Thoughts at 2 AM - A Series of Teaching posts I am contemplating

Middle of the Night Musings: Building Blocks of Faith

I couldn’t sleep. I woke up with a stream of thoughts, things I've spoken about before, but now they feel like essays, building blocks stacking up in a new way. I'm unsure what I'm typing or fully comprehending all the strings and relationships, but I want to put it out here in the blogosphere instead of journaling (typing is faster, and I'm not ready to get up).

• Two Trees:  Our world's systems are rooted in two trees, reflecting the contrast between earthly and heavenly realms. This sermon unpacks the two pyramids, their layers, and how these realms interact. It highlights how accessing the heavenly realm releases blessings to all humanity (Genesis 41). The key practical tool - Fear of the Lord and seeking Wisdom. 
  
  
• Desire and the Tree of Life: God desires that we be deeply rooted in the Tree of Life (Psalm 27:4, Proverbs 13:12). This teaching explores the relationship between desires, hope, and faith and shows how they shape our spiritual lives. The key practical tool -  Thanksgiving
  
  
• Faith and Supernatural Courage: Faith sees the unseen. It fuels courage. Supernatural courage emerges when faith and praise collide, empowering us to take new ground, break strongholds, and reclaim territory from the enemy (1 Samuel 14). The key practical tool  - Promises & Praise 
  
  
• Bravery vs. Courage and the Power of Resilience: A deep dive into the distinction between bravery and courage, using the Peloponnesian War (431 -4 04 BCE) as a case study. Athens and Sparta fought for control, but in the end, Spartans eventuall outlasted and secured the victory. This speaks to the need for building resilience and the spiritual stamina for the long haul.
  
  
• Supernatural Favor: Supernatural courage attracts supernatural favor. Nehemiah, Harold Blatant, and Euler show that favor isn't just for personal gain but positions us as vessels of blessing for others. True favor is rooted in love, giving more than it takes.
  
  
• Love is The Greatest Power. God's supernatural love anchors us in a place of being, positioning us to love others and healing a broken world. Hope, faith, and love remain, but the greatest of these is love (1 Corinthians 13). Love overcomes evil, unites, covers sin, and ultimately points to the one sent by the Father because only love can rescue us.
  
  
• YESHUA and the Abundant Life: Jesus promises abundant life. This is an invitation to intimacy ”to know, feel, and pursue Him. Our senses were designed for this eternal chase of oneness. Through My One Thing story, we see how this pursuit connects back to our deepest desires.

Just putting this here before the night steals it away.

A Teachable heart

As I progress through my Bible reading plan this year, I've reached the book of Exodus, which I've always cherished for its powerful account of Yahweh's mighty deliverance of the Israelites after 430 years of slavery under the Egyptian Pharaoh. Each plague demonstrates God's supreme power, revealing to both the Egyptians and the Israelites that the King of the universe reigns over all of creation, unlike the false gods of Egypt.

Each plague specifically confronted an Egyptian deity, showcasing God's dominion. Some examples that quickly come to mind: 

• When the Nile turned to blood, it directly challenged Hapi, the Egyptian god of the Nile.
• The plague of frogs confronted Heket, the fertility goddess, who was depicted as a frog.
• The plague of lice, which arose from the dust of the earth, defied Geb, the Egyptian god of the planet.
• The plague of flies opposed Khepri, the god of rebirth, often associated with swarms of insects.
• And one of the most well-known plagues—the plague of darkness—stood against Ra, the Egyptian sun god.

Through these plagues, the Lord demonstrated His sovereignty over all created things. But more than that, He extended His mercy to His people, freeing them physically and spiritually and working to remove Egypt's culture from their hearts so they would know and worship Him alone. He understood that after centuries of slavery, the Israelites' hearts were weak and prone to returning to what was familiar rather than trusting Him despite these mighty signs. 

At its core, worship is a heart issue. Throughout Exodus, we read how God hardened Pharaoh's heart after each plague—a phrase that can sometimes be misunderstood. It's not that God manipulated Pharaoh in a devious display of power, for God is good, He is light, and He grants His creation the ability to choose. A helpful way to understand this is through the analogy of the sun's rays: the same heat that melts ice also hardens clay.

When confronted with undeniable demonstrations of God's power, Pharaoh would momentarily relent, asking for the plagues to be lifted—yet his heart remained unchanged. He refused to acknowledge God's authority, choosing instead to act in defiance of God's command. This is a powerful reminder that a hardened heart is not simply an accident but the result of persistent resistance to God's truth.

May we examine our hearts, remaining teachable, tender, and open to God's voice rather than hardened by deception, offense, or unforgiveness.

Shalom & Blessings, 

Dr. Sam Kurien

House of Bethel - Revelations from Genesis 28 and Genesis 35

I have written about this in the past, but here is another revelation I have been pondering. As I follow various Bible reading plans I ended up  reading the book of Genesis twice this month. As usual, the lives of the patriarchs have always blessed me and left me with deeper intrigue and curiosity about their encounters with Yahweh. 

Yakob, in his flight and sleep at Luz, encounters God in a dream, awakens from the dream, and renames the place 'Bethel' after erecting an altar and worshiping the Lord. Let's follow this divine encounter he has in Genesis 28: 10-19 from the passion translation. 

'Jacob left Beersheba and journeyed toward Haran. He encountered a certain place at sunset and camped there for the night. He took a stone from there, made it his pillow, and slept. He had a dream of a stairway securely fixed on the earth and reaching into heaven. And there were messengers of God ascending and descending on the stairway. And Yahweh stood beside him and said to him, “I am Yahweh, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. You are lying on the very ground that I will give to you and your descendants. They will become as numerous as the specks of dust on the earth and extend their territory in all directions. Through you and your descendants, I will bless the whole world. Never forget—I am always with you and will protect you wherever you go. And one day I will bring you back to this land, for I will neither leave you nor fail to fulfill every word I have promised you.” When Jacob awoke from his dream, he was overcome with awe and said, “ Yahweh is here! He is in this place and I didn’t realize it!” Terrified and overwhelmed, he said, “How awesome is this place! I have stumbled right into the House of God! This place is a portal, the very gate of heaven!” Early in the morning, Jacob took the stone he had under his head, set it up as a pillar, and anointed it by pouring oil over its top. He named that place Bethel, though the city was once called Luz.'

Jacob's awareness heightens in the spiritual realm, he knows something is different about this place, and He heard God speak to him; amid the heap of stones, he prophetically names the place "House of God." The house of God is filled with the presence of God, a gateway to heaven, and a place where, in two thousand years, the promised Messiah will be born. Jesus came to be the gateway and the House of God, and Yeshua refers to the patriarch's revelation the Father had given him.  

Fast forward twenty years, Jacob runs again on another flight from his father-in-law, with all the blessings in family, cattle, and wealth. He returns home and passes by Bethel, where he encounters God and realizes that God was indeed with Him not just in this place twenty years ago but was with him in every place he went. The faithfulness of God followed the patriarch in all the places he sojourned, suffered, struggled, and survived in his heartaches. Despite all this, Jacob prospers, and God changes His identity to 'Israel' through these life journeys and places of intimacy with the Lord. Let's follow some passages from Genesis 35: 1 & 16-21 (ESV)

'God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there. Make an altar there to the God who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.” God appeared to Jacob again, when he came from Paddan-aram, and blessed him. And God said to him, “Your name is Jacob; no longer shall your name be called Jacob, but Israel shall be your name.” So he called his name Israel. And God said to him, “I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply. A nation and a company of nations shall come from you, and kings shall come from your own body. Then they journeyed from Bethel. When they were still some distance from Ephrath, Rachel went into labor, and she had hard labor. And when her labor was at its hardest, the midwife said to her, “Do not fear, for you have another son.” And as her soul was departing (for she was dying), she called his name Ben-oni; but his father called him Benjamin. So Rachel died, and she was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem), and Jacob set up a pillar over her tomb. It is the pillar of Rachel’s tomb, which is there to this day. Israel journeyed on and pitched his tent beyond the tower of Eder. '

The patriarch's beloved wife passes away on the outskirts of Bethel after hard labor birthing her last son, Benjamin. Jacob buries Rachel, and after grieving for her, the verse in Genesis 35 says Israel journeyed and moved on (paraphrase mine). 

I want to end this post by observing and revealing that the House of Bethel is not known for who is buried there but for who will come out of that place: the Messiah, The Promised one who will deliver us all and be the Blessing and redemption to all nations, Jews and Gentiles, and whoever believes in Him as Christ, who died for our sins and brought us our salvation. 

I would dare say the House of God, the gate of heaven, is also a description of the church and we as individual believers who are now part of God's house. We are God's dwelling place on earth, and the Lord dwells among His people In the brilliance of His nature and moves the one who foreknew changed or exchanged physical places from the tabernacle made of hands to the hearts of our flesh. Immanuel, the God who lives in us, and now, we also become the gateway for others to come to God through the Good News of Jesus Christ. 

Shalom & Blessings, 

Dr. Sam Kurien

Rustling Leaves

I forgot to mention here in this blogosphere space of mine... It's almost two years now (wow). It shows you how savvy a marketer and self-promoter I am (not) for my own publication.  I published a book 'Rustling Leaves: Psalms for the Season of the Soul". It's a collection of personal poems written in Hebrew style of writing (poorly in English) accompanied by some thought-provoking questions with space where you can put your prayers, thoughts, and journal if you want to. 

Here are some promotional video links for you to enjoy: 

Check it out at the Rustlingleaves.us website.  I was able to create some digital music and, with the help of my friend and outstanding designer, to bring some doodles and visions to life with some amazing artwork that you will find and enjoy in the book as well as on artwork frame and merch you can buy at Charis Clarion's Shopify Store  at https://charisclarion.myshopify.com/

The whole book is also an app that you can download.  Check out the Instagram reel here for a preview, or head over to the Android or iOS app store to download the Rustling Leaves app. 

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Many more books coming from the Charis Clarion stable this year. Watch out, and hopefully, I will not be too lousy, lazy, or lapse in posting here and will do my part of promoting :) 

Rest and Resilience

I just finished one of my favorite author's books, 'Resilient.' Oh! What a book, another classic, John Eldredge. It is a little late, but it is a fast read, a profound and deeply needed message in a world gone mad and accelerating in madness since COVID. I would like to write a few takeaways from the book for my soul, but it would take more than one post. Hence, I am choosing to pen down some beautiful thoughts from John's language (all quotes in italics)  and interspersing my own thoughts and then turn my heart's attention to the treasures of Psalm 23 that I recite every day in my meditation, a deeper life-giving source of the Shepherd of my soul.

                "Our longing for life to be good again will be the battleground for our heart. How you             shepherded this precious longing, and if you shepherd it all, will determine your fate in this life and the life to come." 

 A skill in Chapter One, John recommends building is positioning our hearts to receive the River of Life.

            "The story of God should get more of your 'attention time' than any other media. 

Keeping our heart's attention on God and His perspective keeps us from anxiety and being drawn into the drama and madness of our age that leads to desolation. 

            "When you grow up in a world where everything is done with a few clicks on your phone, it doesn't exactly develop resilience." 

            "Resilience is also bestowed, something imparted by God into our frail humanity. That's truly good news".

Deepening our love for Abba Father, Jesus, and our Holy Spirit positions us to prevail and receive supernatural graces. 

        "If you've ever experienced the comfort of God or the love of God, that was heaven coming to you here on earth."

 The battle is for our hearts. The battle is always for our hearts. Our Father knows we need deep reserves, and our communion and loving Him build these deep reserves. It is from deep within our hearts that will flow living waters, and the source of those waters is the One who has taken the throne of our hearts. 

John talks of Eden Glory our hearts yearn for it, our hearts yearn for life to be good again. Perhaps our hearts also yearn for the New Jerusalem where God, His light, and His presence are always there. 

    "Resilience is bestowed upon us by being adored and by experiencing our deep hunger satisfied with overwhelming abundance. 

We receive our early nourishment from our mothers, the assurance of security and abundance. John uses the word mother-desolation. We all have had father and mother wounds, but God knows this of our imperfect parents and their failing and promised that He is the source of being the perfect Father and Mother for us. He promises us in Psalm 27 - though your father and mother forsake you, I will not forsake you (paraphrase mine). Isaiah 49:15  - "Can a mother forget the baby at the breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!". God loves us more tenderly, irrevocably, and deeply than the best of Fathers and mothers. 

The skill John advocates we develop is receiving attachment and the assurance of abundance. 

    "The battle taking place over the human heart can be described as Satan using every form of seduction and threat to take our hearts captive and our loving Jesus doing everything he can to form a single-heartedness in us."

Sanctification is an ongoing process, and daily communion with Jesus reveals our need to bring Him to the unconverted places of our hearts. 

    "No matter how promising an idea sounds, if God's not in it, you don't want to be in it either."

    "As we seek to convert our unconverted places and take hold of the strength that prevails, we need to bodyguard our faith and our Eden's hearts back to Jesus."

    "Every time your Eden longings rise up in you, give them to Jesus. There is no other safe place"

I think Chapter 8 is the heart of John's message in Resilient. Digging Deep within us. 

    "Like a tree sends its roots down deep into the subterranean world, we must learn to tap into the presence of God where He resides within us, deep in our inmost being"

In my personal writing journal yesterday I wrote about eight pages brewing, meditating on this.  In our busy schedules, to-do's, ambitious agendas, and nano-split second distraction instant gratification culture, we never seem to rise from our shallow surface-level encounters with God, or if we descend a little deeper, we get lost in the midlands of the chokes, fears, and concerns of our lives. Descending deep into our souls to be alone with God is not only a spiritual discipline that is much needed, but it begins with loving Him and receiving His love deeply. Knowing, truly knowing our need and our place to be the Beloved. 

    "I am readjusting my life around recovery and resilience - this is my orientation now." 

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Today, in my morning reading, Psalm 23 struck for me again the deep love of my Shepherd.  Psalm 23:2 in the passion translation (a relatively new translation - I like its freshness) - "He offers a resting place for me in his luxurious love. His tracks take me to an oasis of peace near the quiet brooks of bliss." - I love how the translation uses this language and expression as a good shepherd knows where to pasture and take his flock. These green meadows would be a resting place free from fears. The Greek verb "to love" is 'agapao', a merging of two words and concepts. 'Ago' means "to lead like a shepherd," and 'pao' is a verb that means "to rest." Love is our Shepherd, leading us to proper rest in His heart. The Hebrew word 'menu' means "the waters of a resting place" (Isaiah 11:10) 

I love not only the imagery, but I am also on to something here. Rest in Him creates resilience, in fact, reserves and lots of reserves of resilience. It may feel like we have to dig deep, but the good news is He is already here, the Good Shepherd who has lifted us up and is carrying us back to lay in the abundance of green pastures. Eden is indeed here and now when we realize this truth and keep loving Him. 

The word the Lord gave me for this year was "Rest," but for the last few years, it has been "abundance." In reality, my heart yearns and wants to believe it so, but perhaps, and maybe just maybe, He has been doing just that, and it is time my soul awakens from the slumber and truly rests so the resilience that is in Him continues to bubble up as those streams of living waters that not just fulfill so I can survive but thrive in the midst of whatever season it is. 

Shalom and Blessings, 

Dr. Sam Kurien

Smoking Firepot and Flaming Torch

During my quiet time, I reflected on God’s incredible promises to Abraham and His covenant with him. It struck me how truly amazing our God is. In Genesis 15, we find a profound account where God symbolically reveals the sacrifice He would one day make. Through this encounter, God reassured Abraham and gave him a glimpse of His unchanging faithfulness and grace.

Let us pick the story from the scriptures here: 

  4 Then the word of the Lord came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir.” 5 He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring[d] be.” 6 Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness. 7 He also said to him, “I am the Lord, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to take possession of it.” 8 But Abram said,
“Sovereign Lord, how can I know I will gain possession of it?” 9 The Lord told him, “Bring me a heifer, a goat, and a ram, each three years old, along with a dove and a young pigeon.” 10 Abram brought all these to him, cut them in two, and arranged the halves opposite each other; the birds, however, he did not cut in half. 11 Then birds of prey came down on the carcasses, but Abram drove them away. 12 As the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and a thick and dreadful darkness came over him. 13 Then the Lord said to him, “Know for certain that for four hundred years your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own and that they will be enslaved and mistreated there. 14 But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward, they will come out with great possessions. 15 You, however, will go to your ancestors in peace and be buried at a good old age. 16 In the fourth generation, your descendants will come back here, for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure.” 17 When the sun had set, and darkness had fallen, a smoking firepot with a blazing torch appeared and passed between the pieces. 18 On that day, the Lord made a covenant with Abram and said, “To your descendants, I give this land, from the Wadi[e] of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates—

(NIV Genesis 14:4-18)

In ancient times, covenants were sealed in a manner foreign to us today. The symbolism of the split animals sounds gross to us, but it was in those times when a convent was made between two people, and blood was a signature binding the two parties entering into that covenant.  The cut animals were put on the left and the right, and both parties agreeing and entering into the covenant are supposed to walk through them and in the blood that was spilled, signifying that may it be to me like these animals if this covenant was broken to be torn apart if I failed to keep the covenant. 

But here’s what’s extraordinary. God, knowing humanity’s sinful nature and inevitable failures, took the covenant upon Himself. Abraham saw a smoking firepot and a flaming torch—representations of God’s presence—pass between the pieces. Abraham did not walk through. God alone committed to fulfilling the covenant, unconditionally binding Himself to His promises.

This moment was not just a ritual; it was a profound act of grace. The smoke symbolized God’s mystery and divine power, while the fire represented His purity, holiness, and consuming presence. These symbols echo other moments in Scripture, such as the pillar of cloud and fire that guided the Israelites (Exodus 13:21-22). They show God’s faithful guidance and His purifying work in His people.

The significance of this covenant cannot be overstated:

• The sacrifice: The split animals and spilled blood underscored the seriousness of the covenant, pointing to the cost of sin and redemption (Leviticus 17:11).
• God’s commitment: Only the firepot and torch passed through, symbolizing that God alone would bear the burden of fulfilling the covenant.
• A foreshadowing of Christ: God’s promise to take the penalty for any broken covenant looked ahead to Jesus, who bore the ultimate cost to secure our redemption (Galatians 3:16).

God’s message to Abraham—and to us—is clear: Even when you fail, I will remain faithful. The flaming torch cutting through the darkness reflects God’s promise to illuminate our paths and provide hope in uncertainty. It is a beautiful assurance of His unfailing love.

May we find comfort in the faithfulness of the God who fulfills His promises and goes before us in love and grace.

Shalom and blessings,

Dr. Sam Kurien

Revelation - Desires

Psalm 37:4: "Delight yourself in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart." A Christ-centered life, or being a Christ follower, has an inherent promise that God fills your heart with desires. We are not devoid of them once we become Christ's followers, nor are we to abandon them altogether. Most religions persuade you to abandon desires, empty yourself, or get rid of them.

Recently, the Lord was impressing on my heart a few things that I have been meditating on trying to articulate here. In the book of Proverbs, there is a verse that says, "Hope deferred makes the heart sick, and desire realized is the Tree of Life." It is apparent here that the Lord uses our desires for the ultimate goal in our transformation to become like Him but rooting us back into the Tree of Life. The verse is intriguing and makes me think there is a deep correlation between hope, faith, and love. When one's hope diminishes, the heart is likely to be on the pathway to spiritual sickness (or journeys to the dark places of the soul), and the enemy waits for that to lead us into despair, discouragement, and depression. The illness is followed by a deep sense of betrayal, loneliness, and a breeding ground for Satan's motivations.

So, our hearts must be filled with hope. How do we practically do this? As revealed by King David, the Psalms have secrets built in, and the kind Lord has revealed them to us, so we use these weapons to fill our hearts with hope. One of those pathways of shepherding our soul lies through thanksgiving and praise. When we intentionally steep our hearts in places of gratitude to the Lord, we position and posture ourselves to enter His courts. One of the psalms rightfully sings, "Enter into His courts with thanksgiving and praise." Praise is another weapon in worship where we take our focus from ourselves and look upon His radiant face. Praise ushers in His presence into our situations. Praise was designed for our benefit, not His. It's telling our souls that no matter what, I am elevating myself into seeking His face and presence and not going to give my attention or devotion to inferior things vying for my attention. When this happens, our hearts slowly start filling with hope. And then hope dares to believe and raise the banner of faith to see the unseen. Hebrews 11:1 (NIV) quotes: "Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see."

Now, we need to know that desires compete with our delight and desire of the Lord. The revelation that the Lord recently impressed on me was when I came before Him in brokenness and a contrite heart, positioning my heart to desire Him more than all my other competing desires. At that time, He could trust me with those things that enlarge the capacity of my soul and those things that He wants to indeed bless me with. Sometimes, when we are not ready for those blessings without having the capacity to handle them, we can be crushed by them. It does not mean the Lord does not fulfill those desires. Sometimes he does, but most of the time, it follows with tests if we are making them our idols or making Him the center and chief desire of our lives.

May we all live with this foremost desire of making Him our first love and trusting Him with all our desires; indeed, He will fulfill the desires of our hearts. Jesus modeled His life for us this way, seeking the Father and his will alone, and whatever He asked of the Father, it was released in His ministry and work on earth. Our lives are no different; we are to live like He did. Simply desiring the Father and His will, and everything we need is supplied, but more importantly, we are rooted in Him, the source of everlasting life.

Shalom and Blessings,

Sam

Revelations 3-5 Treasure nuggets from the Gospel of Matthew

In continuing my series of revelations posts, here are some more from the first few chapters of the Gospel of Matthew. One observation I do have to make and confess is, though I have read these gospels so many times, every time I read them, I can’t help falling in love with the Lord Jesus more and more. I want to say, as we look upon His Glorious face, it seems like nothing else matters. Like Mary, we can be in awe, wonder, love, and be at His feet and keep asking for more.

Revelation#3: From the Gospel of Matthew: John the Baptist is railing on the Pharisees when they come to see him baptizing common poor people. He calls them a brood of vipers, but interestingly in Hebrew and Aramaic, the word used is ‘akidneh,’ which means a scorpion. A scorpion, after mating, and the female scorpion dies after giving birth, so literally every scorpion born is an orphan. The wordplay is interesting indeed as John uses that word in the Aramaic local tongue of that time as he compares the Pharisees to vipers. To literally convey that, though they were descendants of Abraham, they were not following his ways but born and left as spiritual orphans. But if they only returned to their true Father, God, they would no longer be orphans.

Revelation#4: The Sermon on the Mount is the unveiling of Christ’s new constitution of the Kingdom of Heaven and the invasion of it on earth as well. It begins by giving His followers a far superior way of living than the Ten Commandments dictated by Him to Moses. What I love about Yeshua is that He gives us more than laws; He gives us promises and also the power to fulfill all that He asks of us. Our part: yielding, following, and abiding! Blessings & Shalom.

Revelation #5: The Greek word Ekklesia is used or known commonly among Christians (and the church in general) as ecclesiastically or related to liturgy or a legislative body or assembly of the church. However, I find it fascinating that in ancient Greek culture, it’s also a word used primarily to mean “assemble an army.” The Church of Christ is indeed an army of kings and priests, marching and rejoicing in the ever-advancing Kingdom of God! The good news is Yeshua is in the front 🙂 as King of Kings, Lord of Lords, and Adonai Tzav’ot (The Lord of hosts and commander of Angelic armies)! Shabbat thoughts for Holy Sabbath, blessings, and Shalom!

Revelation from my quiet times - Reading through the Bible

2024 has rolled in and, like many who make New Year's resolutions, I return here after a few years of hiatus to again pen down some new revelations from the Lord. I am not promising myself anything, as old-fashioned writing in my journals using penmanship has caught me pursuing tangible paper, fancy writing instruments, and the messiness of ink. However, I do miss the conveniences of technology in putting my thoughts here from time to time.

At the start of the year, I made some FB blurb posts on a few revelations from the book of Matthew. As a start, I'm going to post or collate a couple of them here and hopefully, it will bless someone.
From my quiet time today: Revelation#1

The Gospel of Matthew in chapter 1 shows the genealogy of Christ, establishing His royal line as the son of David, and Luke’s Gospel shows the genealogy of Christ, establishing Him as the Son of man. Matthew’s genealogy starts with Abraham and Luke’s starts with Adam. The curse was on Jeconiah’s seed that no one of his line would sit on David’s throne, but God’s mercy and plan still establish the throne of David through Mary, who came from David’s line through Nathan. Interestingly, 14 generations are mentioned from Abraham to David, 14 from David to the Babylonian captivity, and 14 from captivity to Christ the Anointed One! To blow your mind more: 14 is the number for Passover, and 14 is the number for Spiritual Perfection. 14 is mentioned three times in Matthew’s genealogy. 14 times 3 is 42, and brilliantly, 42 is the number of generations to Christ and 42 is the number of months Yeshua ministered in His earthly ministry. Coincidence, I think not 🙂

Revelation#2: From Matthew’s Gospel, we are told the Magi visited to worship Jesus after following a shining star that appeared in the heavens, and they followed it to Bethlehem. Their arrival created quite an uproar in Jerusalem. It is quite possible this entourage of the Magi was over a hundred people, and it's very unlikely there were only three people as represented in our cute nativity scenes and sets. It would be rare just three visitors would have created such an uproar in Herod’s court or among the people for a newborn King. They brought treasure chests of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

The word 'branch' of the Lord is translated from the Hebrew word 'netzer', the root word for Nazareth. The teaching “the branch of the Lord” is a concept throughout the Bible from the Tree of Life, seven branches of the lampstand, to Jesus the Vine, and calling us His branches, and furthermore, branches that are transplanted and grafted into Israel etc. However, the word netzer also means keeper, watchman, keeper of secrets, and guardian, and the Aramaic meaning is “the victorious one” or when translated as Jesus being called the Victorious branch of Nazareth. Be Blessed & Shalom!

Keys to position yourself better

In a new year's blog post, Bethel Church pastor Kris Vallatoon described five keys to influencing your destiny and changing the world. I like them and record here these five points and put in my own insights and understanding on this. These ideas are attributed to Kris, and I am just reflecting on them.

1. DO ORDINARY THINGS IN AN EXTRAORDINARY WAY

When I rise above from a comparative and a competitive spirit and merely do my mundane or daily tasks extraordinarily. It will help me prepare for further alignment with my purpose. This builds the foundation, gratitude, intention, and new anointing. Last year the simple act of making the bed consistently for 350 (of the 365 days) was an achievement. A navy general, in fact, wrote a book on this premise and idea.

2. STEWARD YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES

When we steward our current responsibilities well and work at the tasks at hand as if we work for His Glory and work with Him. He meets us in the challenges and stewardship of our responsibilities. The Lord often uses our work to shape us, he often uses our relationships at work to give and align our account of responsibilities for collaboration and become more abundant in our interconnectedness of purpose and unity.

3. VIEW EVERY JOB AS TRAINING FOR YOUR DESTINY

Kris refers to King David and his shepherdship responsibilities as on the job training to be the future King. His care for his sheep, his courage to go after the lion and the bear, his waiting on the Lord as a poet/musician was all part of the formation of his character in life's training ground to be future King. I have a lot to learn and improve in this area, especially with my heart's attitude. When I end up doing other people's work instead of whining, I can always view it as on the job training for gaining collective experience that various positions do. Knowing the organization inside out is a by-product that others can benefit from with the wisdom and knowledge I gain.

4. BEHAVE LIKE YOU’RE PASSIONATE, EVEN WHEN YOU DON’T FEEL LIKE IT

Maintaining one's passion and focus or vice versa is another key, especially when life seasons of dryness and attacks of the enemy, circumstances tailspins us into depression or discouragement. Last year I was proud to have been consistent with the Gratitude Journal and ended up with around 1701 thankful things. Going back and rereading them reminded me of the stability and keeping passion alive have been excellent outputs of the exercise. When you are down and out thankfulness, letting go, forgiveness, random acts of kindness are drivers that fuel passion.

5. SEEK FIRST HIS KINGDOM

Kris cites that once we are after the mandate that Jesus spoke, "Seek first the kingdom of God." Everything we do as new covenant believes becomes part of the kingdom. From praying to playing, it's all a part of serving the King. I am not sure about everything. It might be quite a generalized statement, but I do want to agree in the spirit that He needs to be the first in every area of your life. This is the biggest lesson from last year. The First things of our soul and relationship with Jesus align everything else correctly.

Three thoughts or Three revelations

I am enjoying three thoughts that I have been meditating on or I should say revelations from the Father that help me think a little better. I tweeted one of these.

First thought: "Don't ask God for strength. Ask Him for His Joy" The scripture says "The Joy of the Lord is our strength". As we become blessed with His Joy, His strength strengthens us in all areas. How do you get His Joy? The scriptures resound: "In His presence is the fullness of Joy".  We should chase after His presence, long for His presence, we hunger to dwell in His presence. Being conscious of Him always is a path of intimacy.  He promised: "Behold I am with you always".

Second Thought: In resting and being unhurried - time expands and sometimes multiplies. The key is resting in Him. Nobody in the world had or will ever have a bigger agenda than Jesus had...a.k.a "saving the world past, present and future"  at the same time leading a motley crew of twelve that will change the world. Yet he created sacred space for Himself with the Father. Needs, chaos, sin, and even his endless compassion to those who He healed didn't hurry him. He operated from the centered rest creating order in the world of confusion and chaos. Resting in Him is another revelation. Those who enter into His rest, He establishes their steps, their work, and even their time. Resting in co-dependency with Him helps you do your work with Him.

Third Thought: I have read in some Christian books:  "Work as if everything depends on you and pray as if everything depends on God". I like it and it is well intended.  As I think about it based on my thoughts of rest I feel for me the revelation extends to rewriting that quote to say:  "Work as if everything depends on you and Him and pray as if everything depends on God".  I love it, it's working with Him and worshipping and praying to him reveals His work and establishes the work of my hands. This works better for me.

Shalom & Blessings,

Time & Being

I am re-reading "The Happiness Equation" by Niel Pascha. I like the space scribbles he uses to explain concepts in a simple way. Inspired by his 56 hr bucket analogy I have been examining closely about my own time buckets. I plan to reflect on that in my other blog but reading this book along with Daniel Pink's 'When' and Charles Duhigg 'The power of habit", things seem to have converged for me

in my understanding and management of time.  As I sit here early morning hammering on my laptop keyboard, I am transcribing here a poem I wrote on time a few weeks ago on my date with my daughter Hannah. My mind struggled as I spent time that Saturday contemplating all the things I had to get done and comparing it against the time I was spending with my daughter. Reflection and introspection resulted in this poem I penned that Saturday afternoon.

Our investments so measured in greedy returns,

Be it of money,  resources or relationships, 

Or Time spent or lost spun like the rings of Saturn,

Displaying time & again our poor skill in life's gamesmanship.

Lessons I learn are riches beyond measure,

Deep reflections are now collections of timeless treasure,

More valuable than war chests, spoils & stock returns,

It is time to live life with intentional pleasures. 

Time is one constant given to all - be it for the rich or the poor,

Be it east, west north or south it flows unhinged & unshackled,

If we endure, focus less on the hunt & drive to ever procure, 

It is in just 'being'; time's timeless secrets unravel

Where time slows & multiplies - 

For a life to be once more called, 

well-traveled, better lived and fully qualified - 

For heaven's reward in being fully present & fully enthralled!

- Time & Being!

Hupernikao

Darkness & shadows loom large,

In a fallen world slipped off the barge,

I thank the good Lord for His steadfast love,

That pulled my soul from the pit of despair. 

Circumstances, disasters, plagues that lay waste,

Arrows aimed to throw hearts hope to displace,

His wings and pinions covered my face,

Keeping me from falling, as angels held me in His Grace.

Beyond this place of hell's disgrace, 

Charges & condemnations didn't stick from satan's swinging mace,

Who or what can separate me from the love of Christ!

His strong arms pulling me into my Father's embrace.

It matters not how bloody the fight,

In battles & wars when tens of thousands fall in fearful fright,

He has in all things made me more than a Conqueror, 

He is the Captain & Commander of my Destiny,

The King of my Soul & the King of Kings of my All!!

Background to my composition Hupernikao!

I love William Ernest Henley's poem 'Invictus' and his indomitable spirit to not give up. We are all not born with such will power but blessedly so, as believers, we have been bought at a costly price with the precious blood of Christ. Unlike Henley, I know and thank the God I serve there are no gods for me to thank for but one - the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The one who became man incarnate to pay my debt, and purchase me out of throes of death. His grace and will power gives me hope and makes me a 'hupernikao' (what a strange Greek word but we will come to that later). I know I am not my own and my partnership with Him is what makes Him the master of my fate and the captain of my soul.

I composed 'Hupernikao' for this reason in Greek it means 'overwhelmingly conquer' or to plainly say:  'you are a super-conqueror'. Paul the wise scribe of the new testament specifically wrote using that word in Romans 8 knowing the context of his pagan audience. Our modern-day sportswear and sporting company 'Nike' takes the name from the Roman goddess of victory. I love Nike clothes and the swoosh on my hat is a conversation starter for me these days to reveal my identity as expressed in Romans 8.

On a side note from the Wikipedia entry here about our mythical lady Nike:

Nike was variously described as the daughter of the Titan Pallas and the goddess Styx, and the sister of Kratos (Strength), Bia (Force), and Zelus (Zeal).^[4]

"And Styx the daughter of Ocean was joined to Pallas and bore Zelus (Emulation) and trim-ankled Nike (Victory) in the house. Also she brought forth Cratos (Strength) and Bia (Force), wonderful children."

In other sources, Nike was described as the daughter of Ares, the god of war.

"Ares . . . O defender of Olympos, father of warlike Nike (Victory)."

Paul uses the term "Hupernikao"  in Romans 8: 37 to explain our overwhelming status against tough situations.

“³¹ What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? ³² He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? ³³ Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. ³⁴ Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. ³⁵ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? ³⁶ As it is written:

“For your sake, we face death all day long;

    we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

³⁷ No, in all these things we are hupernikao [more than conquerors] through him who loved us. ³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,³⁹ neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” [Rom 8:31-39 NIV] 

I have been long winded about this but wanted to give my context for my composition but didn't know this post would get that long so I am going to stop this post here. In the next the poem..."Hupernikao" from the super conqueror in training.

Shalom and Blessings,

Sam

ink blurs & blots

My leather journals - I am proud of them, lots of toils, tears and coffee stains mar them. The reader might have guessed the geographical locale of coffee smelling (or stinking) houses where most of my 'ink blurs & blots"  happen while reflecting and writing.

I use good fountain pens and noodlers ink (courtesy of my friend David who introduced me to them cheap but quality -  a trait he carries well).  Inspired by the tear-stained and ink blurred pages of my journal which I pride as beautiful battle scars of prayers, knowledge, wisdom, and life here is my poem: 

Drops of tears that blur and blots,

the ink on my journal, hair raising-ly raised, 

Words of pain, prayers, and praise

Of a contrite heart, that pleases

in the  midst of the bloodstained clots,

Stained and blurred,

Still looking beautiful

Like a worn out old map, pointing to a lost treasure,

Or like the old leather bag well traveled far and wide,

With its scratches, holes & batterings, 

A reflection of my heart in the sculptor's hand,

ink blurs and blots form the tear-stained art

slowly shaped by the

the Master's craft for his own pleasure and delight.

Testing, Dying & Storm Chasing

Writing poems again and beginning to strings thoughts, words, and ideas from the deep. However, the exercise is mainly to record here and have quick access for me as it's unwieldy for me to carry tons of journals everywhere I travel; even if that travel is in the safe cocoon of your car or a plane. Next month I am looking forward to my travel to 4 countries and only 3 days downtime but it will be good. Good because I will get tonnes of reading and reflective time. Looking forward to it till then...

My test lies before me,

The tests I have failed time and again,

But, His testimonies are for me,

Delighting, securing and faithfully containing  -

His saving salvation and touching grace, 

Now my wounded heart heed into His loving embrace, 

His light shining and now lifting my face 

From age-old guilts and shame, 

Redeeming, 

Restoring, 

Justifying & Sanctifying 

A story and journey unfolding the chrysalis, 

The Dying seed budding to be born again, 

In its core lies the mighty tree, 

Rising to be the phoenix of all oaks tomorrow, 

Renewing, 

Reviving, and 

Readying, 

For the new storms & testings that lie yonder. 

With new skill sets being built in spirit-filled wonder 

Strengthening, 

Overcoming 

Rooting & a warrior forged for storm chasing