LESSONS FROM THE BACKSIDE OF THE DESERT

GOD’S PRIVATE PREPARATORY SCHOOL:
LESSONS FROM BURNING BUSHES AND MUSTARD SEEDS

JAN 26 TODAY’S READING IN THE ONE YEAR BIBLE

Exodus 2:11-3:22 ~ Matthew 17:10-27 ~ Psalm 22:1-18 ~ Proverbs 5:7-14

The Headlines from today’s readings could be quite sensational:

· Prince of Egypt- Wanted for Murder

· Pharaoh’s Adopted Son Avoids Trial and Retires from Public Life at age 40.

· Scandal: Celebrity marries Daughter of Midian Priest in Private Desert Hide-Out.

· Royal turns Rural- Pharaoh’s Son Groomed for Succession chooses to be a Shepherd;

· Speech-Impaired Royal Fears Consequence of Flubbed Interview.

The word ‘exodus’ means ‘departure’ . The ‘Book of Exodus’ describes how God provides ‘a departure’, ‘a way out’; an ‘escape’ for the children of Israel from their bondage in Egypt. You recall that God had given Abraham the prophecy hundreds of years earlier.

“Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, where they will be enslaved and oppressed four hundred years. But I will also judge the nation whom they will serve, and afterward they will come out with many possessions… in the fourth generation they will return here.” (Genesis 15:13-16)

When we read the Book of Exodus it is important that we do not forget the big picture. We must keep the Promise in view. For every ‘scheduled departure’ there is a ‘scheduled arrival’. It is not enough to depart from the old life. We must fully enter into the new. It is not enough to escape your present bondage. We not only need to know what we are saved from, we need to know what we are saved to. The Lord has a future in view.

Jeremiah 29:11 (NASB)
¹¹ 'For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.

God provides deliverance from Egypt in order to bring His people into what He has promised for them in the future. The Promise consists of the Promised Seed (Christ) that would bless all nations and the Promised Land, a place of fellowship where God promises to dwell among His people in a covenant relationship:

Exodus 29:46 (NASB)
⁴⁶ "They shall know that I am the LORD their God who brought them out of the land of Egypt, that I might dwell among them; I am the LORD their God.

The Lord brings them out of their bondage in Egypt that He might bring them in to their inheritance.

“You will bring them in and plant them on the mountain of your inheritance-- the place, O LORD, you made for your dwelling, the sanctuary, O Lord, your hands established.” (Exodus 15:17)

In Exodus 3 Moses is called of God to be the leader and mediator in the exodus that God will provide for His people. God intends to use Moses as an example (1 Cor 10:11). The Lord must do a work of deliverance within Moses before He can do a work of deliverance through him. The Lord must deliver Moses from reliance upon his natural strength, cleverness and pride.

During the first 40 years of Moses life in Egypt we learn that he is brought up with the best that this world has to offer. He is a privileged son in Pharaoh’s household. He is educated in the ways of the Egyptians. He is saturated in their values and their worldview. His source of confidence and strength is in himself. He excels in that which is admired of men. He was “educated in all the learning of the Egyptians, and he was a man of power in words and deeds” (Acts 7:22). But remember the words of our Lord Jesus towards the self-satisfied, self-sufficient, self-justifying religious professionals of his day, “You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts; for that which is highly esteemed among men is detestable in the sight of God” (Luke 16:15).

When Moses had grown up, he discovered that he was a Hebrew. He could not help but identify with the sufferings of his own people. When he sees an Egyptian beating a Hebrew slave, he “looks this way and that” and thinking that no one is watching, he kills the Egyptian and hides him in the sand.

Moses was still living with a frame of reference of being ‘seen of men’ instead of ‘seen of God’. While Moses had looked ‘this way and that’, he failed to look up to God, who knows all and sees all. He failed to know that others outside his frame of reference were watching him.

As leaders it is important to know that there are others, whom you may not be aware of, that are watching you. And most importantly, we must remember that God sees our every move and motive.

“Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”(Even that which we bury in the sand!) (Heb 4:13)

The next day Moses in his efforts once again to do God’s work his own way seeks to settle a fight among two Hebrews. Instead of welcoming Moses’ peace-making initiatives, the Hebrew says, “Who made you ruler and judge over us?” It was clear that God had not yet appointed him to that task!

How important it is to wait on God’s timing and to rely on God’s strength. God’s work must be done God’s way and in His time.

For the first 40 years Moses was full of himself. Although he was sincere, compassionate and competent, he did not yet know God personally. Neither was he submitted to Him.

Soon Moses realizes that his sincere actions in the interests of his people did not have the desired effect. Pharaoh heard of his murdering the Egyptian and ordered Moses killed.

During the next 40 years Moses is being emptied of himself. He is taken from the palace to the outback. The former Prince of Egypt is now living in obscurity in the back side of the desert. He becomes a shepherd, a profession that was despised in Egypt (Genesis 46:34). He who was once at home with royalty was now a stranger in a strange land. He who impetuously took matters into his own hands would become the meekest man on earth (Numbers 12:3). He who was the pride of Egypt becomes a humble servant of God, a scrub in the desert. The ‘somebody’ has become a ‘nobody’.

What a school the backside of the desert can be! We are brought to a place where we can no longer depend on our status in society, our social network, our gadgets, our degrees and bank accounts. We are weaned from all that which gave us natural self-confidence. No one knows of your great possessions and accomplishments when you are separated from it all on the back side of the desert. Here one has to learn to live a life of dependence.

In Exodus 3, Moses is introduced to the One he is to become dependent upon. God was preparing him to be a leader in ways that he was not aware of at the time. He was being taught to lead like a shepherd. While he was pasturing the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, Moses comes to Horeb, the mountain of God. (Horeb is the mountain range. Sinai is the mountain. ) Here the Lord appears to Moses in a blazing fire from the midst of the bush. Moses is astounded that the bush, although enveloped in fire, is not consumed.

When the Lord saw that Moses had turned aside to look, He called to Moses from the midst of the bush as he had called to his ancestors with the double repetition of his name. He was to remove his sandals and recognize he was standing on holy ground.

What takes place is Moses’ great commission. He feels totally inadequate for the task, but for each excuse that Moses makes of being empty of ability, the Lord promises to be his supply.

This is how it is with the Lord. The bush did not fuel the fire. The fire drew no strength from the bush. The bush was merely a platform for the glory of God to attach itself to. Therefore if any bush boasts, may its boast be in the Lord! (1 Cor 1:29, 31)

God uses very ordinary things and ordinary people in extraordinary ways if we are willing to stay humble and give Him the glory He deserves.

God introduces Himself to Moses and announces Himself as “I AM WHO I AM”. He is the self-existant, self-sustaining, self-revealing, ever-living, ever-lasting God. He is eternal and always. He is wisdom- all knowing, all-powerful; everywhere-present, all-holy God. “I am All that you will ever need me to be.”

More than a thousand years later religious leaders would attempt to stone Jesus of Nazareth to death because he took this name to himself:

⁵⁸ "I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "before Abraham was born, I am!" ⁵⁹ At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds. John 8:58-59 (NIV)

NEW TESTAMENT READING: Matt 17:10-27

We see that Jesus really is the Great I Am. He is the all-sufficient one. The hymn writer wrote, “All that I needed His hand has provided.”

The disciples failed to drive the demon from the boy who was bound in self-destructive habits, even throwing himself into the fire and the water. The reason they could not bestow the healing was the littleness of their faith. Jesus made it clear that by ‘littleness’ he was not referring to the size of their enthusiasm, imagination, or confidence. He referred to a little mustard seed. The nature of the seed is to grow to something big, far bigger than the seed itself. We need to focus on what the seed is designed to be and do. Our faith needs to be focused on the object of our trust. Jesus refers to focusing our faith on God’s ability and will. This comes through prayer, discernment, and discipline, such as fasting (‘fasting’ is only found in some manuscripts).

Sometimes disciples end up focusing on principles of formulas or even using the name of Jesus without really focusing on Jesus Himself.

Warren Wiersbe writes, “Faith like a mustard seed is living faith that is nurtured and caused to grow. Faith must be cultivated so that it grows and does even greater exploits for God (1 Thess 3:10; 2 Thess 1:3). Had the nine disciples been praying, disciplining themselves, and meditating on the Word, they would have been able to cast out the demon and rescue the boy.” -Bible Exposition Commentary (BE Series) - New Testament - The Bible Exposition Commentary – New Testament, Volume 1.

Reading through the Bible is a great discipline for strengthening and focusing your faith upon Christ. Be encouraged and watch your faith grow and the mountains that the Lord wants to move, move!

PSALM 22- This psalm is the most quoted psalm in the New Testament and is quoted by Jesus on the Cross. It gives us insight into his sufferings. (Compare with Matthew 27:42- 46)

PROVERBS 5:12-14 What is your attitude today towards discipline, teachers, instructors or those in authority? Are you demanding your own way? Living with your own interests at the helm?

OPERATION WORLD: We are praying today for the continent of Asia where over 60% of the world’s population lives on only 23.5% of the world’s land surface. Pray for the church that is growing rapidly. There are more evangelical Christians on the continent of Asia than any other apart from Africa. The church in China has a vision to complete the Great Commission. One initiative called, “Back to Jerusalem” sees the spread of the gospel going west from China to the Middle East and Jerusalem. Yet there are many areas of trouble and tension. Pray for these Hot Spots on page 61 and 62 of “ Operation World”.

Pastor David

So, naturally, we proclaim Christ! We warn everyone we meet, and we teach everyone we can, all that we know about him, so that, if possible, we may bring every man up to his full maturity in Christ. (Colossians 1:28, J.B. Phillips paraphrase)

THE LAST SCENE OF GENESIS; THE FIRST SCENE OF THE SEQUEL, EXODUS

JAN 25, 2011

Today’s One Year Bible Readings:

GENESIS 50:1-26 | EXODUS 1:1-2:10 | MATTHEW 16:13-17:9 | PSALM 21:1-13 | PROVERBS 5:1-6

Today we finish reading the Book of Genesis. Jacob and Joseph die casting their faith upon the Keeper of the Promises. Israel’s tribe had increased from the original twelve (sons), to the seventy (when they come to settle in Goshen; Gen 46:27, Exodus 1:5), to the multitudes that will return to the Promised Land when they become a nation. (We see a parallel with Jesus calling the Twelve (Matthew 10:1) and the Seventy (Luke 10:1,17) suggesting the continuity in the plan of salvation and the privilege of involvement extended to those whom He chooses).

The God who created the heavens and the earth had you in mind from the beginning:

Psalm 8:3-9 (NASB) ³ When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained; ⁴ What is man that You take thought of him, And the son of man that You care for him? ⁵ Yet You have made him a little lower than God, And You crown him with glory and majesty! ⁶ You make him to rule over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet, ⁷ All sheep and oxen, And also the beasts of the field, ⁸ The birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea, Whatever passes through the paths of the seas. ⁹ O LORD, our Lord, How majestic is Your name in all the earth!

We learned that the God-given status of man as His co-regent on earth (Genesis 1 and 2) was ruined by mankind’s disobedience (Genesis 3). Instead of taking his place in the rule of God, he became ruled by sin (Gen 4:7). The only escape would be through the sin offering. (It is interesting that the Hebrew word found in Genesis 4:7 ‘chattath’ is both the word for ‘sin’ and ‘sin offering’ and can mean both. Which will we submit to? The rule of sin or the rule of the sin offering?)

The good news is that the God who created us promised a Redeemer. He made Himself known to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, as the God who so loved the world that He would give His only begotten, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life (John 3:16).

Jesus, God’s Son, while never being less than God, emptied Himself of divine prerogatives, and humbled Himself to be born as man, perfectly submitted to the rule of God the Father through the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, to restore mankind’s place in the rule of God. He lives the life of perfect obedience under God’s holy law that we should have lived and died the death that, according to God’s law, we should have died. By this, He fulfills the law on our behalf and reconciles the law-breakers to Himself, that those who repent and believe on Him might be restored to life.

The Book of Genesis closes with the assurance of forgiveness. After Jacob’s death, Joseph’s brothers are afraid that Joseph will hate them and retaliate because of their previous terrible treatment of him. But Joseph assures them:

“Do not be afraid. For am I in God’s place? You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.” (Gen 50:19-20).

Some see this as a rhetorical question, suggesting that Joseph is saying, “Can’t you see that I am where God has put me?” It is also a picture of how we who are standing in God’s place as forgiven sinners, who are reconciled to God through faith in Christ, can offer forgiveness to others.

Indeed we can see in Joseph’s case that God worked through all of his suffering to bring about a marvelous plan of salvation for his brothers and all his father’s household.

THE BOOK OF EXODUS

The Book of Exodus is definitely a sequel. It begins with a conjunction, ‘Now’, which could also read as ‘and’, as it follows the Genesis narrative. The reading of the Book of Exodus asks that we remember Joseph and how he made it possible for Israel to be treated with favor in Egypt.

Exodus 1:8 (NASB)
⁸ Now a new king arose over Egypt, who did not know Joseph.

The situation changes in Egypt and now Israel will find itself being greatly oppressed.

Genesis is the Book of Beginnings. In it we saw the beginning of creation, the beginning of mankind, and the beginning of marriage and family. We saw the beginning of human society and its wayward path. We also saw the budding of God’s plan of redemption. We saw how God began to prepare a people through whom He would bring forth the Messiah to be the Redeemer and Blesser of all the nations of the earth. God began this work by calling a man, Abraham, and giving him a promised Son, Isaac. From that son comes a family of many sons. In the Book of Exodus that multitude becomes a nation.

Exodus is the Book of Deliverance. In the Book of Genesis we have a picture of whom God saves (those who believe His gospel). In the Book of Exodus we have a picture of how God saves (His plan of redemption through the Mediator, the appointed sacrifice and applied blood of the Passover Lamb, the miraculous provisions for food and guidance and the Tabernacle in the Wilderness).

The key figure in the Book of Exodus at first appears to be Moses. But in the Gospel of Luke we realize that although Exodus describes the historic deliverance of God’s people from the hard taskmasters of Egypt and the angel of death under the leadership of Moses, it speaks of a greater Exodus by which believers are delivered from death and hell itself, through the greater Moses, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Luke 9:28-31 (NASB)
²⁸ Some eight days after these sayings, He took along Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. ²⁹ And while He was praying, the appearance of His face became different, and His clothing became white and gleaming. ³⁰ And behold, two men were talking with Him; and they were Moses and Elijah, ³¹ who, appearing in glory, were speaking of His departure (literally, ‘exodus’) which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.

So we know that what Moses wrote about in this book is for written our benefit (1 Cor 10:6, 11) and speaks to us of Christ (1 Cor 10:4). The Book of Exodus speaks to us of the cross of Jesus Christ whereby we who believe are delivered from the hard-taskmasters of sin and death, the world system and its pharaoh, Satan. It speaks of how we are brought into the glorious liberty of a new beginning by being joined to the Greater Moses in his death, burial and resurrection (figured in the parting of the Red Sea) and becoming a royal priesthood and holy nation led by His Spirit (the pillar of cloud by day and fire by night).

The major sections of Exodus are:

1. The Story of a People in Bondage, describing the need for redemption (Chapters 1-6)

2. The Story of a People delivered from Bondage, demonstrating the power of the Redeemer (Chapters 7-18)

3. The Story of a People becoming a Nation, describing the Provision for the Redeemed, the light of the law and the pattern of the Tabernacle (Chapters 19-40)

A summary verse might be:

"In Your lovingkindness You have led the people whom You have redeemed; In Your strength You have guided them to Your holy habitation.” (Exodus 15:13)

Today we read of the circumstances surrounding the birth of Moses and come to understand how he got his name (Exodus 2:10)

TODAY’S NEW TESTAMENT READING: Matt 16:13-17:9

Jesus gives us much to think about: “Who do YOU say that I am?”

What matters is not our opinion. What matters is what the Father has declared. What matters is what the Holy Spirit has revealed. What matters is whether we have received revelation as to who Jesus of Nazareth really is.

This is not the disciples’ first confession in the New Testament that Jesus is the Son of God (Matt 14:33). But it is the first time that Jesus reveals that He is building His church with those who are enabled by God to make that confession, having received the revelation from the Father that He is the Christ. (Notice that Jesus uses the Greek word for ‘build’ (‘oikodomeo’) and the Old Testament uses the Hebrew word for ‘build’ (‘banah’) in describing how God constructed the bride for Adam (Genesis 2:22) The church against which the gates of hell cannot prevail is built of that which is of Christ, even as the first woman was built of that which was of Adam. The church of our Lord Jesus Christ is the only existing institution that will last forever.

It is important to note that Jesus told his disciples that they should not tell anyone that he was the Christ at this point (Matt 16:20), just as he had told the leper who was cleansed (Matt 8:4) and those who were healed (Matt 12:15) not to announce their healings. The reason is that declaring only Who Jesus is (Lord, Christ, King, Healer, Cleanser) would be an incomplete and inadequate gospel. We need to declare the finished work of redemption (His sinless life that qualifies Him to be our Perfect Savior, His substitutionary death paying our penalty for sin, and His resurrection that vindicates every claim). The gospel is the good news of Who God is and what God has done in the person of His Son.

From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day. (Matt 16:21)

It is only after Jesus had been crucified as the atoning Lamb of God and raised from the dead on the third day did He give the orders to “Go and tell” (Matthew 28:7). Yes He is the Christ! Behold what He has done! Through believing on Him we can have forgiveness of sins and eternal life, fellowship with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and those who belong to Him.

We make the same discovery in the next chapter. After Peter James and John had seen Jesus transfigured in His glorious state, and Moses and Elijah appearing with Him discussing the finished work of redemption that He would accomplish at Jerusalem (Luke 9:31), Jesus commands them, saying, "Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man has risen from the dead." (Matt 17:9)

It is humbling to see how a person like Peter could be a spokesperson for the Father one moment and for Satan the next (Matthew 16:22). This is a reminder that we would do well to be quick to hear (the right voice) and slow to speak (James 1:19).

The call to discipleship is for all those who have a revelation of Who Jesus is. Following Jesus is costly. But our expenditure cannot compare to the supply and reward that He freely gives!

Matthew 16:24-27 (NASB)
²⁴ Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. ²⁵ "For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. ²⁶ "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? ²⁷ "For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and WILL THEN REPAY EVERY MAN ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS.

PASTOR DAVID

What are you learning from reading Genesis?

If you have been reading the One Year Bible with us up to this point, well done. Tomorrow we come to the end of the Book of Genesis and will start the Book of Exodus.

I will list some sample of what some of you have said you have been learning from the Book of Genesis in the light of the rest of the Bible and include Scripture references:

“I have learned afresh that we were made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26). God originally created us to be like Jesus Christ. He is the image of God perfectly expressed (2 Cor 4:4, Col 1:15, Heb 1:3). Now that I have been born of the Holy Spirit, He is making me more like Jesus." (Romans 8:29).

“I saw God’s pattern to reflect the community of oneness that exists within the Trinity in marriage (Genesis 2:24), family (Gen 1:28) and the church." (Ephesians 5:29-32; John 17:21)

“I saw that the first woman was made from the first man, was originally in the first man, composed of the first man and brought alongside the first man to be the beloved co-regent of the first man (Genesis 2:21-23). Even so, the church is purchased by the blood from the wounded side of the second man, is bone of His bone, born of His Spirit, “for we are members of His body. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be joined to his wife and the two shall become one flesh. This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church.” (Ephesians 5:29-32)

“I saw that no sooner had mankind fallen into sin then God sprang into action to give His promise and execute His plan for a perfect work of redemption that would ultimately be fulfilled by the Seed of the Woman (Gen 3:15), the virgin born Son of God, of the line of the appointed substitute, Seth. The prophesied Messiah would come through the line of Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Judah. Jesus is the fulfillment of this promise. He comes to finish the work of redemption that the Father set in motion: “My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working” (John 5:17). On the cross Jesus would declare that the prophecies concerning the Seed of the Woman had come to completion: “It is finished!” (John 19:30) Our Redeemer was bruised for our iniquities but Satan’s head was crushed by our Redeemer."

OLD TESTAMENT READING: GENESIS 48:1-49:33

Today we read in Genesis 49 of Jacob blessing his sons and accurately prophesying that the Messiah would come through the line of Judah, saying, “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until Shiloh comes, and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.” (Genesis 49:10) Jesus truly is “the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the root of David.” (Rev. 5:5).

How much did Jacob and his family understand God’s great redemptive plan? By this time the promise given to Abraham (Gen 12:7) had been renewed (Gen 13:15, 15:7) and sealed with an oath (Genesis 22:15-18) and a covenant (Gen 15:18, 17:4-8). This promise was renewed as the Lord appeared to Abraham’s son, Isaac, (Genesis 26:2-5) and Jacob (Gen 28:12-15). Jacob remembers this promise as he is in his last days and prophesies over his family (Genesis 48:4).

There is an interesting incident in which Jacob adopts and blesses his grandsons, Ephraim and Manasseh in Genesis 48. They are accepted and treated with the full privileges and tribal rights as sons. They are the children of Joseph and were born in Egypt, but are legally decreed as belonging to Jacob by adoption with the full privileges due the ‘sons of Israel’. It reminds us of the full inheritance and covenant blessings won by the chosen firstborn of the new creation, Jesus Christ (Col 1:15,18, Romans 8:29; Heb 1:6), that are freely conferred upon us; the blessings of sonship:

^“ For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, "Abba! Father!" The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.” (Romans 8:15-17)

The prophecy (Genesis 25:23) that had been given to Rebekah while she was carrying twins in her womb that the elder (Esau) would serve the younger (Jacob). You may remember that the first sighting we have of Jacob is when he is born grabbing Esau by the heel! That’s where he gets his name: “Heel-catcher!” This is a fitting picture as Jacob spends the first part of his life taking matters into his own hands and deceiving others. What was his by the gift of a divine decree he continually fights for. He is continually getting in the way of the God who wants to bless him freely by wrestling in his own strength. Then, when Isaac sends him to get a bride, for the rest of his life, Jacob finds that matters are no longer in his hand. He is no longer in control and he is deceived by others, and victimized by his deceiving relatives on all sides! Now at the end of his life he is a picture of a man who has been dealt with by God. He is under control, but not the control of his deceitful flesh that insists on wrestling for a blessing, nor the control of his relatives (he will not even allow himself to be controlled by Joseph’s hands!) but He is under the control of God, the true Blesser. He consciously will bless the younger by grace.

Jacob gives Joseph, the firstborn of his chosen bride, Rachel, the double portion due the rightful heir (instead of Reuben who was the firstborn by deception and had forfeited his birthrights through sin). Jacob does this by honoring Joseph and adopting his two sons and consciously putting into effect the God-given pattern he previously tried to fulfill by deceiving his brother and father. The pattern represents a principle that we discover later in the New Testament, first comes that which is natural, the first man, Adam, then the spiritual, Christ.

First comes that which is born of the flesh. Then comes that which is born of the Spirit. First comes the righteousness of the law, that condemns. Then comes the righteousness of Christ, that fulfills and grants us an inheritance available to us by grace (1 Corinthians 15:45-50; John 3:6-7). We will see more of this pattern as we read through the Bible. Jacob had learned by sorrow that God’s will is to be done God’s way and not through the deceitfulness of taking matters into his own hands according to his deceitful heart.

It is also interesting to note that Jacob had enjoyed 17 years with his son Joseph in Hebron. Now he had the joy of 17 years with his grandsons in Egypt. He had been robbed of 22 years of life with Joseph in between, but was experiencing in his old age, a double portion with Joseph and his grandsons.

NEW TESTAMENT READING: Matthew 15:29-16:12

What are you putting in the Lord's hands?

During the first miraculous feeding of the multitude (in Matthew 14) there were 5000 men plus women and children fed with 5 loaves and 2 fish and 12 baskets of leftovers. Here, in the second miraculous feeding (in Matthew 15), there were 4000 men plus women and children to be fed with 7 baskets of leftovers. Don’t do the math. There is no formula, just that, with Jesus, there is MORE THAN ENOUGH!

These miracles are reminders that the Lord wants to employ His disciples to meet needs. We are to bring all that we have, no matter how meager, and put it in His hands. He knows how to use it and we can trust Him to do miraculous things.

Jesus warns his disciples to be on their guard about the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees (Matt 16:6). Once again he gives the Pharisees and Sadducees the warning that the only sign he will give them is the sign of Jonah (Matthew 12:39, 16:4). The yeast that Jesus tells his disciples to be on guard against is the false teaching of religion that deceives people into accepting a religion of adherence to practical principles, precepts, piety or rituals without a relationship with Christ through repentance and faith.

Pastor David

THE HOUR OF REVEALING

THE HOUR OF REVEALING (IN BOTH OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS)

I hope you are being encouraged to read through the Bible together with us in 2011!

Today's readings are:

Genesis 44:1-45:28 ~ Matthew 14:13-36 ~ Psalm 18:37-50 ~ Proverbs 4:11-13

Joseph determined not to reveal himself until he had brought his brothers to repentance. Because Joseph was lord over all of Egypt his brothers were now at his mercy. Joseph’s actions are not inspired by vindictiveness but a desire to witness their genuine repentance for their sin that they might be reconciled.

Joseph wanted to know how they had been treating their father and his younger brother, Benjamin. He could assume that Benjamin, being the other son of Rachel, would be favored by their father Jacob. Would they feel the same jealousy and hostility towards Benjamin as they had towards him?

The first visit to Egypt brought forth among Joseph’s brothers’ consciences, the acknowledgement of their sin, and the fact that it deserved punishment. (Gen 42:21-22).

During the second visit Joseph tests his brothers’ feelings towards Benjamin by giving him five times more to eat and drink than he gave the others (Gen 43:34). No complaint is recorded.

The most difficult test was when the silver cup that Joseph had arranged to be secretly planted in Benjamin’s bag was discovered. Benjamin was ordered to stay in Egypt enslaved while the others returned to their father. This would have been the perfect opportunity to get rid of Jacob’s favorite son just as they had gotten rid of Joseph many years earlier. But this time the brothers were no longer willing to disregard their brother Benjamin’s plight or their father’s grief. They said that they preferred to share Benjamin’s slavery rather than have him suffer alone. Judah requests that he take Benjamin’s place (Gen 44:33).

Now that Joseph had seen this change of heart in his brothers he is ready to disclose his identity. His brothers are at first dismayed at his presence, but Joseph’s words are reassuring, “Please come closer to me…Do not be grieved or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life… and to keep you alive by a great deliverance. Now therefore it was not you who sent me here but God.” (Gen 45:5, 7-8).

Joseph was confident in God’s providential purpose to save his people and he was happy to have endured the hardship in order to be His instrument.

Once again we see a parallel between Joseph and Jesus as his brothers are sent out to bring the good news to their father. “Joseph is alive and he is lord over all the land of Egypt.!” (45:26). What a difference this fact made in the lives of both the Jew (the people of Israel) and Gentile.

NEW TESTAMENT READING: MATTHEW 14

Instead of dispersing the hungry multitudes that were following him, Jesus challenges the disciples to give them something to eat. Their response: “Impossible!”. Their thoughts immediately run to their own resources, “We only have..” (Matt 14:17)

Jesus took the five loaves and the two fish and yielded the whole situation to the Father in prayer with a thankful heart. He broke the loaves and fish into pieces and gave them to the disciples and the disciples to the crowds “and they all ate and were satisfied.” The leftovers were more plentiful than what they started with. There were 12 full baskets left over. Each of the disciples had a full meal to take away! Five thousand families were fed.

After the crowds are sent away, Jesus goes to pray by Himself on a mountain overlooking the Sea of Galilee while sending His disciples to travel by boat and meet Him later on the other side. It is interesting that it wasn’t until their terrifying night on the Sea of Galilee when Jesus (and Peter) walked on the water that the disciples jointly confessed: “You are certainly God’s Son!”

As we labor in the hope that people will recognize who Jesus is, let us remember the event that took place immediately prior to the disciples having their spiritual understanding enlightened: “He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray.”

Let us pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give us all a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him! (Eph 1:17).

PASTOR DAVID

BY THIS YOU WILL BE TESTED; BRINGING HEARTS TO REPENTANCE

BY THIS YOU WILL BE TESTED

READING FOR JAN 21- Genesis 42:18-43:34 ~ Matthew 13:47-14:12 ~ Psalm 18:16-36 ~ Proverbs 4:7-10

Genesis tells the story of how Joseph becomes the Savior of his people. His life story points to the greater Joseph, Jesus of Nazareth, who is the truer and more enduring Savior of the world (John 4:41; 1 John 4:14).

Recall the observable parallels between the lives of Joseph and Jesus as recorded in the Scriptures:

Joseph was the well beloved of his father, his status provoked the jealousy of his brothers and they wanted to kill him. He was sent by the father with a message for his brothers but they despised him. He was stripped of his raiment and punished undeservedly and delivered to potential death. He is sold for twenty pieces of silver. He is delivered into the hands of the Gentiles. He became a servant. He was tempted, yet without sinning. He was falsely accused. He makes no defense. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. He was numbered with the transgressors. He would be the Savior of one (the king’s cupbearer) and the judge of another (the king’s baker). He correctly interprets history before it happens. He was exalted to the right hand of the Majesty on the Throne (Pharaoh). He is given a new name and a bride.

Joseph’s brothers approached him because they needed food. Joseph recognizes them but they do not recognize him. Many come to Jesus only because they need bread (John 6:2-14;26) . He can feed the multitudes but He is much more than a Feeder. He is the Bread of Life (John 6:35). And, as Jesus made clear, those who come to Him must come on His terms and not their own (John 6:34-58).

Joseph makes clear the terms by which his brothers are to appeal to him if they are to receive their request and to ever see his face again. In doing this Joseph proves to be their Savior.

Just as Jesus speaks of the need for genuine conversion saying that unless we repent we shall all perish (Luke 13:5, Acts 17:3), Joseph knows his brothers need to come to a realization of their need to see their need for redemption for their sin and true reconciliation. They must recognize both their sin and their Savior.

Joseph demonstrates God’s wisdom and gives them the gift of repentance. At first he gives his brothers some hard sayings. There must be some recognition of how their sin has grieved their father and how they still walk in darkness. When Joseph questions them, the brothers at first defend themselves as being “honest men” (Gen 42:11). Yet they continue in their “cover up” story, boldly lying to the one they had beaten, bruised, abandoned to the pit, sold into slavery. Joseph makes the hard request that they go back to their father and bring their younger brother Benjamin with them to Egypt. Unless they do so they will never see Joseph’s face again and their hope for salvation will be lost.

In Genesis 42:15, Joseph says, “ by this you will be tested”. We must be willing to prove that we love the light more than darkness by coming into the light.

Ephesians 5:13-14 (NASB)
¹³ But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light. ¹⁴ For this reason it says, "Awake, sleeper, And arise from the dead, And Christ will shine on you."

John 3:19 "This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil.

Joseph needs to help his brothers to sorrow for their sin by seeing what their sin did to him. We need to see what our sins did to Jesus. It was our sins that put Jesus on the cross.

Hebrews 12:7-10 (NASB)
⁷ It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? ⁸ But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. ⁹ Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? ¹⁰ For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness.

Joseph puts his brothers into prison for three days, a small sample of what Joseph endured for many years ultimately at their hand.

2 Corinthians 7:9-10 (NASB)
⁹ I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything through us. ¹⁰ For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death.

Joseph revises his plan and determines to keep one in prison and the rest will return to their father with grain and bring their youngest brother, Benjamin, back to Egypt.

His brothers begin to feel conviction as they speak to one another in prison,

Genesis 42:21-22 (NASB)
²¹ Then they said to one another, "Truly we are guilty concerning our brother, because we saw the distress of his soul when he pleaded with us, yet we would not listen; therefore this distress has come upon us." ²² Reuben answered them, saying, "Did I not tell you, 'Do not sin against the boy'; and you would not listen? Now comes the reckoning for his blood."

Joseph tests their honesty further. He secretly places the money they had used to purchase the grain in Egypt back in their sacks. Would they appear to have taken something that had not been paid for? (In the end their food supply- their salvation- would be seen to be credited to them as a gift- all of grace).

When his brothers return to Jacob with the grain, they once again witness the grief their sin against Joseph has caused their father. Because of this grief their father is resistant to the idea of their taking Benjamin back with them to make their request for food from Joseph.

When the reality sets in once again that their food supply is running out and that they all are doomed to perish, Jacob relinquishes Benjamin, Judah having offered to take full responsibility for Benjamin’s safety. For all recognize that they can only approach the Throne and receive grace to help in this time of need if they approach on the terms spelled out for them by Joseph (See Heb 4:15-16).

The stakes get higher when the brothers appear in Egypt as Joseph sets up a situation in which it looks like Benjamin has stolen his silver cup. This cup actually is the means of bringing forth a solid confession from the brothers.

When they hear that a cup has been stolen from Joseph’s household, one of the brothers says “Far be it from your servants to do such a thing” as if their hearts were upright in all things! They add, “With whomever of your servants it is found, let him die and we also will be my lord’s slaves.”

Joseph says that only the man in whose possession the cup has been found shall be his slave. When the planted silver cup is found to be in Benjamin’s sack, it causes untold grief among them, and they must now make confession of their guilt and shame.

Genesis 44:16 (NASB)
¹⁶ So Judah said, "What can we say to my lord? What can we speak? And how can we justify ourselves? God has found out the iniquity of your servants; behold, we are my lord's slaves, both we and the one in whose possession the cup has been found."

Joseph is about to make himself known to his brothers as their Lord and Savior.

NEW TESTAMENT READING: Matthew 13:47-14:12

Warren Wiersbe offers this clarification about the Herods of the New Testament that I thought would be a helpful complement to today’s reading:

The Herod family looms large in the four Gospels and the Book of Acts, and it is easy to confuse the various rulers.

Herod the Great founded the dynasty and ruled from 37 b.c. to 4 b.c. He was not a true Jew by birth, but was an Edomite, a descendant of Esau. "He was... a heathen in practice, and a monster in character" (Unger's Bible Dictionary). He had nine wives (some say ten), and he thought nothing of slaying his own sons or wives if they got in the way of his plans. It was he who had the infants slain in Bethlehem (Matt. 2:13-1.8).

Herod Antipas, the Herod of this chapter, was a son of Herod the Great. His title was "tetrarch," which means "ruler over the fourth part of the kingdom." He ruled from 4 b.c. to a.d. 39, and his rule was deceptive and selfish. He loved luxury and was very ambitious to become a great ruler.

Herod Agrippa is the Herod who imprisoned Peter and killed James" (Acts 12). He was a grandson of Herod the Great.

Herod Agrippa II was the Herod who tried Paul (Acts 25:13ff). He was a son of Agrippa I.

All of the Herods had Edomite blood in them, and, like their ancestor Esau, they were hostile to the Jews (Gen. 25:19ff). They practiced the Jewish religion when it helped fulfill their plans for gaining more power and wealth.

Herod Antipas was guilty of gross sin: He had eloped with Herodias, the wife of his half-brother Philip I, divorcing his own wife and sending her back to her father, the king of Petra (Lev. 18:16; 20:21). Herod listened to the voice of temptation and plunged himself into terrible sin.

In Matthew 14 we recognize that Herod was warned by the following voices:

The voice of John the Baptist

Boldly, John the Baptist warned Herod and called him to repent. John knew that the sin of a ruler would only pollute the land and make it easier for others to sin, and that God would judge the sinners (Mal. 3:5). We must commend John for his courage in naming sin and denouncing it. Israel was God's covenant nation, and the sins of the rulers (even though they were unbelievers) would bring the chastening of God.

Instead of listening to God's servant and obeying God's Word, Herod arrested John and imprisoned him. John was put in the fortress of Machaerus, located about four miles east of the Dead Sea. It stood 3,500 feet above sea level on a rocky ridge that was accessible from only one side.

It was Herodias, Herod's wife, who held the grudge against John (see Mark 6:19, nasb); and she influenced her husband. She plotted to have her teenage daughter perform a lascivious dance at Herod's birthday feast. Herodias knew that her husband would succumb to her daughter's charms and make some rash promise to her. She also knew that Herod would want to "save face" before his friends and officials. The plot worked, and John the Baptist was slain.

The voice of conscience (vv. 1-2). When Herod heard of the marvelous works of Jesus, he was sure that John had been raised from the dead. His conscience was troubling him, and neither his wife nor his friends could console him. The voice of conscience is a powerful voice, and it can be the voice of God to those who will listen.

Instead of heeding his conscience, Herod determined to kill Jesus just as he had killed John. Some Pharisees (probably in on the plot) warned Jesus that Herod wanted to kill Him (Luke 13:31-32). But Jesus was not disturbed by the report. The word "fox" in Luke 13:32 is feminine. Jesus said, "Go, tell that vixen." Was He perhaps referring to Herodias, the real power behind the throne?

The voice of Jesus (Luke 23:6-11). When he finally did meet Jesus, Herod found that the Son of God was silent to him! Herod had silenced the voice of God! "Today, if you will hear His voice, harden not your hearts" (Heb. 3:7-8).

The voice of history. Herod should have known that he could not get away with his sin. History records that Herod lost prestige and power. His armies were defeated by the Arabs, and his appeals to be made a king (urged by his wife) were refused by Emperor Caligula. Herod was banished to Gaul (France) and then Spain, where he died.

Bible Exposition Commentary (BE Series) - New Testament - The Bible Exposition Commentary – New Testament, Volume 1.

OPERATION WORLD- Let us pray for the Church in the Americas (p.51-52)

Pastor David

HAVE YOU EXPERIENCED FRUITFULNESS IN THE LAND OF YOUR AFFLICTION?

Jan 20- Today’s Reading: Genesis 41:17-42:17; Matthew 13:24-46; Psalm 18:1-15; Proverbs 4:1-6

HAVE YOU EXPERIENCED FRUITFULNESS IN THE LAND OF YOUR AFFLICTION?

After two years of being forgotten in prison, Joseph is finally recommended to interpret Pharaoh’s terrifying and mystifying dream. The cupbearer remembers how two years earlier Joseph interpreted his dream and it was fulfilled with pinpoint accuracy. This reminds us of the importance of being faithful to use the gifts that God has given us when we are given the opportunity, while remaining patient.

Proverbs 18:16 reminds us:

“A man's gift makes room for him and brings him before great men.”

But Joseph wasn’t fighting for a big break, for promotions, greater power, greater influence or an exalted position. He was not living for the recognition or applause of great men. He lived for the greater glory and honor of God. It seems that whenever he is given an opportunity he makes a bee line to give glory to God.

Notice Joseph’s attitude of humility. When Pharaoh mentions that he has heard Joseph has the ability to interpret a dream once he hears it, Joseph responds saying, “I cannot do it, but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires.”

When Joseph hears Pharaoh’s dream, Joseph begins his interpretation by saying, “God has revealed to Pharaoh what He is about to do” (Gen 41:25, 28).

Pharaoh recognizes not only that Joseph has a genuine gift for interpreting dreams that predicted what “God was about to do” (verse 25) but that he had the wisdom to know what Pharaoh should do (verse 34).

Joseph proposes that a fifth of each year’s crops be set aside during the predicted seven years of abundant harvests in order that there would be an abundant supply reserved for the predicted seven years of famine. When Joseph suggests that someone be appointed to administer the project, Pharaoh responds by saying to those assembled, “who could do it better than Joseph? For he is a man who is obviously filled with the spirit of God.” (Gen 41:38)

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if that could be said about each one of us?

May we be known for our exemplary heart attitudes and our abilities to think with God’s thoughts and making decisions with God’s wisdom directing our wills. May we be known for our faithful stewardship of the gifts God has given us. May we be known as those who are “obviously filled with the spirit of God”.

Joseph was sold into slavery when he was 17 and now at 30 he is promoted to the highest position in Egypt next to Pharaoh himself. He has been maintaining a track record of being faithful and disciplined. He exercises wisdom and develops his skills daily. And he gives God the glory for his successes.

Pharaoh gives Joseph the name “Zaphenath-Paneah” (‘the revealer of secrets’). Then Joseph, like his ancestors Isaac and Jacob, receives his bride in a far country. (This also prefigures the Messiah taking a bride, his eternal companion, the church, from a far country.)

During the seven years of plenty that follow his exaltation, Joseph becomes the father of two sons by Asenath. Their names reflect the deep inner victory that God gave Joseph during the 13 years of hardship in Egypt- ‘Manasseh’, meaning “It is because God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s household”, and ‘Ephraim’, meaning “God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.” Again, Joseph was testifying and giving glory to what God had done on his behalf.

God was at work in Joseph’s heart causing him to gain perspective. Joseph did not forget his family or the evil deeds of his brothers, but he was able to let go of the pain and suffering that they had caused him. He was able to forgive. He knew that although his brothers meant it for evil, God was using it for the good (Gen 50:20). We too can have victory over bad memories, past hurts by affirming the love of God shown to us in the cross of Jesus Christ. When we let God’s righteous answer to the problem of sin become our frame of reference and we recognize God’s mercy shown to us we can let go of our role as vindicators. We can be thankful that God is at work and uses all of these situations for the good of His purposes (Romans 8:28).

“Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.” Ephesians 4:31 (NASB)

Joseph was able to focus on every kindness and mercy God had shown him. “He has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.” Can you say that today about the areas of hurt in your life?

Ephraim means ‘double fruitful’. Yes, Joseph had two sons in Egypt but he also was blessed with a life with God that flourished with abundance. The Hebrew root of Ephraim is ‘apher’ meaning ‘a bandage, or covering.’ God graciously and progressively brought healing to Joseph’s wounds.

What a great combination to have in our families: “forgetfulness” and “fruitfulness”. Forgetting what is behind (forsaking the hurts of the past rejoicing in God’s mercy in the present) and straining toward what is ahead, knowing that God is in control and that He has a good plan. (Phil 3:13)

During the time of famine in the Middle East, Joseph’s brothers came to Egypt for help, as Joseph must have predicted. Joseph demonstrates a heavenly wisdom in the way he masterfully brings his brothers to repentance and a new family relationship of love and forgiveness.

NEW TESTAMENT READING: Matthew 13:24-46

Parables are earthly stories that are brought alongside spiritual truths to illustrate them. They function as windows. To some they will be clear and let the light in. To others they will be cloudy and keep the light out.

Jesus describes his parables as having a twofold purpose, fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah:

Matthew 13:13-16 (NASB)
¹³ "Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. ¹⁴ "In their case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says,

'YOU WILL KEEP ON HEARING, BUT WILL NOT UNDERSTAND; YOU WILL KEEP ON SEEING, BUT WILL NOT PERCEIVE; ¹⁵ FOR THE HEART OF THIS PEOPLE HAS BECOME DULL, WITH THEIR EARS THEY SCARCELY HEAR, AND THEY HAVE CLOSED THEIR EYES, OTHERWISE THEY WOULD SEE WITH THEIR EYES, HEAR WITH THEIR EARS, AND UNDERSTAND WITH THEIR HEART AND RETURN, AND I WOULD HEAL THEM.'

¹⁶ "But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear.”

To some the parables would reveal the truth about the kingdom of God. To others they would conceal the truth about His kingdom. Jesus deliberately spoke in parables so some people would ‘get it’ and some people would not ‘get it’. Those who were given understanding would put their trust in Jesus and come into the healing that the gospel offers.

The Jewish people had their own ideas about the kingdom. Those who looked for a Messiah who would deliver the people of Israel from the political oppression of the Romans were disappointed with Jesus. Jesus explained the mystery of the way the kingdom works, the wonder of the impact of the word of God upon the individual heart and the growth of the true church.

What Jesus made clear about the kingdom of God from the first parable of the Sower, the Seed and the Soils, is that not everyone who hears the Word gets saved.

In the second parable Jesus speaks of the wheat and the tares growing up together. He sows the true wheat. Satan sows the tares. There will be true believers and false believers growing up together in the visible church. Only at the end will the difference between wheat and tares be fully discernible. Jesus will separate the wheat from the chaff at the appointed time of judgment. The wheat will be gathered with Christ. The tares will be cast into the fire. The point is that there will be mixture in the church during the season of growth.

The third parable, the mustard seed parable, shows the impact that the gospel will have in society during this age between Christ’s resurrection and His return. Christianity will provide shelter for many birds to nest in its branches. In other words individuals and civilizations will benefit from the effects of the gospel finding a haven in Christian core values, heritage, institutions, etc, without being a part of the tree. We are not to mistake people being benefitted by the shade of the kingdom as being the kingdom itself.

The fourth parable is the illustration of the woman who is working leaven into the dough and baking bread. In this case the leaven represents the rule of God in the kingdom that is buried in the dough of the world. The leaven penetrates and permeates every area of life.

The fifth parable is the treasure hidden in the field. The treasure is the kingdom; all that is offered to us in Christ. A man stumbles upon the treasure, perhaps by working in the field. Rather than stealing the treasure, he hides it again and honestly purchases the field that the treasure might be his. He realizes that the treasure is worth all that he has. He joyfully sells all that he has that he might buy the field and possess the treasure. Some will stumble upon the gospel and will have the sense to esteem it as the treasure that it is and sell all to possess it.

The sixth parable is the merchant who is seeking precious pearls. This man knows what he is looking for. When he discovers the pearl of great value, he goes and sells all that he has to buy the pearl. There is nothing that compares with the beauty of what is offered to us in Christ, the King of Kings. Some people will spend a great deal of time searching for the truth before they find it in Christ. When they do, God gives them the ability to discern its value and they gladly exhaust themselves for His kingdom.

The seventh parable in Matthew 13 is the dragnet cast into the sea that gathers fish of every kind. All those who have ever fished with a net know that you often have the bad hauled in with the good and the catch needs to be sorted out. “So it will be at the end of the age”. Jesus interprets these parables that we might have an understanding of the times in which we live.

What are the lessons? Now is the time to sow the seed (the Word of God) abundantly throughout God’s field, the world. We will continually face the opposition and counterfeiting works of the evil one. We are persevere in loving the unlovely, disciplining the unruly and being patient with all, because the Lord of the harvest knows what He is doing and He will sort out the true believers from the false. The day is not over. Keep on keeping on and leave the judgment to God. Let others come under the shade of the gospel’s influence but make the gospel clear so those whom God has appointed to be converted will be converted. Be generous in extending the good of the gospel. Some will stumble upon it. Like C.S. Lewis their conversion will be a sudden event of being “surprised by joy” (the title of his autobiography). Others, like the merchant man, discover the gospel after a long hard search, but it is God who opens his eyes to discern the gospel’s worth. Be patient with all, do your part, recognizing God will sort out the gospel catch in the end.

OPERATION WORLD: We are focusing prayer on the Americas today- North, Central and South America and the Caribbean. Identified Hot Spots and Trends to Watch (p. 49-50)

SOME SPECIFIC HOT SPOTS FOR PRAYER:

1. The systemic sin of drug abuse that in addictions, broken lives, violence, crime, corruption, greed, and overwrought judicial, law enforcement and prison systems

2. Widespread human needs exist. The Caribbean has the highest murder rate of any region in the world. Lack of education and literacy, poverty, crime, lack of clean water and sanitation, plague much of the Americas.

3. Pray for Haiti where the devastation of the 2010 earthquake, the lack of clean water, cholera epidemic, the tense political situation with the mysterious return of former dictator Baby ‘Doc’ who is being held possibly for trial. Pray for ‘Hope for the Children of Haiti’, ‘Orphans First’ and the many groups of people who are working to make a difference there.

4. Continue to pray for New Life’s mission endeavors in Brazil to support new church plants. Pray for Luciano do Couto and the believers in Campos with whom we are working in the state of Rio de Janeiro and E 3 Partners Ministry in the state of Sao Paulo. Pray for those impacted by the devastating mudslides and flooding in the State of Rio de Janeiro. The death toll has already reached 744 in 6 cities.

Pastor David