Something to ponder...

Galatians 5:24-25 [AMP] 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature together with its passions and appetites. 25 If we [claim to] live by the [Holy] Spirit, we must also walk by the Spirit [with personal integrity, godly character, and moral courage—our conduct empowered by the Holy Spirit]. Romans 6:1-2, 6 [AMPC] 6 What shall we say [to all this]? Are we to remain in sin in order that God’s grace (favor and mercy) may multiply and overflow? 2 Certainly not! How can we who died to sin live in it any longer? 6 We know that our old (unrenewed) self was nailed to the cross with Him in order that [our] body [which is the instrument] of sin might be made ineffective and inactive for evil, that we might no longer be the slaves of sin. 2 Kings 14:3-4 [NLT] 3 Amaziah did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight, but not like his ancestor David. Instead, he followed the example of his father, Joash. 4 Amaziah did not destroy the pagan shrines, and the people still offered sacrifices and burned incense there. (This is just one of the many verses in 1 Kings and 2 Kings that say the same thing) Why have I chosen these three passages of Scripture for this month’s Blog - because there’s an urgency on the heart of God at this time that His people need to be pure, holy and worshipping Him alone. Not following the ways of the world, or be tempted to go back to the ways of sin. ‘ But I don’t have any idols in my life! I’m serving God with my whole heart ’ I hear you cry. That’s my cry too! But let’s stop and take a moment to consider that maybe we are doing what the kings in the Books of 1 & 2 Kings did – that we are doing what is pleasing in the Lord’s sight, but there are still ‘idols’ in our lives that are tempting us back into sin. Unless we slay the giant, and CUT OFF ITS HEAD , we will leave opportunities for the giant to rise up and come and tempt us into the sin that we are supposed to have left behind. Here’s what Nicky Gumble writes in his and Pippa’s devotional ‘ The Bible in a Year ’: “’They imitated the nations around them although the LORD had ordered them, “Do not do as they do.”’ (2 Kings v.15). The result of not listening was that the people of Israel lost the presence of God and were sent into exile in Assyria: ‘he thrust them from his presence… the LORD removed them from his presence’ (2 Kings vv.20,23). Like us, so often, they had not been ruthless enough about sin in their lives: ‘They honoured and worshiped God, but not exclusively... They don’t really worship God – they don’t take seriously what he says regarding how to behave and what to believe’ (vv.32,34 MSG). ‘They didn’t pay any attention. They kept doing what they’d always done’ (v.40, MSG). Do you sometimes find that your heart is divided between following God and following your own desires? Guard yourself against complacency or carelessness – allowing sin to creep in. Don’t let the enemy lead you into disobeying God. The truth is that God’s desire is always to bless us. His commands and instruction are given so that you might flourish (see Deuteronomy 6:1–3).” Do we see ourselves flourishing – or do we keep going back to the sin and the idols in our lives because they are our ‘comfort zone’, or because ‘it’s familiar’, or because we have an issue with addiction to the sin? When Jesus went to the cross, He took upon Himself ALL OF OUR SIN – and when He went to the depth of hell, He left our sin there and, in essence, locked the door to our sin and took the keys with Him. He did not give us a set of keys so that we could go back and claim back the bits of sin that we like doing. He cut the head off of the giant! You know how you enjoy cake, but you know you should give it up. But you think that NOTHING will EVER come close to the enjoyment you find in eating cake. And so you convince yourself that a little slice every now and again won’t do anyone any harm, especially not you. But what it will do is satisfy the craving, and give just enough of a sugar-rush that you will be able to leave it be – until the next time. But the next time that piece of cake may harm you to such an extent that your life is changed forever, and not in a good way. Well that is what it is like with the sin, the idols, the bad things that we do and convince ourselves that it’s only a ‘small sin and God won’t notice’. Eventually it is going to harm us, bring us down, destroy us and our ministry. When God says in Scripture ‘ CRUCIFY THOSE SINFUL PASSIONS ’ He means it!! Let the old man – that is the carnal, worldly, ungodly man – the man that can still rise up from time to time, be crucified, because the new man – the spiritual man, the man that is one with Jesus – has been raised to life in Christ. We can’t serve two gods – the god of sin AND Jesus. God is a jealous God, He’s jealous for us and wants all of us. God intends that we should live in a right relationship with Him. God has committed Himself to us totally – therefore we should commit ourselves to Him totally, and be sanctified, guard our hearts and flourish. The Holy Spirit has been given to us so that we can walk in a restored relationship with God. So each day wake up and resolve to “walk by the Spirit [with personal integrity, godly character, and moral courage—our conduct empowered by the Holy Spirit]” {Galatians 5:25}. Be blessed Jean If you were blessed by this months’ article, please share it with others.

A Reflection on Character and Attitude in Our Walk of Faith The many references to Scripture will make the beautiful aspect of character and attitude clearer. As we explore the beautiful facets of character and attitude within our faith journey, it becomes clear that our judgment will be based on these critical elements, symbolised by gold, silver, and precious stones. These precious materials represent how thoroughly God's image and character have been woven into our very identity. Gold signifies the divine purity of our character, while silver illustrates our capacity to graciously receive and cultivate the gifts and anointing that God has graciously bestowed upon us. Precious stones, meanwhile, reflect the integrity and patience we develop under pressure; it is through life's challenges that our character is refined and crystallised into something truly valuable. Jesus frequently emphasised the importance of our inner attitudes. He taught that a transformed heart inevitably leads to lives that reflect His nature. In the Sermon on the Mount, He addressed the significance of attitude, highlighting that mere adherence to the Law is insufficient—what truly matters is the spirit behind our actions. Jesus sought to identify incorrect attitudes and to illuminate the characteristics of godly character. Before we delve deeper into the commendations from Jesus, we must recognise the distinction between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant from God's perspective. For both John and Paul, the transition from the Law to grace is fundamental—redemption frees us from the constraints of the Law, allowing us to be guided by the Holy Spirit. Law and grace. However, the Lord declared, “For this is the covenant that I will make… I will put My laws in their minds and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” (Jeremiah 31:33) . This new covenant is profoundly personal, as it emphasises an intimate relationship with God, where all, regardless of status, come to know Him directly, i.e., personally. This is an exhilarating revelation, as Paul noted: “Nothing outwardly avails, but faith which works by love!” (Galatians 5:6) . While obedience is important, it is the identity of sonship—or, more deeply, espousal—that fosters a loving relationship capable of nurturing true, devoted obedience. Here lies the importance of having the right attitude and walking in prudence. Jesus illustrated this vividly in Matthew 25 when He spoke about those welcomed into the kingdom. He said, “Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in, I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.” (Matthew 25:34) . Not only did He target physical acts of service, but He also urged us to see beyond the surface—to feed the spiritually hungry, welcome those into the kingdom with love, quench the thirst for truth, and clothe those exposed to shame, to set people free who are imprisoned by strongholds. In this teaching, we see that every act of kindness we engage in for the least among us is indeed an act done because of Christ Himself. The righteous will respond, “Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You...?” and He will affirm, “Assuredly, I say to you, since you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.” (Matthew 25:37-40) Jesus also warned that not everyone who calls Him “Lord” will enter the kingdom, but only those who do the will of the Father. Genuine actions of faith arise from a deep and intimate loving relationship with Him— “whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock…” (Matthew 7:21-26) . Ultimately, we uncover a key truth: love and prudence draw us toward a sincere loving relationship with our Saviour. When we know Him intimately and become one with Him, our transformation unfolds as we behold Him and His glory. This deep connection empowers us to fulfil His will effortlessly, with our actions reflecting that intimacy. Rather than striving for power and influence, we find strength in walking in love and sincerity, abiding in Him, while seeking only His face and His purpose in all we do. Blessings Ben Our thanks to Ben for this month’s Blog contribution If you were blessed by this article, please do share it with others

1 Peter 5:7 Casting all your care upon Him for He cares for you. Psalm 55: 22 Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved. Letting go and letting God lead can be one of the hardest things to do. We hold on tightly to our worries, plans and expectations, trying to control the outcome. But 1 Peter 5:7 calls us to cast our anxieties on God. He cares for us and is capable of handling everything we face. Surrendering control to God doesn’t mean abandoning responsibility; it means trusting Him to guide us through life’s challenges. When we let go, we create space for God to work in our lives. Trusting in His leadership brings peace, as we stop carrying the weight of our worries. Letting God lead means following His direction, even when we can’t see the full picture. In the midst of life’s hardest battles, there are moments when the weight of our struggles seems unbearable. The world feels dark, our hearts feel heavy, and hope seems so distant. But in these very moments, we are often reminded of one undeniable truth: God provides. Even when it feels like we’re walking alone in the wilderness, He is right there, with us, providing in ways we might not always see but will always feel. There are times when we are overwhelmed by pain, when the road ahead seems uncertain, and when we wonder how we will make it through. But God in His infinite love and grace shows up in the smallest, yet most significant ways. He provides us with unexpected strength to take the next step, even when we don’t know where it will lead. He sends people to lift us up when we are too weak to stand, and He whispers His love in the quiet of our hearts when the world is to loud. It’s often in our deepest moments of despair that we find His presence the most. He doesn’t promise that the storms will never come, but He promises that we won’t face them alone. Like a parent who sacrifices everything for their child, God doesn’t hesitate to carry us when we can no longer walk. In the darkness, He is the light. In the grief, He is the comfort. In the silence, He is the peace. We may not always understand the reason for our suffering, but God’s provision is never absent. Sometime, it’s the simple things like a word of encouragement, a quiet moment of peace, a gentle hand reaching out, that remind us that He is always with us, filling the gaps where we feel empty. And slowly, over time, we see that very hardships we faced have shaped us, strengthened us, and brought us closer to Him. God provides, not only with material things but with the most important gifts: love, peace, strength, and hope. In our pain, He whispers that He is with us, and His provision is more than enough. Dear Lord Jesus, I confess that I often hold on to my worries and fears, thinking that I can handle them on my own. But today, I choose to let go and trust You. I cast all my anxiety on You because I know You care for me. Help me to stop trying to control everything and surrender to Your will. Lead me, guide me and show me the way. Fill me with peace as I release my fears to You. I trust that Your plan for me is better than anything I can imagine. Thank you for Your constant care and guidance. In Jesus Name. Amen Blessings Toby Dr Marishjean Paton Dr.Div PhD Melqowsh Ministries and Melqowsh Bible College Our thanks to Toby for this month’s Blog contribution If you were blessed by this article, please do share it with others

There is a story that I’ve heard before, and you probably have too. “ There once lived a water carrier. Every morning, as soon as the sun rose, she walked from her home to collect water in two earthen pots that hung from a long pole that she carried across her shoulders. One pot was perfectly formed, the other, although the same shape and size as its counterpart, had a crack in its side. So, whenever they returned to the water carrier’s house it was only ever half full. For years, the water carrier repeated her journey to and from her house collecting water from the river. As the years passed by, the cracked pot created a story in its head about its level of worthiness and inability to properly perform the job for which it had been created. Eventually, the pain and shame that it felt about its own perceived imperfections, became too much for it to bear. So, one day as the water carrier knelt beside the river and began her usual task of filling the pots with water, the cracked pot found its voice and said; “I am so sorry. For years and years, I have watched you fill me with water and I can only imagine what a fruitless task it must be for you. As whenever we return to home, I am only ever half full. While in comparison, the other pot is perfect, rarely does it lose a drop of water on our long walk back to our home, but me, I am far from perfect. This crack in my side, not only does it cause me so much hurt and shame, but it must also cause you to want to get rid of me. Surely, I am only making this long, arduous job that you do each day, that much more difficult? I can understand if you are thinking of getting rid of me and replacing me with another perfectly formed pot.” The water carrier listened to these words with both care and compassion. The cracked pot’s story of unworthiness and shame was not one that she recognised. For this was not what she thought of the pot. She knew about the crack, but did not see it as an imperfection, or as something that made it less worthy than the other pot that hung from her shoulder. Gently she turned to the pot and said, “On our return walk home, I want you to look up and to the side of you. For too long, it would seem you have been looking down, comparing yourself to others and not noticing how you and the crack that you have in your side has brought untold beauty into my life” Puzzled, the Cracked pot wondered what on-earth her words meant. She seemed to be suggesting that its story of lack, unworthiness and shame, was in some way faulty. As to how this could be, it could not comprehend. However, the Cracked Pot trusted the water carrier. It occurred to it that in all the time that it had journeyed with her, she had never said a harsh word, never scorned or ridiculed it, but had always shown a sense of gratefulness and care when filling it with water. So, on the return journey it heeded the water carrier’s words. It looked up and it looked out. In its former depressed state, it had not noticed that along the path that they travelled there was a dazzling array of beauty, colour and life. The water carrier in her wisdom, knowing of the crack in the pot’s side, had sprinkled seeds along the path. These seeds were duly watered every day as a result of the crack in the pot’s side and the path that had once been barren and devoid of life was now resplendent with an array of beautiful wild flowers. Now, the cracked pot understood. Now the cracked pot began to see itself in a new light. Now it understood that indeed it had been telling itself a faulty story. If its experience of being a ‘cracked pot’ was going to change then it would have to change the story that it was telling itself. ” I wonder how many of us have to ‘change the story that [we] are telling [ourselves]? How many of us are a ‘cracked pot’, but have been so focussed on our faults and issues that we have never given ourselves the opportunity to see the beauty that comes from us? 2 Corinthians 4:7-8 AMPC “7 However, we possess this precious treasure [the divine Light of the Gospel] in [frail, human] vessels of earth, that the grandeur and exceeding greatness of the power may be shown to be from God and not from ourselves. 8 We are hedged in (pressed) on every side [troubled and oppressed in every way], but not cramped or crushed; we suffer embarrassments and are perplexed and unable to find a way out, but not driven to despair;” In spite of us not yet being ‘perfect as our Father in Heaven is perfect’ (Matthew 5:48) but working at our sanctification daily (Hebrews 10:14 AMP “For by the one offering He has perfected forever and completely cleansed those who are being sanctified [bringing each believer to spiritual completion and maturity]".), we are still able to demonstrate - through our love and actions, generosity and kindness, etc. – the beauty of the Kingdom of God. Just as a pot is designed to hold something, so we are created and designed by God to hold His glory – something very valuable. So when we understand that, and in spite of all our ‘stuff’, we will realise just how special we are to God, and also how much of a purpose we have here on this earth. God has filled us in order that we overflow, and it’s really ok if we ‘leak out’ all the Godly stuff on our journey through this life. Because God is making everything beautiful in its time – and He uses you and me to do that. Romans 8:28 TPT “So we are convinced that every detail of our lives is continually woven together for good, for we are his lovers who have been called to fulfill his designed purpose.” Everyday decide to be a ‘Cracked Pot’ sharing the love of God with all you meet. ACTIVATION Spend time with God asking Him to show you where you have been focussing on the wrong things, where you have been stopping yourself from seeing the beauty that you are spreading because you are so inward focussed. Ask God for forgiveness. Then go out and be a lover of God who has been called to fulfil His designed purpose for you. Be blessed Jean If you were blessed by this article, please do share it with others

Let us first remember that Jesus said, “My Temple will be called a house of prayer for all nations” Or, as NKJV reads, “My house shall be called a house of prayer.” [Isaiah 56:7; Matthew 21:13; Mark 11:17; Luke 19:46] Then Paul and Peter affirm that each one of us hosts the Holy Spirit, personally being “the temple of God.” “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” [1 Corinthians 3:16]. “For you are the temple of the living God.” [2 Corinthians 6:16]. “You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” [1 Peter 2:5-6]. Let’s take a fresh look at Luke 11:1-13 where Jesus teaches on prayer. “Once, Jesus was in a certain place praying. As he finished, one of his disciples came to him and said, ’Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.’ Jesus said, ‘This is how you should pray: ’Father, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. Give us each day the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation.’ Then, teaching them more about prayer, He used this story: ‘Suppose you went to a friend’s house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread. You say to him, ‘A friend of mine has just arrived for a visit, and I have nothing for him to eat.’ And suppose he calls out from his bedroom, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is locked for the night, and my family and I are all in bed. I can’t help you.’ But I tell you this - though he won’t do it for friendship’s sake, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you whatever you need because of your shameless persistence. ‘And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.’ ‘You fathers - if your children ask for bread, do you give them a stone? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake instead? Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.’” The key portion that I would like to highlight is the paragraph where the intercessor has a friend with a real issue or problem, i.e., needing divine food (three loaves of bread at midnight). He or she is struggling to survive in the darkest moment of their life. The intercessor, fully fed and at peace, first of all, reacts when he or she becomes aware of their friend’s plight. The intercessor then goes to the One who can resolve the issue, and in the allegory, he represents God and the angels and/or fellow believers (i.e., the children). Then Jesus interjects an extraordinary expression, “I say unto you”, or “Let me tell you”! When Jesus emphasises a truth, we need to sit up and take a second look at what He conveyed. Jesus gives us not only the guarantee that God will respond and step into the situation to minister to the one in need, He will supply above and beyond what the intercessor is praying for (as much as the person in need needs will be supplied)! This is incredible! This whole teaching has deep spiritual truths and implications for us, but here Jesus guarantees us that when we intercede or pray or minister to another person in His Name, i.e., in an authentic, dynamic, continuous dialogue and relationship with Him, He will always come through with more than what we can anticipate or expect. We can be bold and assured of God’s provision every - yes, every - time we pray, minister or intercede for another person we care about and/or minister to. Have the eagerness, zeal, and desire to come alongside all who need God’s provision in their life. What a guarantee of God’s abundant blessings that rests upon our role as “a house of prayer”, as kings and priests of our God, to bring heaven down to earth and distribute His unfailing love to those who ask and who are in need. Blessings Ben Our thanks to Ben for this month’s Blog contribution If you were blessed by this article, please do share it with others

We are always amazed of the incredible love God has for us, that Jesus died for us while we were sinners, then God raised us up and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms. Ephesians 2: 4 – 6 In preparing to write this blog I, Kevin, felt the Lord give me the following word: "The Lord is calling us back, back to His plan, back to the narrow way. He is wooing us. He says, “Come my lovely ones, my precious bride. Come close that you can feel my heartbeat, hear my voice and feel my breath when I speak to you. Come let us run together. At the moment you are out of sync, out of step with my plans. My body, my bride needs to realign with me and my plans, so you are synchronised with me, moving as one in the direction I have for you. At this time my body is in disarray. You must think in military terms. You are my beautiful bride, but you are also soldiers in my army, the army of the Lord and I am your Commander in Chief. You must align yourself and be trained for battle. For you are my precious ones, but you are not ready for what is coming. There are many who will be taken out by the enemy because they are not trained and aligned with me and my plans. Know the times you are living in, see the darkness all around you. Precious ones, you must wake up and realise who you are, what your true identity is, and what I have saved you for. We are in the end times, and you are part of my end time army. You are familiar with passages in my word about your armour and weapons of warfare but you, my bride, my precious ones, are ignorant of how to use them. You are dishevelled and in disarray and doing your own thing. You must come close and learn to hear my voice, only do the things that I tell you to do and not your own plans and ideas. I will give you the strategy for warfare. Without listening to me you are just ‘shadow boxing,’ waving your weapons around in the air and trying to hit a target you cannot see. I love you my bride and more than anything I want relationship with you, but you must come close to hear what I am saying.” Kevin Luck 20/03/25 As Christians we are on a journey and our goal should be to become more like Christ and reflect Him to those around us. In the great commission we are called to go and make disciples, which ought to include not only teaching but also training & equipping. Unfortunately many churches are paralysed as they are full of immature Christians who have not moved on from spiritual milk to meat. True discipleship builds maturity by dealing with the roots of issues and healing the core pain within our life, allowing us to grow and develop an intimate relationship with God. Matt 28: 19 – 20; 1 Cor 3: 1 – 3; Heb 5: 12 – 14. In the word above, the Lord said we must think in military terms. We are all familiar with ranks in the army, well, it is the same in the spiritual realm. In Ephesians we read about the ranks within the enemy’s kingdom. “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” Eph 6: 12 NKJV (see also verses 10 – 17) When it comes to spiritual warfare, many of us have a wrong mindset of God and how powerful He is. In the mid 90’s there was a popular song by Rob Critchley which begins with the line, “Great big God, little bitty devil,” but so many of us have it the other way around, “Great big devil, little bitty God!” Jesus defeated Satan on the cross, and we are assured of victory! We are spiritual beings but so often we live unaware of what is happening in the spirit realm. Remember in 2 Kings when the servant was fearful of the opposition and Elisha said, “Do not be afraid… those with us are more than those with them.” Elisha prayed that the Lord would open his eyes that he may see. The Lord opened his eyes, and he saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 2 Kings 6: 15 – 17 We need to recognise the incredible love that God has for us, that He sent Jesus to die on the cross. In the above word, He has emphasised that He loves us and desires relationship with us. In the scriptures He tells us that, He created us; He knit us together in our mother’s womb; He knew us before the foundation of the world; He has a plan and a destiny for our life; He watches over our going out and our coming in; He rejoices over us with singing; we are the apple of His eye; His thoughts for us outnumber the grains of sand; He knows the number of hairs on our head. God knows us intimately and has said He wants us to know Him intimately. So let us draw close to Him and let Him heal our wounds with the healing balm of His love, align our lives with the truth of His word and follow Him. "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. " Rom 8: 14 NKJV Blessings Kevin & Anne Our thanks to Kevin & Anne for this month’s Blog contribution If you were blessed by this article, please do share it with others

Numbers 6: 24 – 26 “The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace.” The people of Israel had been camped at the foot of Mt. Sinai for almost a year after leaving Egypt. They had received God’s 10 commandments and his full law and built the Tabernacle according to God’s precise instructions. Now, on the cusp of moving toward the promised land and going into battle, God commanded the high priest Aaron to pronounce this blessing over the people. Because we hear these words recited so often, we can lose the awe that God would bless extravagantly. Let’s dig out 5 truths in God’s blessing over you: 1. God is the source of all blessing. Although often referred to as the priestly or Aaronic blessing, these words were not written by men. They are God’s words spoken through His priest to His people. God is a God who blesses. In fact, when God created Adam and Eve, the first thing He did was to bless them. (Genesis 1:28) And the last thing Jesus did? He blessed His apostles - as Jesus was taken into heaven, He was blessing His apostles. (Luke 24: 50 – 51) 2. God blesses us personally. Six times these verses repeat “you”, and each time it is in the singular form. Rather than blessing Israel corporately in these verses, God of the universe blesses each one personally. In a crowd of more than 2 million, God saw each one. God sees you. God knows you intimately, cares for you individually and blesses you personally. 3. God bends down to benefit us . The Hebrew word for ‘bless’ means to “kneel down”. Used metaphorically here, it shows that God bends down to give us Himself, and with that all of His benefits – His faithfulness, mercy, forgiveness, grace, love, comfort, joy, hope, guidance, redemption, adoption, acceptance and more. Ephesians 1:3 tells us we have every spiritual blessing through Jesus. Because God is infinite, we can never reach the end of His blessing. 4. God blesses as a father to his child. How can God lift His countenance upon us if He is in heaven and we are on earth? Doesn’t He look down upon us? These words are a picture of a father lifting his child in his arms above him. Just as a father lifts up his beaming face to that child, God shines His full pleasure, His full goodwill, and His full joy over you as His child. 5. God’s blessing brings peace. Who does not want peace? But God’s peace is more than the absence of strife. The Hebrew word for peace, “shalom”, stems from the word which means ‘restoration back to the original state’. God’s peace means not just harmony, but completeness and wholeness, rest and welfare, soundness and safety. Take heart today. In a world that is often hard and chaotic, God has bent down to bless you personally. God of infinite benefits gives them to you. And though the world may frown, God’s beaming countenance is upon you. Today, child, walk in the fullness of your Father’s extravagant blessing. Blessings Toby Dr Marishjean Paton Dr.Div PhD Melqowsh Ministries and Melqowsh Bible College Our thanks to Toby for this month’s Blog contribution If you were blessed by this article, please do share it with others

It is time for all of us to cast off the traditions of men and erroneous views that was passed on to us. The worst of this is creating a misconception about the very basis of our faith and relationship with God. The aim is to gain a full and permanent understanding of the highest level of our relationship with Jesus Christ our Lord and the paradigm that enables us maximum intimacy with the One who died for us. Paying a dowry that only God could afford. The most important reasons for the avoidance of the truth are primarily two-fold. Firstly, bad eschatology - distancing the kingdom and intimacy to “one day in the future”. The greatest culprit here classical dispensationalism. Secondly, for years pastors have asked of women to understand that they are “sons of God” and that women are included in most exhortations directed at men. But now, the insight will require of men to also adapt to the truth, and for most of them in my environment, they find it difficult to do so. So, what are we talking about? We are talking about Genesis 1: 21, “So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” It is the union and composite relationship between a man and a woman that fully reflects the glory of God’s image. The first prophecy identified in Scripture is quoted in Ephesians 5:30-32, “For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.” Literally, Paul took this very first prophecy and promise in the Scriptures and applied it to the church – not as a future event, but as already active. The union and its process still remains a mystery (and therefore intimate). Now this is crucial to understand, especially so in the light of 2 Peter 1:3-4, “His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” Notice the word for ‘partaker’ in Greek is “ koinonos ”, i.e., “partner, associate, comrade, companion, sharer in everything.” Very much a covenantal relationship. So, we must ask ourselves, “What is the most intimate relationship that can fulfil this quality, this partaking of God’s nature? The one we can have with Our Lord Jesus, while we are seated in Him at the right hand of the Father?” This divine marriage union must important as the Scriptures also end with the marriage in Revelation 21. Let us now consider Jeremiah 31:31-34, “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband , declares the Lord.” Clearly, here we see God’s perspective, template and paradigm use of the Old Covenant and equates to marriage in the natural. This “unfaithfulness” with the promise of another “marriage” is then prophesied by Hosea, who wrote in chapter 2, (Hosea 2:16-17, 19-20) “And it shall be, in that day,” Says the Lord, “That you will call Me ‘My Husband,’ And no longer call Me ‘My Master,’ For I will take from her mouth the names of the Baals, And they shall be remembered by their name no more… “I will betroth you to Me forever; Yes, I will betroth you to Me In righteousness and justice, In lovingkindness and mercy; I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness, And you shall know the Lord.” Two things to take note of here. She will call Him Husband, once this betrothal is formalized, and the end of this covenant will be that “she” will know the Lord intimately. And this is borne out by the same “knowing the Lord” as with Jeremiah 31. “In ancient Hebrew culture, knowledge was not merely intellectual but was deeply relational and experiential. The concept of "knowing" someone or something involved a holistic understanding that included emotional and spiritual dimensions. This is evident in the use of "yada" to describe the intimate relationship between a husband and wife, as well as the covenant relationship between God and Israel.” (//sermons.logos.com/sermons/1427963-the-hidden-things) So perhaps now we are ready to look at the better covenant a “marriage” covenant between Our Lord Jesus Christ and the church! But if Israel was married to God, how could they “re-marry” into a new covenant with Him? Paul explains this beautifully in Romans 7:1-4, “Now, dear brothers and sisters - you who are familiar with the law - don’t you know that the law applies only while a person is living? For example, when a woman marries, the law binds her to her husband as long as he is alive. But if he dies, the laws of marriage no longer apply to her. o while her husband is alive, she would be committing adultery if she married another man. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law and does not commit adultery when she remarries. So, my dear brothers and sisters, this is the point: You died to the power of the law when you died with Christ. And now you are united with the one who was raised from the dead.” Please note that the symbol of death for us in baptism is crucial to understand here - we die to self and are raised by Holy Spirit to live in union with Christ. Baptism is the declaration before heaven and earth that no other God and Husband will do, we belong to Him alone. Likewise, when we take communion, when we eat His flesh and drink His blood, do we not at that moment celebrate the intimate union as being one with Christ? Is that not how the two become one, as originally prophesied in Genesis? Paul also wrote to the Corinthians, (2 Corinthians 11:12) “I have betrothed (*) you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.” *“the verb ‘harmozó’ primarily means to join or fit together, often used in the context of arranging or preparing something to be in harmony or unity. In the New Testament, it is used metaphorically to describe the act of betrothing or engaging in marriage, indicating a union or covenant relationship.” (https://biblehub.com/greek/718.htm) All of this affirms this relationship, especially Ephesians 5:30-32 “For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.” Isaiah 54 in totality refers to the new covenant of eternal peace with God, but our attention is drawn to verses 1-5, “Sing, O barren, You who have not borne! Break forth into singing, and cry aloud, You who have not laboured with child! For more are the children of the desolate Than the children of the married woman,” says the Lord… For you will forget the shame of your youth, And will not remember the reproach of your widowhood anymore. For your Maker is your Husband, The Lord of hosts is His name; And your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel; He is called the God of the whole earth.” Paul identifies the new Jerusalem as this covenant of marriage in Galatians 4:26-27 – and quotes this portion of Isaiah to substantiate that. Interesting that he also used a mixed metaphor, for being part of this covenant and being a citizen of the new Jerusalem, which makes a believer and “Isaac”, a child of promise. More importantly, it is necessary to understand that we are already citizens of the new Jerusalem as the writer of Hebrews explains, (Hebrews 12:22-24) “But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant.” Please note that this is past tense, as with Ephesians - this is not hoping for fulfilment, it is already our inheritance . When we then read in Revelation 21 , we find the fulfilment of the promise of the new covenant already fulfilled, and the Angel did not show John what is to come, but what already was a reality! Because “it is stepping down” out of heaven! The Bride and Wife is already being populated by believers, those who are united with the Lamb. “Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming (stepping) down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her Husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.’” We already have God indwelling us and we are already a habitation for Him. And then, [the Angel] “came to me and talked with me, saying, “Come, I will show you the Bride, the Lamb’s Wife.” And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God.” The high mountain is figurative for seeing the covenant from a high or spiritual kingdom perspective. So what does this mean for you and me? When we understand the true meaning of baptism and communion, being one with Christ and so one with each other, we would manage our lives accordingly. We can then understand why Paul exhorts, (Ephesians 5:24) “Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ [as His Wife], so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.” Our faith is demonstrated by our loving, devoted obedience to our Husband [Jesus], and we can only reflect His Person and perfection as believers when we fully yield ourselves as His Wife, both corporately and individually. The paradigm is extremely important. As the Wife of Christ, I already have full authority in Him, as His Wife I have access to the Father through Jesus Christ His Son. “I am seated in Christ!” What does that mean, what paradigm best describes that union? Marriage! Complete authority in a totally submitted relationship, where all heavenly blessings are ours. We are one spirit with Jesus, “But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.” One in Christ - when you now approach the Lord, He is your Husband, who laid down His life for you, you are His now! The promise of Hosea is now true, you can call your Maker your Husband. And when you approach the Father, you have access! (Ephesians 2:18) “For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.” All the paradigms that describe our spiritual relationship with God are important, being His body, a son, or child of God, being a brother to Christ, being His bond-slave, ambassador, priest and king – but the one that outshines and empowers one more than any of these is “the marriage”, being the Wife of God already. It best describes the promises God made in terms of covenants, it even explains the demise of the old and the establishing of the new covenant! It removes the “what must still come”, and it focusses us on “what already is”. Especially in terms of our intimacy with Jesus. It will also align one’s understanding of the book of Revelation, as in 19:7-8, “Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His Wife has made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.” We know that we have already been made righteous by faith through grace in our Lord Jesus Christ! So go ahead and call your Maker your Husband! Blessings Ben Our thanks to Ben for this month’s Blog contribution If you were blessed by this article, please do share it with others

In late November last year I started asking God what He wanted to say to us about 2025. Immediately He started speaking to me about being the light in the darkness of the world. I believe that we will need to be light in many areas this year. But we can only be light once we know the True Light. Reading and meditating on Psalm 73 I saw how, as Christians, we can allow the darkness to encroach on our lives, our faith, our relationship with God and our relationships with others. We can allow darkness, in fact, to consume us without us even realising it. Many times we think that we will be aware of the darkness closing in on us – however, I want to say to you what I heard God say to me at the beginning of this new year ‘ Beware of the subtlety of the darkness closing in on you ’. Psalm 73 describes how we can be jealous of other’s success, their prosperity financially, the way that those who don’t know God seem to do better than those of us who do know Jesus as our Lord and Saviour. We can be envious of other Christians who seem to be doing better in their walk than we are. That’s all darkness – yes, we allow the darkness to close in on us and then the light of Christ in us diminishes. Light is also diminished in us when we allow fear to consume us. There is, in the natural, much to be fearful of in this current day. The media is full of fear, and the more we listen to it and believe all that they say, the more we will succumb to fear. There are wars and rumours of war – that instils fear. There are rumours of more pandemics – that brings an element of fear. And then, before we even realise, the darkness has subtly closed in on us and the light goes out. BUT , Psalm 73 encourages us that as we seek God in His sanctuary, as we fall at His feet and gaze upon His beauty, things change in us. We are reminded in that Psalm that in spite of all that we fall prey to in this life, we still belong to God and He is the One who holds us and guides us. He allows us to see His glory. He allows us to stay in His presence even when we fall. It’s because we trust in Him and realise that we have no-one but Him that we will shine brightly with the light of Christ in us. It’s because we put our relationship with God above all other things, that the light of Christ will shine through us. Psalm 73:28 (TPT) “ But I’ll keep coming closer and closer to you, Lord Yahweh , for your name is good to me. I’ll keep telling the world of your awesome works, my faithful and glorious God! ” reminds us that drawing closer to God is the only option we have. At about the same time, Lana Vawser put out a prophetic word, in which she said “ For there will be much shaking that will take place in 2025 and as you stay low before Me in the place of intimacy and humility in 2025, you will find a strength, grace and empowerment in Me in 2025 that you have not known. You will find as you stay close to Me and deep in My Word in 2025, a stability of being grounded and founded in Me to not be shaken, in ways you have not experienced before. There will be unexpected empowerment for the unexpected places in 2025, and a grace to stand and stand in boldness like you have not experienced before in 2025. ” (to read the full prophetic word - https://lanavawser.com/i-heard-the-lord-say-listen-closely-i-am-releasing-clarity-for-2025/ ) I also have heard God tell me and warn me that there will be much shaking in the world in 2025 and there will be much that will allow the darkness to overcome the light. However, we are to keep seeking God and to keep the light shining bright in us. I also heard the Lord say “My people, who are called by My Name, must come together as one voice, in unison, and declare and decree that the light of Christ shines bright in this world. My people must rise up out of the darkness and come together as one voice to declare that there is only One Name, and that is the Name of Jesus. Many people will do things and declare that it is in the name of god – but that’s it, it will be in the name of their gods, not in the Name of the Almighty. Because much of what the world is saying is done in My Name, is in fact being done by the Prince of Darkness. Do not listen to the voice of the world – learn to discern which voice you are listening to. My Voice will be heard, and when you hear my voice, then the battle-cry will sound. Your voice is the battle-cry in the world. Use it well.” Psalms 1:2 (TPT) “His [the person who follows God’s ways – vs1] passion is to remain true to the Word of “I AM,” meditating day and night on the true revelation of light.” The commentary from The Passion Translation for this verse says “To mediate on the revelation of light day and night means to meditate 24/7 on what is good and delightful. However, day signifies a period of enlightenment (Eph 1:18) and night signifies a period of obscurity. Both when we have the light of insight and when we seem to be in the dark, meditation is the key to unlock the revelation of God.” A second commentary adds “ From Ps. 1 we learn that the righteous and the wicked are distinguished by what they delight in. ” Unless we have the Trinity in us, what we see and hear will either be enlightened or obscured. We need the truth of the Word to set us free from the darkness we succumb to and we need to meditate on the truth. And then when we hear the truth of the Word, we need to declare it out loud, with voices that must be heard. That is what will get us through 2025. Start the new year well by recognising that nothing can push you down or get the better of you when you remain in Christ. That His mercy, loving kindness and faithfulness is ours. That in Christ you will feast on the abundance of the Kingdom. That in Christ is the fountain of life, and in His light do we see light. That it is the loving kindness of God that will come upon those that truly know Him and His righteousness will come to the upright in heart. (Psalm 36:5-10 [AMPC]) Be blessed Jean If you were blessed by this article, please do share it with others