30/12/13

Be Blessed and Protected

Numbers 22:12 - And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed.


Scriptures say all things are possible unto us in Christ. They also say things like there is no condemnation for us when we are in Christ, in Christ we are a new creation, totally new and our old is dead, passed away. They also say abundance grace through faith and love are available to us which are in Christ Jesus.

One thing we will notice everything is connected with being 'IN CHRIST'.

Christ is not a club where in one can take life membership and no one can remove that person from that club. Christ is not an earthly family wherein come what may no one can remove your rights from that family. No doubt we become part of Christ by our faith in Him but we need to remain in the faith to remain in Christ.

Jesus Christ described Himself as being 'The Way' and being 'The Vine'. To be in Christ Jesus one needs to be a traveller on 'The Way', that means to be moving on the path Christ showed us. To be in Christ Jesus we need to be branched of the Vine Jesus Christ. A branch that does not grow is a dead branch and such branches wither and fall. If we are in Christ Jesus we need to be an ever growing branch. We being part of a fruitful tree also need to bear fruits for those that do not bear fruit are cut and burnt.

Jesus Christ was God (part of God and an identity by Himself therefore called God the Son) who came as man and as man was the manifestation of the Nature of God in the flesh that is why He was called Son of God. Before Adam sinned he too was called Son of God and so also the Angels of God are called Sons of God and those who were corrupted / fallen are called devils.

Jesus was an example for us and it is His Spirit and His Word that keeps us on the path or connected to Him. Therefore to be 'in Christ' we need to be in His Word and His Spirit. By just calling ourselves Christians and obeying the Law in the flesh we cannot be in Christ. One day (after Judgment Day) the Lord (Jesus Christ) who humbled Himself and became man would again be who He was, and He was God. God is Spirit so to be in the Lord Jesus Christ / God the Son we need to keep the Law in spirit more than anything.

Today's message talks of why Balaam could not curse the people of God. It says because they were blessed. We read later, when they sinned by falling into the temptation set by Balak they walked out of the blessing and walked into the wrath of God.

The word blessing is the Hebrew word Barak and it does not mean a certificate to goodness forever. It simple means the holder of the promises of God. Mary was called blessed because through her we received the promised Saviour; it had nothing to do with her being holy or exceptional. She was called a woman favoured by God, in fact her cousin Elizabeth (and her husband) was called righteous and blameless, people who were godlier. We read there are two type promises one good when we keep the Commandments of God and bad promises (curses meaning bitter words/promises) when we do not keep the Commandments of God.

Understand as people of God we are always blessed. We can be blessed with good (promises in Christ) when we are in Christ (keep His Word and abide by His Spirit) or be blessed with bad if we do not abide in Christ.

When we say 'be blessed' we wish good and not bad for wishing bad is cursing. Today's message tells us to be protected from evil we need to be blessed. So let us grow in Christ and be always blessed and protected.



[ Prayer Starter ]
Lord Jesus, in You alone are all promises Amen and Amen. In You all good things are Yes and Yes. Lord help us to remain and grow in You. Let us not be fooled that by just calling ourselves Christians and doing some rituals we are recipients of your promises...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.


[ Reference ]
Romans 8:1 - There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Romans 8:39 - Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

2 Corinthians 5:17 - Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

1 Timothy 1:14 - And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:13 - I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Galatians 3:26 - For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

Luke 1:48 - For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.

Luke 1:5,6
5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.
6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.

Job 2:9 - Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse / bless [barak] God, and die.

Ephesians 1:3 - Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

The Word of God was given free to us, therefore we should also share it freely with others. (All rights are with God)