Men in the Bible Series: Elijah & Elisha ** *A double portion* **

Elisha and Elijah both were great prophets. Both loved the lord and knew how to pray and reveal the power of God in everyday life. Elijah was the great prophets who resurrected a dead person, Elisha quietly witnessed all these miracles that Elijah performed. He knew that the lord was the source of all those powerful miracles.

Thus Elisha was well groomed by prophet Elijah. Elijah performed many miracles and was known as a great prophet in his day. Elijah wasted to be greater and so asked for a double portion of holiness. Thus Elisha was given Elijahs mantel as a sign that his prayer was answered. He sees a vision of how the prophet was taken up to heaven. In this vision he sees once again the power of God manifested and has a divine encounter. 

*Envy : Envying the holiness of another*

 We all know that Envy is a mortal sin. However is it a sin to Envy the holiness of another? Envying another person's holiness for a bigger ministry? It doesn't sound right, however we see here Elisha asked for a double portion of Elijahs power and it was granted to him. It was that this holy Envy was not opposed to God's will and thus this prayer was answered. 

Holiness: Do you want to be holy? 

The heartbeat of Leviticus cries time and again, "Be holy for I the lord your God am holy!"

*We too should all desire to be holy and ask for a double portion of holiness* 

however not everyone wants to be holy and so we all miss out in our ministry. We donot want to tap into holiness which is the powerhouse for any successful ministry. 

*Let us all seek after holiness, now and then see the power of God manifested in our lives and ministries*

Let us now like Elisha ask for a double portion of holiness

Who's in need of the great physician?

Jesus came to seek the sick and the lost. 

Like the early church who imitates Jesus once said, "People who are well do not need a doctor" Marko 2:17

Confucius once said,. "To preach to people who are not ready is a waste of time. But not to preach to people who are ready is a waste of human beings" this like the early church we too must reach out to all those who are mentally physically or morally sick. Many of these sick then respond by opening their hearts to grace and so conversion take place.

Jesus says clearly in the Bible, that he didn't come to seek those who were well but came to seek out the sick and the lost cause only the sick needed a physician.

When tossed about in life's stormy waters and when drowning in the waves do we not call on the name of Jesus to be saved?

When in trouble, Who's name do you call?

Some may call on the name of the life guard who might be busy on duty attending to another person's desperate pleas for help and so the call may fall on deaf ears. Others may call on the name of the captain who might be busy steering the ship through the storm.

I would rather call on the name of Jesus cause I know that he's not only the captain of my ship, but also the divine physician who can help heal me. Even if Jesus is busy attending to the desperate cries of another he's fully human and fully divine, and so he would be able to attend to EVERYONE who calls on him in utter desperation.

Limiting the power of Jesus

In today's world we limit the power of Jesus by limiting and imposing limits on those who want to have access to him. We misuse our divine entrusted authority, to prevent sick people from calling on the great physician. We are either afraid of the sick or of their illness. We feel they may contaminate us or worse still pass on the virus to us.

Jesus was never afraid or hesitant to heal those affected with infectious deseases.

Jesus never pulled away his hand while healing the sick leper, in fear of contacting the leprosy. He never became unclean but in contraction, all who touched him were made clean. Whomever he touched were also made clean, and healed instantly. He never turned away the blind, the deaf or the mute and always healed all who called upon him in faith. 

Afraid or his reputation? Definitely not!

Jesus was never in fear of his reputation and walked and dined with thieves, tax collectors, prostitutes, etc. He was accused of being a glutton as neither he, nor his deciples fasted on the Jewish days of fasting. He was always found feasting or celebrating and defended the deciples when they were accused of feasting instead of fasting with him.

Jesus defender of all those who have been victimised.

Likewise Jesus was the defender of all those who were falsely accused or even the ones who were still found guilty of sin but repented of those sins that haunted them daily. 

We find him forgiving the woman caught in adultery, perhaps it reminded him of his own mother who would have been falsely accused of adultery as she conceived him before marriage while her husband doubted her and was preparing to divorce her privately.

Jesus always defends those who are defenceless he is the advocate of the clergy, of all victims, the advocate of all who are orphans or widows and of all who are unjustly accused.

Jesus is my advocate, he is my healer.

Jesus is my advocate he will defend me. He is my healer he will heal me. He is my doctor he will never send me away without healing me. He will also send me away with a staying well plan and ensure I'm on a road to full recovery. I love you Jesus I trust in you. Thank you for accepting me the way I am and never turning me away from your healing power. Amen.

Message: At the foot of the cross

Dated: 01 October 2010

When one day I was overwhelmed by suffering, in tears I sought the Lord. I imagined myself at the foot of the cross on Calvary, while Jesus is hanging there still alive also suffering just like me. 

I asked the Lord, "Lord Jesus,I when I look to the crossIcross, I see you suffering. Like you I am suffering too. What words of comfort can you give to me, to encourage me, in my suffering?" The Lord was not silent, but spoke back to me and I rushed for a book and pen to scribble down those words, before the words left my mind. The words were the most gentle and comforting words I have ever heard in my life.  They were filled with so much love and patience despite Jesus himself going through his final agony on the cross. His suffering was Redemptive for the whole world. If we unite our personal suffering too the suffering of Jesus Christ, that to becomes Redemptive.

I was encouraged by his voice to suffer patiently and wait on him to act my life.

These were his words:

"Candice, my child I am surrounding you with my GRACES. Remember that I bore all my suffering with LOVE and not with rebellion. In the same way bear all your suffering with LOVE. In this way you give glory to God. My GRACE is sufficient for you."

"Candice my child I love you. Do not fear my child I am always with you. I am holding your hand and I will never leave you."

Through this and many other incidents Jesus revealed the mystery of suffering to me. I soon was given wisdom to see what God was doing in my life, it's called Redemptive Suffering. God was purifying me like gold and silver back then.... Like gold that is profited in the crucible of suffering... Like blood strained wool is bleached, till it becomes whiter than snow, like a bread or cake loaf is baked in the furnace of suffering, so will I be tried and tested till I become pure as gold, whiter than snow. 

Only when the gold shines is so purified that the reflection of the master can be seen in it, or till the will is so bleached that is whiteness matches that of snow, that it blind the eye, causing snow blindness... Only then will Jesus image be reflected in me. Until then he is at work in me.

Through this and many other incidents Jesus revealed the mystery of suffering to me. I soon was given wisdom to see what God was doing in my life, it's called *Redemptive Suffering.*

Women in the Gospel Series: Women @ the Foot of the cross

Matthew 27:55, 56

55  And many women were there watching from a distance, who had accompanied Jesus from Galʹi·lee to minister to him; 56  among them were Mary Magʹda·lene and Mary the mother of James and Joʹses and the mother of the sons of Zebʹe·dee.

Mark 15:40-41

40  There were also women watching from a distance, among them Mary Magʹda·lene as well as Mary the mother of James the Less and of Joʹses, and Sa·loʹme,m 41  who used to accompany him and minister to himn when he was in Galʹi·lee, and many other women who had come up together with him to Jerusalem.

Luke 8:2, 3

2  As were certain women who had been cured of wicked spirits and sicknesses: Mary who was called Magʹda·lene, from whom seven demons had come out; 3  Jo·anʹna the wife of Chuʹza, Herod’s man in charge; Su·sanʹna; and many other women, who were ministering to them from their belongings.

John 19:25

25  By the torture stake of Jesus, however, there were standing his mother and his mother’s sister; Mary the wife of Cloʹpas(*Salome, mother of James and John, the songs of Zebedee, also known as Mary Clopas(one of the 2 deciples on the road to Emmaus)) and Mary Magʹda·lene.

Salome:

 Probably from a Hebrew word meaning “peace.” Salome was a disciple of Jesus. A comparison of Mt 27:56 with Mark 3:17 and 15:40 may indicate that Salome was the mother of the apostles James and John; Matthew mentions “the mother of the sons of Zebedee,” and Mark calls her “Salome.” Further, a comparison with Joh 19:25 points to Salome as possibly being the fleshly sister of Mary, Jesus’ mother. If so, then James and John were first cousins of Jesus. In addition, as Mt 27:55, 56, Mr 15:41, and Lu 8:3 imply, Salome was among the women who accompanied Jesus and ministered to him from their belongings.

James the Less: 

One of Jesus’ apostles and the son of Alphaeus. (Mt 10:2, 3; Mr 3:18; Lu 6:15; Ac 1:13) The designation “the Less” may indicate that this James was either not as old or not as tall as the other apostle James, the son of Zebedee.

Joses:

 From Hebrew, a shortened form of Josiphiah, meaning “May Jah Add (Increase); Jah Has Added (Increased).” Although a few manuscripts here read “Joseph,” the majority of ancient manuscripts read “Joses.”​—Compare the parallel account at Mt 27:56.

*The Final Sign: Wicked and Faithless Generation constantly seeks a Sign.*

*Joseph: Son of Jacob, A dreamer & interpretor of dreams* 

Joseph, the beloved son of Jacob & Rachael, when betrayed by his brothers is sold into slavery to the Egyptians. God is faithful and shows him immense favour, despite his circumstances and raises him to favour in the court of Pharo. We seen that the tribe of Jacob, 70 in number, during a famine, migrates to Egypt and is given the choicest land in the fertile delta of the river Nile to settle amidst the Egyptians permanently. The Israelites eventually loose their identity and pick up the culture of the Egyptians. Having lost their true identity, they don't recognise themselves anymore as a people of God, a nation set apart to be the light of the nations. They are found intermingling with the local customs, traditions and way of lives, adopting them and making them their own. Some of them even marry local Egyptians and thus they become a hybrid race of both Jewish Egyptian culture. During their journey in the desert we find that these people are constantly struggling to identify themselves with the God of their ancestors who forewarned Abraham about the number of years of their slavery, 400 years. A journey of 40 days extends to 40 years for the Israelites to recognise God as their father. It took 40 years to get Egypt out of the Israelites and make them his family. 

Being faithful to His part of the covenant, despite the unfaithfulness of the people, God raises up Moses to free the Israelites from the bondage of slavery to sin. 

*Moses: Let my people go*

In the book of Exodus we constantly see how God the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob,  faithful to his eternal covenant, calls Moses, a stutterer, an Israliet, raised as an Egyptian, who is confused about his true identity, to confront Pharo, and hold him accountable for his share in the ill treatment of Israel. 

Israel is called, the first born son of God, in contrast the Pharo self proclaims him-self to be a deity, the son of the created light, the Sun.  The Egyptians worship the creation, while the Israelites are called to worship the creator. God sends Moses, to Pharos court and demands that Pharo sets the Israelites free, that they may journey through the desert and worship Him.

Through Moses God acts, and in a dramatic way rescued the Israelites. God caused 10 plagues to mock the 10 different Egyptian Gods in a show down of power. Eventually the Israelites pass through the Red sea while the entire army of Pharo that chased after them was destroyed. This passing through the Red sea was a miracle, a sign pointing to the hidden mystery of Baptism and cleansing of original sin, brought upon the human race through one man Adam, the first son of God.

*A new Exodus: Jesus Christ, the son of God, the son of David, the new Adam, the new Moses*

In the new testament we find Jesus, the new Moses preparing for a new Exodus, through the waters of Baptism. Through the sacrament of Baptism the original sin of The first Adam is destroyed. The ransom is paid and the baptised is set free through the merrits of the *Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, the new Adam*

We find Jesus rebuking the unbelievers who refused to acknowledge the power of God acting through him by attributing it to the devil. This was the unforgivable sin that destroys the soul. Jesus warned them against that sin, and called them to repentance. 

That Wicked and unfaithful generation wasn't interested in the salvation of their souls but enjoyed the display of power threw the working of miracles. *They were sign seekers,  wonder worker seekers, every other seeker but NOT God seekers.*

for this they were rebuked by Jesus and for this he said the only sign you would be given was the destruction of the temple of his body which would be rebuilt after three days. But the temple that Jesus spoke of was the temple of His body.

Jesus knew his true identity, The old Adam didn't. Moses was confused about his true identity. Throughout salvation history we find God revealing himself as Father, and thus revealing to mankind their true indentity as sons and daughters of God.

Jesus came to reveal the father to us as a father who loves us, slow to anger abiding in merciful love. But most of the Israelites only knew God as a master, and considered them slaves to God. Jesus the only begotten son of God, revealed the true identity of God as a loving father not as a task master. The experience of slavery in Egypt clouded their vision of God and they saw God as their master,Pharo when God was their father.

Have you experienced God as a loving father in your life? If so please share your story.

How has God fathered you in your life? Did you struggle in your relationship to acknowledge him as your father? What were your struggles? Please share with the group.

*Candice Dsouza* August 03, 2020.

Men in the Bible Series: Abraham - Our father in Faith.

Abraham, Friend of God. 

Epiphany @ The Mountain Tops

*Mountain Tops* 

In the Bible we find different God seekers going through extremes to have an encounter with God. The storms of life rocked their boat and pushed them to take extreme measures to either walk on water or treck up dangerous narrow paths to eventually reach the mountain top. 

*Noah's  ark* landed safely on the mountain after the flood. 

*Abraham* trecked up the mountain with Isaac for the great sacrifice in humble obedience to God command to follow him. His faith was tested and he was tried by fire, and for this he was called *Friend of God* 

*Moses* too ran away from Egypt to escape capital punishment. Raised in the royal house, an Israliet by birth, he murdered an Egyptian official. He is found at the burning Bush now married, a broken person, a stammerer, a Shepheard, but God calls him to lead Israel, the first born nation of God out of slavery, to worship Him at the mountain. God wanted to forge family ties with the nation and adopt them as His first born son. But at the holy mountain only Moses is the meditator of the covenant. On hearing the voice of God the entire congregation trembled, fell on their face and worshipped God. Terrified by this experience they all agreed to let Moses continue as the meditator of the covenant. Whenever Moses is confronted and challenged by the Israliets he seeks refuge on the mountain top. He is found fasting and praying upon the mountain to pray and discern what God is saying through all this chaos. Only when God acts we find the chaos resolved. The God of Israel neither sleeps not slumbers, however He acts at the perfect time. When Moses discerns in prayer at the mountain top, and puts it in to practise we see God acting through him, punishing the unbeliever but saving the repentant sinner.

*Jesus on the Mountain* like wise we see Jesus praying and fasting before taking important decisions regarding his public ministry. He is found praying early morning, late in the night, in the evening alone on the mountain top before choosing the 12 deciples. Jesus is found with Peter, James and John up on the mountain to reveal to them his true identity as the son of God. We find Moses and Elijah both conversing about the Messiah on the mountain top. Peter, James and John are overwhelmed by this encounter, in their euphoria they want to pitch permanent tents on the mountain top as this experience happen around the time of the Feast of the tabernacle where the Israliet remembered what God has done for the them in the past through his servant Moses. 

Jesus is the new Moses, he is talking about the new exodus he's going to carry out.

But Jesus request the three privileged deciples to be silent about this till the appointed hour of his glorification. 

On the cross hung the saviour of the world, the King of the Jews, the long awaited Messiah of the world. No one recognised Jesus as the son of God. He was looked upon as the son of Man, the son of a carpenter, the son of Mary and Joseph. But on that cross hung Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews. What the chosen people of God, the Jews renounced and failed to recognise the pagan Romans recognized as the *Son of God* The Roman centurion finally confesses, *Truly this must be the son of God*

Let us keep our eyes on Jesus, the son of God, the King of the Jews, the Saviour of the world. Only when we recognise Christ the King, and call him the Saviour of the world, and repent of our sins, we will be one with him in paradise.