Genesis 48 - 06.11.26

SCRIPTURE

“But Israel reached out his right hand and put it on Ephraim’s head—though he was the younger, and crossing his arms, he put his left hand on Manasseh’s head—even though Manasseh was the firstborn. When Joseph saw his father placing his right hand on Ephraim’s head he was displeased; so he took hold of his father’s hand to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He too will become a people, and he too will become great. Nevertheless, his younger brother will be greater than he, and his descendants will become a group of nations.” ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭48‬:‭14‬, ‭17‬, ‭19‬ ‭NIV‬‬

OBSERVATION

We clearly understand at the end of Jacob’s life and by the end of the book of Genesis that God’s grace must never become captive to position or privilege or expectation or tradition. God’s grace is sovereign. It cannot be tamed. The economy of God’s grace operates on its own principles—humbling human wisdom and exalting the unlikely, so that the last are often the first, and the first last. This is repeated again and again in Genesis.

In primeval history, the older brother Cain had his offering rejected, while that of the younger, Abel, was accepted. Then Seth, the even younger brother became the chosen line (ch.4:25—5:8). In patriarchal times, young Isaac was chosen over Ishmael (ch.17:18, 19). Then Jacob was chosen over Esau (ch.27). Jacob’s son Joseph was chosen over his older brethren (ch.37:5-7, 9). And now Ephraim was chosen above Manasseh.

Indeed, the last are often first, even for Christ. The Jews rejected their Messiah and the Gentiles were offered Salvation through Christ.

“HE came to HIS own, and HIS own people did not receive HIM. But to all who did receive HIM, who believed in HIS name, HE gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:11-13).

APPLICATION

God’s Grace cannot be governed or managed. HIS Grace cannot be earned or even measured. It is Beyond our comprehension. His Grace is birthed out of His Love—a Powerful Force we can experience but never fully understand.

“For out of His fullness the superabundance of HIS grace and truth we have all received grace upon grace—spiritual blessing upon spiritual blessing, favor upon favor, and gift heaped upon gift.”

‭‭(John‬ ‭1‬:‭16‬ ‭AMP‬‬)

We continually bring our deepest desires to God, again and again, and can feel disappointed when His “Hand of Blessing” seems to pass over them. Just as Joseph felt, we wonder, doesn’t God see what matters most to me—what I’ve carried the longest? HE does. To every protest HE answers as HE did to Joseph, “I Know it, My son, I Know it.”

HIS refusal to grant our exact request is never because HE misunderstands or ignores our longings. Instead, HE sometimes gives us blessings that differ from what we most wanted. Yet the blessings HE gives us are no less good. HE will give us EVERYTHING Christ has earned for us. Faith learns to Trust HIM with how, when, and what grace HE applies to our lives. What is God giving us that we haven’t earned? But God KNOWS it is a very great gift.

This kind of trust takes Faith.

Faith for surrendered salvation and Faith for a genuinely surrendered daily walk with Christ as our Lord gives HIM the right to Lead our Lives. Jacob learned this Faith and what it meant to “let go” of His own ideas and genuinely Trust God—even when it didn’t make sense to bless younger Manasseh over first born Ephraim. Jacob’s TRUST in God, resulted in his addition to the “hall of Faith” recorded as an Act of Worship in Hebrews (11:21).

God expects us to do the same. Demonstrate complete Trust—even when it doesn’t make sense.

“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” ‭‭(Hebrews‬ ‭11‬:‭6‬ ‭NKJV‬‬)

PRAYER

Lord Jesus,

Teach me more about total surrender and Faith in YOU. May my faith become a pleasing act of worship to YOU. Thank YOU for Your WORD that gives us such rich examples of Your amazing Love and endless compassion and extraordinary Amazing Grace that saved me when I didn’t even know I needed saving. Give me greater focus to be purposeful and prepared wherever I go—Filled with Your Joy and ready to give a reason for my hope.

In Jesus Name, amen!

Tina L Kudelka

Revelation 2 - 6.10.26

Scripture

Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. (Rev 2:4)

Observation

This is a part of Jesus’s message to the seven churches of Asia. Jesus is speaking to the church of Ephesus. It is as relevant to the church in the United States and to each one of us at Desert Streams, as it was to the church of Ephesus.

Jesus appreciates their walk with Him. He says, “I know everything you have done, including your hard work and how you have endured. I know you won't put up with anyone who is evil. When some people pretended to be apostles, you tested them and found out they were liars. You have endured and gone through hard times because of me, yet you have not given up.” (Rev: 2:1-3, CEV).

But they had one thing that they lacked. They had forsaken their first love. “You have left your first love” (Rev 2:4, NKJV). Jesus is not saying that they stopped loving Him. They still loved Him. But the intensity of their love had grown dim. The passion of their first love had faded. 

Jesus urges them to repent. “Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.” (Rev 2:5).

Notice that Jesus is calling them to “do the things you did at first”, in order to return to their “first love”. Biblical love is a verb. It is not a warm fuzzy feeling that Hollywood portrays. Biblical love is a choice. You choose to love. Love is what you do. Feelings follow action.

Application

We love Him because He first loved us (1John 4:19). The first and the greatest commandment is to love the Lord our God with all our heart and with all your soul and with all our mind (Matt 22:37-28). Let us check our hearts to see if we love the Lord as we did when we first got saved. Has our intensity of love for the Lord waned as time passed by? The Bible portrays the church as the bride of Jesus. The bride belongs to the bridegroom (John 3:29, NIV). That is the love that the Lord expects.

Our love for Jesus must be more than any other love in our life. Quoting Jesus’s words from Matthew 10:37, “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.” If our love has waned, let us repent. Let us ask the Lord to restore love for Him in our heart. 

Our love for God must reflect in our actions. If we love God, we will obey his commandments (John 14:15). Whoever loves God must also love his brother and sister (1 John 4:21). Whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen (1 John 4:20). If we love God, we will seek his kingdom first above all (Matt 6:33). If we love God, we will not conform to the pattern of this world, but will be transformed by the renewing of our mind by consuming the word of God (Rom 12:2). If we love God, prayer will truly be our priority. The Bible commands us to pray without ceasing (1 Thess 5:17). Jesus is our model, who valued prayer more than His own personal rest. He spent whole nights in prayer without sleep.

Let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth (1 John 3:18).

Prayer

Father please help me to love you with the first love I had when I started following you. I repent of the times I have not given you the first place in my life, as I should have. Please help me, because I can do nothing without you (John 15:5). Please help me to judge myself so that I will not be judged (1 Cor 11:31). Please help me to love you with all my heart and with all my soul and with all my mind, and help me to love my neighbor as myself (Matt 22:37-28). Please help me to draw closer to you with prayer and fasting and walking in obedience, knowing that when I draw near to you, you will draw near to me (James 4:8). Help me to delight in your word and meditate on your word day and night (Ps 1:2). Help me to continually walk in your presence. One day in your courts is better than a thousand days elsewhere (Ps 84:10). Make my life a living sacrifice holy and acceptable to you (Rom 12:1). In Jesus’s name. Amen.

- Asha Chacko George

Revelation 1 - 6.9.26

SCRIPTURE:  Revelation 1:1-3

“The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place.  He made it known by sending His angel to His servant, John, who testifies everything he saw - that is, the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.  Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take heart what is written in it, because the time is near.”

OBSERVATION:  John was in exile on the island of Patmos, sent there by the Romans for his witness of Jesus.  John was nearing the end of his life when he received a vision from Jesus regarding the seven churches in Asia. In this letter, John commended the churches for their strengths and warned them about their flaws.  God allowed John to see certain future events that were indescribable, but John used the signs and symbols God had given him to encourage the believers by describing what he had seen in this vision. As gloomy as the world appeared, John reminded the believers that God is in control of the future, and that He is the ultimate victor to all who take hope in Him.

In this chapter, John addresses the seven churches and the seven spirits.  The “seven spirits” is another name for the Holy Spirit.  The number seven is used throughout Revelation to symbolize completeness and perfection.

APPLICATION:  This letter from John was written to the seven churches in Asia back then, but it is also a message to the Church today, reminding God’s people to be faithful, devoted followers of Christ. Though Satan’s power may increase in these last days, it will only be temporary!  God is faithful, and He will bring all true Christ-followers to our eternal home where there will be no more sorrow, sadness or suffering.   He will give us strength and endurance with unwavering dedication as we keep our eyes on Jesus.  

PRAYER:  Thank You God for this Book of hope!  Everywhere we turn today, we hear about all the evil deeds that are taking place on earth.  But, I thank You that in the midst of all the crisis, calamity and chaos, You are in control, and will return to vindicate the righteous and judge the wicked.  What you have promised, will come true!  As we wait for Jesus to return, I pray we will be fully devoted followers, and that You will use us to give warning about hope without Christ, as well as hope with Christ. Thank You for the promise You have given to us about this Book of Revelation; that if we listen to it, and do what it says, we will BLESSED!

- Robin Orefice