THE STORY OF MOSES

Hello 👋 friends, we are happy to always have you here and in this post, we will be discussing about the STORY OF MOSES.

Moses is an integral part of the exodus of the children of Israel from the land of Egypt. He was a descendant of Israel born in Egypt and he is a great prophet and believed to have spoken with God on several occasions. During the birth of Moses, Pharaoh(the king of Egypt) had given a decree to kill all male child born to an Israelites because they (Egyptians) were afraid of the multiplication of the children of Israel, they thought, the Israelites could join their enemies to fight against them. 

It was a bitter experiences for the Israelites because they suffered and enslaved by the Egyptians. Moses was hidden three months after his birth because his mother was afraid he would be killed, if the Egyptians found out about Moses, so against all odd, she put the child Moses in a basket 🧺 and set him on the Nile river while her sister watched from afar to see what will happen to the child. The mother was praying and asking God to save him. And we know, God never fail nor disappoint, her faith was rewarded as baby Moses sailed through the Nile river and reached the place where Pharaoh’s daughter was taking her bathe and the princess was touched with compassion with she saw Moses was a proper child. The princess gave him the name “Moses”  (meaning “draw out”). Moses was adopted by the princess and was raised in the palace through the guidance of his own mother but unaware to the princess.  Exodus 2:4–10. 

A grown man (Moses) always knows he was a Hebrew (Israelites) so one day, he went out and saw an Egyptian maltreating and killed a fellow Hebrew, Moses intervened by killing the Egyptian and buried him in the dust. His next visit to the camp of the Israelites got him accused of killing an Egyptian because they (Hebrews) believe that Moses was also an Egyptian.

When the news was all over Egypt, and Moses been afraid of the riot of the king, he fled to Midian and lived there for 40 years. He was a shepherd and married Zipporah, the daughter of Jethro the priest of Midian. He was in the bush doing his business when he saw a burning bush but noticed it wasn’t consumed by the fire, and when he approached to see, he heard a voice of God with instructions to save the enslaved children of Israel and lead them to the “Promise Land”. Moses still afraid of Pharaoh was reluctant to accept God’s instructions and he began to give excuses that he is a stammer (inability to speak well) and was afraid of been ignored by the Israelites. But God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’” And God showed him some signs to perform, if the Israelites still refused to believe him and God also instructed Moses to take his brother Aaron as spokesman. God had promised to be with them and filled the land of Egypt with terror. 

When Moses finally met Pharaoh with the instructions from God to allow the children of Israel to go, but Pharaoh hardened his heart and refused and God send plagues all over Egypt. The riot of the Lord made the fishes in the Nile river to die and frogs was all over Egypt including the palace. Their water was turned into blood, Lice, Hail, Boils, Locusts , death of livestocks. 

And when it becomes unbearable to the king, he asked Moses to pray for his God to take away their calamities and he accepted to let the Israelites go. But when Moses prayed and God take away their calamities, the king hardened  his heart, and refused to grant the Israelites freedom. Until the tenth punishment where all the male firstborn died including the prince and the king eventually allowed the Israelites to depart. God gave the Israelites favor in the sight of the Egyptians and they had in their possessions, abundant of jewels and treasures. 

With the supernatural power from God, they were able to leave and approaching the “Red Sea” they felt trapped and when they noticed that the Egyptians army are coming after them, they fainted and cried to God to rescue them. Moses lifted up his staff towards the Red Sea as instructed by God and the Red Sea parted and they walked through and passed which consumed the Egyptians army when they tried to pass. 

The Israelites were finally liberated but they lack shelter, food and water but God fed them with manna, quails and Moses was meant to hit his staff on the rock for water to gush out. About three months later God gave Moses the “Ten Commandments” at Mount Sinai.

Life becomes so difficult for the Israelites in the wilderness and they complained so much and they fought many battles with the cities around them.

When they were in the wilderness of Zin, Moses sinned against God and God told him, he will see the Promise Land but will not enter it. God instructed Moses to climb the Abarim Mountains to see the great city the children of Israel will possess and He instructed him to appoint Joshua the son of Nun as his successor.       

Moses lived a good life of 120 years and died in the land of Moab and the Lord buried him and no body knows his buried place till this day. Deuteronomy 34:6.

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THE STORY OF EPHRAIM

Hello 👋 friends, glad to see you and welcome to this amazing topic: THE STORY OF EPHRAIM. 

Ephraim is the second son of Joseph, he was born and raised in Egypt, and when the Israelites arrived in Egypt, Jacob adopted Ephraim and  Manasseh to share in his inheritance or be among the 12 tribes of Israel. His mother was Asenath, the daughter of Potipherah, a priest of On. 

He was a good man and fear the Lord. These are the sons of Ephraim: Shuthelah, Elead, Beker, Tahan, and Ezer. 

These are the generation of Ephraim: Elishama the father of Nun and grandfather of Joshua (Elishama father’s name was Ammihud).  Kemuel the son of Shipthan. They all partake in the journey of the Israelites through the wilderness and were leaders, princes and among those that shared the land to the 12 tribes of Israel. 

Joshua from the house of Ephraim, the son of Nun was the successor of Moses and he led the Israelites into the “Promise Land”. He was in charge and assigned possessions among the 12 tribes of Israel. It was said that the house of Ephraim settlements/possessions were the most fertile region in the land of Canaan. Bethel and Shiloh are among important cities in their territory.

The first northern king of Israel was from the house of Ephraim and his name is Jeroboam. Remember they (northern Israel) were always referred as the house of Ephraim. 

We appreciate your time and we will continue with our bible story on our next post.

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THE STORY OF JOSEPH

Hello 👋 friends, glad you are enjoying your precious blessings and we will be discussing about the STORY OF JOSEPH 

Joseph was the eleventh son of Jacob (Israel) and the first son of Rachel and his father loved him more than his siblings. He made him a colt of many colors and his brothers becomes jealous of him. He was always close to his father and an obedient child too, from a young age, he has the skill of leadership which makes him a leader wherever he found himself.

Genesis 37. Jacob was a shepherd and his entire household, his children been the ones taking care of their flocks in the pastures of Dothan and Shechem. Whenever Jacob want to send some things to them in the field or whenever he wants to know how his children’s welfare, he will send Joseph to them and he will bring him report.

A young Joseph had a dream which he shared with his brothers and in his dreams, he said, “we were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it." His brothers were annoyed and said to him “do you intend to reign over us”?. And he had another dream and said to his brothers, “I saw the sun, moon and eleven stars bowed down to me”. Jacob scolded him when he heard of his dreams, thinking how can I, Rachel and your siblings bowing down to you?

Genesis 37. Joseph was 17 when his brothers conspired against him and sold him into slavery and he was taken to Egypt. He later become steward to Potiphar, an official of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Joseph was disciplined and gain the confidence/trust of his master (Potiphar) and he made him the leader over his house. He was diligent in his service and he was handsome and attractive. Genesis 39. So his cuteness caught the attention of his master’s wife, and she tried seducing Joseph but he was faithful to God and Potiphar. After many failed attempts, she falsely accused Joseph of trying to rape her and when Potiphar heard it, he cast/put Joseph into prison. While in prison, the wardens made him the leader of other prisoners. Joseph was hardworking and fear God, he had the gift to interpret dreams and in prison, he interpreted the dreams of two Pharaoh’s officials and his interpretation came to pass. 

Genesis 41. When it’s time for God to move him to the palace, He (God) gave Pharaoh a difficult dream which none of his magicians can explain/interpret. Joseph was 30 when he met Pharaoh the king of Egypt and interprets his dream. The king was happy with Joseph’s matured wisdom and advice, and the king accepted his suggestions and proclaimed Joseph as a leader in Egypt and put him in charge over everything in the land of Egypt. It was said that Joseph’s innocent sufferings had paved way for his elevation into power. He has good character, integrity, vision, loyalty and wise beyond his age, he began his reign by making positive decisions to save Egypt and the world from the great famine. He gave order to store food in all the cities of Egypt so that Egypt will not lack anything during the famine.

Genesis 47:19–25. The famine was severe and affected other parts of the world including the land of Canaan. And when Jacob heard there were enough grain/food in Egypt, he send his children to go and buy for their survival. And when Joseph’s brothers arrived in Egypt, they did not recognize it was Joseph but Joseph knew them. This time, Joseph saw his boyhood dreams fulfilled as his older brothers bowed down before him. He treated them with kindness even though they sold him into slavery. Genesis 45. Joseph wept, as he opened up to them and his brothers fell before him offering to be his slaves but Joseph refused their offer and assured them that they were forgiven. Genesis 46:28. He later invited Jacob and his entire household to Egypt and they lived in the province of Goshen.

He was honest and faithful to God, he married Asenath and had two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. He lived a good life and died aged 110, but before his death, he made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and made his brothers swore that they would carry his body during their departure. Genesis 50:22–26. 

Highlights: 

(1). His brothers had a plan of killing him and threw his body into a pit and lie about his death but God protected him and kept him alive. 

(2). His dreams first got him into trouble but his ability to preserve, understand coupled with his vision made way for him.

(3). Even when he was in jail for a crime he didn’t commit, he remained faithful, loyal, and trustworthy.

(4). What was meant for his harm, God turned it into a great purpose and made him an important instrument to preserve the lives of many people.

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PATRIARCH JACOB

Hello 👋 friends, it’s always good to see you. In this topic, we will be  discussing about PATRIARCH JACOB. 

Jacob is the second son of Isaac and Rebecca, the twin brother to Esau and the grandson of Abraham and Sarah. During Rebecca’s pregnancy, she’s always uncomfortable because of the continuous struggles between Esau and Jacob in her womb and she went to inquire of the Lord and she received a prophecy that she will gave birth to two different nation and they will be rivals all their lives, and the younger child will be stronger and rule over his brother. Genesis 25:25. During Rebecca’s child’s birth, Esau came out first but Jacob was holding his heel. 

As they begin to grow in different nature, Isaac loves Esau because he eat of his venison because Esau was a hunter. Jacob been a simple man was Rebecca’s favorite. Esau and Jacob rivalry started when Esau came back from the field/hunting, tired and hungry, he begged Jacob to give him some food so he can eat and Jacob accepted but demanded something in return which is Esau’s “birthright” and Esau agreed to sell his “birthright” to Jacob and Jacob gave him the food (pottage) in exchange of Esau’s “birthright”. Esau later regretted his actions but then it was too late.

Their father Isaac become old and blind and was unsure of death but wanted to bless Esau as his first son, so he told Esau to make a “SAVORY MEAT” for him and he will eat and bless Esau. But Rebecca heard their conversation and prophetically realize it was Jacob who Isaac should bless instead, since they were told even before the twins were born, that the older son will serve the younger son. So Rebecca quickly asked Jacob to bring two kids goats from their flock so he could prepare it and serve Isaac to enable him receive Esau’s blessings. Though Jacob refused, giving excuses that Esau is hairy that Isaac would find out and might curse him instead but Rebecca offered to take the curse herself. And Rebecca insisted that Jacob should obey her instructions which he accepted and did as his mother said and Rebecca prepared the “SAVORY MEAT” the way Isaac will love it and she dressed Jacob with Esau’s garments and put a hairy goatskins on his arms and around his neck.

When Jacob entered Isaac room disguised as Esau, it was hard for Isaac to believe it was Esau and ask “how could it be that the hunting went so quickly” and Jacob said, “the Lord your God brought it to me”. Isaac was still suspicious and asked him to come closer but the goatskins felt like Esau’s hairy skin and Isaac still in confused, lamented, the voice is Jacob’s while skin is Esau. Isaac still trying to find out the truth asked Jacob, are you truly my son Esau and Jacob answered, yes I am. Then after eating the “SAVORY MEAT” and drink, Isaac blessed Jacob with blessings meant for Esau. Genesis 27:28–29. “Therefore God give thee of the dew of heavens, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine: Let people serve thee: be lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother's sons bow down to thee: cursed be every one that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth thee."

As soon as Jacob left the room Esau returned from hunting and after preparing the “SAVORY MEAT”, he brought it to his father, and Isaac was troubled hearing he was deceived by Jacob but still maintained that Jacob will remain blessed. Esau was heartbroken by the deception of Jacob and begged Isaac for his own blessings . “Isaac had already made Jacob a ruler over his brothers, Isaac could only promise Esau, "By your sword you shall live, but your brother you shall serve; yet it shall be that when you are aggrieved, you may cast off his yoke from upon your neck" 

With this action, and the exchange of his birthright, Esau hated Jacob so much and began to have murder intentions towards his brother and Rebecca was wise to tell Isaac to send Jacob to Haran to his brother Laban so he could get a wife from their relatives, because they don’t want Jacob to marry a Canaanite woman. Rebecca did this so that Esau’s anger will calm down before the return of Jacob.

Jacob on his way to Haran become tired and was resting when he had a vision of a “ladder” reaching into “heaven” and angels ascending and descending and he heard God’s voice repeating many of the blessings upon him from the top of the “ladder”. Jacob waking up in the morning, and named the place “Bethel” (meaning God’s house), so he continued his journey to Haran. On Jacob’s arrival in Haran, he  saw some shepherds gathering their flocks to water them and Rachel (Laban’s younger daughter) was working as a shepherdess and he loves Rachel from the very first sight. After spending sometimes with his relatives, he asked for Rachel hands in marriage and agreed with Laban to serve him for seven years. And seven years seems to be like seven days to Jacob because he loves Rachel so much.  But after the completion of the seven years, Laban deceived Jacob by giving him Leah his first daughter instead of Rachel, stating it’s not done in their land for the second daughter to marry before her elder sister. Jacob was furious but Laban demanded that he should serve him for another seven years for Rachel and Jacob agreed. After the expiration of the seven years, Jacob finally have Rachel as wife and though he had been celibate until he was 84. Jacob love Rachel so much and Leah felt hated and God opened Leah’s womb but Rachel was childless. But afterwards, God remembered Rachel and she gave birth to Joseph and Benjamin.

And Jacob decided it’s time to go back home to Canaan and told Laban of his intentions and Laban does not want to let Jacob leave because he knows the Lord has blessed him because of Jacob. After serving Laban for many years, he asked Jacob his wages and Jacob suggested that, all the spotted, speckled and brown goats and sheep of Laban’s flock would be his wages. Jacob placed rods of poplar, hazel, and chestnut, all of which he peeled "white streaks upon them,"within the flocks' watering holes. And it began to have effect on Laban’s livestock because they started giving birth to spotted, speckled and brown goats and sheep. And Laban’s sons acknowledged that Jacob is taking the better part of their flocks and Laban began to hate Jacob. And God through dreams told Jacob that He has seen all the bad things Laban is doing and He has given him the best part of the livestock and it’s time for him to return home to his parents. Jacob took all his possessions and left without informing Laban but Rachel stole the “taraphim” which is considered to be a household idols from Laban’s house.

Laban was furious and go after Jacob for seven days but God appeared to him and warned him but Laban accused Jacob of tricking him and taking his daughters like captives, and asked for his ‘taraphim’ and Jacob knowing nothing about it, said that the person who stole from Laban must die. And they searched and getting to the tent of Rachel, she hides the ‘taraphim’ and sat on it and complained that she could not stand up because she was having her menstruation. Jacob and Laban then parted from each other with a pact to preserve the peace between them near Gilead. Laban returned to his home and Jacob continued on his way.

As Jacob approaches the land of Canaan, and afraid of Esau, he sent messengers to Esau and as he received the news that Esau is coming with his men to meet him, he does not know what to do. So he prepared for the worst and send all his possessions by night across the Ford of Jabbok. And been left alone, then a mysterious event took place and he wrestled with an angel till daybreak. Jacob demanded for a blessing and the angel asked Jacob his name (he replied Jacob) and the angel renamed him Israel (meaning he who rules as God, strong, someone who has prevailed with God). And Jacob named the place “Penuel” (meaning face of God) for he said, I have seen God face to face and lived.

The next morning, Jacob gathered all his four wives and children as they journeyed to meet Esau and not knowing of his brother’s intentions, he placed the maid servants and their children in forefront, followed by Leah and her children while Rachel, and Joseph at rear. But it happens to be an emotional reunion and Esau been happy for the gifts Jacob sent to him. 

Rachel died after the birth of Benjamin and was buried just outside of Bethlehem and he erected a monument over her grave (Rachel’sTomb) which serves as a pilgrimages and prayers till this day. Later Isaac died at 180 and Jacob and Esau buried him in the “Cave of the patriarchs” which their grandfather Abraham had purchased as a family burial ground.

Jacob loves Joseph so much and his siblings began to hate him and ridiculed him and he told Jacob about their bad deeds towards him. Jacob made a coat of many colors for Joseph and his brothers hated him the more and he started dreaming which implied that his family will bow down to him. He told his brothers about his dreams and they hated him the most and conspired against him and when Jacob heard of his dreams he rebuked Joseph and yet contemplated his son’s words about his dreams. Jacob and his family dwelt in Hebron, in the land of Canaan. His flocks were often fed in the pastures of Shechem as well as Dothan. One day Jacob wanted to know how things were going with his sons in the field, so he sent Joseph to his brothers to return with a report, but that’s the last time Jacob would see Joseph in the land of Canaan. As soon as Joseph’s brothers saw him coming, they conspired to kill him but later sold him to slavery on a caravan headed for Egypt. And they kill a lamb and sprinkle the blood on Joseph’s coat of many colors and when they brought it to Jacob, he cried thinking a wild beast had devoured Joseph. He mourns for Joseph and nobody was able to comfort him during his bereavement.

It was 20 years after because there was a severe famine in the land and it was told there was food in the land of Egypt. Now Jacob was about 130 years and in the second year of the famine, Jacob sent his 10 children to Egypt to by food/grain and Benjamin stayed with him in order to keep him safe. Nine of Jacob’s children returned with their stockpiled with grain on their donkeys and when they opened their sacks, their money was in their sacks which makes them to be more afraid. Simeon was held because they said the Egyptians considered them as spies, and now, they wanted to take Benjamin to Egypt to prove their innocence and also got Simeon released but Jacob was furious remembering the loss of Joseph, Simeon and probably Benjamin. He asked his children, how could they had told the Egyptians everything about their family.

They never knew it was Joseph who recognized them and returned their money and when they finished eating the grains they brought, Jacob/Israel told his children to go back to Egypt and buy more and Judah persuaded Israel to allow Benjamin to accompany them to Egypt to enable them prove their innocence and also return with Simeon. And Israel advised his children to take the best fruit of the land and also the money in their sacks back to Egypt, thinking it might be a mistake from the Egyptians. And finally he allowed Benjamin to go with them and said, “may God Almighty give you mercy... If I am bereaved, I am bereaved!". 

This time when the children of Israel returned from the second trip, they were accompanied by the Egyptians with the transport wagons and when Israel heard that Joseph is still alive and now a governor all over Egypt, and he wanted the house of Israel to move to Egypt. At first it was difficult for him to believe but looking at the additional donkeys carrying all types of goods and supplies from Egypt, he declared, I will go and see Joseph before I die. Now, Israel took his entire household of 70 and gathered all their possessions and headed to Egypt. They were given the city of Goshen to dwell and after 22 years, he was able to see Joseph again and they wept as they embraced each other and then Israel said to Joseph, now let me die because I have seen your face knowing that you are still alive.

Joseph took Israel and his children to meet Pharaoh the king of Egypt and he was pleased to meet them and gave them Ramses pasture since they lived in the province of Goshen.

Israel  had lots of possessions and multiplied exceedingly and he lived for 17 years in Egypt before his death. But before his death at 147 years, he pleaded with Joseph not to bury him in the land of Egypt but rather be buried in the land of Canaan with his forefathers and Joseph swore to do as Israel requested. When Israel was blessings the two sons of Joseph, setting in the right order, the eldest son Manasseh and the youngest Ephraim, he chooses to interchange it which displeased Joseph. Joseph trying to correct Israel but he refused and he declared, truly the younger brother will be greater than his elder brother. And he declared them to be the hairs of his inheritance. Afterwards, Israel called all of his sons in and prophesied their blessings or curses to all twelve of them in order of their ages.

Israel becomes sick and died, his family including the Egyptians mourned him for 70 days and he was carried to Canaan in a ceremonial parade organized by Joseph. When they get beyond the Jordan river to Atad where they observed another seven day mourning. The place was named “Abel Mizraim”. And he was buried with his ancestors in the land Abraham brought for a family burial ground. 

Israel had two wives and two concubines and 12 sons and a daughter. 

Reuben

Simeon 

Levi

Judah

Dan

Naphtali

Gad

Asher

Issachar

Zebulun

Joseph 

Benjamin 

Daughter’s name 

Dinah.

The  offspring of Jacob's sons became the tribes of Israel following their  Exodus, when the Israelites conquered and settled in the Land of Israel. 

The Eastern and Western Churches consider Jacob as a saint along with other biblical patriarchs. Along with other patriarchs his feast day is celebrated on the Second Sunday before the Advent (December 11–17), under the title the Sunday of the Forefathers.

There are many lessons that we can learn from studying the life of Jacob in the book of Genesis that will help us understand our unique purpose. One of the most compelling aspects of the Bible is how God is constantly working through imperfect people to do unbelievable things. Being flawed ourselves, this allows us to make a personal connection to the scriptures as we are in constant need of mercy and inspiration.

Thanks so much for your time, we appreciate and we will continue with the story of Joseph in our next post. Remain Blessed 

Peace ☮️ out.

PATRIARCH ISAAC

Hello 👋 friends, we continue discussing the Children Bible Story, our post today is based on PATRIARCH ISAAC. 

Abraham been a friend of God and obeyed Him in everything. During the time of Abraham, he was regarded as the wealthiest  person on earth because he possesses lots of lands, a large flocks of sheep, herds of cattle, gold, silver and numerous servants. God told Abraham to look in each direction of the earth, that as far as he can see, belongs to him and God blessed Abraham with everything but what Abraham wanted the most is to have a son with Sarah his wife.

God been so faithful to His promise and pleased with Abraham. God’s promise was fulfilled by giving Abraham and Sarah a son whom they named “Isaac” (meaning laughter). The child brought so much joy and happiness to them and they loved Isaac so much.

Isaac begin to grow in grace and faith, Abraham teaching him to observe the ways of the Lord, and there comes a time when God wanted to know if Abraham truly obeys and respect Him. God informed Abraham to sacrifice Isaac to Him and Abraham accepted, making up his mind because he knows that God gave him Isaac. Abraham was so faithful to God that he did not tell Sarah his wife about the sacrifice, so on the day of the sacrifice, after arranging the woods and giving it to Isaac to carry, but this time, there was no ram and Isaac asked Abraham, everything is ready for the sacrifice but where is the ram and he replied that God will provide a ram for the sacrifice.

The little Isaac carries the wood and follow his father and when they get to the place, Abraham carefully arranged the woods and overpowered Isaac and laid him on the woods and after he was tied, Abraham reaching out for his sword/knife to slay/kill Isaac, an angel of the Lord withheld him and God was so pleased with Abraham obedience, and God made available a ram and Abraham released Isaac and use the ram instead. 

Isaac was 40 years when he married Rebecca and they have no children so Isaac devoted himself in praying to God. And God heard his prayer and Rebecca becomes pregnant with twins. Isaac and Rebecca named them Esau and Jacob for they are two different nations.

Isaac been the second of the patriarchs of Israel, the only son of Abraham and Sarah, and the father of Esau and Jacob. There was a famine in the land and God informed Isaac to stay in the land where He would show him because He will be with him, and bless him. Isaac obeyed the Lord and went to the city of Gerar and the territory was ruled by Abimelech, king of Philistines. And Isaac sowed in the land and harvested a hundred times much more than he had sowed, because the Lord blessed him. He prospered and becomes very rich and the Philistines began to envy him and started treating him badly, and the king Abimelech asked him to leave their territory because he had become more powerful than them. 

And Isaac left and stayed in the valley of Garer and he was now old and blind. It is time for him to bless his children and he said to Esau to make him a tasty meal to his liking and after eating it, I will bless you with my final blessing before I die. Rebecca heard their conversation and when Esau left for hunting, Rebecca advised Jacob to make fast a tasty meal for his father so he will receive the blessings instead of Esau. Jacob was afraid because he thought Isaac would find out since his brother Esau was hairy and Rebecca quickly made tasty meal and a hairy skins of goat putting it on Jacob’s arms and neck. 

When Jacob brought the tasty meal to Isaac, he was surprised because it was so fast/quickly and Jacob said the Lord provided it so easily. And Isaac beacon him to approach closer so he can touch him and he couldn’t recognize it was Jacob because of his hairy hands but Isaac said, your voice sounds like Jacob but your skin like Esau’s skin. Isaac eat and blessed Jacob. And as soon as Isaac finished blessing Jacob and he left, Esau came in from hunting and prepared a tasty meal and brought it to Isaac. And said father sit up and eat the meat which I have brought you, so you can give me your blessings. And Isaac begin trembling and said, I just finished eating a while ago and I have given my final blessings and Esau cried after hearing it. Esau hated his Jacob so much that he seek to kill him but Rebecca sent him to Haran to be with his brother Leban. 

There are so much to learn from the story of Isaac and a patriarch, God was referred as God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, because with them God’s relationship of promise and purpose was fixed for all those who descended from them. The story of Abraham’s acquiescence to God’s command to sacrifice Isaac was used in the early Christian church as an example of faith (Hebrews 11:17) and of obedience (James 2:21). 

In the Epistle to the Hebrews, Abraham's willingness to follow God's command to sacrifice Isaac is used as an example of faith as is Isaac's action in blessing Jacob and Esau with reference to the future promised by God to Abraham. In similarity the release of Isaac from sacrifice as analogous to the resurrection of Jesus, the idea of the sacrifice of Isaac being a prefigurement of the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. “Isaac's bearing the wood for the sacrificial fire with Christ's carrying his cross”.

Isaac remain the only patriarch whose name was not changed, and the only one who did not move out of Canaan, and  he died aged 180, the longest life of the three patriarchs.

The Eastern Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church consider Isaac as a saint along with other biblical patriarchs. Isaac’s feast day is celebrated in the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church on the Second Sunday before Christmas (December 11–17), under the title the Sunday of the Forefathers.

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PATRIARCH ABRAHAM

PATRIARCH ABRAHAM: originally known as Abram is a native of Ur and he is called a friend of God because he was faithful, obedience and upright in the sight of the Lord. Abram was a just man who pleases the Lord, he possesses many sheep, many cattle and servants, he live in Haran with Sarai his wife and they are childless. God appeared to Abram in a vision and tell him to leave for a better place where He will show him and Abram obeyed God and packed all his possessions and Lots his nephew and they all leave for the land of Canaan and he was 75 years old when he depart Haran. 

Abraham spoke with God on several occasions and “one day the Lord said to Abram, do not be afraid, for I AM your defender and I promise to give you a great reward, and Abram asked the Lord, what kind of reward? Abram continued by saying, I don’t even have a child and who will inherit all that I have when I die”. And God promised him that Sarai his wife will have a son even when they are passed (old) age. In the night, God asked Abram to look up in the sky and see/count the multitude of the stars and Abram wasn’t able to count the stars and God said to him, your children will be uncountable. And Abram believed God's promise, and Abram's faith pleased God. It was Abram's faith in God and His promise that made things right between Abram and God. 

As time goes by and Abram was 99 years old, (much more older than your grandfather) the Lord change his name from Abram to Abraham meaning the father of many nations, and the Lord changed Sarai name to Sarah. God reminded Abraham His promise that they will born/have  a son and this time, it was so funny to Abraham and he laughed so hard and fell on his face because he couldn’t believe they will have a son in old age.

On a faithful day, Abraham was resting when three visitors came and he hurried and asked them “may I make something for you to eat and drink?” Abraham pleaded with the visitors  to join them and have a little rest. And Abraham offered them some fresh bread, milk and hamburgers, while the visitors were eating, they inquired of Abraham’s wife Sarah and Abraham told them her whereabout and they informed Abraham that same time next year they will visit again and this time  Sarah will have a son. Sarah was listening to their conversation and laughed when she heard that she will have a son but she quickly covered her mouth because she don’t want them to hear her laughing. She said to herself, how can I have a son when I am close to 100 years.

When the visitors left Abraham and Sarah realized that it was God who told them all these things and a year later, Sarah and Abraham had a son and named him Isaac.

There are important things to note and remember in this story, God always keep His promises. 

Even before God start the creation of the world, He already has a better plan and He want His children to know that He is good and love us and one day we will come to heaven and live with Him. God’s plan is perfect. 

Genesis 12:1–20 (1, the Lord said to Abram, “leave your country, your relatives, and your father’s home, and go to a land that I am going to show you. 2, I will give you many descendants, and they will become a great nation. I will bless you and make your name famous, so that you will be a blessing. 3, I will bless those who bless you, but I will curse those who curse you.  4, When Abram was seventy-five years old, he started out from Haran, as the Lord had told him to do; and Lot went with him. 5, Abram took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, and all the wealth and all the slaves they had acquired in Haran, and they started out for the land of Canaan. When they arrived in Canaan, 6, Abram traveled through the land until he came to the sacred tree of Moreh, the holy place at Shechem. (At that time the Canaanites were still living in the land.) 7, The Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “This is the country that I am going to give to your descendants.” Then Abram built an altar there to the Lord, who had appeared to him. 8, After that, he moved on south to the hill country east of the city of Bethel and set up his camp between Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There also he built an altar and worshiped the Lord. 9, Then he moved on from place to place, going toward the southern part of Canaan. 10, But there was a famine in Canaan, and it was so bad that Abram went farther south to Egypt, to live there for a while. 11, When he was about to cross the border into Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, “You are a beautiful woman. 12, When the Egyptians see you, they will assume that you are my wife, and so they will kill me and let you live. 13, Tell them that you are my sister; then because of you they will let me live and treat me well.” 14, When he crossed the border into Egypt, the Egyptians did see that his wife was beautiful. 15, Some of the court officials saw her and told the king how beautiful she was; so she was taken to his palace. 16, Because of her the king treated Abram well and gave him flocks of sheep and goats, cattle, donkeys, slaves, and camels. 17, But because the king had taken Sarai, the Lord sent terrible diseases on him and on the people of his palace. 18, Then the king sent for Abram and asked him, “What have you done to me? Why didn't you tell me that she was your wife? 19, Why did you say that she was your sister, and let me take her as my wife? Here is your wife; take her and get out!” 20, The king gave orders to his men, so they took Abram and put him out of the country, together with his wife and everything he owned.

CHILDREN BIBLE STORES

Hello 👋 friends, we will be taking a look at some CHILDREN BIBLE STORES. There are a lot of important Bible stories for children from Genesis to Revelation and every Christian parents should teach their children. Teaching them about the wonderful things God has done for His people and examples of how He want them to live.

CREATION: God created the world 🌍 in six days.

Bible reading: Genesis 1:1–31 (1, in the beginning, when God created the universe, 2, the earth was formless and desolate. The raging ocean 🌊  that covered everything was engulfed into total darkness, and the Spirit of God was moving over the water. 3, then God commanded “let there be light” —and light appeared. 4, God was pleased with what He saw. Then He separated the light  from the darkness, 5, and He named the light “day” and the darkness “night” evening passed and morning came—that was the first day. 

6-7, then God commanded, “let there be a dome to divide the water and keep it in two separate places”—and it was done. So God made a dome, and it separated the water under it from the water above it. 8, He named the dome “sky” evening passed and morning came—-that was the second day.

9, then God commanded, “let the water below the sky come together in one place, so that the land will appear”—-and it was done. 10, God named the land “earth” and the waters which have come together, he named “sea” and God was pleased with what He saw. 11, then He commanded “let the earth produce all kinds of plants 🌱, those that bear grains and those that bear fruit—and it was done. 12, so the earth produced all kinds of plants, and God was pleased with what He saw. 13, Evening passed and morning came—that was the third day.

14, then God commanded “let lights appear in the sky to separate the day from the night and to show the time when days, years and religious festivals begin; 15, they will shine in the sky to give light to the earth”—and it was done. 16, so God made the two larger lights, the sun ☀️  to rule over the day and the moon 🌙 to rule over the night; He also made the stars ⭐️. 17, He placed the lights 💡 in the sky 🌌 to shine on the earth, 18, to rule over the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God was pleased with what He saw. 19, evening passed and morning came—that was the fourth day.

20, then God commanded, “let the water be filled with many kinds of living beings, and let the air be filled with birds 🦅 🦢 🐦” 21, so God created the great sea 🌊 monsters, all kinds of creatures that live in water, and all kinds of birds. And God was pleased with what He saw.  22, He blessed them all, and told the creatures that live in the water to reproduce and to fill the sea, and He told the birds to increase in numbers. 23, evening passed and morning came—-that was the fifth day.

24, then God commanded, “let the earth produce all kinds of animal 🦒 🦓  🦔 life: domestic and wild, large and small—-and it was done. 25, so God made them all, and He was pleased with what He saw. 26, then God said, “and now we will make human beings; they will be like us and resemble us. They will have the power over the fish 🐠 🐟 🎣, the birds 🦅 🦢 🐦, and all animals, domestic and wild, large and small”. 27, so God created human beings, making them to be like Himself, He created them male and female, 28, blessed them and said, “have many children, so that your descendants will live all over the earth and bring it under their control. I am putting you in charge of the fish 🐠🐟 🎣, the birds and all the wild animals. 29, I have provided all kinds of grain and all kinds of fruit for you to eat, 30, but for all the wild animals and all the birds , I have provided grass and leafy plants  🍃 🍁 for food”.—and it was done. 31, God looked at everything He had made, and He was very pleased. Evening passed and morning came—-that was the sixth day. 

On the seventh day, God rested from all His work and was pleased with His creations.

FIRST MAN AND WOMAN. (Adam and Eve) they are the first human creation and the father and mother of all mankind. 

Bible reading: Genesis 2:7–23 (7, then the Lord God took some soil from the ground and formed a man out of it; He breathed life-giving breath into his nostrils and the man began to live. 8, then Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there He put the man He had formed. 9, He made all kinds of beautiful trees grow there and produce good fruits. In the middle of the garden stood the tree that gives life and the tree that gives knowledge of what is good and what is bad. 10, a stream flowed in Eden and watered the garden; beyond Eden it divided into four rivers. 11, the first river is the Pishon; it flows around the country of Havilah. 12, (Pure gold is found there, and also rare perfume and precious stones.) 13, the second river is the Gihon; it flows around the country of Cush. 14, the third river is the Tigris, which flows east of Assyria, and the fourth river is the Euphrates. 15, then the Lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to cultivate it and guard it. 16, He told him “you may eat the fruit of any tree in the garden, 17, except the tree that gives knowledge of what is good and what is bad. You must not eat the fruit, if you do, you will die the same day. 18, then the Lord God said, “it is not good for the man to live alone, I will make a suitable companion to help him”. 19, so He took some soil from the ground and formed all the animals and all the birds. Then He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and that is how they all got their names. 20, so the man named all the birds and all the animals; but not one of them was a suitable companion to help him. 21, then the Lord God made the man fall into a deep sleep and while he was sleeping, He took out one of the man’s ribs and close up the flesh. 22, He formed a woman out of the rib and brought her to him. 23, then the man said, “at last, here is one of my own kind—-bone taken from my bone, and flesh from my flesh. ‘Woman’ is her name because she was taken out of man”. 

Adam and Eve committed the first sin by disobeying God. The serpent was the craftiest of all the creatures God had made and the serpent deceived Eve by eating the fruit God forbids them to eat and she shared it with the man. And God was angry with them and expelled them from the Garden of Eden. The consequences of their sins was to suffer/work hard to put food on the table, they would feel pain, and they would eventually die after a very hard life.

As children of God, we should not disobey God instructions/commandments because they protect us from sin/harm/danger. 

We truly appreciate your time and we will continue to discuss BIBLE STORIES in our next post. 

https://youtu.be/gKqj-beiGAI Enjoy this video from our production.

Peace ☮️ out. 

CHILDREN AND THEIR ROLE MODEL

Hello 👋 friends, we will be discussing about CHILDREN AND THEIR ROLE MODEL 

Parents should know the importance of who’s influencing their children and the influencer’s character. It’s true that the power of influence from Godly role models are strong and it should be purposeful to parents because it will help to shape their children behavior in the right way. 

These are examples of how you can easily give godly role models to your children.

As Christians, we all want to shape the lives of our children in godly way and to achieve such, parents must take adequate measure by reading men/women of faith biographies to their children. Intentionally draw their attention and read it to them and be sure to have enough on your books shelves so when they grow up, they can easily choose and read. 

We have numerous motivation books about men and women of faith, reading these types of books to them will challenge and inspire them to love God, and hearing the faith of these great men/women of God will build up faith in the children because faith comes by hearing the word of God. 

Providing for the needs of the children is important but speaking positively and encouraging things about these men and women of faith is vital because God gave them the opportunity to become influencers or role models to the public. Intentionally praise your pastor, the choir master/mistress, the Sunday school teacher or even their school teacher. Let the children know how faithful these people are in their various places of work, the sacrifice time of their preparation and their love for God. Mention the characters worth emulating from these faithful men/women and advice the children to learn from them. 

Another important factor is introducing and also giving them the opportunity to meet these men/women of faith. In their bedroom you can easily identify who the children choose as their role models because they always post their pictures on the wall, it could be an actor, musician or athlete but not all of their chosen role model falls into the category of godly role models. So it’s essential for parents to portray themselves as the first real role model to their children with godly characters. 

There’s a family I know that always wanted their children role models to be missionaries because most times, they are faithful, have good characters and are always committed in serving the Lord. So they started by teaching their children a collection of missionary prayer card which will be given to these missionaries whenever they visit their church. So the children have the opportunity to meet these missionaries and give them the cards and they will pray for the children and later starts visiting, becomes friends and these missionaries shaped the lives of these children and the eldest child is a missionary/minister today.

The role of parents is help the children know that these people are normal, truthful, faithful and can easily influence their lives in godly way. These are simple things the parents can do to give their children godly role models. The children are definitely going to look up to others, so parents should do all they can to give their children the right role models to be looking up to.

Thanks for always being there for us and we will be discussing about CHILDREN STORIES in our next post. 

Enjoy this video https://youtu.be/8uxt3ct8z-s

Peace ☮️ out.

CHRISTIAN ROLE MODELS

Hello 👋 friends, we will be discussing about CHRISTIAN ROLE MODELS 

NUMBER ONE: WHO IS A ROLE MODEL?

As Christians, we already know who’s the best ROLE MODEL (Jesus Christ) Himself because He is perfect in all His ways, according to the Holy Bible, He is the only begotten love Son of God, who came to take away the sins of the world. Ephesians 5:1–2 (1, Since you are God's dear children, you must try to be like him. 2, Your life must be controlled by love, just as Christ loved us and gave his life for us as a sweet-smelling offering and sacrifice that pleases God). He is the express image of the Father, with His perfection, nobody can be compared to Him.

Bible describes children as gifts from the Lord, so they are precious, priceless and must be careful handled, and the best caregivers should be the parents. So the fact is parents are the perfect example of a ROLE MODEL to their children, though sometimes, children look up to various role models when they started growing up which help shape their behaviors in life. Some look up to their peers and relatives, teachers, coaches, neighbors, pastors and so much more. The most important thing for a Christian parents is to give their children a role model from early age which will be vital and it will help them, so they won’t chase it in the world.

NUMBER TWO: WHAT ARE THE CHARACTERISTICS OF A CHRISTIAN ROLE MODEL.

It’s true that most role models doesn’t show their pains rather their smiles shines brighter. A role model must be courageous, faithful, humble, dedicated so he/she can influence the public in the right direction. Deuteronomy 31:6 (be determined and confident. Do not be afraid of them. Your God, the Lord himself, will be with you. He will not fail you or abandon you). When parents put God first and are determined, they will train or bring up their children in the ways of the Lord. Though, it’ll not be an easy task but with God’s strength and your confidence in Him..since..only God knows the mind, and if He finds you worthy, your heart desires will be accomplished.

A Christian role model should not be afraid of the public hence he/she is standing on the truth. He/she must have faith in the Lord and even when difficult times arises, he/she must be strong in the Lord and the power of His might. A Christian role model must be dedicated to God’s service and should not be influenced my public opinions, he/she must be humble and honest both to the public or church.

NUMBER THREE: GOALS OF CHRISTIAN ROLE MODELS

Loving, obeying and spreading the gospel of our Lord Jesus and influencing the public with the word of God. 1 Thessalonians 2: 12 (we encouraged you, we comforted you, and we kept urging you to live the kind of life that pleases God, who calls you to share in his own Kingdom and glory). 1 Thessalonians 3:11-13 (11 May our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus prepare the way for us to come to you! 12 May the Lord make your love for one another and for all people grow more and more and become as great as our love for you. 13 In this way he will strengthen you, and you will be perfect and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all who belong to him).

If parents can identify these Christian role model and point them to their children, there is always a reward when you serve diligently. 1 Peter 5:4 (And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the glorious crown which will never lose its brightness).

CONCLUSION: Godly role models are the voice of the voiceless, the strength of the weak, the light in the darkness, the joy of the sorrowful....they are always good examples. 

May God lead us to the right role model to our children in Jesus Mighty Name, Amen 🙏.

Peace ☮️ out.

LIVING AS AN EXAMPLE TO YOUR CHILDREN

Hello 👋 friends, today we are discussing an interesting topic LIVING AS AN EXAMPLE TO YOUR CHILDREN.

Parents must know that the behavior of the children is formed by examples and these influences are part of their daily lives, so parents should learn to live a Godly life so the children can easily emulate them. As part of being security cautious, parents must know the type of examples their children are exposed to, especially when they are at school, playing with their mates and their everyday routine. It’s true the children watches every small details of what their parents does, how they treat each other, the argument, and the affections.

Most times the teaching/lecturing is not enough to impact fundamental moral values in the behavior of the children, but the parents must live by example. It’s difficult to teach the children to behave in good manners while your everyday living shows the opposite, so for parents to get the desired result, they must live by an example and it cost nothing to live right. Parents must know that no matter what they teach their children, if they fail to live by example, the children MUST do what their parents does (like father, like son)(like mother, like daughter).

For example, if the parents is trying to teach their children about honesty and in the children presence you (parents) got a phone call (maybe from a stranger) and you tell the caller you are not at home. What are you impacting into the children life (honesty or lying). 

Most parents are responsible for their children bad behaviors, some parents taught their children how to lie from young age, for example the parents might through the window see a visitor coming towards their house and maybe the parents does not want to receive that particular visitor at that moment, (most parents will quickly send their little child, go and tell that person, I am not at home). As a child, she/he will honestly tell the visitor (my daddy/mummy) said he/she is not at home. Parents cannot expect their children to be honest when they keep lying in their presence about every small thing.

Parents cannot expect the children to be diligent when they are not living by example. It’s impossible for parents to teach their children about moral values or self-control when they are losing it every now and then. Yes, it’s safe/good to teach your children to love and obey
God but teaching alone it’s not enough, the children have to see you loving and obeying God’s instructions, in this regard... the children are convinced, it’s the right direction. The children always believe whatever their parents are doing are right, that’s why parents must do their best to have good behavior so they can easily influence the children to live right.

As humans, sometimes the parents might make mistakes in the presence of the children, the parents must try to communicate or pass a message so that the children can understand it was an error because the actions/words of the parents are stored in the memory of the children. Parents should always pray to God to help them do better and also
receive strength in the areas of struggles.

Parents must understand that their children are also intelligent because you (parents)send them to school to learn and improve, there’s no perfect parents, when things are not looking good, your children will be encouraged to see your admit your struggle rather than making
excuses to them that you are working on those weak areas.

What type of role model are you exposing the children to? We have
numerous Godly role models in the world today and though everyone has his/her own weakness but Christian role models will impact positivity into the lives of the children. Parents should learn to honor the characters these role models exhibit, celebrate them and read their biographies to the children, in this way, the children will love it and it’s a great way to attuned them with the moral values/guide. Remember, by showing the children to these Godly role models, it will give them more of a desire to serve the Lord.

Parents should not allow their children’s peers to teach their children the basic values of life or introduce them to inappropriate contents, behavior or lifestyle. 

Parents must intentionally find families with moral values that encourages children with biblical teachings. It will help the both family to nurture their children with self-estimate, good manners and serving God in truth and holiness.

WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO MAKE IT A CHALLENGE TO IMPACT YOUR CHILD POSITIVELY.

STEP ONE

Who are the Godly role models you can point to your children?

STEP TWO 

Who are the people you would like your children to know or meet. Maybe you could plan on visiting these people or inviting them over to honor them.

STEP THREE 

What are the list of Godly role models biography you would love to read to your children? If you have no list, start making them now. 

You can have it designed as templates, please see our Instagram handle for examples @watchritemedia We can design it for you, free of charge, just indicate your interest in the comments section below or send us a message on Instagram.

Thanks for your interest in reading our post and we hope you enjoyed it and we will be discussing on these three steps to help you in making the right decisions.

Until then, make sure your notifications are on so you don’t miss an interesting posts. Remain Blessed.

Peace ☮️ out.

FREEDOM IN CHRIST: BLESSINGS AND CURSES

  Hello 👋 friends, it’s a wonderful day and we hope you are being blessed, we are still discussing our FREEDOM IN CHRIST.

NUMBER SEVEN: BLESSINGS AND CURSES.

Renouncing the sin of your ancestors is an important step towards your freedom, renouncing any curse or evil words spoken against you, because it’s true familiar spirits can pass from one generation to another if they fail to renounce the sins of their ancestors. It’s true you are not guilty of the sins committed by your ancestors but since we know that Satan is looking for who to accuse, he might gain access to your family so it very important to renounce it and once you renounce your ancestors sins, then you are ready to walk in new life with the spiritual heritage in Christ Jesus. Exodus 20:4–6 (4, do not make for yourself images of anything in heaven or on earth or in the water under the earth 5, do not bow down to any idol or worship it, because I am the Lord your God and I tolerate no rivals. I bring punishment on those who hate me and their descendants down to the third and fourth generation 6, but I show my love to thousands of generations of those who love me and obey my laws).

It’s true some of your problems, of course, are hereditary or acquired from an immoral environment and some problems might be the result of generational sin. So these three conditions can contribute toward causing you to struggle with a particular sin. But the Lord is truth and you can always trust in Him to show you specifically, the characteristics of the sins of your ancestors.

CONFESSION: Lord Jesus, I ask You to reveal to my mind now all the sins of my fathers that are being passed down through family lines. I want to be free from those influences and walk in my new identity as a child of God. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Trust the Lord to bring to your mind the sins committed by your ancestors, so use the below number to list them and pray specifically renouncing them.

 1. ___________ 2. ____________ 3. _____________ 4. ____________ 5. ____________6. ______________ 7______________ 8. _________ 9._______________ 10. _________________

To be free from the sins of your ancestors, any curse or assignments targeted against you. Start by making the below confession and don’t forget, you already have all authority, power and protection you need in Christ Jesus to stand such activities.

CONFESSION: Lord Jesus, I am here and now reject and disown all of the sins of my ancestors. I specifically renounce the sins of ____(list here the areas of family sin the Lord revealed to you)___. As one who has now been delivered from the domain of darkness into the kingdom of God’s Son, I cancel out all demonic working that has been passed down to me from my family. As one who has been crucified and raised with Jesus Christ and who sits with Him in heavenly places, I renounce all satanic assignments that are directed toward me and my ministry. I cancel out every curse that Satan and his workers have put on me. I announce to Satan and all his forces that Christ became a curse for me when He died for my sins on the cross. I reject any and every way to which Satan may claim ownership of me. I belong to the Lord Jesus Christ who purchased me with His own blood. I reject all blood sacrifices whereby Satan may claim ownership of me. I declare myself to be fully and eternally signed over and committed to the Lord Jesus Christ. By the authority I have in Christ, I now command every familiar spirit and every enemy of the Lord Jesus that is influencing me to leave my presence. I commit myself to my heavenly Father to do His will from this day forward, in Jesus name, Amen.

Remember as you start enjoying your freedom in Christ, you will still face temptation by the devil, trying to know if you are truly rooted in Christ, so you don’t have to allow the devil to regain his control over your life. Remember the key to overcoming the devil is to walk in humble submission to the will of God, give no room to the devil and he will run away from you. James 4:7 (so then, submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil and he will run away from you). Devil’s main attraction is sin, just like garbages attracts flies, getting rid of the garbages will make the flies to depart to a smelly place. So if you want to get rid of the devil, walk in truth, confess your sins and forgive those who intentionally hurt you and he will flee.

CONFESSION: Lord Jesus, I come to You as Your child, bought out of slavery to sin by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. You are the Lord of the universe and the Lord of my life. I submit my body to You as an instrument of righteousness, a living and holy sacrifice that I may glorify You in my body. I now ask You to fill me with the Holy Spirit. I commit myself to the renewing of my mind in order to prove that Your will is good, acceptable and perfect for me. All this I pray in the name and authority of the risen Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Remember that one victory does not mean the battles are over. Freedom must be maintained. After completing these Steps to Freedom, one happy lady said, “Will I always be like this?” I told her she would stay free as long as she remained in right relationship with God. “Even if you slip and fall,” I encouraged, “you know how to get right with God again.”

One victim of horrible atrocities shared this illustration: “It’s like being forced to play a game with an ugly stranger in my own home. I kept losing and wanted to quit, but the ugly stranger wouldn’t let me. Finally I called the police (a higher authority) and they came and escorted the stranger out. He knocked on the door trying to regain entry, but this time I recognized his voice and didn’t let him in.”

What a beautiful picture of gaining and keeping your freedom in Christ! We call upon Jesus, the ultimate authority and He escorts the enemy of our souls out of our lives.

MAINTAINING YOUR FREEDOM

Your freedom must be maintained and you cannot emphasize that enough. You have won a very important battle in an ongoing war. Freedom will continue to be yours as long as you keep choosing the truth and standing firm in the strength of the Lord.

If you notice some lies which you have believed, you must renounce them and always choose the truth. Sometimes, some painful memory might reoccur, but you must forgive those who intentionally hurt you. Once the Lord shows you other areas of sin in your life, confess those promptly. This tool can serve as a constant guide for you in dealing with the things God points out to you. Some people have found it helpful to walk through the Steps to Freedom in Christ again. As you do, read the instructions carefully.

To maintain your freedom in Christ, we strongly suggestion the following as well:

1. Be involved in a loving, caring church fellowship where you can be open and honest with others and where God’s truth is taught with grace.

2. Read and meditate on the Bible daily. Memorize key verses from Freedom in Christ. You may want to read the Statement of Truth in Number Two aloud daily and study the verses in it.

3. Learn to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. Assume responsibility for your thought life. Don’t let your mind become passive. Reject all lies, choose to focus on the truth and stand firm in your true identity as a child of God in Christ.

4. Don’t drift back to old patterns of thinking, feeling and acting. This can happen very easily if you become spiritually and mentally lazy. If you are struggling with walking in the truth, share your battles openly with a trusted friend who will pray for you and encourage you to stand firm.

5. Don’t expect other people to fight your battles for you, however. They can help you, but they can’t think, pray, read the Bible or choose truth for you.

6. Commit yourself to daily prayer. Prayer demonstrates a life of trusting in and depending on God. You can pray the following prayers often and with confidence. Let the words come from your heart as well as your lips and feel free to change them to make our prayers your prayers.

DAILY PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I praise You and honor You as my Lord. You are in control of all things. I thank You that You are always with me and will never leave me nor forsake me. You are the only all-powerful and only wise God. You are kind and loving in all Your ways. I love You and thank You that I am united with Christ and spiritually alive in Him. I choose not to love the world or the things of the world, and I crucify the flesh and all its passions.

Thank You for the life I now have in Christ. I ask You to fill me with the Holy Spirit so I may say no to sin and yes to You. I declare my total dependence upon You and I take my stand against Satan and all his lying ways. I choose to believe the truth of God’s Word despite what my feelings may say. I refuse to be discouraged because You are the God of all hope. Nothing is too difficult for You. I am confident that You will supply all my needs as I seek to live according to Your Word. I thank You that I can be content and live a responsible life through Christ who strengthens me. 

I now take my stand against Satan and command him and all his evil spirits to depart from me. I choose to put on the full armor of God so I may be able to stand firm against all the devil’s schemes. I submit my body as a living and holy sacrifice to God and I choose to renew my mind by the living Word of God. By so doing I will be able to prove that the will of God is good, acceptable and perfect for me. In the name of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen.

BEDTIME PRAYER: Thank You, Lord, that You have brought me into Your family and have blessed me with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Thank You for this time of renewal and refreshment through sleep. I accept it as one of Your blessings for Your children and I trust You to guard my mind and my body during my sleep.

As I have thought about You and Your truth during the day, I choose to let those good thoughts continue in my mind while I am asleep. I commit myself to You as my rock, my fortress and my strong tower. May Your peace be upon this place of rest now in the strong name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.

CLEANSING HOME/APARTMENT/ROOM

After removing and destroying all objects of false worship, pray aloud in every room if necessary:

Lord Jesus, I acknowledge that You are the Lord of heaven and earth. In Your sovereign power and love, You have given me all things richly to enjoy. Thank You for this place to live. I claim my home as a place of spiritual safety for me (and my family) and protection from all the attacks of the enemy. As a child of God, raised up and seated with Christ in the heavenly places, I command every evil spirit claiming ground in this place, based on the activities of pastor or present occupants including me, to leave and never return. I renounce all curses and spells directed against this place. I ask You, Heavenly Father, to post Your holy, warring angels around this place to guard it from any and all attempts of the enemy to enter and disturb Your purposes for me (and my family). I thank You, Lord, for doing this in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.

LIVING IN A NON-CHRISTIAN ENVIRONMENT

After removing and destroying all objects of false worship from your possession, pray aloud in the place where you live:

Thank You, Heavenly Father, for a place to live and to be renewed by sleep. I ask You to set aside my room (my portion of this room) as a place of spiritual safety for me. I renounce any allegiance given to false gods or spirits by other occupants. I renounce any claim to this room (space) by Satan based on the activities of past or present occupants, including me. On the basis of my position as a child of God and joint heir with Christ who has all authority in heave and on earth, I command all evil spirits to leave this place and never return. I ask You, Heavenly Father, to station Your holy, warring angels to protect me while I live here. In Jesus’ mighty name I pray. Amen.

Continue to walk in the truth that your identity and sense of worth comes through who you are in Christ. Renew your mind with the truth that your acceptance, security and significance are in Christ alone.

We recommend that you meditate on the following truths daily, perhaps reading the entire list aloud, morning and evening, for the next few weeks. Think about what you are reading and let your heart rejoice in the truth.

We are happy with you and we appreciate your affections, may Gods continue to bless you and your household, Amen 🙏 

Peace ☮️ out.

FREEDOM IN CHRIST: FREEDOM AND BONDAGE

Hello 👋 friends, it’s always good to see you. We are still discussing FREEDOM IN CHRIST.

NUMBER SIX: FREEDOM AND BONDAGE 

Most times Christians seems to be trapped in a vicious cycle of continuous sinning and always confessing which  never end, and such things can be a discouragement to some Christians, sometimes, it can allow them to succumb/surrender to the will of the flesh. To gain freedom, you must resist the devil, and all his lies according to James 4:7 (so then, submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil, and he will run away from you).

There are some sins that usually becomes habit and which you cannot easily stop, so in this case, you need a trusted brethren. James 5:16 (so then, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you will be healed. The prayer of a good person has a powerful effect). 

1 John 1:9 (but if we confess our sins to God, He will keep His promise and do what is right: He will forgive us our sins and purity us from our wrongdoing).

Confession is an act of accepting you did it and praying together with a trusted brethren will enable you to walk in the light of God. 

CONFESSION: Lord Jesus, You have told me to put on the Lord Jesus Christ and not to think about how to gratify my sinful desires. I confess that I have given in to sinful desires which wage war against my soul but I thank You that in Christ my sins are already forgiven, but I have broken Your holy law and given the devil a chance to wage war in my body. I come to You now to confess and renounce these sins of the flesh so that I might be cleansed and set free from the bondage of sin. Please reveal to my mind now all the sins of the flesh I have committed and the ways I have grieved the Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ holy name, I pray. Amen.

It’s true that sins of the flesh have the power to control you. Galatians 5:19–23 (19 What human nature does is quite plain. It shows itself in immoral, filthy, and indecent actions; 20 in worship of idols and witchcraft. People become enemies and they fight; they become jealous, angry, and ambitious. They separate into parties and groups; 21 they are envious, get drunk, have orgies, and do other things like these. I warn you now as I have before: those who do these things will not possess the Kingdom of God. 22 But the Spirit produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 humility, and self-control. There is no law against such things as these).

Ephesians 4:25–31 (25, No more lying, then! Each of you must tell the truth to the other believer, because we are all members together in the body of Christ. 26, If you become angry, do not let your anger lead you into sin, and do not stay angry all day. 27, Don't give the Devil a chance. 28, If you used to rob, you must stop robbing and start working, in order to earn an honest living for yourself and to be able to help the poor. 29, Do not use harmful words, but only helpful words, the kind that build up and provide what is needed, so that what you say will do good to those who hear you. 30, And do not make God's Holy Spirit sad; for the Spirit is God's mark of ownership on you, a guarantee that the Day will come when God will set you free. 31, Get rid of all bitterness, passion, and anger. No more shouting or insults, no more hateful feelings of any sort).

Mark 7:20–23 (20, And he went on to say, “It is what comes out of you that makes you unclean. 21, For from the inside, from your heart, come the evil ideas which lead you to do immoral things, to rob, kill, 22, commit adultery, be greedy, and do all sorts of evil things; deceit, indecency, jealousy, slander, pride, and folly— 23, all these evil things come from inside you and make you unclean.”)

The below examples will help you to make a bold confession asking the Holy Spirit to reveal others to your mind.

􏰀 Stealing 􏰀 Complaining/criticism 􏰀 Swearing 

􏰀 Hatred 􏰀 Drunkenness 􏰀 Greed/materialism

􏰀 Quarreling/fighting 􏰀 Lustful actions 

􏰀 Apathy/laziness 􏰀 Anger 􏰀 Jealousy/envy 􏰀 Gossip/slander 􏰀 Lying 􏰀 Lustful thoughts 

􏰀 Procrastination 􏰀 Cheating 􏰀 Others ___________

CONFESSION: Lord Jesus, I confess that I have committed the sin of _____. Thank You for Your forgiveness and cleansing. I now turn away from this sin and turn to You, Lord. Strengthen me by Your Holy Spirit to obey You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

As Christian, sin should not gain control over you and you must not use your body or someone else body as an instrument of unrighteousness. Romans 6:12–14 (12, Sin must no longer rule in your mortal bodies, so that you obey the desires of your natural self. 13 Nor must you surrender any part of yourselves to sin to be used for wicked purposes. Instead, give yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life, and surrender your whole being to him to be used for righteous purposes. 14 Sin must not be your master; for you do not live under law but under God's grace).

1 Corinthians 6:18 (Avoid immorality. Any other sin a man commits does not affect his body; but the man who is guilty of sexual immorality sins against his own body).

The below prayer will help you to exercise dominion/freedom over sexual bondage.

CONFESSION: Lord Jesus, I ask You to bring to my mind every sexual use of my body as an instrument of unrighteousness, so I can renounce these sins right now. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

As the Lord brings to your mind every wrong sexual use of your body, whether it was done to you – rape, incest, sexual molestation – or willingly by you (including pornography, masturbation, sexual immorality), renounce every occasion:

CONFESSION: Lord Jesus, I renounce _____(name the specific use of your body)___ with ____(name any other person involved)_____ and I ask You to break that sinful bond with _______(name)_______.

After you are finished, commit your body to the Lord by praying:

CONFESSION: Lord Jesus, I renounce all these uses of my body as an instrument of unrighteousness and I admit to my willful participation. I choose now to present my eyes, mouth, mind, heart, hands, feet and sexual organs to You as instruments of righteousness. I present my whole body to You as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable, and I choose to reserve the sexual use of my body for marriage only and I reject the devil’s lie that my body is not clean or that it is dirty or in any way unacceptable to You as a result of my past sexual experiences. Lord, thank You that You have totally cleansed and forgiven me and that You love and accept me just the way I am. Therefore, I choose now to accept myself and my body as clean in Your eyes. Amen.

SPECIAL PRAYERS

FOR DIVORCE

Lord, I confess to You any part that I played in my divorce (ask the Lord to show you specifics). Thank You for Your forgiveness, and I choose to forgive myself as well. I renounce the lie that my destiny is now in being divorced. I am a child of God, and I reject the lie that says I am a second-class Christian because of the divorce. I reject the lie that says I am worthless, unlovable, and that my life is empty and meaningless. I am complete in Christ, who loves me, just as I am. Lord, I commit the healing of all hurts in my life to You as I have chosen to forgive those who have hurt me. I also place my future into Your hands and trust You to provide the human companionship You created me to need through Your Church and, if it be Your will, through another spouse. I pray all this in the healing name of Jesus, my Savior and Lord and closest friend. Amen.

FOR HOMOSEXUALITY 

Lord, I renounce the lie that You have created me or anyone else to be homosexual and I agree that in Your Word You clearly forbid homosexual behavior. I choose to accept myself as a child of God and I thank You that You created me as a man (woman). I renounce all homosexual thoughts, urges, drives and acts, and cancel out all ways that Satan has used these things to pervert my relationships. I announce that I am free in Christ to relate to the opposite sex and my own sex in the way that You intended. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

FOR ABORTION

Lord, I confess that I was not a proper guardian and keeper of the life You entrusted to me and I admit that as sin. Thank You that because of Your forgiveness I can forgive myself. I recognize the child is in Your caring hands for all eternity. In Jesus’ name, amen.

FOR SUICIDAL TENDENCIES 

Lord, I renounce all suicidal thoughts and any attempts I’ve made to take my own life or in any way injure myself. I renounce the lie that life is hopeless and that I can find peace and freedom by taking my own life. Satan is a thief and comes to steal, kill and destroy. I choose life in Christ, who said He came to give me life and give it abundantly. Thank You for Your forgiveness which allows me to forgive myself. I choose to believe that there is always hope in Christ. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

FOR DRIVENNESS AND PERFECTIONISM

Lord, I renounce the lie that my self-worth is dependent upon my ability to perform. I announce the truth that my identity and sense of worth is found in who I am as Your child. I renounce seeking the approval and acceptance of other people, and I choose to believe that I am already approved and accepted in Christ because of His death and resurrection for me. I choose to believe the truth that I have been saved, not by deeds done in righteousness, but according to Your mercy. I choose to believe that I am no longer under the curse of the law because Christ became a curse for me. I receive the free gift of life in Christ and choose to abide in Him. I renounce striving for perfection by living under the law. By Your grace, Heavenly Father, I choose from this day forward to walk by faith in the power of Your Holy Spirit according to what You have said is true. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

FOR EATING DISORDERS AND SELF-MUTILATION

Lord, I renounce the lie that my value as a person is dependent upon my appearance or performance. I renounce cutting or abusing myself, vomiting, using laxatives or starving myself as a means of being in control, altering my appearance or cleansing myself of evil. I announce that only the blood of the Lord Jesus cleanses me from sin. I realize I have been bought with a price and my body, the temple of the Holy Spirit, belongs to God. Therefore, I choose to glorify God in my body. I renounce the lie that I am evil or that any part of my body is evil. Thank You that You accept me just the way I am in Christ, in Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

FOR SUBSTANCE ABUSE

Lord, I confess that I have misused substances –alcohol, tobacco, food, prescription or street drugs—for the purpose of pleasure, to escape reality or to cope with difficult problems. I confess that I have abused my body and programmed my mind in a harmful way. I have quenched the Holy Spirit as well. Thank You for forgiving me. I renounce any satanic connection or influence in my life through any misuse of food or chemicals. I cast my anxieties onto Christ who loves me. I commit myself to yield no longer to substance abuse, but instead I choose to allow the Holy Spirit to direct and empower me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

After you have confessed all known sin, pray:

CONFESSION: Lord Jesus, I now confess these sins to You and claim through the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ my forgiveness and cleansing. I cancel out all ground that evil spirits have gained through my willful involvement in sin. I pray this in the wonderful name of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

You are appreciated for taking your precious time in reading our blog and we pray as you confess, repent and resist the devil, you will automatically receive your freedom in Christ Jesus. In our next post, we will be discussing NUMBER SEVEN. 

Please remember to share your thoughts in the comments section below and click the share button so your contacts can benefit, thanks 🙏 

Peace ☮️ out.