Tag: The Holy Spirit

Humility vs. Pride

On By CarmenLeave a comment

I’m sure we have all come across people who lack signs of humility and if we’re honest, we could say that we’ve at some point exhibited the same behavior.  

God’s word tells us to be humble, so it must be a quality we should learn and exercise throughout our lives.

God Desires Humility

He has told you, mortal one, what is good;
And what does the Lord require of you
But to do justice, to love kindness,
And to walk humbly with your God?

Micah 6:8

To walk humbly with God means to acknowledge that He is God and to submit to His wisdom because He knows what’s best for us.

God blesses us when we obey Him and strive to follow Him, especially when He points out to us an attitude or behavior we need to master.   

We need God to guide us through this life on earth because there is so much deceit and corruption lurking to take us down the wrong path.

The antithesis of humility is pride. It seeks its own glory and it demands everything for itself and its preservation but never ends well.

God is the Creator and we are the creation, and He made us to follow Him and serve Him.

Let’s seek His wisdom and exercise humility before Him and others until it becomes second nature.  

Consequences of Pride

Simply put, if we will not walk in humility before God, we stand to lose more than we gain.

Pride leads to disgrace,
    but with humility comes wisdom.

Proverbs 11:2

Consider the outcome of pride for Lucifer (Satan) the “angel of light,” the most beautiful of angels that God created.

“How you are fallen from heaven,
    O shining star, son of the morning!
You have been thrown down to the earth,
    you who destroyed the nations of the world.
For you said to yourself,
    ‘I will ascend to heaven and set my throne above God’s stars.
I will preside on the mountain of the gods
    far away in the north.
I will climb to the highest heavens
    and be like the Most High.’
Instead, you will be brought down to the place of the dead,
    down to its lowest depths.

Isaiah 14:12-15

What a great fall the most beautiful of angels has had to endure!

These verses use imagery to depict not only Satan, but also the proud boasts of Nebuchadnezzar II, the king of Babylon, during his reign (605-562 BC). I encourage you to read the full chapter of Isaiah 14.

As we know, Satan is still at odds with God and is intent on seeing whomever and whatever God loves destroyed like he was and will ultimately be as is written in Revelation 20:1-10.

This is exactly why we need to be aligned with God in thought and behavior. God is willing to forgive our sins when we turn from them and seek after Him, for He has given us the gift of forgiveness through His Son Jesus Christ.

When we turn from God and battle with Him, we never win.

Hopefully when we feel the sting of the consequences of our sin of pride, we turn from it, seeking God’s way to live, and strive to be humble.  

God knows if our hearts are truly committed to Him and therefore works in us to overcome this sin and every other sin we commit.

We only need to ask Him for His help and follow through in obedience to His will.

The Blessing of Humility

God promises us blessings when we are humble before Him and others.

The reward of humility and the fear of the Lord
Are riches, honor, and life.

Proverbs 22:4

I would like to share with you a time in my life that I kept hearing God tell me to be humble, over and over.

I shared this with a group of women whom I considered my confidants, my women’s Bible study group.

At the time, I didn’t understand why He was calling me to be humble, because I thought I had learned from the stings of my past mistakes of pride.

I thought I was done with this sin problem in my life, and I certainly did not want to displease God and undergo any more consequences.

A few months later, I met with one of these confidants with whom I had the habit of discussing plans for our group study.

As I listened to this person speak to me, I was caught off guard because a part of it was not altogether pleasant for me. I was compared to a previous leader, and not in a good way.

Still, I listened and did not become defensive. Rather, I accepted the info she shared with me and began to think deeply about my behavior and why she said what she did.   

I mulled over that comment for a while because I was very hurt by it.  

I recalled varying aspects of her behavior that I had previously witnessed but did not feel it was my place to correct her. I believed God would show her the behavior she needed to correct.

I decided that none of us are perfect and I knew it was my place to love her despite her inconsistent walk with the LORD.

Within a couple of weeks, I saw God work in a way that caused her to leave after she had misgivings with our head pastor.

Later God started showing me that she had twisted something I shared with her in confidence and used it against me for whatever personal gain she was trying to achieve.  

I now understand that God was telling me back then to be humble, because He knew my capacity to speak up for myself—and at times strongly with my own words.

I am glad that God prepared me in advance for this situation and that I obeyed by listening and not reacting.

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, so that He may exalt you at the proper time, 

1 Peter 5:6

God has shown me that I don’t need to defend my reputation.  

By laying it at the feet of Jesus, I found resolution even if it took some time.

When we follow God and let Him lead us through His Holy Spirit, we will not lose our witness for Christ and be ashamed.

Humility Acknowledges Dependence upon God

I would like to close with the following thought that led me to write this post.

With the recent success of the orbit around the moon by the courageous astronauts of Artemis II, I was able to watch the inspiring view from space of our beautiful planet.

We exist in a very small portion of the universe, and we seem so insignificant from high above.

However, we are very important to God as He made us in His image and gave us the ability to accomplish such astounding feats.  

So small, so dependent upon and loved by God. This is reason enough to be humble.

I hope you enjoy this beautiful song below about following our Creator and His perfect ways.

If you want to have a relationship with God and are not sure how or where to start, see my previous posts Relationship with God and Relationship with God – Part 2.

What a Savior!

On By CarmenLeave a comment

Perhaps it would have been better for me to post this message as we prepared to celebrate the resurrection of our LORD and Savior Jesus Christ, but I believe that we should keep daily at the forefront of our thoughts the price that He paid for the whole world—past, present, and future.

Our family custom during this most holy of celebrations is to watch various series depicting the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ; so much so, that I purchased a DVD of The Passion of the Christ a few years ago to watch on Good Fridays.

Some would say that this movie is difficult to watch with the graphic illustration of Jesus’s beatings and crucifixion, and I agree.

However, I need to remind myself through these images the great price that my Savior paid for me personally.

In this post, I would like to share a few verses from the Bible regarding those three days of indescribable pain, sorrow, and then joy.

Good Friday:  The Cross

This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.

1 John 4:10

Jesus willingly went to the cross for you, me, and everyone else.

He could have said, “No, Father, they are too prideful, selfish, arrogant, vile. Let them have what they deserve.” (my thoughts)

But He did not.

He said, “Yes, I will go to the cross in obedience to You and because I love them despite their sin. I will take upon myself their consequences so that they can be with us in Heaven for eternity.” (my thoughts)

Jesus, the only perfect being ever on this earth, took upon Himself all our sins and suffered horrendously in our place.

He suffered indignation: He was lied about, spit upon, and stripped of his clothing; yet He did not defend His reputation and forgave. (Isaiah 53:7, Luke 23:34)

He was humiliated: He was hung on a cross, mocked, and tempted to show his power; yet He accepted this mistreatment and completed His mission. (Mark 15:29-32, John 19:28-30)

He physically bled for us: He was scourged, beaten unrecognizable with His flesh ripped open, and nailed in both hands and feet to a cross; yet He willingly suffered and died for all mankind. (Isaiah 52:14, Romans 3:25-26, Ephesians 1:7)

Jesus endured all of this for all of us. He gave His life as a ransom for ours. He suffered so we would not have to. He paid for our sins because He knew we could not.

Jesus knew that his mission was now finished, and to fulfill Scripture he said, “I am thirsty.” A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put it on a hyssop branch, and held it up to his lips. When Jesus had tasted it, he said, “It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

John 19:28-30

Good Friday symbolizes God’s love for the human race through the ultimate sacrifice of His Son. God’s grace is given for all who will accept it by surrendering to Jesus Christ.   

Holy Saturday: God Works through Silence

Jesus was laid to rest in haste after his death on Good Friday since the Sabbath was starting at sunset that same evening and preparations needed to be made for Passover.  

He was placed in a rich man’s tomb and His body wrapped in cloths waiting to be perfumed with spices.

The chief priests and Pharisees wanted to be done with Jesus and ordered his tomb sealed because they feared His followers would somehow steal His body to claim He had risen. Guards were also placed outside Jesus’s tomb to insure they could not steal His body.

Meanwhile, the apostles, Jesus’s followers, gathered together after having fled and deserted Him.

Apart from their sorrow, I am sure they were fearful, confused, and angry with themselves for deserting Him.

I imagine that they were meditating on and discussing what He said while He was with them about being God’s Son, the Messiah—the only Way, and His promise of coming back for them.  

The shock of it all was most likely laying heavy upon their hearts and minds of what they should do next.

How could they move on since Jesus was gone?

He healed others, why wouldn’t He save Himself?

How could this have happened? He promised a kingdom where He would rule righteously.

Broken hearts, misunderstanding, desperation was their lot.  

We may have silent days in our lives, but we should remember God’s promises and still our minds while waiting for His next move.

See, I am doing a new thing!
    Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
    and streams in the wasteland.

Isaiah 43:19

Even though we may not see it, God is always working in the background, in our silent periods of waiting.

Jesus was on the move on the Sabbath after His death. He was not dead, but very much alive in the spirit and displayed His victory over death and evil.  

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. After being made alive, he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits—to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built.

1 Peter 3:18-20a

Christ descended into the pit where the demons from Noah’s days were bound due to their wickedness against God. Jesus let them know that He was very much alive and had defeated them and death.

Jesus had the last say and put them on notice.

Let’s wait expectantly for God’s promises to us.

Resurrection Sunday: The Promise Fulfilled

Mary Magdalene and Mary (the mother of James) went early Sunday morning to Jesus’s tomb to prepare His body for burial with spices.

When they arrived, they saw that the tomb was open and an angel of the LORD began to speak with them. He informed them that Jesus was not in the tomb, but was alive.

The angel told them to go tell Jesus’s followers that Jesus is alive and to go to Galilee where He would meet them.

As they left filled with excitement, Jesus Himself appeared before them.

So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

Matthew 28:8-10

As He promised, Jesus appeared to the apostles in Galilee, but they did not believe it was Jesus at first. Then, after speaking and eating with Him, they were overjoyed while He reminded them of what He had told them would happen to Him. (Luke 24:36-49)

Jesus gave them instructions (The Great Commission) to wait for the power of the Holy Spirit to come upon them and then to go into all the world to teach about His love and sacrifice for all mankind and obedience to the scriptures. (Matthew 28:16-20)

No matter the effort in trying to silence God’s truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ some 2000+ years later, the Great Commission is ever strong and will continue to be until the end of time.

I am certain of one thing—we will see all the promises that God has given to us through the Holy Scriptures in our lifetime and into eternity.

We only need to study His word, believe in Him, and abide in Him.

God has already done the difficult work for us through His Son Jesus Christ.

Thank You, LORD Jesus, for Your sacrifice!

May the song below bless you as you consider the gift of grace given to us by Jesus’s death and resurrection.

If you want to have a relationship with God and are not sure how or where to start, see my previous posts Relationship with God and Relationship with God – Part 2.

What Does it Mean to Be Blessed? – Part 2

On By CarmenLeave a comment

In my last post, What Does it Mean to be Blessed?, we examined the word “blessing” by looking at what God says about it in His word, the Bible.

Today, I would like to share even more of what Jesus says about being blessed in the book of Matthew.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

Blessed are the gentle, for they will inherit the earth.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.

Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.

Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. 

Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great;”

Matthew 5:3-12

As we read this scripture based on Jesus’s teachings to His disciples, we find that there are blessings that can be uncomfortable—much unlike what we today view as blessings.

A blessing uncomfortable?

Yes, even grievous for our earthly lives in the here and now.

Please allow me to explain.

Jesus is telling His followers that in this life there will be difficulties if they stand with and for Him.

He was simply preparing them and us to expect opposition from the world—AND to equally expect wonderful blessings from our Father in Heaven when we finally make it to our eternal home with Him.

He gives us hope that the difficulties we overcome here on earth by staying true to Him and His teachings will be greatly rewarded in eternity.

Let’s examine these verses more closely.

Blessed are the poor in Spirit…

Being poor in spirit means recognizing one’s own sinful nature and realizing we cannot forgive ourselves nor make ourselves sinless.

It also means that we understand that only God can forgive us and make us sinless.

A person poor in spirit is humble and seeks God’s mercy much like the tax collector in Luke 18:9-14.

Blessed are those who mourn…

Those who mourn over their sinfulness with godly sorrow are granted salvation through their repentance. (2 Corinthians 7:10)

Their comfort is a result of their repentance that leads to salvation and assurance that they will reach the Kingdom of Heaven.

Blessed are the meek…

Merriam-Webster defines meekness as humble or gentle, and the Bible refers to gentleness as one of the fruits of the Spirit. (Galatians 5:22-24)

This means that someone who is meek exercises supreme control over his actions guided by the Holy Spirit.

Psalm 37 expounds upon blessings for the righteous in Christ Jesus and consequences for the ungodly.

One such blessing is the inheritance of the land along with abundant peace and prosperity.

Cease from anger and abandon wrath;
Do not get upset; it leads only to evildoing.
For evildoers will be eliminated,
But those who wait for the Lord, they will inherit the land.
Yet a little while and the wicked person will be no more;
And you will look carefully for his place and he will not be there.
But the humble will inherit the land
And will delight themselves in abundant prosperity.

Psalm 37:8-11

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness…

When we submit to God’s righteousness rather than reveling in our own self-righteousness, we will experience an inseparable knowledge of Christ through our faith.

What could be better than having a right relationship with God that fills our hunger and thirst with deep satisfaction as opposed to the emptiness of the world’s promises?

We will truly know our LORD Jesus and understand not only His suffering, but the supernatural power of His resurrection as well. (Philippians 3:8-11)

This is nothing we should fear or shun but peacefully anticipate sharing in His perfection.  

Blessed are the merciful…

Mercy is defined as compassion that forbears punishing even when justice demands it.

Forgiving others is what we are taught by Jesus to do. (Matthew 18:21-35)

If we have been forgiven for all our sins by our LORD and Savior, we should gladly forgive others for their wrongdoing toward us.

This is not always easy, but I do remind myself of this scripture and forgive as Jesus told us to, because I want the blessing of God’s mercy when I see Him face to face.

Blessed are the pure in heart…

Do you know anyone who is pure in heart?

Perhaps it’s someone you’ve observed for some time who does what they say no matter the cost to them.

Or someone with whom you shared intimate details in your life who kept it private.

Maybe it’s someone who walks away from gossip or changes the subject when others start to gossip.

A person who is pure in heart and follows God’s ways while living in peace with others will see God in Heaven. (Hebrews 12:14)

Blessed are the peacemakers…

My husband is a peacemaker. He always looks for a solution that can make the situation better for all involved in a disagreement. He forgives those who wrong him and does not hold grudges.

Jesus tells us to love our enemies and to pray for them because God is good even to those who do evil. (Matthew 5:44-45)

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake and when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me…

If there is one thing that makes me angry, it’s seeing people who do what is right being abused. I can only pray for them to have the strength and courage to keep moving forward, trusting that God will one day right the wrong done to them.

There have been and still are many people across the globe who are suffering for their faith and steadfastness in Jesus.

Many have lost their jobs and homes, suffered imprisonment, and have even been martyred for their faith in Jesus Christ.

God tells us in His word that those who are persecuted for His sake will be blessed. (1 Peter 4:12-14)

We are told to be the salt of the earth, i.e., to be of good use and to preserve the word of God.

We defend God’s word and make the world a better place by doing what He tells us.

When we do, we are seen as different in that we “leave a good taste” in others’ mouths as true representatives of Jesus Christ.

In Matthew 5:14-16, Jesus tells His followers that we are the light of the world and that we are to let our light shine as a beacon of His word.

We are to be guides and lead others by our actions to our LORD and Savior Jesus Christ.

To all the Christ followers out there, don’t lose heart when you encounter sorrows and trials because the LORD sees all the workings of mankind and He takes pleasure in your steadfastness to abide in Him.

He will right all the wrongs done to you and He has many blessings stored up for you in eternity.

May you be blessed by this song that tells us that whatever we go through, God is with us.

If you want to have a relationship with God and are not sure how or where to start, see my previous posts Relationship with God and Relationship with God – Part 2.

Why Read the Bible?

On By CarmenLeave a comment

With our busy schedules and fast-paced world, it’s vital that we prioritize God and make time to read His message to us through the Bible.

Why?

Because the Bible is God’s inerrant word, His testimony of love for us, His book of promises that hold true, and our guide to living life victoriously.

The Bible unfolds God’s great love for us despite our sin by providing us with redemption through His Son, Jesus Christ.

The following Scripture verses tell us this.

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only this, but we also celebrate in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation. Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all mankind, because all sinned— Romans 5:8-12

This one man from whom we inherited sin is Adam, God’s first creation of mankind. As descendants of Adam, we all have his sin nature because we live in a fallen world.

Just like Adam, we all are deceived by Satan.

We have the same nature that steers us to do our own thing which we think benefits us opposed to following God and His ways.

Think about this:  Holy God sees and knows our sin against Him; but He because He is love, He provides us a way to be forgiven.

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but so that the world might be saved through Him.” John 3:16-17

This truly is amazing grace!

I wonder how many of us freely and quickly forgive and restore those who have committed sins against us.

I will admit that this is probably the hardest thing for me to do. My sin nature wants to hold a grudge and reminisce the hurt others have caused me. But God does not want me to do this; so, I must surrender to His will and change my way of thinking and acting for my own good.  

Why?

Because God has forgiven me—over and over again.

We should all thank God for His love and grace toward us.

The Bible is factual history and inerrant prophecy.

It is His story—God’s story of His creation which includes Earth and mankind.

God is the author of history since the very beginning and He tells us not only about the past, but also the future.

‘Remember the former things, those of long ago;
    I am God, and there is no other;
    I am God, and there is none like me.
I make known the end from the beginning,
    from ancient times, what is still to come.
I say, ‘My purpose will stand,
    and I will do all that I please.’ Isaiah 46:9-10

Through His word, God gives us a foundation and principles on which to base our lives.

We read about real-life stories of those who lived before us who followed Him and those who did not. We read about their actions and consequences, both good and bad.

None are without sin, but when we repent, God guides His children to overcome any adversity, wrong attitude, and poor decision.

And there is no fooling God for He knows the hearts minds of us all!

God is so good that He shares what the future holds for mankind on Earth, as well as during Christ’s Millennial Kingdom, and into eternity.

Even though life will change on Earth as we know it (becoming gruesome for a period of time), those of us who are God’s children will make it into eternity to live forever with our Creator and Savior. We will finally live as God originally intended in Adam and Eve’s time in the Garden of Eden—in perfect peace and complete joy, without sorrow and physical pain or physical restrictions.  

We can only gain knowledge and truth if we read God’s word and we are told that we will be blessed if we read it.

God wants only the best for us and wants us to be overcomers.

As stated previously, our heavenly Father knows that we live in a world tainted by Satan’s wiles and temptations.

This is why He gives us a glance into the lives of the many whose names are in the Bible. We learn from them as we read about their trials, their failures, and their victories. And these victories were given to His followers by God Himself!

Our heavenly Father does not change, and He does not show partiality. What He did for His children in the past, He will do for His children today.

God is our provider, protector, and best friend.

Those who live in the shelter of the Most High
    will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
This I declare about the Lord:
He alone is my refuge, my place of safety;
    he is my God, and I trust him.
For he will rescue you from every trap
    and protect you from deadly disease.
He will cover you with his feathers.
    He will shelter you with his wings.
    His faithful promises are your armor and protection. Psalm 91:1-4

I believe that God’s word is His book of love written to us. It has stood the test of time over thousands of years and has been proven to be true over and over again.

It is a wealth of knowledge made just for us so that we can

  • believe and understand His love for us
  • receive the gift of eternal life and be restored to Him through His Son Jesus Christ
  • draw near to our Creator and commune with Him
  • believe in and witness His supernatural power
  • know what pleases God and follow His ways
  • hold onto His promises despite the trials we face
  • be encouraged in our daily walk with our Savior Jesus Christ
  • learn from the mistakes of others’ past
  • be thankful for the good in our lives and praise Him
  • know that our struggles never last
  • help others in their time of need

I want to share with you a few tips that have helped me read and better understand the Bible over the years.

Choose a translation (there are many) that you can understand and are comfortable reading. The New American Standard Bible (NASB) and English Standard Version (ESV) are good ones to start with. You may also want to invest in a study Bible which expounds on the text.

Pray and ask God to help you understand what He wants you to learn each day as you read His word.

Set aside a specific time each day or evening just to study God’s word. We are told to meditate on His word day and night. (Joshua 1:8) This means to think about what you read each day for retention.

Keep reading even though you may not understand everything, it’s okay. This is why it’s good to have a study Bible.

Make it a lifelong habit to read the Bible. When you finish one translation, pick up a different one and continue seeking. I’ve read many translations of the Bible over the years, and I learn something new every day.

Apply what you read daily to your thoughts and actions. We should be “doers” of His word for which we are promised to be blessed. (James 1:22-25)

Attend a Bible study with others at church or in a group setting. When we share our understanding and compare notes, we gain even more understanding.   

Use godly resources online to help you and don’t forget to ask God to help you discern which resources to use.

May you be blessed as you dive into the truth of God’s word and may it transform us all to be just like Jesus!

I would like to share one of my all-time favorite songs that praises God. I hope it will warm your heart and move you to praise God also. 

If you want to have a relationship with God and are not sure how or where to start, see my previous posts Relationship with God and Relationship with God – Part 2.

Israel—Chosen by God: Jacob – Part 7

On By Carmen1 Comment

In the previous post, Israel—Chosen by God: Jacob – Part 6, we learned about the preservation of Israel through Joseph, Jacob’s first son by Rachel.

Joseph was sold in to slavery by his jealous half-brothers, which landed him in Egypt where he suffered many wrongs. God, however, was watching over Joseph, and preparing him for a great role—one that would make him second in charge under Pharaoh over all Egypt.

Impressive?

Yes, but Joseph had a role to play in God’s plan, just as we all do if we’re surrendered to Him.

God chose Joseph to carry out His plan to save the nation of Israel, just as he chose Abraham, Issac, and Jacob to bring about the greatest blessing of all time.

But first, Let’s see how the rest of Jacob’s life unfolds.

We resume with Joseph’s brothers on their way back to Canaan to their father Jacob to give him the good news about Joseph.

When they arrived in Canaan, they told Jacob that Joseph was alive and ruled over the land of Egypt. At first, he did not believe them, but when he saw all the provisions that Joseph sent, he became a renewed man. The Bible says his spirit revived.

Jacob was looking forward to leaving Canaan and going to Egypt to see his son Joseph before he died.

So Israel took his journey with all that he had and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. And God spoke to Israel in visions of the night and said, “Jacob, Jacob.” And he said, “Here I am.” Then he said, “I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will make you into a great nation. I myself will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also bring you up again, and Joseph’s hand shall close your eyes.”

Genesis 46:1-4

Did you read what Jacob did?

He didn’t forget to thank God for His faithfulness by worshiping Him and offering sacrifices to Him.

When God makes a way for us, it benefits us to give Him praise and thank Him for His faithfulness, protection, provision, miracle—whatever it is that only He could have done for us.

Next, God spoke to Jacob and assured him that it was okay for him to go down to Egypt and that He would be with him.

Often, when God purposes something in our lives, He will confirm it. Whether it be through His speaking to us through the Holy Spirit, through someone who speaks to us, or through something that we read.    

Don’t forget that God also reiterated His promise of making a great nation of him.

So, Jacob took all his family (sixty-six in number), servants, belongings, and livestock with him down to Egypt.

Jacob and Joseph were reunited with tears of love and joy. Imagine being reunited with your loving father or lost son for over twenty years. No doubt it was an emotional day.  

Joseph tells his father and brothers that when they meet Pharaoh and he asks their occupation to tell him that they are keepers of livestock. This was done so that they could live in Goshen which was a great place to graze herds. Also, shepherds were not well accepted in Egyptian society, they were looked down on and thought of as an abomination.

Joseph’s wisdom about where to place his family came from God. This distance between Israel and the Egyptians was to keep the Israelites from intermingling with the Egyptians and picking up their customs.

Remember that God chose Israel for His own. He did not want them to follow the customs of other cultures because they were set apart and were to be different from all the rest of the world.

Joseph chose five of his brothers to meet with Pharaoh, and he asked them about their occupation. They told Pharaoh they were shepherds just as their fathers were. They stated they needed land for their livestock to graze, because the famine was severe in Canaan.

Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Your father and your brothers have come to you. The land of Egypt is before you. Settle your father and your brothers in the best of the land. Let them settle in the land of Goshen, and if you know any able men among them, put them in charge of my livestock.”

Genesis 47:5-6

What favor!

God not only saved Jacob and his family from famine, He took them to another land that was at that time better for them and their livestock. He gave them the best land in Egypt perfectly suited for them and their livestock.

What is it that God is moving around in your life, child of God?

Even if it feels uncomfortable and “way out there,” you can trust Him. He will only give you His very best and provide opportunities you never dreamed of.

The Bible tells us that God even gave Pharaoh, a Gentile, the opportunity to be blessed. Yes, Joseph brought his father in to meet with Pharaoh, and after they spoke to each other, Jacob blessed Pharaoh.

My friends, we are blessed to be a blessing to others.

It doesn’t matter whom we meet, we have the privilege to bless others. This is serving the LORD, this is our mission, this is our calling.

Israel settled in Egypt and became successful and grew greatly in number.

When Jacob was dying, he called Joseph and made him promise that he would not bury him in Egypt, but in Canaan where his fathers were buried.

Jacob told Joseph that his two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, although born in Egypt before Jacob came to Egypt, were his (Jacob’s), and any other children born to him would be Joseph’s own. 

So, two Egyptian-born citizens instantly became citizens of Israel and were blessed accordingly with all the other children of Jacob.

Jacob then blessed Joseph and told him that God would be with him and take him back to Canaan where he had a plot of land for him.

Then he called his other sons to bless them and prophesy their future. 

Some received good news and others did not. Those who caused him grief and trouble did not get positive news in Jacob’s blessing. (Genesis 49)

Jacob’s sons are the Twelve Tribes of Israel: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Zebulun, Issachar, Dan, Gad, Asher, Naphtali, Benjamin, and Joseph.

All these are the twelve tribes of Israel. This is what their father said to them as he blessed them, blessing each with the blessing suitable to him. Then he commanded them and said to them, “I am to be gathered to my people; bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite, in the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, to the east of Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field from Ephron the Hittite to possess as a burying place. There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife. There they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife, and there I buried Leah—the field and the cave that is in it we bought from the Hittites.” When Jacob finished commanding his sons, he drew up his feet into the bed and breathed his last and was gathered to his people.

Genesis 49:28-33

Jacob died at the age of 147 years after having lived 17 years in Egypt.

Although Jacob was not perfect and endured some difficulties during his life, he was blessed by God.

He kept the promises of God forever on his mind and believed Him for not only his own life, but the lives of his children, his grandchildren, and his descendants for years to come.

It’s important to note that over 400 years later, one of his descendants from the tribe of Levi, Moses, led the Israelites out of Egypt and into the promised land. The land was divided among the following twelve tribes: Reuben, Simeon, Judah, Zebulun, Issachar, Gad, Dan, Asher, Naphtali, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh.

Although Joseph was given land, it was not listed as part of the land of the twelve tribes. The lands of his sons (Ephraim and Manasseh) were.

Levi’s descendants did not inherit land because they served the LORD at the tent of meeting and later in the temple. Some were priests and others were laborers, and their inheritance was the LORD Himself. They received tithes from the congregation and lived in cities among the twelve tribes where they pastured their flocks.

Please join me next for Israel—Chosen by God: A Blessing to All

I have included a song for your listening pleasure and to help you in your walk with God.

“Faithful Still” – KingsPorch