Month: September 2024

I had opened Micah’s story several times and even tried to find out the meaning of the story. A relatively short story and until yesterday had I gotten the major picture when I read the prodigal son. Prior to this, I had seen many explanations, one of which is:

Judges 17 is a mirror that reflects the danger of moral and religious relativism. In seeking to worship God in his own terms, Micah lost the essence of true worship. The chapter stands as a reminder that it is not enough to worship according to our convenience or understanding; it is crucial to worship God in truth, as He has commanded us.
https://biblehub.com/chaptersummaries/judges/17.htm

Verses 1-2: The Stolen Silver

Micah confesses to stealing 1,100 shekels of silver from his mother, who had cursed the theft. Upon his confession, his mother blesses him and dedicates the silver to the Lord for creating a carved image and an ephod.

The prodigal son tells a story of a man, who has a son who wanted his inheritance, the inheritance stands as an idol to Micah’s story. He then takes what was his inheritance away as Micah took silver from his mother.

Verses 3-4: Making of the Idol

So, the father gives the prodigal son what he wanted his inheritance(idol) which takes and spends all, as Micah uses all his mother’s silver and incurs his mother’s curse which turns to a blessing. Micah actually confesses that he stole the idol, as the prodigal son states he expended his father’s wealth.

His mother helps him make a shrine.

And well, a Bethlehemite comes seeking a place to stay and Micah welcomes him, the reverse is done with the prodigal son, his father welcomes him home. whereas Micah with his idol welcomes the Bethlehemite home.

*Some are to seek the father, and some are to welcome him to dwell in us. *

As the wandering Levite from Bethlehem in Judah comes to Micah’s house. Micah offers him wages, room and board to become his personal priest. Micah, thinking God will now bless him because he has a Levite as his priest, shows a distorted understanding of true worship.

22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate. Luke 15: 22

The prodigal son returns home and is offered more than a servant, a party is thrown for him and it shows us what the father through Jesus has to offer us as with the case of Micah welcoming a son that is not his home. Micah’s story is both ways as a curse turned into a blessing when he welcomed the Bethlehemite home (where Jesus is from). Whereas the prodigal son is accepted home. Sometimes, we welcome the King (Jesus) and other times he brings us home.

While we are not hired servants because Christ took our curse much like Micah’s mother (Galatians 3: 13) curse turning to bless him, which would cause him to be linked to actual priest from Benjamin. And because repentance is an ongoing process; sometimes we run back to him when we lose our way, whereas when we come to know him as our lord and savior and take away our idols as Micah, we welcome him to our house (body).

Jesus took our curses to give us blessing; should we love him. In Judges 17 vs 21 Micah (the one who is like God not is God as the name translates), offer him a wage, food and clothes as Jesus offers his son to us, the father offers the prodigal son a robe, puts a ring around his finger and celebrates him.

Micah has a semblance like God but his reach for an actual high priest makes all unbelievers like this, whereas the prodigal son out of love with the father because of his inheritance, Micah love for idols overwhelms him into seeking for a true high priest, Jesus. So, Micah welcomes a righteous man from a Levite lineage and gets blessed. (Matthew 10: 40 – 42).

Micah rejoiced at seeing a Levite, the prodigal son rejoiced at seeing his son who was once lost. Micah had sons but still welcomed a Levite as his son (unbeliever reach for Jesus), so the prodigal son had an older son (saved believer walking in obedience) but still welcome his son (the lost one).

Songs:

He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. Psalm 103: 6 - 12

In the heat and bust of the city, I have been trying to joggle Gods work and actual getting finances from labor. Two things dawned on me. I once taught I did not know how God rewards us but clearly the scriptures say he does not repay us according to our iniquities.

A young man who had broken his father’s rule limiting his movements in the community refused to return home one night, afraid of the punishment awaiting him. He sought refuge in the nearby residence of his father’s close friend. He told his host that his father was a temperamental man. In his anger, he would scourge him in excess of his wrongdoing. He pleaded with him to allow him to stay away from such an injury – inflicting parent that night.

Christians with a perfect understanding of the relationship they have with their heavenly father do not harbor such misgivings. They know that, as emphasized by today’s text, God’s mercy and grace run deeper that our faults and failures. He chastens them when they err. He would not pamper them. He would not want their sin to take them into eternal perdition in hell. So, as they realize their transgression and seek forgiveness, he returns them graciously into his warm embrace, giving them more grace to live the overcoming life.

Only an exceptionally loving father would not reward us “according to our iniquities”. Not one soul can stand his full wrath if it should come upon man. His holiness would not stand sin. Though he is gracious and merciful, we must not take this for granted or as a liberty to indulge in sin.

As we receive the mercy of our gracious God, we should express our appreciation by constantly staying away from sinful acts, thoughts and appearances that offend and provoke him.

Pleasing the Lord all the days of our lives must become our priority. And we receive grace to do this as we pray.

God’s grace embraces us in our inadequacy and strengthens us with his mercy for righteous living.

Songs:

we don’t want to miss the things of God, while we are on this earth.

Dedicated to MI

W.F Kumuyi

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Genesis 1: 1

Song writer, Bill Staines, struck the right chord when he wrote, “All things bright and beautiful; all creatures great and small; all things wise and wonderful; the Lord God made them all”! Whichever way man turns, he will always be confronted with the evidence of God as the origin of his environment, outer space and beyond. He will be dwarfed by the overwhelming aura of God’s greatness. He spoke all things into existence as the Bible declares and he ordains their movements. No one is able to displace what God put in place since creation.

An irrefutable account of the origin of the world and the beginning of all things showcases in today’s Bible passage. God is here seen as the Source of all creations who spoke everything into existence. The creation story follows a sequential order that ends with a conclusive affirmation that all God created was beautiful without a single mistake and no creature is useless.

In the LORD’s hand the king’s heart is a stream of water that he channels toward all who please him. Proverbs 21: 1 

Coming to terms with the reality of the Bibles version of creation would save humanity unnecessary labor. For instance, the ancient Greek philosophers and scientists were confused about the shape of the earth. At a point, some said it was flat. Those who disagreed could not provide an acceptable answer. Yet, the Lord, thousands of years before them, had revealed the planets shape through Prophet Isaiah. He said He “sitteth upon the circle of the earth” Isaiah 40:22

Believing the biblical account of the creation story strengthens our faith in such a mighty God made the awesome world. As we look at the beauty of creation, we are compelled to conclude that they are the handiwork of a very skillful designer who can surely beautify and sustain us, the crown of his creation! Psalm 2:8-12

We may not see all of God, but all we see of him persuades us about his grandeur.

Songs:

Songs:

Today, I realized the opportunity an employer gave me was to use to do a savior complex, because he saw what had happened to me, but never could really pay the price for helping me but had to act like it to be a “savior”. Well, aren’t we free indeed! why help to behave like a savior that can’t meet the expectations of one; I am glad we have one savior and that is JESUS. I am like we don’t have a white savior complex too we obviously have a black man savior complex were helping your own people makes you a savior! what should Jesus who saved me do! Glory CHASERS!

As today’s story goes:

Thirty-four years after graduating from a university in the United States of America, a therapist called the school to say she cheated in the final exam. The institution did not revoke her degree. Instead, they asked her to write an article on integrity. Another woman who was being celebrated for a walk around the world confessed she did not deserve the honor because she rode in a truck for part of the trip. She said, “I should not remember as the first woman to walk round the world when I cheated.”

These two persons were fully liberated from their sinful nature after receiving Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord. They were no longer slaves to guilt that denied them joy and peace. When the Lord frees us from the power of sin at salvation, we receive boldness to go on to make necessary restitutions for past sins without shame. The liberty he gives us is the highest form of deliverance. No longer are we held bonded by the power of guilt, condemnation and the wicked one.

Man cannot experience true freedom and peace unless he hearkens to the pleas of the Son of God to come for his rest. Without him, man will continue to trudge in his delusion that prosperity and the giant strides in scientific inventions will bring about emancipation from the grave effects of sin. Sin and its products in the world enslave and disconnect the creature from his creator.

Besides, the freedom that is guaranteed in the constitutions of the nations of the world does not address the integrity deficit of a depraved man BECAUSE there is a missing link in what they offer. Sinners must accept the Lord to access the life-transforming offer, which he promises to those who come to him for true freedom.

Freedom from self is pure freedom and it comes from Christ.

Songs:

Jesus turning water to wine is my favorite Jesus story as child. Probably because it’s a miracle we all need when we need saving at the right place and the right time. But as examine the scriptures, the wedding shows the covenant that Jesus has with us. You notice when a covenant is to be broken or made (see Esther), Parables (stories): wine is always present typically as with the enactment of the same laws governing Jesus’ death.

John 19:33-34 But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. 34 Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water.

His sides were pierced, and water came out and blood symbolizing water to wine, a new covenant through Christ Jesus. The communion stating this is my blood for the new covenant Matthew 26:28. We are filled when we thirst, so as jars/vessels in Jesus family through the covenant by his blood. We draw water from the wells of salvation. This is why Jesus satisfies our thirst (the woman by the well), thirst and hunger for righteousness. Jesus first saves us by giving us living water of salvation and when we are filled with his spirit; feeds our need for righteousness.

Cana -> abundance of reed or cane in a particular area.

Galilee -> fertile mountains.

Jesus fills our temple (body), so one will not fill it with material things. This is why the concluding story of turning water to wine; the next story you would see is Jesus clearing the temple courts. Luke 2: 13 – 20 with whips out of cords where money exchangers turned his father’s house into a marketplace. John 2: 20 clearly shows the temple was his body. we have this earthly temple called the BODY, what are we feeding our body with?

Luke 2: 25, Psalm 118: 8 – 9

He is our abundance of everything in every area, turns deserts into mountains. We are all like the 6 stone jars filled up.

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