joseph utters the words so often spoken by our Lord to His children, “Do not be afraid!” “Fear not!”

Then Joseph has a word for you and I whenever we might be tempted to avenge ourselves on others. It’s a word for those times when we are tempted to “get even.” Simply stated, we are not to play God!

As Paul wrote to the Romans:  “Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord.  20 Therefore "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head."  21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Ro 12:19-21,)

Just think about your puny attempts to get even with somebody who has wronged you. Do you really think you can do a better job at getting even than God? Do you think you could’ve gotten Joseph’s brothers  to bow down three times and admit his dream was right on?

In the Book of Esther, do you think you could have arranged the justice for Haman? Haman, if you recall, hatched a plot to kill all the Jews. He constructed gallows to hang Mordecai on, only to be hung there himself!

God’s justice is sure my friend and much more creative than anything you or I may dream up!  In addition, God’s goal of justice is much more long range than what you or I might come up with. His justice is always aimed at ultimate good. If you want to settle for second best, go ahead, but you do it at your own peril, for you are violating a command of the Lord and setting yourself up for some God-dished out judgment of your own!

Rather than seeking revenge, feed your enemy, give him drink, overcome his wickedness with good. Be forgiving, because that’s when you invite God into the situation and He will heap the coals of fire on your enemy’s head….and He knows just where to place them for the maximum benefit of all!

# 459 The Weeping of Joseph Part 3

The Book of Genesis

Day 459

Ge 50:15 When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, "Perhaps Joseph will hate us, and may actually repay us for all the evil which we did to him."  16 So they sent messengers to Joseph, saying, "Before your father died he commanded, saying,  17 'Thus you shall say to Joseph: "I beg you, please forgive the trespass of your brothers and their sin; for they did evil to you."' Now, please, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of your father." And Joseph wept when they spoke to him.

Joseph wept. His brothers, out of fear, sent messengers! They still didn’t get it. They still didn’t understand they were forgiven!

It reminds me of one of the times we read of Jesus weeping in Scripture. It was the Sunday before he would die on the cross. As He drew near the city of Jerusalem, He saw the city and wept over it, saying,  , "If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. (Lu 19:42) The people of Jerusalem didn’t get it either. They didn’t know that the peace that passes all understanding was in their midst! They didn’t know that One was here, who could bring about reconciliation between man and God. No longer would priests and sacrifices (messengers) be needed as mediators, for there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the Man, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all.” (1 Tim 2:5,6)

Joseph’s brothers sent messengers to him to orchestrate peace between them, and Joseph, like Jesus, wept. His own flesh and blood, so fearful of Him, that they would not approach him directly. He had the power to take vengeance on them true, but it was love and forgiveness, mercy and reconciliation that was on his heart, and it was on God’s heart as well, so He sent His only Son into the world to restore the fellowship that was lost when the first Adam sinned.

So, who’s doing your mediating these days? Are you relying on your church? Your pastor? Your priest? Your filthy as rags good works? Your religion? There is only one way to mediate your peace with God and that way is through Jesus. Turn to Him today, right now, during this moment of visitation. Acknowledge your sin, turn from it, and receive Him as your Savior and Lord!

# 458 The Weeping of Joseph Part 2

The Book of Genesis

Day 458

Ge 50:15 When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, "Perhaps Joseph will hate us, and may actually repay us for all the evil which we did to him."  16 So they sent messengers to Joseph, saying, "Before your father died he commanded, saying,  17 'Thus you shall say to Joseph: "I beg you, please forgive the trespass of your brothers and their sin; for they did evil to you."' Now, please, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of your father." And Joseph wept when they spoke to him.

The brothers, concerned that Joseph may now take vengeance upon them for selling him into slavery, send messengers to him. They come with lies on their lips, saying that before he died, Jacob “commanded that Joseph forgive his brothers of their sin.”

Is this the reason Joseph wept? Did he know that they were lying? If so, he had good reason to cry and weep over his brother’s sad state. After all, lying is one of seven things the Lord hates! Pr 6:16-19 says, “These six things the LORD hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him:  17 A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood,  18 A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil,  19 A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren.

Did you notice that lying showed up twice in this list?

Pr 12:22 reminds us: “Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD, But those who deal truthfully are His delight.”

In Hosea 4:1-3,  The “Lord brings a charge against the inhabitants of the land: He says, “There is no truth or mercy Or knowledge of God in the land.  2 By swearing and lying, Killing and stealing and committing adultery, They break all restraint, With bloodshed upon bloodshed. Therefore the land will mourn”

Lying brings forth tears and perhaps that’s why Joseph wept!

In Eph 4:25 we are reminded to be truthful: “Therefore, putting away lying, "Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor," for we are members of one another.”

We are family! Just like Joseph and his brothers, and lying to one another should be enough to make us weep. How can one part of the body trust another part of the body or help it, if it is being fed false information? And just who do liars think they are kidding” Ps 90:8 says, “You have set our iniquities before You, Our secret sins in the light of Your countenance.”

Oh Lord, help us to put away our lying lips!

# 457 The Weeping of Joseph Part 1

The Book of Genesis

Day 457

Ge 50:15 When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, "Perhaps Joseph will hate us, and may actually repay us for all the evil which we did to him."  16 So they sent messengers to Joseph, saying, "Before your father died he commanded, saying,  17 'Thus you shall say to Joseph: "I beg you, please forgive the trespass of your brothers and their sin; for they did evil to you."' Now, please, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of your father." And Joseph wept when they spoke to him.

When will these brothers ever have peace? As long as Jacob was alive, they felt protected, but now with their father gone, what would stop Joseph from getting his revenge on them for their dastardly deed?

The Hebrew word here for “hate” means “to lurk for.” So the brothers were fearful that Joseph would be “lurking” for them. Lurk is a fearful word isn’t it? You get the idea that something is out there……stalking, ready to pounce when you least expect it. That’s not a fun way to live is it? Yet, the brothers still haunted by their guilt, felt that Joseph was capable of lurking for them.

Notice that they didn’t go directly to Joseph with their concerns, rather they sent messengers, complete with a confession accompanied by a lie. Jacob never said any such thing to his sons! No wonder Joseph wept! He saw right through their tainted confession!

Let’s face it, if this was a genuine confession, it would evoke joy, not tears! What did Jesus say in Lu 15:7? "I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.”

Then there is the story of the Prodigal son! The son who squandered his inheritance on riotous living, comes to the end of himself, returns home to his father with a true confession, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight and am no longer worthy to be called your son.” Did the father weep at his son’s confession? NO! He brought out the fatted calf and celebrated, “For my son was dead and is alive again!”

No, weeping is not the proper response to legitimate confession of sin, so it must’ve been something else that caused Joseph to weep. We look a little deeper into this next time.

In the meantime, if you are in a situation of sinful living, learn from this! Come to God with an honest confession on your lips, for God is not afraid of your honesty. Know that, with a sincere confession you can turn God’s grief into pure joy by simply and honestly admitting your sins, and then repent of them. Then receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior. The new Lord of your life and the salvation of your soul!

# 456 Organ Donation

The Book of Genesis

Day 456

Ge 50:1 Then Joseph fell on his father's face, and wept over him, and kissed him.  2 And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father. So the physicians embalmed Israel.  3 Forty days were required for him, for such are the days required for those who are embalmed; and the Egyptians mourned for him seventy days.  4 And when the days of his mourning were past, Joseph spoke to the household of Pharaoh, saying, "If now I have found favor in your eyes, please speak in the hearing of Pharaoh, saying,  5 'My father made me swear, saying, "Behold, I am dying; in my grave which I dug for myself in the land of Canaan, there you shall bury me." Now therefore, please let me go up and bury my father, and I will come back.'"  6 And Pharaoh said, "Go up and bury your father, as he made you swear."  7 So Joseph went up to bury his father; and with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his house, and all the elders of the land of Egypt,  8 as well as all the house of Joseph, his brothers, and his father's house. Only their little ones, their flocks, and their herds they left in the land of Goshen.  9 And there went up with him both chariots and horsemen, and it was a very great gathering.  10 Then they came to the threshing floor of Atad, which is beyond the Jordan, and they mourned there with a great and very solemn lamentation. He observed seven days of mourning for his father.  11 And when the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning at the threshing floor of Atad, they said, "This is a deep mourning of the Egyptians." Therefore its name was called Abel Mizraim, which is beyond the Jordan.  12 So his sons did for him just as he had commanded them.  13 For his sons carried him to the land of Canaan, and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, before Mamre, which Abraham bought with the field from Ephron the Hittite as property for a burial place.  14 And after he had buried his father, Joseph returned to Egypt, he and his brothers and all who went up with him to bury his father.

This is quite a funeral! Joseph weeps over his father  and kisses him goodbye. Then the long process of embalming, mourning, and burial begins. One thing we all know; the Egyptians know how to preserve a body. Mummified remains are legendary! This task of embalming was turned over to Egyptian physicians who would remove most of the vital organs, dehydrating the body, and then wrapping it tightly. The whole process took 40 days!

I find it interesting that there is no objection from Joseph or his brothers for this treatment of their father’s body.  I mean shouldn’t a body be buried whole? How is God going to find all the body parts on the Last Day when we will all be raised from the dead? Re 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. 14 Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.

The sea will give up the dead! Not one person’s remains will be out of the sight of God!

All the king’s horses and all the king’s men couldn’t put Humpty Dumpty back together again but God can and will!

We are reminded of that fact in Eze 37:3-6, “And He said to me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" So I answered, "O Lord GOD, You know."  4 Again He said to me, "Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, 'O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD!  5 'Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: "Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live.  6 "I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with skin and put breath in you; and you shall live. Then you shall know that I am the LORD."'"

By the way, this whole embalming process of Jacob should help alleviate any qualms about organ donation! Donate! It is lifesaving and a blessing for others! Let God sort it all out in the end!

In the end, He’s not going to ask you if you stall have all your body parts! He’s going to ask you if you are in Christ! We will be judged by our works, and our work is this: Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent." “(Jn 6:29)

# 455 Don’t Miss the Reunion

The Book of Genesis

Day 455

Ge 49:29 Then he charged them and said to them: "I am to be gathered to my people; bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite,  30 "in the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is before Mamre in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field of Ephron the Hittite as a possession for a burial place.  31 "There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife, there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife, and there I buried Leah.  32 "The field and the cave that is there were purchased from the sons of Heth."  33 And when Jacob had finished commanding his sons, he drew his feet up into the bed and breathed his last, and was gathered to his people.

Jacob, on his death bed makes his sons promise to bury him with his fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite. You remember the property that Abraham purchased from Ephron? It was the only property that the Israelites owned in the promised land…..nothing but a burial plot…..a couple of caves and a field. It was the Israelites stake in the promised land, and notice the faith of Jacob as he states, “I am to be gathered to my people.”  This is nothing but a bold proclamation in the belief of a bodily resurrection.

It’s a dying man’s wish to be buried with fellow believers, so that on the Last Day, the whole family will burst from the graves together to join the returning Savior. No wonder so many churches have cemeteries! Is it necessary to be buried in a family plot? Of course not, the dead will be raised from wherever they may lie, but it is a nice picture of a family reunion on that glorious day!

A day when the dead in Christ will rise first! 1Th 4:16-18 says, “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.  17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.  18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.

A day when the bones of Jacob, Abraham, Isaac, you and I and all believers will burst forth in our new incorruptible bodies! 1Co 15:51-58, “Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed--  52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.  53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.  54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory."  55 "O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?"  56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law.  57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.  58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

This is all made possible because the Son of God, Jesus Christ, came to this earth to live a perfect sinless life. He then died on the cross for our sins, then He too, was buried in a cave, but the cave couldn’t hold Him, and on the third day He rose from the dead. He ascended into heaven where His is preparing mansions, not caves for all His true followers.

Just as the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite was a stake in the promised land, so is the empty tomb of Jesus a stake for all of us in the new promised land. One day the Israelites would physically occupy all that land, and one day, heaven will be occupied, (prepared mansions and all) for those who trusted Christ!

Don’t miss the reunion.

# 454 The Prophecy For Benjamin

The Book of Genesis

Day 454

Ge 49:27 "Benjamin is a ravenous wolf; In the morning he shall devour the prey, And at night he shall divide the spoil."  28 All these are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father spoke to them. And he blessed them; he blessed each one according to his own blessing.

Jacob wraps up the blessing of his children with Benjamin. Benjamin would be a “ravenous wolf.” Okay, wolves are scary enough, but a ravenous wolf? I guarantee you that you don’t want to run into a “ravenous wolf!”

The name Benjamin literally means, “son of my right hand.”  This should cause us to think of another “Son of the right hand,” namely Jesus  who even now is seated at the right hand of the Father, and as the Apostle’s Creed states, “from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.”

Most people don’t like to think of Jesus as a judge, but to ignore the reality of His judgment at the second coming is foolish. If His judgment matches the fury of the Benjamites, unbelievers are really in for it! Truth is, His judgment and vehemence against the unrepentant will surpass that of the tribe of Benjamin.

The Benjamites were a fierce fighting bunch of people. During the period of Judges for example, some of their men did a terrible thing to a concubine in Gibeah and she died at their hands. This event led to a civil war with the other tribes. The first two days of the war belonged to the Benjamites and they inflicted heavy losses on their brethren, on the third day, the Lord mercifully gave Benjamin into their hands.  Mercy triumphed over judgment just as on the third day Jesus rose from the dead, with mercy winning out over judgment.

Also in the period of judges, a Benjamite named Ehud, assassinated the King of Moab and led the Benjamites onto victory over the Moabites.

Some other famous Benjamites include Saul, the first king of Israel, his exploits and violent outbursts against David are well documented.

Another Saul of New Testament fame was also a Benjamite, we need not go into the intensity of his persecutions against Christians.

These were fierce people, and we must never forget that our Lord’s judgment on the Last Day will also be fierce.  Never forget that, and at the same time never forget that until the “Son of the right hand” returns, grace and mercy and an opportunity for repentance is being extended to all!

It was extended to that Benjamite named Saul, and he was converted from a warrior of persecution and judgment to a warrior of grace and a messenger of forgiveness.

Mercy DOES triumph over judgment!

Receive the mercy that the Lord is extending to you today, while it is still day, because the next time the Son returns, it will be with an unrivaled fierce judgment. Jesus is not going to come and say, “Okay this was all a game, everyone come into My heaven now!” No! It will be with vengeance and fury! There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth, and only those who have bowed their knees to Him in this lifetime will be spared. Only one thief on the cross made it to Paradise!

Listen to a quote from that converted Benjamite named Saul (Paul) from Ro 10:13 For "whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved."

To call on His name is to appeal to Him for your salvation. For there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved!. Appeal to Jesus now! Ask Him to save you that you might be spared the wrath to come. ! This heartfelt prayer is one that He will never refuse to answer!

# 453 The “Precious” Prophecy For Joseph

The Book of Genesis

Day 453

Ge 49:22 "Joseph is a fruitful bough, A fruitful bough by a well; His branches run over the wall.  23 The archers have bitterly grieved him, Shot at him and hated him.  24 But his bow remained in strength, And the arms of his hands were made strong By the hands of the Mighty God of Jacob (From there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel),  25 By the God of your father who will help you, And by the Almighty who will bless you With blessings of heaven above, Blessings of the deep that lies beneath, Blessings of the breasts and of the womb.  26 The blessings of your father Have excelled the blessings of my ancestors, Up to the utmost bound of the everlasting hills. They shall be on the head of Joseph, And on the crown of the head of him who was separate from his brothers.

In case there was any doubt about who Jacob’s favorite son was, this blessing should take care of that! But this blessing is more about the reward of a life of faith. Specifically, the faith of Joseph. His faith bore much fruit, it was like “branches running over a wall,” The faith of Joseph brings strength in the midst of  trying circumstances. (“The archers have bitterly grieved him, but his bow remained in strength.”) And let there be no doubt, surrender to God, (or faith and trust in Him) is how we bear fruit. It is how we are made strong, how we are helped, and how we are blessed!

Let’s look at another blessing for the tribe of Joseph. This blessing comes from Moses who says in De 33:13-17, “And of Joseph he said: "Blessed of the LORD is his land, With the precious things of heaven, with the dew, And the deep lying beneath,  14 With the precious fruits of the sun, With the precious produce of the months,  15 With the best things of the ancient mountains, With the precious things of the everlasting hills,  16 With the precious things of the earth and its fullness, And the favor of Him who dwelt in the bush. Let the blessing come 'on the head of Joseph, And on the crown of the head of him who was separate from his brothers.'  17 His glory is like a firstborn bull, And his horns like the horns of the wild ox; Together with them He shall push the peoples To the ends of the earth; They are  the ten thousands of Ephraim, And they are the thousands of Manasseh."

 Did you happen to notice the repetition of “precious” in this blessing? Five times! Precious would be a good word to sum up the faith of the “one who was separate from his brothers!” 1Pe 1:6,7 says, “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials,  7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,”

Does this not describe Joseph? Through trial and testing his faith was found more precious than gold. Peter goes on to quote Isaiah concerning Christ as the chief cornerstone, elect, precious.”  Peter continues in 1Pe 2:6 to quote Isaiah, concerning Christ as the chief cornerstone, elect and precious. “Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, "Behold, I lay in Zion A chief cornerstone, elect, precious, And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame."

This blessing of Joseph by Jacob is the first mention in Scripture of the “Stone of Israel,” and it’s found in verse 24 of the blessing: (From there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel), 

Of course the Stone of Israel, would come from the tribe of Judah, and there is great honor in that, but without faith in that stone, like the unshakeable faith of Joseph, we have nothing!. Without the faith of Joseph, we have no blessing. It was Joseph who waited for the hand of God to help him, rather than helping himself, and because of that faith Joseph received a  precious blessing.

Do you desire a precious faith? Then start trusting in God and His faithfulness in your circumstances. Every single time that you and I exhibit confidence in God and His Word, to the point of acting on it, we are building precious faith….the precious faith of Joseph! Don’t drag your heels…..begin today!

# 452 The Prophecy For Naphtali

The Book of Genesis

Day 452

Ge 49:21 "Naphtali is a deer let loose; He uses beautiful words.

Naphtali sounds both joyous and eloquent, doesn’t he?

This tribe would inherit the very rich land on the entire west side of the Sea of Galilee. Many of the Lord’s disciples would come from this region. Peter, Andrew, Phillip, Nathaniel, John, and James were from the region of Galilee. Matthew, the tax collector, was from Capernaum, also on the Sea of Galilee.

I mention this because the Bible makes note that there  was something different about the speech of the Galileans, the descendants of Naphtali.  As you may recall, the different sounding language was noted by those standing with Peter in the courtyard after Jesus was arrested. They said, “Surely you also are one of them (the disciples) because your speech betrays you.”

When you think about it, this gift of joy and eloquent language to those from the region of Naphtali would come in handy as many of these followers of Jesus were used by the Holy Spirit to pen the words of the New Testament. Few can dispute the eloquence of this Book!

Remember when Peter and John spoke to the council in Acts chapter 4? Listen to the response of their audience: in verse 13: “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.”

Has there ever been a more eloquent speaker than Jesus! (And by the way, Jesus was raised in Nazareth in the heart of Galilee!)  Jesus and the Holy Spirit!  Joy-filled Masters of eloquent speech. Not one word wasted in all of Scripture! 2Ti 3:16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,

Should not we, as followers of Jesus be filled with joy and eloquent speech? Eph 4:29 says, “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.”

And in  Ac 13:52 we read, “And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.”

May the spirit of Naphtali, joy and beautiful speech, abound in your life today!

# 451 The Prophecy For Asher

The Book of Genesis

Day 451

Ge 49:20 "Bread from Asher shall be rich, And he shall yield royal dainties.

The tribe of Asher would be greatly blessed in their inheritance. They will settle in the very rich seacoast land north of Mt Carmel. They would be famous for their olives and olive oil, yielding royal dainties. Later, Moses would bless them in a similar way in De 33:24,25 “And of Asher he said: "Asher is most blessed of sons; Let him be favored by his brothers, And let him dip his foot in oil.” Your sandals shall be iron and bronze; As your days, so shall your strength be.’

The oil a reference to the olives in Jacob’s original blessing, and the iron and bronze sandals perhaps a reference to a tribe that will be entrenched in their territory and not forced to move. Yes, this tribe was extremely blessed by God!

But then, all the tribes were blessed as they entered their assigned territories in the Promised Land, and let us not forget that ALL tribes were given this warning from God: De 8:10 "When you have eaten and are full, then you shall bless the LORD your God for the good land which He has given you.  11 "Beware that you do not forget the LORD your God by not keeping His commandments, His judgments, and His statutes which I command you today,”

And of course we all know, that the abundance of the Promised Land was taken away  from Asher and all the other tribes because they indeed turned away from the Lord. I gotta tell you this comparison between the abundance of early Israel, and especially the blessing of Asher reminds me of the United States of America.

There has never been a richer nation in the history of the world. We live in a fertile land, and have never had to move due to being conquered by other nations. We have been strong and prosperous, extremely blessed of God! But it seems that as a nation, we no longer bless God in return. He is far from our thoughts in that we do not keep His commandments.

As a nation, and even in the church we have gone our own way. We have made a mockery of the institution that God loves (marriage) We give no thought to keeping the marriage bed undefiled as fornication and adultery have almost become second nature. We have muddled our God-ordained roles as men and women in leadership, and sexuality.  Resulting in the acceptance of homosexuality and an   outbreak of gender confusion.  Lives of unborn babies, made in the image of God have been tossed away like garbage through legalized abortion.

We have turned God’s created order on its ear!

Have you ever considered that the latest rounds of “bomb cyclones” in our nation’s midsection may be a judgment from God?  Is it possible that God is trying to get our attention regarding our disruption of His created order, by giving us some creation disorder of His own?  Is He trying to draw us to repentance for what we have done to His created order? 

As a nation or the church, we can ignore these occurrences and continue living as we please, or we can use them as a catalyst for repentance, fasting,  with godly sorrow over the sins of our nation.

Lord have mercy on the land! Awaken us! Revive us! Make us a place like Asher again, where the Olive Oil of your sweet Holy Spirit flows once more!

# 450 The Prophecy For Gad

The Book of Genesis

Day 450

Ge 49:19 "Gad, a troop shall tramp upon him, But he shall triumph at last.

Well, that was quick Jacob! So, let’s talk a little about Gad. I think we can learn something about the power of prayer!

There were three tribes that settled east of the Jordan….Reuben, Manasseh, and Gad. They had a great multitude of cattle and found the land suitable for livestock, so they asked Moses if they might settle on the east side. Moses did not want them to do that. He thought it might discourage the other tribes from taking possession of the Promised Land on the other side of the Jordan. He thought the Israeli army would be outmanned on the other side of the Jordan without the three. But the three vowed to send their men over to fight until all the promised land was conquered.

Once the land was conquered, Joshua gave them permission to resettle east of the Jordan. He admonished them to continue to take heed to do the commandment and the Law, to love the Lord God, and walk in His ways, and to cleave to Him, serving Him with all their heart and soul. Great parting advice for anyone!

The Gadites were great fighters. According to 1 Chron 12:14, “One of the least of their commanders was a match for a hundred, and the greatest for a thousand.” As good as they were, their success was still dependent on the Lord. In 1 Chron 5:18, we read of one of their battles, and in v20 we read, “They were helped in fighting them and God handed the Hagrites and all their allies over to them BECAUSE THEY CRIED OUT TO HIM DURING THE BATTLE!        He answered their prayers, because they trusted in Him!

The location of the territory of the Gadites made them susceptible to attack from the Moabites, but in the end, just as Jacob prophesied, they would prevail because they called upon the Lord and trusted in Him for their victory! Gadite and cry out to the Lord, trusting in Him, knowing that ultimately the battle belongs to the Lord.

Are you in a spiritual battle today? Be a Gadite, Resist! fight! And cry out to the Lord!

# 449 The Prophecy For Dan

The Book of Genesis

Day 449

Ge 49:16 "Dan shall judge his people As one of the tribes of Israel.  17 Dan shall be a serpent by the way, A viper by the path, That bites the horse's heels So that its rider shall fall backward.  18 I have waited for your salvation, O LORD!

There’s some good news and bad news for Dan and his descendants. The good news is that in the short term, he will provide justice for the tribes of Israel. This prophecy came to pass during the period of the judges when Samson was raised up and defeated the Philistines. Samson was of the tribe of Dan.

The bad news is that Dan would be a serpent by the roadside, a viper along the path, that bites the horse’s heels so that its rider tumbles backward. Dan would be greatly responsible for Israel being thrown off their high horse!

Let me try to briefly sum up the history of the tribe of Dan They never really took all of their inheritance in Canaan. They failed to conquer the Amorites. Later, during the period of the judges, some of their tribe journeyed to what became the “northern kingdom” and conquered the city of Laish, which they renamed Dan. They were singled out in the Book of Judges as being the tribe that actually set up their own system  of priests complete with the worship of idols, all contrary to the Word of God.

Later, Dan was one of the cities chosen for the golden calf when the kingdom was split and Jeroboam instituted substitute worship. 1Ki 12:30 says, “Now this thing became a sin, for the people went to worship before the one as far as Dan.”

This idolatry was the “straw that broke the camel’s back,”  “For the children of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam which he did; they did not depart from them,   until the LORD removed Israel out of His sight,”  (2 Kings 17:22,23)

Now, to catch the drift of this prophecy from Jacob concerning Dan, let’s turn to Jeremiah 8, beginning at verse 16 as the prophet foretells of the destruction of Israel as it comes through Dan. Not only will the Assyrians physically begin their conquest in this city of Dan, but the idolatry connection to the Danites would be the reason that the Israelites were “overthrown.” The idolatry of the Danites would be the “serpent that bites the horse’s heels and overthrow the rider, (the rest of the kingdom). Listen to Jeremiah: Jer 8:16,17:  The snorting of His horses (The Assyrians) was heard from Dan. The whole land trembled at the sound of the neighing of His strong ones; For they have come and devoured the land and all that is in it, The city and those who dwell in it. 17 "For behold, I will send serpents among you, Vipers which cannot be charmed, And they shall bite you," says the LORD.

The serpents of Assyria would knock Israel off their high horse. I believe Jacob saw all these things as plain as day as he pronounced this blessing on Dan, and that’s why he concluded his blessing with a prayer: “I look for Your deliverance O Lord.”

We don’t put up golden calves anymore for alternate forms of worship, our idolatry is much more subtle, but certainly just as dangerous. Look how we spend our time! Look how we spend our money! Look what we rely on to deliver us! When will we learn that “our help is in the Name of the Lord!”

Time after time we read of God’s anger coming up against Israel because, “they did not believe in God, AND did not trust in HIS salvation.

What are you trusting in my friend? Let’s stop adding straws to the camel’s back as we chase after our own little gods. Let’s turn from our idolatry and trust in God alone! Turn back to Jesus wholeheartedly today, for He is the One whom Jacob prayed about in this blessing of Dan. He is our deliverance!