Ps 8:5You have crowned them with glory and honour. (NIV)

When God created Adam and Eve, He clothed them with His own glory and light!

Ps 104:1,2  Lord my God, you are very great! You are clothed with glory and honour. You wear light like a robe. (ERV)

 It was this glory that allowed Adam and Eve to live in the immediate presence of God. But the moment they sinned, God’s covering or garment of glory broke off of them.

 Rom 3:23 All have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23 NABRE)

 Rom 3:23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (Romans 3:23 NKJV)

 Adam and Eve for their own safety, and to prevent them eating the fruit from the tree of life were now locked outside the presence of God.

 Mankind could now only worship God from a distance!

 The Glory Restored In Christ

 Rom 5:14 Adam was a type (prefigure) of the One Who was to come [in reverse, the former destructive, the Latter saving]. (AMP)

 Christ took the punishment for our sin on the cross and died in our place and went down into the grave. But when He rose from the dead, the first born of a new creation, perfectly righteous, He ascended to heaven, sat down on the throne at the right hand of the Father, and there the Father crowned Him as a man with the same glory that Adam forfeited in the garden  . Praise the Lord!

 Now that you and I are, ‘In Christ’, we  have been crowned as Kings with the same glory as Jesus. This entitles us once again to not only go into the immediate presence of God, but to remain there for all eternity.

 Now, nothing, not sin, unrighteousness, failure or mistakes can remove us from God’s immediate presence. Why! Because the blood of Christ eternally flows down upon us like a fountain, cleansing us from all sin and preserving our righteousness and perfection before the Father.

 There is a fountain filled with blood, drawn from Immanuel’s veins,

And sinners plunged beneath that flood, lose all their guilty stains. (Hymn by William Cowper)

 Hence we no longer have to come into the presence of God because we have never left. Instead we come before His throne to receive His grace in a time of need.

 Heb 4:16 Let us, then, feel very sure that we can come before God’s throne where there is grace. There we can receive mercy and grace to help us when we need it. (NCV)

 Now we no longer worship God from a distance but live in His presence 24/7. He enjoys being with us and we can enjoy being with Him.

 The next time we sin or fall short, let’s not remain in the outer court of God’s presence as a form of penance but realise we are accepted as we are because of the cleansing blood of Christ.

 We can now come boldly before Him asking for His help and grace to overcome our weaknesses and sins. What a privilege!

 Meditation Point: I am crowned with God’s glory and live 24/7 in His presence!

Jn 19:34 But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. (NKJV)

 The story of Eve being taken from Adam’s side is a type of Christ Jesus giving birth to the Church on the cross..

 Let’s look at some points:

 1) Adam Put To Sleep: Sleep in scripture speaks of death. When Christ died upon the cross, He was being cut off for you and I. He was experiencing death as a punishment for mankind’s sin.

 Heb 2:9 But we see Jesus, who for the suffering of death was crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone. (NKJV)

We no longer have to fear death or fear being cut off from God for eternity.

 If we have fears regarding death, we need to meditate on the scriptures (below) until we receive a revelation that nothing can separate us from God.

 Rom 8:35,38.  Jn 10:28,29.  Heb 2:14,15.

 2) Blood Was Shed: When God (who was the first surgeon) took a rib from Adam’s side, blood was shed. God didn’t do this act haphazardly, it was His intended purpose.

 So upon the cross, Jesus shed His blood that you and I might experience the forgiveness and removal of our sin.

 There are some who use the expression, ‘Jesus spilled His blood.’ To spill something is accidental. To shed something is purposeful.

 Jesus shed blood was no accident. There was  purpose behind His actions. He wants us to know that He chose to go to the cross and shed His blood to reveal His purpose, which was to show His love for mankind through His salvation.

 3) Adam’s Bride Taken From His Side: God took a rib from Adam’s side from which He made Eve who would become ‘Mrs Adam’.

 Adam then called her, “Bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh.” They were made for each other, hand inside glove, to flow together.

 When the soldier who was stood by the cross thrust his spear into Jesus side, He wasn’t to know he was triggering one of the most important actions in the history of mankind.

 Jn 19:34 But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. (NKJV)

 Jesus gave birth to His bride, the Church:

 a)    The blood was shed from His side to cleanse His bride from All sin.

b)   The water (Eph 5:26) was symbolic of the word of God through which we would become born again.

We are now, bone of His bone and flesh of His flesh — we are now of Him, in Him and joined to Him as His bride.

1 Cor 6:17 But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.

 Now, He wants us to bring to Him every detail of our hearts — the small details and the big details, for we are the apple of His eye

 4) The Resurrected Adam: Adam now arose from sleep to take his bride Eve. This is a picture of Jesus rising from the dead with resurrection life.

 In Christ we rise with Him to share in His resurrection life, but we have to ask ourselves the question: Do i know the Christ from before the cross – or do i know the Christ that came after the cross.

 It’s true that we can learn much from Jesus pre the cross – but it is post the cross where we experience His ‘LIFE’.

 We must especially read the letters of Paul to whom God gave the revelation of the risen Christ, in the Gospel of grace.

 Meditation Point: As part of the bride I now have access to the fulness of the resurrected life of Christ Jesus.

Gen 50:20 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. (NKJV)

Joseph went through numerous set-backs in his life, all of them huge hurdles to overcome.

1)    His brothers turned against him, 2) He was kidnapped and thrown into a pit, 3) He was stripped naked, marched into a foreign nation and sold as a slave in a market, 4) He was falsely accused of raping a woman, 5) He was falsely locked up in chains in a prison for years.

Just one of the above trials is enough to collapse most people, yet Joseph came successfully through every one of them and came out on top as the second most powerful man in the world at the right hand of Pharaoh the king of the Egyptian kingdom.

 Let’s look at 3 reasons for Joseph’s success:

 1)He Saw God: Joseph had a relationship with God, hence when conflict arose, he refused to look at his circumstances and instead chose to focus on God as the answer.

 Heb 12:2 Looking away from all that will distract to Jesus, Who is the Leader and the Source of our faith.  (AMP)

When we go through the pressure and problems of life, if we will steadfastly focus on Jesus, it releases Him to work in our situations and turn them around.

 2) He Held Onto The Purpose of God: Joseph knew through visions and dreams of the Holy Spirit that God had a purpose and work for him to complete. As he held onto what God had promised, God used his problems as stepping-stones to success, not stumbling-stones to defeat.

 God used Joseph’s problems to take him from the prison to the throne.

 Are you going through a pressure time in your life. As you hold onto God’s purpose for you, He will use your trials as a catalyst to move you into the place of His purpose and you will see success rather than defeat.

 3) He Refused To Become Bitter: When Joseph’s brothers saw that Joseph was still alive, they prostrated themselves before his face, begging for his forgiveness.

 Joseph replied, “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. [(Gen 50:20) NKJV)]

 Joseph knew that God was using his difficulties to bring good out of them. This enabled him to remain in a place of forgiveness towards his brothers and keep his spirit free from bitterness.

 Paul the Apostle picked up on Joseph’s response to his brothers when he says in Rom 8:28 —And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. (NKJV) 

 Instead of seeing a man or woman against you, instead of seeing hopelessness in your problems — see God using them to work good into your life as a means of building the kingdom of God.

 Viewing problems from this perspective will enable you and I to keep our spirit pure and free from bitterness and resentment.

 Meditation Point: No matter how big the trial – I will focus on Jesus and He will bring me through to a place of blessing and success.

Gen 42:3 So Joseph’s ten brothers went down to buy grain in Egypt. (NKJV)

When Joseph’s brothers came to Egypt to buy corn for food, although Joseph recognised his brothers, they did not recognise him!

 This is a type (prophetic picture) of The Lord Jesus Christ. When He came the first time for the Jewish people, they not only didn’t recognise Him, they crucified Him.

 Jn 1:11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. (NKJV)

 It was the second time the brothers went down to Egypt that they recognised Him. Not because ‘they‘ recognised Him, but because He revealed Himself to them.

 When Jesus comes again the second time, the Jewish people will recognise Him as their Messiah, not because ‘they‘ will recognise Him, but because He, will reveal Himself to them!

 On the third day after the death of Jesus! two of His disciples were walking along the road to the town of Emmaus discussing the events of Jesus death. They were distressed at what had taken place. Suddenly Jesus drew near and walked beside them

 Lk 24:16 Jesus came up and walked along with them. But they were not able to recognise who he was. (MSG)

 It was only when He revealed Himself to them did they recognise Him.

 When you and I realised our need of Christ to be our Saviour, Christ revealed Himself to us and we invited Him to come into our lives.

 Now we know Christ as Saviour, He no longer needs reveal Himself to us.

 BUT — When we go through the difficulties, pressures and testings of life, we can allow the pain of those things to cause us to lose sight of Him.

 He is there with us in the midst of our problems but He becomes obscured by the pain so that we don’t recognise Him!

 Why is Jesus obscured by our pain? It’s because pain forces our mind to think of nothing else except what is happening to us. The pain crowds out all other thoughts, hence we crowd out Jesus too!

 Is this you today. Are you in emotional, physical or spiritual pain. Have you crowded Jesus out of your life.

 Be encouraged! Jesus says to you and I today: I will never leave you, never abandon you (Heb 13:5 NET).

 All we need do is recognise Him in the midst of our pain, and invite Him in to help us, and He will.

 Isa 43:1-3 Now, this is what the Lord says, the one who created you: “Don’t be afraid, for I will protect you. I call you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I am with you; when you pass through the streams, they will not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not harm you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your deliverer. (NET)

 There are times when Jesus delivers us from the testings of life, but that is the exception not the rule.

 The rule is that Jesus wants to deliver us in the testings! He wants us to come to know Him in the midst of what we are going through.

 It’s here that intimacy, relationship and maturity take place between Saviour and saved.

 Meditation Point: Prayer – “Holy Spirit, remind me in the pain to turn to Jesus and look to Him to deliver me, not from, but in the tests of life.”

]]> https://peterwilsonministries.org/blog/?feed=rss2&p=4088 0 https://peterwilsonministries.org/blog/?p=4054 https://peterwilsonministries.org/blog/?p=4054#comments Mon, 15 Jul 2013 16:31:53 +0000 http://peterwilsonministries.org/blog/?p=4054

Gen 39:5  From the day Joseph was put in charge of his master’s household and property, the Lord began to bless Potiphar’s household for Joseph’s sake. All his household affairs ran smoothly, and his crops and livestock flourished. (NLT)

 Joseph was still a teenager (17 years old) when he was sold as a slave in Egypt into the house of Potiphar the captain of Pharaoh’s guard.

 Joseph had nothing, no family, no money, no nation to call his own. He was stripped and manacled as a slave. Yet from the beginning, God’s blessing was on his life, God’s grace, favour and wisdom were with him.

 Everything he touched prospered and was successful. So much so that Potiphar could see that God was with Joseph and he made him the steward over all his household.

 Stewards in those days had authority over all things in the house of their master. They ruled over the many servants, oversaw the budgets for food and household needs and handled all the finances.

 FOR JOSEPH’S SAKE:

 The scripture above says that God blessed Potiphar for ‘Joseph’s sake‘.

 Gen 39:5 The Lord began to bless Potiphar’s household for Joseph’s sake.

 Joseph is the greatest type of Jesus in the Bible, and we see that when Jesus came, He brought the grace, favour and wisdom of God with Him.

 Lk 2:40 And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him. (NKJV)

 Jn 1:14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (NIV)

 When Jesus commenced His ministry He said that God would bless and favour the disciples for His sake:

 Mk 10:29,30 Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, there is no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for my sake and for the sake of the gospel who will not receive in this age a hundred times as much – homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, fields, all with persecutions – and in the age to come, eternal life. (NET)

 When Jesus died on the cross, He reconciled the world to God. The word reconciled means to restore to God’s favour. God was restoring the world to God’s favour for Jesus’s sake!

 2 Cor 5:19 For God was in Christ, reconciling (restoring to favour) the world to Himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And He gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. (NLT)

 Obviously, for the world to experience God’s favour and grace of salvation, they have to receive The Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour.

 GOD BLESSES AND FAVOURS THE WORLD FOR OUR SAKE!

Just as God favoured and blessed the world through Joseph and Jesus, so God wants that same favour and blessing to flow through us onto the world; and God will do it for ‘our sake‘.

 Reconciliation not only restores us to God’s divine favour, it also gives us access to that favour.

 Hence, in our family, jobs, businesses, Church life and role in society, God’s wisdom and favour upon us will bring blessing and success to flow into those areas!

 Obviously, if we are slipshod, work shy and sloppy, God’s blessing will slip through our hands and be wasted. But if we apply a spirit of excellence to everything we do, we will see those areas become favoured and successful.

 God will do all these things for ‘our sake‘.

So let’s take the promises of God, apply them to our lives and cultivate a spirit of expectancy for God’s wisdom and favour to flow through us; and when it does, the world will see that that blessing and success come from God.

 Say to yourself often, “God will bless ………(THE PERSONS NAME)…………., for my sake!

 Meditation Point: God wants to bless the world through us with His favour, and His favour is The Lord Jesus Christ. He is ‘the favour of God‘. When the world sees that favour, they will be drawn to Christ in salvation!

 As He is, so are we in this world (1 Jn 4:17)

]]> https://peterwilsonministries.org/blog/?feed=rss2&p=4054 0 https://peterwilsonministries.org/blog/?p=4007 https://peterwilsonministries.org/blog/?p=4007#comments Tue, 09 Jul 2013 20:43:00 +0000 http://peterwilsonministries.org/blog/?p=4007

LET MY PEOPLE GO!

 Ex 2:23-25 Now it happened in the process of time that the children of Israel groaned because of the bondage, and they cried out; and their cry came up to God. So God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant and looked upon the children of Israel, and acknowledged them. (NKJV)

Why did God leave it so long before He delivered the people of Israel. Let’s face it, He could have snapped His fingers and it would all be over in a nano second.

 Instead, they were in bondage and slavery for 400 yrs! before God moved and released them into freedom.

 There are times in our lives when we ask God to set us free, answer our prayers and respond to the cries of our hearts, only to be met with silence.

 Why is this, what is God doing, can’t He see that I need help now!

 Let’s look at 3 ways that God answers our prayer:

1) Admit Your Need In Prayer

 The Israelites had to wait 400 yrs because they weren’t willing to admit their need of God’s help. They held on and on until their bondage became too much to bear and then they cried to God.

 But as soon as God heard their cry, He knew they were ready to receive His help and He sent Moses to be their deliverer and saviour.

 Many of us Christians have a go it alone mentality when it comes to our problems. We want to be our own saviour and deliverer. It’s only when we are hanging on by the skin of our teeth do we call on Jesus for His help.

 The Lord is committed to  meeting all our needs because He wants to be intimately involved in our lives. He wants to answer our prayers whether they be big or small!

 2) Let Go And Let God

 The Israelites were not only not willing for God to help them, they also were not willing to let God fight their battles for them.

 Many of us have difficulty leaving our problems with God for Him to fight our battles for us.

 Why so? We want to hold onto them so we can worry and stress over them. We don’t want to let go of them!

 Worry, self effort and self strength are the fruit of dead works. Worry says, “I am playing a part in resolving my issues.”

 Jesus exposed worry as a root of dead works when He said, “Which of you by ‘worrying’ can add one cubit to his stature?” (Mt 6:27 NKJV)

Worry also prevents God from working in our lives.

We work — God rests.  We rest — God works.

So , let’s stop worrying and instead yield our prayers up to Jesus and stand back and allow Him to work on our behalf.

  Phil 4:6,7 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (NKJV)

 3) The timing of God: God has a plan for our lives. He works this out in His perfect timing. Our part is to respond to His timing.

 Ecc 3:1 To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven. (NKJV)

 How do we respond to His timing. It’s by giving our lives over to God (Rom12:1), thus when difficulties, problems or set backs occur, we are to give them over to Him and rest and wait for Him to resolve them.

 King David had this to say in Ps 27:14 Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord ! (NKJV)

 In this psalm, David was surrounded by his enemies, but he had learned the art of waiting for God to deliver him. God is never to early and He is never to late!

 Jesus waited for 4 days after Lazarus had died before He raised him from the dead. He could have done it much sooner but was waiting for God’s  perfect timing so that when Lazarus was raised His Father would get the glory. (Jn 11:4)

 Are you caught up in circumstances you cannot resolve — Jesus says to you today, “Give those things to me. Let me deal with them in my time. Your part is to wait and rest and then you will see what I will do. If I can release 3 million Israelites from the grip of a dictator called Pharaoh, I can release you too!”

Meditation Point: The answer to our prayers lies not in worrying and striving, but in resting and waiting for God to move on our behalf.

 Lk 11:20-22 But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. “When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe. But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armour in which the man trusted and divides up his plunder. (NIV

 God sent Moses as a deliverer and Saviour to set the Israelites free from the bondage and slavery of Egypt. Moses was to perform signs and wonders to show Pharaoh and the Egyptians that God was El-Shaddai, the Almighty God. (Ex 3:7,8,10)

 Moses performed 10 signs. Each time he performed a sign, the magicians of Pharaoh duplicated it. But by the 4th sign — (a swarm of mosquitoes [lice] that covered the land), the magicians could not duplicate it.

 Ex 8:18,19 Now the magicians so worked with their enchantments to bring forth lice, but they could not. Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.” (NKJV)

 It was now obvious to the Egyptians that God was indeed El Shaddai. Only He was the Almighty God. He was showing that he was stronger than the magicians in Pharaoh’s house.

 Moses went on to perform the 10 signs by which time he forced Pharaoh not only to let the people go but to send them out of Egypt laden down with silver and gold. (Ex 12:35,36)

 Christ Brings In His Kingdom.

 This story is a prophetic picture of Christ and His Church, and how He establishes His kingdom upon the earth.

 1) Moses: Speaks of Christ. Christ is our great deliverer  and Saviour, who performed signs and wonders upon the earth to show that His Father was indeed El-Shaddai the Almighty God. (Acts 2:22)

 2)The finger of God: Speaks of the authority and power of God. (Lk 11:20, Mt 12:28)

 3)    The Israelites: Speak of the Church. People who were once in bondage and slavery to sin. (Acts 7:38)

 4)   Pharaoh: Speaks of satan who is the god of this world, the prince of darkness. (Jn 12:31, 2 Cor 4:4)

 5)   Egypt: Speaks of the house of this world which is ruled over by the kingdom of darkness. (Ex 13:3)

 Jesus came as the deliverer and Saviour of the world. He used the authority and power of God (the finger of God) to perform signs and wonders that set people free from the bondage and slavery of sin, demon spirits, sickness and death.

 He was and is the stronger man of Lk 11:20-22 who defeated satan on the cross. He stripped him of all his armour, thus putting him to shame. He overcame him and broke into his house, the kingdom of darkness and plundered all his goods.

Col 2:15 He stripped all the spiritual tyrants in the universe of their sham authority at the Cross and marched them naked through the streets. ( MSG)

 What are his goods? — They are the people he kept in captivity to sin and everything he stole from them. Their health, families, riches, possessions and lives.

 Now ‘in Christ’ we can have restored to us everything that satan has stolen from us. Praise The Lord!

 As we look to Him and trust Him, He not only saves us from sin, but also freely gives us all things to enjoy.

 Rom 8:32 Indeed, he who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all – how will he not also, along with him, freely give us all things? (NET)

 We can receive from Christ, everything we lost to satan!

 The Lord Jesus Christ is establishing His Kingdom upon the earth and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. They shall not be able to stop its advancement!

Meditation Point: Jesus has set us free from the kingdom of darkness, and as we look to Him, He will restore all the things that satan has stolen from our lives!

Gen 6:14 Make thee an ark, and pitch it within and without with pitch. (KJV)

When Noah built the ark, God told him to ‘pitch‘ it inside and out with pitch,or as we know it Bitumin.

 The word, ‘pitch‘ in Hebrew means: To cover, appease, make an atonement, cleanse, be merciful, forgiveness.

 To atone means to cover with blood. When an animal sacrifice was offered up before God, it’s blood was presented before Him as evidence that a death had been carried out for sin. That is, the punishment for the sin of the people had been carried out on the animal because the punishment for sin was death. (Gen 2:17)

2 Chron 29:23-24 Then they brought the male goats of the sin offering  and the priests slaughtered them and purged the altar with their blood to atone (cover) for all Israel. (NASU)

 God could now release His forgiveness and mercy upon the people. But animal blood could only atone or cover the people’s sin, it couldn’t take it away, it couldn’t cleanse their conscience from guilt.

 Animal sacrifices were a prophetic picture pointing forward to The Lord Jesus Christ. He would offer Himself up as a sacrifice and shed His blood for all mankind.

 But His blood didn’t only cover sin, it took it away completely.

 Jn 1:29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! (NLT)

 When sin is forgiven and taken away, it means that:

1) God will never bring it back to remembrance to accuse us. (Micah 7:19)

2) Sin is no longer counted against us. (2 Cor 5:19)

3) We  no longer have to be sin conscious. (Heb 10:1-4)

4) There is no guilt or condemnation for sin. (Rom 8:1)

 This is why God says of the New Covenant: Heb 10:17  “Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” (NKJV)

Those who know Christ as their personal Saviour are completely free from the penalty of sin! Praise The Lord!

 Christ forgave and took away ALL our sin, past, present and future.

 1 Jn 1:7 The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from ALL sin. (NKJV)

 PAST: Do you still carry the guilt for sin committed in your past. For people you hurt, things you did wrong. Rejoice! Christ has taken away ALL your sin.

 PRESENT: Does satan accuse and condemn you for your mistakes, failures and sins. Rejoice! Christ has taken away ALL your sin.

 FUTURE: Whatever sin we may commit in the future, Christ took the punishment for them upon Himself 2000 yrs ago. Rejoice! Christ has taken away all your sin.

When this becomes revelation to us, we see that satan has no grounds to accuse or condemn the believer in Jesus Christ.

We can now live each day in peace with a guilt free conscience.

Meditation Point: God has not only forgiven ALL my sin, He has also taken it away!

Continuing our series on Noah’s Ark as a type of Christ, the ark of our salvation.

The Ark was built on three stories. This speaks of the trinity of Father, Son & Holy Spirit. The Father is the bottom story, the Son the middle story and the Holy Spirit the top story.

 God told Noah to build a door in the side of the middle story.

When it was the right time, God told Noah to enter the Ark through the door. As he went inside, God Himself shut the door.

Gen 7:13-16 In the same day entered Noah into the ark: and the LORD shut him in. (Websters Bible)

God shut Noah and his family in the ark to protect them from the coming judgement of the flood.

 They were safe and sound inside the ark, nothing could get to them. When God closes a door, no one can open it. (Rev 3:7) They had food and drink, everything they needed to survive their time in the ark.

 The door is a picture of Jesus Christ who said, “I am the door to the sheepfold.” (Jn 10:9. NKJV). The ark is a picture of the sheepfold (Church).

 A shepherd would build a sheepfold with a protective wall around it leaving an opening for the door. But the shepherd wouldn’t hang a door. He would position himself in the opening. The sheep would have to push past him to get in.

He himself became the door. In this way, no goats (who in the Middle East look like sheep and are pictured as unbelievers) were able to get into the sheepfold.

The shepherd slept in the doorway at night with his club at the ready to protect the sheep from wolves, bears and lions.

 As believers, you and I have entered the sheepfold of salvation through the door of Christ. We are now, ‘In Christ’ the ark of our salvation. (2 Cor 5:17) It’s now the responsibility of our heavenly Shepherd to:

PROTECT: Ps 91:2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”  (NIV)

The Lord has promised to protect us from all harm. Our part is to not only trust and rest in Him, but also to confess His protection. This verse says, “I will say.”

Confessing God’s word establishes it in our life and releases its latent power and strength enabling us to live it out.

As you go through times of pressure, see yourself safe in God’s hands and confess His promise often to yourself.

PROVISION: The world is in chaos today. Nations are falling because of  political and economic turmoil. But praise the Lord! You and i live under a different government – the Kingdom of God.

We must turn away from all fear, worry and anxiety and keep our eyes firmly fixed on Jesus Christ. He is our Shepherd provider. Many Christians sink into fear because their trust is in their job, business or pension. They are looking in the wrong place.

Ps 23:1 The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want. (KJV)

The sheep could not provide for themselves, that was the responsibility of the shepherd and the sheep instinctively looked to him. Jesus our heavenly Shepherd has promised to provide all our needs and wants. Rest in Him, look to Him and watch Him go to work on your behalf.

Heb 12:2 Looking away from all that will distract to Jesus, Who is the Leader and the Source of our faith. (AMP)

Meditation Point: We are protected, safe and provided for in Christ, the ark of OUR salvation!

Christ: The Ark of Our Salvation

A type is a prophetic word picture under the O.C. (Old Covenant) pointing forward to what will take place under the N.C. (New Covenant) in Christ and His Church. Here we see that the Ark is a picture of Christ as the ‘Ark of our salvation’.

I’m going to pick out certain aspects of this story that will help you and i live out who we are ‘In Christ’.

Noah’s Name: Names in Scripture are descriptive of a persons character or calling. Noah’s  name means ‘REST’, and rest plays an important part in Noah’s life.

When the waters receded off the earth, the ark came to rest on the top of Mt Ararat. (Gen 8;4)

Noah knew when the earth had dried out because he sent out a dove who eventually found a place to rest. (Gen 8:8-12)

Applying these Scriptures to the N.C. we see that Christ is the personification of rest and says to us who are in Christ:

Matt 11:28-30 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light. (NKJV)

Jesus is inviting us to give all our worries, problems, failures, disappointments, past, present and future to Him and rest in Him. He will then work on our behalf and resolve them ALL for us.

It is our rest in Christ that releases the grace of God in our lives.

Gen 6:8 Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. (NKJV)

Knowing that Noah’s name means rest, we could read the above scripture as, ‘rest found grace’. It is when we are at rest in Christ that the grace of God flows into our lives and provides everything  we need. Hence, if we allow fear, worry, anxiety or fretting to control us, it cuts off the flow of grace and makes it difficult for God to help us.

Heb 4:11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest. (KJV)

God knows the challenge it is for His people to rest in Christ, and has given us the above scripture to show us how! We have to labour or work to enter rest. This means when we give a problem to Jesus, we have to leave it with Him for Him to work it out in our lives.

Hence, if we take it back off Him and allow worry to control us, we must give it back to Him again and rest in Him. We may have to repeat this procedure 50 times until we can successively leave the problem with Him.

Every time we give our need to Christ and rest in Him, we are developing the muscle of faith. Subsequently our ability to rest becomes easier and we experience a peaceful lifestyle.

Meditation Point: Father, help me to rest in You and release You to work on my behalf.

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