Peace For The Soul

Date: Saturday, January 17, 2015
Today's Chapters: Genesis 49-50
Message Title: Peace For The Soul

Hello My Friend, 

The soul, we cannot see it, but we can sure feel it, it's the inner most part of our being, and longs for the very things that our body and spirit search for, it literally feeds off of what we are eating physically, mentally, and spiritually. As Christian's, it's important to feed our soul with the fruits of the Spirit, meaning Spirit of God, as much as it loves the fruits of the flesh, they never bring peace to a soul like those of the Spirit. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” - Galatians 5:22-25.

Jacob was near death, he calls for all of his sons, then begins blessing them, but also gives themsome stern warnings, and amazing prophecies concerning as well. He calls each one according to their birthright. “And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days. Gather yourselves together, and hear, ye sons of Jacob; and hearken unto Israel your father. Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power: Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to thy father's bed; then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch. Simeon and Levi are brethren; instruments of cruelty are in their habitations. O my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly, mine honour, be not thou united: for in their anger they slew a man, and in their selfwill they digged down a wall. Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel: I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.” - Genesis 49:1-7.

Interestingly, the tribe of Reuben did not go into the promised land, they stayed on the other side of the Jordan, in fact, his birthright was forfeited because he had an affair with his father's common wife. We do not learn much from Simeon's tribe, in fact, they would be separated from the Levities as God would choose the Levites to be His own servants in His temple. Much of our family legacy comes from our parents, but it is God who determines where we will be by the decisions we make. “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.” - 2 Timothy 2:15,16.

Now, he comes to Judah, who would be the most blessed of all the tribes, as this would be the tribe in which Jesus would ascend, he gives the prophetic news of Him descending from them. “Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father's children shall bow down before thee. Judah is a lion's whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up? The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be. Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass's colt unto the choice vine; he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes: His eyes shall be red with wine, and his teeth white with milk.” - Genesis 49:8-12.

From the second Eve bit into that piece of fruit that would cause a death curse upon all mankind, God had a plan to bring life to them. By faith, Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and now Jacob, knew that a Savior would come to break that curse. The word Shiloh means tranquil, at peace, it's also another name for the Messiah, Jesus is the Messiah, the Prince of peace, the only one who can break that curse, give life, and peace to a dead soul. “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” - Matthew 11:28-30.

After Jacob gave his blessings, he was at peace and ready to be with the Lord, shortly after he spoke he died. Now that their father was gone, Simeon, and all his brothers were sure that Joseph was going to get revenge for what they did to him all those years ago. However, he didn't seek revenge, he forgave them, and took care of them. “And when Joseph's brethren saw that their father was dead, they said, Joseph will peradventure hate us, and will certainly requite us all the evil which we did unto him. And they sent a messenger unto Joseph, saying, Thy father did command before he died, saying, So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; for they did unto thee evil: and now, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spake unto him. And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we be thy servants. And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God? But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them. And Joseph dwelt in Egypt, he, and his father's house: and Joseph lived an hundred and ten years.” - Genesis 50:15-22.

It is either the guilt of past sin or the bitterness of someone who wronged us that keeps us from being at peace, only when we learn to forgive can we find peace, and that includes forgiving ourselves. God does not hold grudges on the things that we have done, once we confess them, He forgives us, that's why He has peace with us, and why we need to be forgiving also. “For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.” - Mark 23:26.

Today's Prayer: God, the cares of this world often weigh our hearts down. It’s not Your desire that we carry a heavy load because You are the barer of our burdens. You use the difficult circumstances of our lives to bring glory to Yourself as You bring the fruits of Your Spirit into ourlives, and feed our soul with all it's goodness. Our faith is strengthened and our understanding deepened as You take the evil that Satan hurls at us and turn it into a glorious occasion for good. You are the same God who led us into battle who will also lead us to victory in Christ. In Jesus' name. Amen. 

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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