Horn of Salvation

GIFTED FOR SERVICE

2011-01-22T23:02:00.004+08:00

Number 18:7
‘I give your priesthood to you as a gift for service,

but the outsider who comes near shall be put to death.’

1. Serving YHWH is not just a call, it is a GIFT!

2. The call is ‘person-specific’ not random!

Ephesians 2:10
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

I am specifically chosen

to be blessed (gifted)

with a specific call to serve

the LIVING YHWH ELOHIM !

Just as I would joyfully receive a gift

– especially if I know that the giver is

a most honourable and trustworthy person

– so I should joyfully embrace

my call in God.
There is nothing to fear,

only an expectation of something good!

Thank You Father, for calling me.

Thank You for the gift of serving you

especially through my worship.

I am so blessed to know that You consider me

worthy of such a gift as serving You, the only true and living God.

Help me to rejoice always in this gift

– even through difficult times.

In Jesus’ name, amen.

INSTABILITY

2011-01-19T01:48:00.003+08:00

Num 9:18-23

‘At the command of the LORD the children of Israel would journey, and at the command of the LORD they would camp; as long as the cloud stayed above the tabernacle they remained encamped. Even when the cloud continued long, many days above the tabernacle, the children of Israel kept the charge of the LORD and did not journey. So it was, when the cloud was above the tabernacle a few days: according to the command of the LORD they would remain encamped, and according to the command of the LORD they would journey. So it was, when the cloud remained only from evening until morning: when the cloud was taken up in the morning, then they would journey; whether by day or by night, whenever the cloud was taken up, they would journey. Whether it was two days, a month, or a year that the cloud remained above the tabernacle, the children of Israel would remain encamped and not journey; but when it was taken up, they would journey. At the command of the LORD they remained encamped, and at the command of the LORD they journeyed; they kept the charge of the LORD, at the command of the LORD by the hand of Moses.’

We often hear about how children need stability in order to grow into well balanced adults. The second generation of Israelites spent forty years wandering in the desert at the most irregular and unpredictable pace imaginable. If stability was something to be desired, it was definitely something they never even understood.Yet it was this same generation that went in and conquered the land of promise, Canaan land!

What is the real stability our children need?

A permanent address?

Or the permanent presence of YHWH leading them through the days and nights of their lives?

How lovely is Your tabernacle,

O LORD of hosts!

My soul longs, yes, even faints

For the courts of the LORD;

My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.

Even the sparrow has found a home,

and the swallow a nest for herself,

Where she may lay her young

—Even Your altars,

O LORD of hosts, My King and my God.....

For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand.
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God

Than dwell in the tents of wickedness...

(Psa 84:1-3,10)

Thank You Father, for Your presence in our lives and homes; for it more than makes up for allthat we may lack in our natural lives. Thank You also for the assurance, that just by Your presence alone our children can enter in and possess all Your promises for a full and blessed life in the service of Your kingdom. In Jesus’ name, amen.

FAITHFUL GOD

2011-01-19T01:32:00.002+08:00

Psa 60:9-12Who will bring me to the strong city? Who will lead me to Edom?
Is it not You, O GOD, WHO CAST US OFF? And You, O GOD, WHO DID NOT GO OUT WITH OUR ARMIES? Give us help from trouble, for the help of man is useless.

THROUGH GOD WE WILL DO VALIANTLY, For it is He who shall tread down our enemies. David had an unwavering confidence in God’s faithfulness
– even at the lowest point of Israel’s relationship with Him.The same God who had cast them off and had not gone out with their armies was the God whom David knew would bring them a great victory and destroy their enemies!
Joh 14:16 Jesus said, ‘And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever...’
2Ti 2:13 ‘If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.’

Nothing can stop YHWH from granting us victory over all our enemies.

Even in the midst of disciplining us, He will cause us to be victorious!

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father; There is no shadow of turning with Thee; Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not; As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be. Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide; Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow, Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness! Morning by morning new mercies I see. All I have needed Thy hand hath provided; Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!
Through the LORD's mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. (Lam 3:22-23)

OUR INHERITANCE

2011-01-06T22:25:00.002+08:00

Psa 47:4
He will choose our inheritance for us, The excellence of Jacob whom He loves. Selah

We often talk about claiming our inheritance in God.
But the Word clearly shows us, that God chooses our inheritance for us.
Ours is not to choose, but to rejoice in and enjoy it!

Before entering Canaan land, God had already apportioned territories to each tribe of Israel.

Jos 14:1-2 ‘These are the areas which the children of Israel inherited in the land of Canaan,
which Eleazar the priest, Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers of the tribes of
the children of Israel distributed as an inheritance to them. Their inheritance was by lot,
as the LORD had commanded by the hand of Moses,....’

Eph 2:10 ‘For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works,
which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.’

Even the works that we are to do for YHWH has been predestined.

It is not about how busy we are, but whether or not we are doing what He wants.
It is not about how much we have, but whether or not it is what He has given us or what we just decided to take for ourselves.

Rom 12:2-3 ‘And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.’

It is worldliness that pushes us to be over ambitious and claim as much as possible for ourselves (even in the name of Jesus).

God has chosen our inheritance for us. We should not settle for less, but neither should we aspire for more.

1Ti 6:6 ‘Now godliness with contentment is great gain.’

Thank You Father, for the inheritance I have in You. Help me to possess
all You have apportioned for me for Your glory and my joy.

In Jesus’ name, amen.

A YEAR OF REAPING :Direction for 2011

2011-01-01T23:04:00.000+08:00

Key Scripture: Psa 126:5-6
Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy. He who continually goes forth weeping, Bearing seed for sowing, Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.

Apostle Paul exhorts us in Galatians 6:9
‘And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.’

I believe, in the coming year and onward, all we have been patiently sowing will begin to bear fruit. We will begin to reap the seeds we have sown. We can even expect some surprises with regards to some of the deep, silent prayers (with tears) we have been praying.

However, Psalm 126 does set a condition to reaping.
The question to ask is: How do we reap?
Then, based on Psalm 126:
Do we rejoice because we are reaping, or reap because we are rejoicing?

Heb 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
- As a people of faith, we must rejoice in order to reap. ‘Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy.’

Isa 12:3 ‘Therefore with joy you will draw water From the wells of salvation.’ We will reap if we remain in a spirit of thanksgiving, praise and worship.

I believe YHWH is calling upon His people to pull back (slow down) and spend more time in worship.
Psa 50:9-15, 23 ‘I will not take a bull from your house, nor goats out of your folds. For every beast of the forest is Mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills......"If I were hungry, I would not tell you; for the world is Mine, and all its fullness. Will I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats? Offer to God thanksgiving, and pay your vows to the Most High. Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me."....Whoever offers praise glorifies Me...’

Isa 40:31 But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.
Psa 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!

As we mature in the Lord, we are to do less but allow God to do more. Instead of flying, we should run; instead of running, we should walk; instead of walking, we are to be still.Our power and might must decrease, but the work of His Spirit in and through us must increase. And that will only happen when we are willing to stand still and allow Him to go before us.

‘And Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD,
which He will accomplish for you today.”’ (Exo 14:13)
Psa 149:1-9Praise the LORD! Sing to the LORD a new song,And His praise in the assembly of saints. Let Israel rejoice in their Maker;Let the children of Zion be joyful in their King. Let them praise His name with the dance;Let them sing praises to Him with the timbrel and harp.For the LORD takes pleasure in His people;He will beautify the humble with salvation.Let the saints be joyful in glory; Let them sing aloud on their beds.Let the high praises of God be in their mouth,And a two-edged sword in their hand,To execute vengeance on the nations, and punishments on the peoples;To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron;To execute on them the written judgment—This honor have ALL HIS SAINTS.

Praise the LORD! We will see victory by the ‘high praises of God’ – Worship, and ‘a two-edged sword’ - the Word. The coming year is a year of reaping. Not by own strengths, plans or strategies but by the Spirit of the Lord through an increased ministry of worship and proclamation of His word.

My exhortation to all of us, brothers, is to reduce our busy-ness (even ministries) in the coming year and to come away more and more into the courts of the King.

Songs 2:10-14
My beloved spoke, and said to me: "Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.For lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth; The time of singing has come, And the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land.The fig tree puts forth her green figs,And the vines with the tender grapes Give a good smell.Rise up, my love, my fair one, And come away!"O my dove, in the clefts of the rock, In the secret places of the cliff,Let me see your face, Let me hear your voice;For your voice is sweet, And your face is lovely."

Heavenly Father, Your Son Jesus made a way for us to come boldly into Your throne of grace. Move us by Your Spirit to come and to remain behind the veil, offering up the sacrifices of praise to You, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to Your name. For this is the sacrifice that You desire, the offering that glorifies You. In Jesus name we ask and pray, amen. May you be blessed with the manifested presence of YHWH in your life this coming year 2011. SHALOM.

FAMILY PEACE

2010-12-06T23:26:00.000+08:00

Now the son of an Israelite woman, whose father was an Egyptian, went out among the children of Israel; and this Israelite woman's son and a man of Israel fought each other in the camp. And the Israelite woman's son blasphemed the name of the LORD and cursed; and so they brought him to Moses. (His mother's name was Shelomith the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan.)
(Lev 24:10-11)

Why is this account recorded in the Bible?
How is it relevant to us today?
Is the Word promoting discrimination?
Why are his mother’s and grandfather’s name mentioned, not the father’s?

(Exo 34:12, 16) Take heed to yourself, lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land where you are going, lest it be a snare in your midst.....and you take of his daughters for your sons, and his daughters play the harlot with their gods and make your sons play the harlot with their gods.

(1Ki 11:2) “.....the LORD had said to the children of Israel, "You shall not intermarry with them (foreigners who worship other gods), nor they with you. Surely they will turn away your hearts after their gods."

What was Shelomith’s role in the way her son turned out?
(Note: In the bible, generally, only father’s names are mentioned in one’s genealogy accept with regards to the kings of Israel! Check it out in the books of Kings an Chronicles)

The name ‘Shelomith’ means peaceableness.

Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” (Mat 5:9)

Peacemaking involves facing and resolving conflict. However, a ‘peaceable’ person is one who tends to avoid argument or conflict.

What kind of person am I?

What is it that made Shelomith the peaceable person she was? Could it be that her father was a ‘wordy’ (as in one who talks a lot!) person? Because that is what the name Dibri means – wordy!

(Mal 2:15) ‘But did He not make them one, Having a remnant of the Spirit? And why one?
He seeks godly offspring. "Therefore take heed to your spirit, And let none deal treacherously with the wife of his youth.’

REFLECTIONS:
What is my role in the spiritual well-being of my family?
How am I fulfilling this role?
Am I a peacemaker or just peaceable?

Heavenly Father, as I begin the journey this new year, I resolve to take up my role in my family actively; especially, in exhorting each other in the things of the Kingdom and to living by Your Word. In Jesus’ precious name I pray. Amen.

FEAST OF DEDICATION

2010-12-06T21:35:00.000+08:00

Joh 10:22-23

Now it was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the temple, in Solomon's porch.

Beginning 1^st December 2010 through the 9^th, is the feast of Hanukkah or the ‘Feast of Dedication’. The focus of the feast is the lampstand or menorah which lit the Holy Place in the temple at Jerusalem.

The lampstand symbolized the presence of God and it was therefore to remain lit always.

Lev 24:2 "Command the children of Israel that they bring to you pure oil of pressed olives for the light, to make the lamps burn continually.”

At the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, Jesus walked in the temple. But the Jews did not recognize His presence. 4000 thousand years earlier, YHWH walked in the garden of Eden, but Adam and Eve hid from His presence (Gen.3:8).

In the new Covenant of Jesus’ blood, we are the temple and the Holy Spirit is the lampstand. 1Jn 1:5 “....God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.”

Are we responding as we should to His presence?

Are we conscious that we are the temple?

Does Jesus have full access to every part of our lives or are there areas that we keep hidden? Do we try to hide from Him?

Rev 2:5 “Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent.”

The truth is, the ‘lampstand’ (presence of YHWH) can be removed from the ‘temple’.

Moses said, “For how then will it be known that Your people and I have found grace in Your sight, except You go with us? So we shall be separate, Your people and I, from all the people who are upon the face of the earth." (Exo 33:16)

If the Holy Spirit is not in us then we are no different than the unbeliever.

Jesus said, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.” (Joh 14:23)

Do I love Him?

Am I keeping His Word?

Am I a dwelling place of the Holy Spirit?

Heavenly Father, I rededicate my life to You today. Forgive me for going astray in my heart following my personal desires and plans. Let the light of Your presence burn even brighter in me dispelling all darkness and causing me to walk more accurately in Your Word by Your grace. In Jesus’ name, amen.

CARRIED

2010-12-02T21:32:00.000+08:00

Gen 50:22-25

So Joseph dwelt in Egypt, he and his father's household. And Joseph lived one hundred and ten years. Joseph saw Ephraim's children to the third generation. The children of Machir, the son of Manasseh, were also brought up on Joseph's knees. And Joseph said to his brethren, "I am dying; but God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land to the land of which He swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob." Then Joseph took an oath from the children of Israel, saying, "God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here."

Joseph knew that Israel’s destiny was not Egypt but the land of Canaan.

Why did he not just arrange for their return after the famine was over?

Moving is not as straightforward a matter as we would like it to be.

And the longer Israel remained, the more numerous they became and the more complicated the process.

But, I believe Joseph, having recognized the hand of God bringing him to Egypt in the first place, knew that any human effort to relocate would not work out right. It was YHWH who brought Israel to Egypt in the first place. And it has to be YHWH that takes them back.

Israel’s journey to Egypt was by YHWH’s miraculous intervention. Their return will be by another miraculous intervention. ‘God will surely VISIT you...’

Rom 8:28 ‘And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.’

Wherever I am today in the stations of life, it is YHWH that allowed me to be here. And wherever it is that He is calling me to be, He will carry me by His miraculous power.

"Listen to Me, O house of Jacob, And all the remnant of the house of Israel, Who have been upheld by Me from birth, Who have been carried from the womb: Even to your old age, I am He, And even to gray hairs I will carry you! I have made, and I will bear; Even I will carry, and will deliver you.” (Isa 46:3-4)

Heavenly Father, you are the ‘author and finisher of my faith’ (Heb.12:2). Help me like Joseph, to recognize Your hand in every stage of the journey of my life. Give me the grace to rest in Your plan and provision to carry me through on the wing of Your Spirit and not in my own strength. Amen.

HIS FACE, HIS FAVOUR

2010-11-29T21:28:00.000+08:00

Psa 30:6-7

Now in my prosperity I said, "I shall never be moved."

LORD, by Your favor You have made my mountain stand strong;

You hid Your face, and I was troubled.

It is only the unmerited favour of God (His grace) that causes us to be established and prosper.

But how quickly our pride steps in and claims credit!

In MY prosperity I said, “I shall never be moved.”

If God would hide His face even for a moment, we would indeed be in trouble.

Lord, by Your favour You have made my mountain stand strong.

Let me never forget that You are the branch and I am the vine.

Without You I can do nothing.

"YHWH, bless me and keep me;

YHWH, make Your face shine upon me, and be gracious to me;

YHWH, lift up Your countenance upon me, And give me peace." (Num 6:24-26)

Amen.

CHOSEN FOR OBEDIENCE

2010-11-25T23:26:00.001+08:00

1Pe 1:1-2

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,

To the pilgrims of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,

elect (chosen) according to the foreknowledge of God the Father,

in sanctification (set apart, made holy) of the Spirit,

FOR obedience and sprinkling (purifying) of the blood of Jesus Christ:

Grace to you and peace be multiplied.

We have been elected according to the foreknowledge of the Father, before the foundation of the world (Eph 1:4) and made Holy by the Spirit of Grace (not by ourselves) for two reasons:

1. Obedience 2. Sprinkling (purifying) of the blood of Jesus Christ.

Our purpose as ‘sons of God’ is to know and obey the will of our Father. Not because we have no choice, but because we love Him. And wherever and whenever we fail, He has prepared the blood of His Son Jesus for our purification.

Isn’t the realization of this in itself enough for us to love Him?

Heavenly Father, thank You for the grace of Your Spirit that has brought me salvation. Draw me closer to You. I want to love You more and live in greater obedience as Jesus my Saviour did. Amen.

YHWH SEES

2010-10-20T11:26:00.001+08:00

Then Sarai, Abram's wife, took Hagar her maid, the Egyptian, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan. So he went in to Hagar, and she conceived. And when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress became despised in her eyes. Then Sarai said to Abram, "My wrong be upon you! I gave my maid into your embrace; and when she saw that she had conceived, I became despised in her eyes. The LORD judge between you and me." So Abram said to Sarai, "Indeed your maid is in your hand; do to her as you please." And when Sarai dealt harshly with her, she fled from her presence. Now the Angel of the LORD found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, by the spring on the way to Shur. And He said, "Hagar, Sarai's maid, where have you come from, and where are you going?" She said, "I am fleeing from the presence of my mistress Sarai." The Angel of the LORD said to her, "Return to your mistress, and submit yourself under her hand." Then the Angel of the LORD said to her, "I will multiply your descendants exceedingly, so that they shall not be counted for multitude." .....Then Hagar called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, You-Are- the-God-Who-Sees; for she said, "Have I also here seen Him who sees me?"

(Gen 16:3-10, 13)

Sarai was impatient and unreasonable. Abraham was passive. Hagar was ungrateful and arrogant.

Then in the midst of all these negative attitudes, there is ‘God-Who-Sees’ (Gen.16:13) and cares.

There may be many days when we find ourselves surrounded by people with negative attitudes and negative circumstances.

Are we able (like our Father) to stand apart and continue to reflect the tenderness of God?

Heavenly Father, Jesus said that I am not of this world just as He is also (Jn.17:14). But too often I get sucked into the whining and complaining that goes on all around me. Help me to remember that You see all that is going on and You care for the least of us, so that I may rise above the circumstance and lift others with me into Your plan and purpose. In Jesus’ name, amen.

THE WORD

2010-10-18T21:25:00.004+08:00

(Hos 4:6) 'My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; Because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.'

We just returned from three weeks of ministry in India. One of our sad discoveries was the lack of knowledge of the Word among the people of God. And we must add, that this is not peculiar to Indians! We have found it to be a problem with the church at large.

Don’t get us wrong. It’s not an inability to quote scripture. It’s not a shortage of sermon’s preached or heard. It’s not a hindrance to attending church. It’s not even illiteracy.

It’s just a plain failure to spend time in the simple reading of God’s Word.

In a day when Bibles are available in almost every conceivable language and in almost unlimited quantities and affordable prices, it is sad to find believers who have been born again for years who have never read the bible through from cover to cover even once!

It takes no more than 10 minutes to read even the longest chapter in the bible. If one were to read 3 chapters a day that would work out to be a half hour. And at 3 chapters a day, the entire bible will be completed in one year!

Jesus said, "What! Could you not watch with Me one hour? (Mat 26:40)

It is amazing that believers spend hours in intercession, worship, listening to messages and reading religious books. Yet for a half hour daily in the Word, we do not have the time. And mind you, often Pastors and Leaders are just as, if not more guilty.

Perhaps we look at reading the Bible as just reading.

John 1:1 says, ‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God’. Then in John 1:14 he says, ‘...the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory...’

We fail to understand that spending time in the Word is spending time with God himself! Being in the Word is being in Jesus.

The church went into idolatry and corruption when the it put aside the Word of God. But that was a time when the masses were illiterate and so excused. What is our excuse now?

Jesus said to the Pharisees, "If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, 'We see.' Therefore your sin remains”. (Joh 9:41)

(Hos 4:6) My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; Because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.

Heavenly Father, forgive me for taking Your Word for granted. May I be even more diligent to seek Your Word daily. May Your Word fill my heart and mind and guide me in all I do each day. In Jesus’ name I ask and pray, amen.