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Category: Christian Page 17 of 169

Meditate in the field (ubiquitously) at eventide (perpetually)

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On November 25, 2015

In Christian, Genesis, Through the Bible

The Bible records that Isaac, the Son of Abraham, coming from the well Laharoi (which means well of the Living One who sees me) went out to meditate in the field at the eventide/evening (Genesis 16:14; Genesis 24:63).

From this account we can learn a few things – regarding the time and the place for our meditation.
1. Unlike most people’s habits of meditating in the morning,upon waking up, on matters of God, during one’s quiet time, Isaac, here establishes the fact that one can meditate at eventide (evening – as the darkness of the night sets in). In fact, the Psalmist writes, that Blessed in the man/woman, who meditates on the law of the Lord, day and night i.e., perpetually (Psalm 1:2).
2. Isaac, went into the field to meditate. The harvest is plentiful and the field is ready, not only for the harvest but also for our meditation. We ought to be meditating not, only in the security of our homes, but in our workplaces (fields that yield its harvest) as well. In other words, we need to be meditating at home and at work i.e., ubiquitously.

Points to ponder:
As spiritual darkness is fast approaching in the world we live in, if not already her, do we take time to meditate day and night, through dawn and dusk (eventide)? Secondly, are we going in our mission field, i.e., to the people around us, to meditate on God, at the break of day (dawn) and night (dusk)? Blessed is the man/woman who meditates on the law of the Lord, perpetually, ubiquitously.

Genesis 24:62-63 (KJV)
62 And Isaac came from the way of the well Lahairoi; for he dwelt in the south country.
63 And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide: and he lifted up his eyes, and saw, and, behold, the camels were coming.

Psalm 1:2 (KJV)
2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

The Seed of Rebekah (& Isaac)

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On November 24, 2015

In Christian, Genesis, Through the Bible

Before sending Rebekah to be married to Isaac, Abraham’s son, Rebekah’s family blessed her by saying that she be the mother of thousands of millions and that her seed possess the gate of those who hate them. Interestingly this blessing about the ‘seed’ is the same blessing that the Lord God directly gives to Abraham concerning his seed, referring to Jesus Christ (Galatians 3:16), for his obedience.

The ‘Seed’ of Abraham through Isaac and Rebekah is the promised ‘Seed’ of the woman who would crush the head of his enemy, the ‘hater’ devil, (Genesis 3:15), against whom even the gates of hell shall not prevail (Matthew 16:18). And to all, the thousand of millions, who believe in Jesus Christ, and who have received him, he gave them the power to become the sons (children) of God (John 1:12).

Points to ponder:
Are you one of the thousand of millions who are blessed to be the child of the ‘Seed’ of Rebekah and Isaac, the ‘Seed’ who possess the gates of all his enemies? If yes, rejoice. If not, believe in Jesus and receive him as your Savior, King and Lord, today, before it is too late.

Genesis 24:59-61 (KJV)
59 And they sent away Rebekah their sister, and her nurse, and Abraham’s servant, and his men.
60 And they blessed Rebekah, and said unto her, Thou art our sister, be thou the mother of thousands of millions, and let thy seed possess the gate of those which hate them.
61 And Rebekah arose, and her damsels, and they rode upon the camels, and followed the man: and the servant took Rebekah, and went his way.

Will you go?

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On November 23, 2015

In Christian, Genesis, Through the Bible

When the servant of Abraham, asked to take Rebekah back to his master, so that she could wed the master’s son, Isaac, the brother and mother of Rebekah, called Rebekah to enquire of her, if she would be willing to go. Rebekah’s response, was “I will go.” and they sent her away along with her nurse with Abraham’s servant.

Points to ponder:
When the Holy Spirit of God, wishes us to follow him to be the bride of Jesus Christ, God the Master’s Son, what is our response going to be when asked if we will go. Let our response be as that of Rebekah, willing to go. Will you go?

Genesis 24:57-59 (KJV) 
57 And they said, We will call the damsel, and enquire at her mouth.
58 And they called Rebekah, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will go.
59 And they sent away Rebekah their sister, and her nurse, and Abraham’s servant, and his men.

Hinder not God’s mission

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On November 19, 2015

In Christian, Genesis, Through the Bible

Upon the request of Abraham’s servant to be sent back to his master, along with Rebekah, the bride-to-be of Abraham’s servant, Rebekah’s brother Laban and mother request that she stay with them for a at least ten days before they send her with him. To this the servant requested them not to hinder him, for he yearned to return to his master at the prosperity of the mission that the Lord had brought about.

Points to ponder:
One can understand Rebekah’s brother’s and mother’s familial longing to stay a little longer with her and so their request to have her stay for at least ten days with them is well founded and justifiable. However, one also ought to recognize and realize that our personal interests to hold back ones we love, which can impede and hinder God’s mission, should not be the case. We need to put our familial relationship secondary to God’s purpose. Most full time missionaries, who are forced to stay away from their families, on account of fulfilling God, the Master’s, mission, understand this, but do others who are not serving full time as missionaries also understand this? We must never hinder God’s mission.

Genesis 24:55-56 (KJV)
55 And her brother and her mother said, Let the damsel abide with us a few days, at the least ten; after that she shall go.
56 And he said unto them, Hinder me not, seeing the Lord hath prospered my way; send me away that I may go to my master.

Back to our Master

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On November 18, 2015

In Christian, Genesis, Through the Bible

Genesis 24:52-54 gives the account of the servant of Abraham who bows down and worships the Lord, for the Lord had brought him success in his master Abraham’s mission to find a bride for the master’s son, Isaac. After bestowing precious things and jewelry to Rebekah, the bride to be and her family, the servant resorted to eat and drink and stay the night. However, when he woke up, his first request was for him to sent back to the master.

Points to ponder:
When our mission for God, our master is fulfilled by the working of God himself in and through the situations and circumstances that surround us, giving us success, where do we choose to dwell. Often, I find myself wanting to linger in the laurels of success, failing to recognize to worship God, the giver of success and that my first request and response should be to go back to my Master God. How about you?

Genesis 24:52-54 (KJV)
52 And it came to pass, that, when Abraham’s servant heard their words, he worshipped the Lord, bowing himself to the earth.
53 And the servant brought forth jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment, and gave them to Rebekah: he gave also to her brother and to her mother precious things.
54 And they did eat and drink, he and the men that were with him, and tarried all night; and they rose up in the morning, and he said, Send me away unto my master.

Oxford Word of the Year Emoji in the Bible

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On November 17, 2015

In Christian, Word of the Year

Face with Tears of Joy emojiFor the very first time ever, the Oxford Dictionaries Word of the Year (2015) is not a word, but a pictograph. It is the emoji of what is officially called the “Face with Tears of Joy”. It was selected as the judges felt that it best represented the ethos, mood and preoccupations of 2015. Other contenders included the word on fleek (extremely good, attractive), refugee, Dark Web and the word they.

Noteworthily, the New Living Translation of the Bible has the phrase “Tears of Joy” recorded in Jeremiah 31. It is the chapter in which the restoration of the tribes of Israel is mentioned and starts out with God’s promise of being the God of all Israel (current day Church) and ‘they’ shall be his people. No longer shall God’s people wander waywardly in the ‘Dark Web’ of deceit spun by the devil (Revelation 12:9) but they shall take refuge in the Lord God (‘refugees’), for God shall redeem them from those too strong for them (Jeremiah 31:11). Why, because God is ‘on fleek’.

Points to ponder:
Though Oxford Dictionary chose their word of the year 2015 due to what they felt reflected the times, only those who are God’s people, i.e., those who have believed in the on fleek Jesus Christ as God’s Son, and their Lord and Savior shall have Tears of Joy. Do you?

Jeremiah 31:9 (NLT)
9 Tears of joy will stream down their faces, and I will lead them home with great care. They will walk beside quiet streams and on smooth paths where they will not stumble. For I am Israel’s father, and Ephraim (meaning the Fruitful One) is my oldest child.

Word of the Year information & image source: http://blog.oxforddictionaries.com/2015/11/word-of-the-year-2015-emoji/

Neither Right nor Left

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On October 19, 2015

In Christian, Genesis, Through the Bible

When the eldest servant had described to the family of Rebekah, how the Lord God had led her to him as he sought out a bride for his master’s son, Isaac, he went on to request the kindness of the family of Rebekah to give her hand in marriage to Isaac. His request was one of finding favor and not in any sense demanding, for he said “if you will deal kindly and truly with my master, tell: and if not, tell me (as well) so that I may turn to the right or to the left” in order to continue his search. (Genesis 24:49-51).
To this, Laban, the brother of Rebekah and her father Bethuel, both said, “This proceeds from the Lord and we cannot speak unto thee bad (refuse) or good (accept). Behold, Rebekah is before you, take her and go so she may wed Isaac, as the Lord has spoken.”

This account indicates that both Laban and Bethuel perceived that the Lord was at work and did not want to stand in the way of God’s messenger on a mission.

Points to ponder:
From this account, we can learn that as servants of God on the mission, seeking the bride (Church) for our Savior, Jesus Christ, we must not be demanding but out of respect and love seek the kindness of whom we seek, requesting them to be kind and true with our master and Lord. And if you are not on a mission for the Lord God, when God sends his messengers on a mission, let us not stand in their way, so that they can proceed with the mission and not have to turn to the right or to the left.

Genesis 24:49-51 (KJV)
49 And now if ye will deal kindly and truly with my master, tell me: and if not, tell me; that I may turn to the right hand, or to the left.
50 Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, The thing proceedeth from the Lord: we cannot speak unto thee bad or good.
51 Behold, Rebekah is before thee, take her, and go, and let her be thy master’s son’s wife, as the Lord hath spoken.

Seeking a Virgin

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On October 8, 2015

In Christian, Genesis, Through the Bible

When Abraham’s eldest servant tells Rebekah’s family of his mission of seeking a bride for Abraham’s son, Isaac, he explicitly identifies Rebekah as a virgin (Genesis 24:43) and through their interaction recounts that she was not only one of chaste but one of charity as well, willing to serve and go beyond the call of duty, ungrudgingly.

Points to ponder:
The church is the bride to be of Christ Jesus. When the Holy Spirit of God seeks out for you and me who believe in Jesus, i.e., the Church – will he identify us as virgins, undefiled by the carnal desires of the flesh – one full of chaste and prepared to serve with charity, going beyond our calling and commission, ungrudgingly. God is seeking a virgin in you and me – unadulterated by this world or its offering. How will God identify you and me?

Genesis 24:42-48 (KJV)
42 And I came this day unto the well, and said, O Lord God of my master Abraham, if now thou do prosper my way which I go:
43 Behold, I stand by the well of water; and it shall come to pass, that when the virgin cometh forth to draw water, and I say to her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water of thy pitcher to drink;
44 And she say to me, Both drink thou, and I will also draw for thy camels: let the same be the woman whom the Lord hath appointed out for my master’s son.
45 And before I had done speaking in mine heart, behold, Rebekah came forth with her pitcher on her shoulder; and she went down unto the well, and drew water: and I said unto her, Let me drink, I pray thee.
46 And she made haste, and let down her pitcher from her shoulder, and said, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: so I drank, and she made the camels drink also.
47 And I asked her, and said, Whose daughter art thou? And she said, the daughter of Bethuel, Nahor’s son, whom Milcah bare unto him: and I put the earring upon her face, and the bracelets upon her hands.
48 And I bowed down my head, and worshipped the Lord, and blessed the Lord God of my master Abraham, which had led me in the right way to take my master’s brother’s daughter unto his son.

My Master’s Promise / Confidence

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On October 7, 2015

In Christian, Genesis, Through the Bible

When the eldest servant of Abraham narrates to the family of Rebekah, the bride sought out for Abraham’s son, Isaac, he tells them of the concern that he had, which was “What if the bride to be refuses to come to wed Isaac, what then?” following with the confidence that Abraham his master had, in the Lord God. For Abraham’s response to the servant’s concern was that the Lord will send his angel with his servant and prosper his mission – a promise that Abraham could make because he saw the whole marriage of his son, with eyes of faith. He saw the invisible before it became evident and expresses that faith, calling attention to neither himself or his servant, but to the faithfulness of God.

Points to ponder:
Abraham promised his servant that his journey and mission would be a success. He had confidence in the Lord’s presence and provisions, seeing with eyes of faith. Do we have that level of confidence in God, wherein we can be assured of the invisible things of God coming true in our life and making our life’s mission a success? Our Master God is a promise keeping God and we can be confident of his presence and provisions in our life / life’s journey, when we see him and his master plan in action, with eyes of faith.

Genesis 24:40 (KJV)
40 And he said unto me, The Lord, before whom I walk, will send his angel with thee, and prosper thy way; and thou shalt take a wife for my son of my kindred, and of my father’s house:

The Master’s Purpose / Condition

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On October 6, 2015

In Christian, Genesis, Through the Bible

Abraham’s eldest servant retells the family of Rebekah that his master’s purpose was for him to find a wife for his master’s son, Isaac, from the family/kindred of Abraham and his condition was explicit that if the woman refused to come to be married to his master’s son, the servant was cleared of his oath.

Points to ponder:
God our Master send us his servants to find a bride from his people and we are to tell of the impending marriage of the Lamb of God (Revelation 19). This is our Master God’s purpose. However, if the people refuse to give themselves up for Jesus Christ, God’s Only begotten Son, then we are cleared of our oath, not because we were unsuccessful in our mission, but because God is a loving God, who would not force anyone to follow him. He gives everyone the freedom to choose to follow his Son and is not a puppeteer. The Master’s purpose is clear that everyone should be reconciled to him but his condition is that it should be by their own accord, brought up by the conviction of the Holy Spirit of God and not by any eloquence of speech or rationalization by us, his servants. Someone may plant, and we may water or we may plant and someone may water, the Seed of the gospel, but it is God who gives the increase.

Genesis 24:38-39;41 (KJV)
38 But thou shalt go unto my father’s house, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son.
39 And I said unto my master, Peradventure the woman will not follow me.
..
41 Then shalt thou be clear from this my oath, when thou comest to my kindred; and if they give not thee one, thou shalt be clear from my oath.

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