The UN is certainly making their mark on society. I have been watching and waiting for what happens in May, 2022. On November 5th of 2020, I was working out at the gym when I heard His Voice in my head and this is what the Lord said,
“Babylon is coming, from the North. You will be surprised by what is unearthed. The United Nations will stake their claim by building their house upon sand. Monies exchanged will influence men, and greed and gore will rip open the land. Watch and see, what will come to be. Carnality will succeed. Humans will profane My great name, and false prophecy will be exclaimed. I will be taken out of government, while the Tower of Babel is being rebuilt. This time, I will allow men to destroy themselves, and this time I will be bringing My judgment down. You know me as the Lamb - the Son of Man who came to redeem the world. But you will see that I am King - the Lion of Judah who will soon stake My claim! You will have a time and a half to do My work, and reconcile the hearts of men. My ROAR will be heard all over the earth, look and listen for My voice. I am speaking in reverse. The scroll is being unrolled, to bring My Kingdom down from Heaven to earth. No one knows the day or the hour - Only the Father. The harvest is ripe. The workers are few. Now get up and walk - and do My work - Get Up and Pick Up Your Mat” I texted my Pastor and asked what a time and half meant and he said, “One and a half years is 18 months. The number 18 in Hebrew is Chai and it means "To Come Alive". Not sure if that helps.” So I set my calendar to remember May of 2022, and I’ve been watching and waiting ever since - paying close attention to the UN. Today I saw an article on the Christian Post titled, "New UN sculpture resembles End Times beast described in Revelation." Of course I had to click on the post and read what it was all about. Whenever I see something about the United Nations, my spirit perks up to pay attention. The article begins with these words, "A new giant statue installed outside the United Nations headquarters in Manhattan, New York City, is being likened to an End Times “beast” described by the Apostle John in Revelation 13:2," and ends with the sentence, “Did you really think you could put this on without anyone noticing? And by chance, it has been painted in LGBT colors,” writes Michael Snyder on The Economic Collapse blog, calling the statue “one of the strangest statues that I have ever seen in my entire life.” So, now I sit and wait for the month of May brings. I have not been hearing clear words from the Lord. But I trust what I heard last November (2020), even if other people think I am crazy.
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Dear friends,
I have almost completed writing poetic sermons from four books of the Holy Bible: Luke, Matthew, Genesis and Jude - all in that order. It’s been wonderful! The Holy Spirit has illuminated the Word in such a way that I have also touched, tasted and heard. It’s just so good! I have learned what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.” There are people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Holy Spirit. But the Children of God build up their faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. They keep themselves in God’s love as they patiently wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring them to eternal life. Now some will doubt - show mercy to them; save others by snatching them from the fire. It is coming! The kindle is being gathered. There is a dividing. Jesus said, “I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already burning! But I have a baptism to undergo, and what constraint I am under until it is completed! Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three.” Luke 12:49-52 Brothers and sisters - Don't you see us dividing? We must show mercy! I used to think the division we see came from Satan, but now I know it comes from God! The Lord has snapped his plumb line. He is the final authority! Nothing happens without his consent! I see the Lord. I see him standing with a plumb line in his hand. I see him snapping it hard - setting the line from which every human being is being divided. I see his hand. I see him pulling the mask off of the righteous - exposing the truth that lies below. I see him ripping. A tearing away of that which is false. I see authentic- authentic faith being exposed. I see God bearing down on the truth - adding weight to people’s hearts. I see a suffocating. A gasping of breath - people searching for oxygen that can only be found in Christ. I see the plumb line setting the stage for what is to come! God is good. He is getting rid of everything that is not. God is pulling His children from the rot. I hear Him saying, “What do you see, Cherie?” “A plumb line,” I say. and then I heard the loudest dividing snap! My ears are ringing from the thunderous sound of that precisely snapping dividing line! I can see the filament - a threadlike structure supporting the whole kingdom up. Everything not attached will be let go. Brothers and sisters in Christ - We must show mercy! The dividing line is not from Satan, but from God. His Spirit is searching the earth for His blood. Can you smell the corrupting flesh? Sin is in the process of dying. Jesus is only keeping that which is good. “To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy - to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.” Jude 1:24-25 Everything I’m about to say
comes from Jude 1:8-16. So don’t get upset! If you believe that you are a Christian and you believe that the Bible is the written Word of God then nothing written below will shake your foundation - all it will be is confirmation as to what you believe. So here goes - There are ungodly people who pollute their own bodies, reject authority and heap abuse on celestial beings? I’m not lying to you. The way humans act have spiritual implications, it’s not just the other way around! Most of us know that what happens in the heavens has a direct effect on our earthly bodies, but we seldom consider that our human choices has a direct effect on what happens in the heavenly realms. The angels in Heaven are messengers of God, ministering spirits who are called and respond. Good angels can appear as women or men (as told in Daniel and Zechariah). Some angels have wings and some shine with God’s glory, but sometimes they just look normal. Fallen angels, on the other hand, don’t seem to have any glory at all! I have not found one single passage that shows a demon appearing on his own. I have only found demons who possess women and men - who need a host to get their job done. But for the good angels who are messengers of God, they show up completely separated in physical form. They do not need a human host to carry out their mission. They do just fine under the Will of God! So going back to Jude, how do you think ungodly people heap abuse on celestial beings? Well, I used to think that everyone was good, and only found out recently through my Bible reading that every human being is actually full of sin - and that the human heart is the most deceived of all! So now that I have been given spiritual eyes to see, I see how human choices effects the spiritual realm, and thus heavenly beings. For instance, the prophet Daniel prayed for intervention, for himself and for his people. After 21 days of fasting and prayer, an angel came and this is what he said, “Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia. Now I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the future, for the vision concerns a time yet to come.” Daniel 10:12-14 You see, it was Daniel’s desire to seek the Lord in the midst of great tribulation that brought God’s archangels down. And in the midst of coming to earth, the angels of God had to fight off the Persian Spirit Prince. The heavenly realm had to come to earth to fight against the demonic realm. The celestial beings endure much abuse because their mission is to worship God. And since God loves the world, so much so that He sent His Son to be a living sacrifice for us - God also sends His angels down to respond to the call of those who love Him. Don’t you see - prayer is so important! It’s our communication! It’s our form of worship! Let’s face it - Our only hope against evil is through the blood of Christ - the blood of the Godhead that was shed for us! Jesus is the physical manifestation of God. He is the only sure way we do not become Satan’s pawn! We do not need another vessel working for the demonic realm. There are already plenty of them! We must be careful! The devil comes to steal and destroy! He was an angel of light, until he lost the glory of God! He is the perfect snake. He knows exactly how to deceive! The scripture says that even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not dare to condemn Satan for slander but instead said, “The Lord rebuke you!” You see if Michael had fallen into the trap of wanting to slander Satan on his own, he would have taken glory from God. And that would not have been good! Michael understood that he did not have the authority to rebuke or to judge. Instead he spoke in the name of the Lord. He said, “The Lord rebuke you!” He gave all the glory to God! Yet look at our world! Slander and defamation of character is everywhere we turn! This kind of behavior even extends from the church! Oh - Be careful! This was a hard lesson I also had to learn! Ungodly people are everywhere! They slander whatever they do not understand, and the very things that they do understand - by instinct as irrational animals do - will destroy them! In the words of Jude, Woe to them! They do not understand the beautiful ways God. Instead, they put all of their hope into the basket of creation, rather than focusing on the glory of the Creator. They have taken the way of Abel’s brother Cain - they have given in to hearts of murderous intent. They have rushed for profit into Balaam’s error - they have sold out people for financial gain. They have been destroyed in Korah’s rebellion - They have lead revolts that go against God, even when they think it is good! These ungodly people are blemishes at your love feasts, eating with you without the slightest qualms - shepherds who feed only themselves. How often are sheep among wolves? Probably more than you actually expect! Ungodly people are clouds without rain, blown along by the wind; autumn trees without fruit uprooted - twice dead (In the temporary and the eternal). They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shame; wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been forever reserved. It’s so sad! Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about them: ‘See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones to judge everyone, and to convict all of them of all the ungodly acts they have committed in their ungodliness, and of all the defiant words ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” I often wonder why Enoch was taken out of the canon? Was Enoch mentioned in the Septuagint? Jude goes on to say, “These ungodly people are grumblers and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage.” So I ask you, what is different about ungodly people today? Perhaps God’s Word just never changes! Perhaps God’s Word always remains the same. Perhaps we should pay less attention to those who accuse, to those who find fault, to those who have evil swelling in there heart! Perhaps we should pay more attention to living godly lives, to looking to God and to bowing our heads. Perhaps we should seek holy ground, and take off our shoes and honor God. Perhaps we should ask God to open our eyes, and see the captivity that people live in. Perhaps ungodly people are blind - perhaps that is why we are to shine God’s light! Jude, oh beautiful Jude - I see why God brought me to you! I have to say, sometimes it is hard to speak the truth in love. Sometimes it's hard to speak out a prophetic Word. For real, there are often times when I read through the scripture and wonder to myself, “Without the Holy Spirit how does anyone get this?" "Every word seems to spark much offense! How can a person read the Bible from beginning to end, and not think that God is full of both love and wrath? And yet, the progressive church that prevails in America, present Jesus as the token of universal love. Before I read the Bible and heard directly from God, I too had fallen into this demonic trap. But now that my spiritual eyes are open, I see the evil intent! I once thought that all roads lead to God. I thought that was why Jesus came to die for our sin. I thought that believing in Jesus meant that everyone goes to Heaven. I mean, really, isn't that what the Word of God says? Well, my friend, I am here to tell you there is nothing farther from the truth! That is absolutely opposite to what the Bible actually says. Progressive Christianity has watered down the Word - so much so that the truth is hard to be found. Thank God the Spirit of Truth is the One who finds you! The truth is everyone is called. God gives us all an opportunity to respond with humility to His written and spoken Word. Some bow down, prostrate to the ground. Some submit to Father God. But scripture illustrates that most people rebel - most spend a lifetime running up a never-ending hill. Without fertile ground how does anyone understand that God is both - fully love and fully wrath? In our human minds, it just does not make sense! How can God love everyone in the world, and, at the same time, send them to hell? This just does not seem like something a loving God would do. An yet, that is exactly what the Bible says! Those who do not believe that Jesus is the ONLY way to bring us back into relationship with God, are actually Satan's pawns; and are working directly for him! The Book of Revelation is all about Christ, the Lamb of God who unseals the seven scrolls. His primary job is to execute God’s plan. His primary job is bring God’s judgments down. And after this happens, the Lion of Judah will return on the clouds; and Jesus himself will be bringing His Kingdom down. So why oh why does the church not talk about this? Why oh why don’t Pastors teach repentance? I’ll tell you why - it’s because the Word of God creates a huge offense. Only a sugar-coated gospel filled with universal love allows for humans to live as they want. Only a dimming light and an unsalted word allows for people to follow the desires of their heart. But I thank God for always keeping a remnant; a remnant who are not afraid to speak up - who choose to die to self and speak the truth in love. God has holy servants who are far from perfect; people who live in temporary bodies that are full of sin. People who live in a world that is ultimately led by Satan. And yet, they love God above everything else. They keep their eyes focused and pressed in to God’s purpose and love. They seek the truth at every cost and every expense, even if it means being hated by men. The remnant of God speaks the truth in love. The remnant of God are prophets of Him. And while I don’t enjoy speaking solely about the wrath of God, the Holy Spirit continues to make me open my mouth. Ugh! I have to be honest - sometimes I cringe! I know people will think I am mean and trying to pass judgment on them. But the truth is, its not about them! It's about God. When I speak, it's to honor our sovereign God! The words that I share come from God himself, and I’m hear to say the Book of Jude is truth. And although I would prefer to write about the salvation that comes to us through Christ, I am compelled to urge fellow believers to struggle for the faith that has been entrusted to us! We must bring the Truth back into the light! We must stop dimming down the written and spoken Word of God. We have to bring flavor back into God’s Word, and shake His salt all - over the world! If you are reading this poem and understand what I’m trying to say, then it is YOU who must pick up your complacent mat! You are a Child of God! You are part of the Holy Remnant! You have breath because you still have a job to do! Our Father God is counting on You! If you don’t understand what is written in this poem, or if you have taken offense, then chances are you are not a child of God yet! But God is good, if you humble yourself before His throne, and repent for the sins and turn back to Him, then God will give you His Spirit to further guide you so that you grow in intimacy directly with Him. I encourage you to keep on reading on. Brothers and sisters in Christ - I share with you the words of Jude, and like Huldah, bring you much warning. There are individuals among us whose condemnation was written about long ago who are also currently reading this poem. They are ungodly people (adversaries of God) who pervert the grace of God through a progressive Christianity that distorts the soverign truth of God. They give a license for immorality and deny the final authority of Jesus Christ. Brothers and sisters in Christ, I am here to remind you that while the Lord delivers people, He also can destroy them and will one day when He brings His judgment down. In fact, He did it with the angels, who live in the heavenly realms. When they did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their proper dwelling - He bound them with everlasting chains and will bring about their final destruction on the great and terrible day of the Lord. It will look similar to Sodom and Gomorrah and the towns around them when the people took to sexual immorality and perversion - God sent His fire down. Beloved - we serve a patient God! Back then, He destroyed the towns with fire, but today, He gives us time to repent and turn from our evil ways. Maranatha - judgment is coming and only the righteous shall live! Jesus said, “I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! But I have a baptism to undergo, and what constraint I am under until it is completed! Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division.” Luke 12:49-51 You see, we have to break free from the twisted, sugar-coated gospel! This is just a ploy of the enemy! Jesus coming was not to give us full authority into believing that all roads lead to Heaven! The ministry of Jesus was to give us a way back into relationship with God, our Creator, our Father! In fact, Jesus said, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished” Matthew 5:17-18 You see - God does not change. His Word still remains the same. There is no such thing as “Progressive Christianity.” Believers in Christ, Holy Children of God - be on guard and do not be fooled! There comes a time in a Christian’s life, when they have to bow down written Word of God. But how can they do that if they do not know what the Word says? Go to 2 Kings Chapter 22 and read what happened when Josiah became King and the Book of the Law was finally found! The Lord has shown me that I am like Huldah, the prophet who lived during the time of Josiah. You can read in Chapter 22 of 2 Kings what she said. I say this to you, “God loves you. And because He loves you, he extends his grace to all those who want to return home. Repent. Turn from the desires of your heart. Return to God through the blood of the Lamb, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ." Shut down your progressive thinking, it's not the ways of God. Stop being misled! You will end up in slaughter by a wolf in sheepskin. Get into God’s Word. Search the scripture and find Him. The Day of the Lord is coming soon! You have to decide for yourself, to choose the blessing or the curse.” Children of God - Be careful of the ministry of Progressive Christianity! I am sending this warning - the crescent moon and the star are flip flopped, just as I saw last year, in the vision and poem called, "Green Flag Warning." Why would our God who is love deliver people from evil, and then allow them to be destroyed? Well, the answer is simple. According to scripture, it’s because they do not believe. Jude 1:5 says, “I want to remind you that the Lord at one time delivered his people out of Egypt, but later destroyed those who did not believe.” The word “believe” in this verse comes from the Greek word “pisteuo” which means “to think to be true, to be persuaded of, to place confidence in the thing believed;” “to entrust a thing to one - his fidelity.” “Believe” is to trust in God and be faithful. Two alternate words for “believe” are the words “I do.” If you were to read the Bible, you would find that faith in God and what His Word says is the foundational truth. “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” John 3:18 This is the second time in the last two days that John 3:18 has come up. This has to be the work of the Holy Spirit. “He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” John 3:36 You see - “People perish because they refuse to love the truth and so be saved.” 2 Thessalonians 2:10 Let’s face it - people are already perishing. Without Christ, we are already dead in our sin. But God "God so loved the world that he gave his one and only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:16-17 God has extended grace to all of mankind. His grace is absolutely sufficient for all of us! By allowing mankind time to turn from our sin, and believe in Him, we all have the opportunity to be saved from eternal death. We all have the opportunity to live with Him in the New Jerusalem. Let’s not forget who God is. He is the Creator of all things. He is the One who gives us breath. He is the reason we have an extension on our life. Our Father God is to always be worshipped and be praised. I am forever grateful to our sovereign God. I am going to break it down
according to how I hear from God. Jude’s words will be printed "in marks of quotation," and I will follow with my talking points. “Beloved” This is the term of endearment that Jude uses to call his audience. Beloved means “You are worthy of love.” Beloved describes those who keep the Word of God. “while I was very diligent” Jude was committed. Ready for duty. Persevering. Determined to get the job done. “to write to you concerning our common salvation,” Jude was excited to be in fellowship with children of God who shared His love. “I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith” Jude had to switch lanes. Instead of building a connection and basking in God’s love, Jude felt the need to add pressure to stick to what was true. Exhorting is to give warning, to add advice; Exhorting means to counsel; to urge and to appeal. Jude was suggesting that their faith had to be strong, because there were wolves among them who were trying to do them wrong. “which was once for all delivered to the saints.” Jesus was their savior; the promised seed of God described in Genesis 3. Jesus was the firm foundation from which the Kingdom of God would come. Saints are those who are holy; those who’ve been set apart. Saints are the chosen ones; the beloved children of God. “For certain men have crept in unnoticed” There were some men among them under the opponent’s influence; who operated like Satan and crept in like that snake. “who long ago were marked out for this condemnation” Wolves among sheep will be prosecuted in the Day of the Lord, under the Judgment Throne of God. For those kneeling without the blood of Christ, a guilty verdict will be found. “Whoever believes in him (Jesus) is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” John 3:18 “ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.” Ungodly men (and women) are those who deny Christ as the beloved Son of God. They are the wicked ones, who carry out opposing plans. They prefer to honor themselves, rather than to lay their own lives down and honor God. Beloved, that is all I have for now. Jude verses 3 and 4 contain exhortations that must be spoken out. Beloved, this message is not just for those who Jude wrote to. This message is for all of us whose faith needs to be strong! This morning I prayed to God
and asked Him which book to read and write from, now that I have finished going through the Book of Genesis. He sent me to Jude. Jude is not a book I normally read. Jude is not a book I normally see. But I know I am about to. Jude, like all the letters in the scripture starts with an identification and a greeting. Jude writes, “Jude, servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James, To those who have been called, who are loved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ: Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance.” Jude 1:1-2 First and foremost - Jude identified himself as a servant of Jesus Christ, and then he said he was the brother of James. Jude chose to address his connection and function with Jesus before identifying himself as the brother of James. Can you imagine what would happen if we all started our greetings the same way? There would be no confusion about who is and who is not a true child of God. Those who were connected to the Vine would be proud to say they are part of the Family Line. Every exchange from God’s children would be prophesied. Every exchange would be God's children sharing the written and now given Word of God. Those who have been called and chosen would be identifying themselves as servants of Jesus, the Most High King. The Kingdom of God would be instantly brought down. Every child of God would be proclaiming His Great Name! After Jude identified himself as a servant of Christ, he declared who he was writing to - “To those who have been called, who are loved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ: Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance.” Jude 1:1-2 Because there are many qualifiers Jude states to be a part of the audience, we have to break this down. The people who will understand Jude’s letter, and thus understand this poem are the same. The Spirit of the Writer and the Spirit of the Reader has to be the same. The first condition of understanding scripture is to be “called.” The second condition is to be loved - “in God the Father" not outside. The last condition is to be “Kept by Jesus” - do you know what that means? Let's dig in and see. Condition #1 is “to be called.” According to scripture, to be called simply means to be named. Some respond and some do not. We all have free will. Do you remember how God created everything? He thought it. He spoke it and He gave it a name. This is how He created everything - all things seen and unseen. He proclaimed! Paul said, “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,” Romans 1:20 So, the answer is we are all called. So if God has called all creation, then why do some turn away? In Matthew 22:14 Jesus said, “For many are called, but few are chosen.” so what do you think he means? Well, it appears to me that “called” and “chosen” are two different things. To be called is just the beginning. Honestly, it reminds me of show The Voice on T.V. You see, many people can sing. Many people come from distant lands, and go to LA to audition and be judged - and most are turned away. But a few make it through and are invited in to participate. “For many are called but few are chosen” to engage. To be chosen means to meet the conditions set by God. Which brings me to condition #2: “To be loved IN God the Father” (not outside). I believe this means to be sanctified - “to be set apart as a vessel for the Lord” to be used for God’s good works. And this can only be done if we lay down our life and abide. To abide means to remain as One, fully connected to God - not just externally but deep inside. And this brings me to condition #3: to be kept by Jesus - what do you think that mean? Well - Jesus said, “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.” John 15:1-4 You see, those who are called, AND chosen are set apart to abide. And those who abide are under God's authority to administer His Will upon the earth. Listen - God’s first commandment to mankind was not written in stone and given to Moses. God’s first commandment was given to Adam in the Garden of Eden as it is written in the Book of Genesis. I encourage you to go back and read it. After God formed the first man from the dust of the earth and gave him life by putting His Spirit inside, He put the man inside the garden of His heart. The man abided in God’s special garden, the Garden of His love. The scripture says, “Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” Genesis 2:15-17 The first commandment was intimately connected to man abiding in God. And in that garden God gave the man everything He could want. But there was one tree God chose to plant, that would provide a way for man to keep His Word. He gave choice. Freedom and Choice is the condition of truest form of love - it's not power and control and bondage as some think. A choice that would lead to life or to death - depending on the concept “remain in me.” Ultimately, it’s about our fidelity, the desire of our heart to love only God. “Remain in Me” is about wisdom and understanding, not according to the world or Satan, but of God. “Remain in Me” is about being kept. Kept for the glorification of God. We choose to keep God’s Word because we trust. “I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse; therefore, choose life so that you and your descendants may live.” Deuteronomy 30:19 Jesus said to his disciples, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father, if not by Me.” John 14:6 Those who keep God’s Word are called, chosen and sanctified - kept holy to abide with God. Children of God can not do this on our own. We fail - because we live in a body and a world full of sin. But we have God’s Word. He came down from from Heaven to shed His blood - to be a final sacrifice for those who are lost and without hope. You see, Jesus is the manifestation of God’s endless love. His Word came alive to give those who love God new life - and we have the chance to live. “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” John 10:10 Oh, how I am going to love reading and writing and hearing and seeing from God in the Book of Jude! This has been so good. There’s always that one person
who keeps the family strong - like a father, mother or some other elder. After Jacob died, the brothers of Joseph began to worry. They thought Joseph was sure to administer fury. They remembered the wrong they had done, and they believed that now that their father was gone, Joseph would surely carry out his grudge. So they sent a message saying, “Joseph, your father left these instructions before he died: "This is what you are to say to Joseph: “I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly. Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father.” The scripture says, “And when their message came, Joseph wept.” It was if Joseph knew the commandment “Forgive others as I have forgiven you.” By the way, this story reminds me of Jacob and Esau - and how Jacob sent gifts to Esau before entering his land. Jacob had previously wronged Esau by taking his birthright from Isaac their father. Esau was originally so angry that he was going to murder, but over time he learned to forgive Esau. He showed Jacob a beautiful expression of love - and they also wept. Anyway, back to Joseph and the sons of Jacob. The scripture says, The brothers then came and submitted to Joseph, saying “We are your slaves.” Joseph assured them not to be afraid. He said, “Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and for your children.” Joseph inherently knew, “that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28 Joseph was kind. The scripture says that Joseph stayed in Egypt, along with all his father’s family. The sons of Jacob achieved reconciliation, and prospered together in the land of Egypt. The scripture says that Joseph lived to be 110, and saw the third generation of Ephraim’s children. Ephraim was Joseph's youngest son. The scripture also says that before his death Joseph also experienced “the children of Makir (Joseph’s great-grandchildren), son of Manasseh (Joseph’s older son) being placed on his knees.” Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die. But God will surely come to your aid and take you up out of this land to the land he promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” Joseph had great faith in God. Joseph then made the Israelites swear an oath and said, “God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up from this place.” Joseph wanted to be buried in the Cave by Mamre. "So Joseph died at the age of 110. And after they embalmed him, he was placed in a coffin in Egypt.” Genesis 50:1-26 How many families do you seen torn apart, when a grudge is held and unforgiveness is allowed? Joseph experienced slavery, impending death and imprisonment all at the hands of envious brothers, yet he responded with forgiveness and love. His Last Will read, “Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, as we also have forgiven those who sin against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father in Heaven will not forgive you.” Matthew 6:9-15 Joseph was the forgiving brother. When Jacob died in the land of Egypt
he was embalmed and then carried back to the land of Canaan. It took 40 days to embalm his body, then another 70 days for the Egyptians to mourn him. That’s 110 days - almost four months to make his body ready. After that, his son Joseph went to Pharaoh’s court, to make a request about keeping his oath. You see, Jacob made Joseph swear to him that he would bury his body in the proper location - in the cave near Mamre, in the land of Canaan. This was the tomb that was bought by Abraham, Jacob’s grandfather, from Ephron the Hittite as their family’s burial tomb. Well, Pharaoh not only gave Joseph permission, but he sent all his officials to accompany him. Every dignitary of his court and all the dignitaries of Egypt went with him. Joseph and Jacob most have made quite an impression. So all the members of Joseph’s household and his brothers and all those belonging to his father’s household went along. Only their children and their flocks and their herds stayed back, in the land of Goshen. Even Chariots and horsemen also went up with him. It was quite a funeral procession. When the vessels reached the threshing floor of Atad, near the Jordan, they loudly lamented. At the threshing floor, Joseph observed 7 full days of mourning. Across the river, just west of the Jordan, was the land of Canaan. The Canaanites are recorded as having said, “The Egyptians are holding a solemn ceremony of mourning.” That is why the threshing floor is called Abel Mizraim - it means “the place beyond” or “east of the Jordan.” The Canaanites looked east of the Jordan and saw the sadness of the family of Israel, and the lament of the Egyptian people. After setting his father in the cave, Joseph and his brothers and all the Egyptian dignitaries returned to Pharaoh. They stayed there many more years until God was ready to raise up a savior named Moses. I can’t believe I have written
poetic sermons on three whole books of the Bible. For some reason, I started with Luke. I think it is because the Word was illuminated while reading Luke Chapter One. Then during a Bible study on the Book of Daniel, the Lord guided me to pair the gospel of Matthew with the Book of Daniel. It was as if he scheduled the perfect meal, the meat and the wine were perfectly paired. When I finished digesting those two books, the Holy Spirit led me to enter a discipleship class. And at that time, I began to write on the Book of Genesis. My whole desire is to always dig in and fully extract what the Word of God says. Writing poetic sermons is how I build intimacy with God. Some must think these poems take hours, but they actually take less than an hour. I write them in the morning, as soon as I awake, right when I open my eyes from the deep sleep. I grab my phone, and open my Bible app and begin reading where I last left off. I meditate and pray and ask God to help, then I go back and re-read what I read. Then I open my notes app and begin to write. Sometimes I will copy and paste, and look up the words that I don’t understand. Today, I completed Genesis 50, the last chapter in the book of creation. In this chapter I got to see Jacob and Joseph pass from this life to the next - to the place where Jesus lives. Tomorrow I will share more on their passing. But for now I want to dwell on how good God is - How He perfectly pairs His meat and His wine. |
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