365 Reflections

The time for Jacob's departure is approaching in Genesis 48. He has one last thing to make sure he communicates before he departs this life. So he calls for his son Joseph, adopts his sons out of Egyptian life and into the Covenant family and then blesses them in the strangest way: Genesis 48:14 (ESV) And Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it on the head of Ephraim, who was the younger, and his left hand on the head of Manasseh, crossing his hands (for Manasseh was the firstborn). Genesis 48:17–19 (ESV) When Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it displeased him, and he took his father’s hand to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. 18 And Joseph said to his father, “Not this way, my father; since this one is the firstborn, put your right hand on his head.” 19 But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He also shall become a people, and he also shall be great. Nevertheless, his younger brother shall be grea...

Are you worried about where your life is headed? Do you tend to freak out thinking the wrong people are in power over you? Do you think someone may be hindering your purpose and destiny in Christ? Stop. It's just not true. You have to read the scriptures to understand no human hand can stop God's plan. Jacob and his family of 66 are arrived in Egypt in Genesis 47. The 7 year famine is in year 7 and things are bleak. The nation is starving, the people are selling everything for grain - their fields, their homes, eventually even themselves. It's hard times for everyone. On top of this, the chosen family is on foreign soil. They are strangers at a strange time in a strange land. You don't want to be someone's guest when they have nothing good going for them. You feel like more of an intruder than normal. Yet right in the middle of this horrendous period of Egypt's history, Jacob's family is possessing property, growing, multiplying and increasing! Loo...

Jude 3 (ESV) Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. Contend.  This is a fight .  I find many Christians seeking comfort and ease on this side of heaven... I wonder what Bible they read, if any at all.  We are not prescribed the unencumbered life if we claim to have faith in Christ Jesus.  It's going to be difficult at times.  It's going to be inconvenient.  It's going to take a hard nosed attitude at our adversary. What do we fight?  We fight FOR the faith once for all delivered.  That is, we fight against deception and perversion of the Scriptures.  We fight to preserve the Gospel from those who would come in from among us and distort the message for their own purposes.  We fight against those who secretly worm their way into our fellowship with ulterior motives and caus...