The Blessing

To those of you that missed our Sabbath service yesterday, I wish I had the ability in this blog to share the entire revelatory message that came forth.  Since I can’t, I would at least like to expound on one powerful point that would probably have been overshadowed by the more familiar elements of our Parashah.  Because we are studying the 2^nd Aliyah in our seven year cycle, we were able to find a most peculiar nugget within our study. 

 

The KJV says in Genesis 48:16, “Let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth”.  The Chumash reads different though.  It reads, “Let them grow into a multitude, like fish in the midst of the land”.  What a fascinating twist in the text.  I won’t pretend to know why the difference, but I welcome the opportunity to explore the depth within the context. 

Israel was laying his hands on Joseph’s sons, yet he blessed Joseph.  He spoke the blessing and transferred the blessing that had been handed down from his father Isaac and his father’s father, Abraham, which ultimately was spoken over Adam by YHVH.  See, the Lord blessed Adam by breathing life into his nostrils, and that blessing was handed down through generations to Abraham, who breathed the blessing on Isaac, who breathed the blessing on Jacob, and now was being breathed upon Joseph and his sons. 

 

What does this have to do with a fish?  It has to do with the way a fish breathes; a fish breathes differently than we do.  Though we live in this world, we are not of this world.  The very air that we breathe is the presence of God.  As the scripture says, “In Him we live and move and have our being.” 

The reason Israel used a fish as an example is because the fish lives and moves and has its being in a different atmosphere, mainly water, and breathes the very atmosphere that it exists in.  We must endeavor to exist in the atmosphere of the Shekinah glory of God; we must breathe the atmosphere of the Kingdom.  Inhale His glory, exhale His word – inhale His word and exhale His glory. 

 

Oh, my brothers and sisters, our Kingdom nature should radiate to everyone within our realm of influence.  The air that we breathe should affect the atmosphere of all that come around us.  Breathe upon them, breathe upon your circumstance, your marriage, your finances, your very life – breathe the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit) within and without your realm of existence.  Hallelujah!

 

My prayer for you is that everything that you breathe upon and everything that you bless, would multiply like the fish in the midst of the land.

Remembering The Dream

Shalom and blessings to you all. 

Obviously, we did not have our regular Shabbat service yesterday.   Yet, I was prepared with a simple message.  So, I will expound on one of the beautiful points I was going to make for your encouragement. 

We were looking at the Aliyah is which Joseph finally reveals himself to his brethren.  It was a devastating, yet beautiful encounter.  I could not help but think about when Joseph saw his brethren bowing to him.  They did not know who he was, yet it was at that very moment he remembered the dream. 

Isn’t it amazing that nine years have passed and it took this profound meeting for him to remember the dream that he once had?  Why did he not attempt to search out his father in the nine years that he had gone from the prison to the palace?  Why did he not send emissaries to search out his brothers to see if they were still bent on killing him?  Why did he not send spies to search out and to see if his father would want to still embrace a favorite son that had been gone for so long? 

The revelation rests in the circumstance in which he found himself in.  The blessings of the Lord so overwhelmed him that he forgot all of his troubles, all of his woes.  Oh, I’m sure that he probably thought about his father from time to time, as well as his brothers.  But the blessings of the Lord so overtook him, as well as the responsibilities of the purpose of his life, that it slowly slipped his mind. 

My point, brothers and sisters, is that when the promise of the Lord, the dream He has given, and the purpose of our lives culminate one day, the hardships, tests and trials that we had to endure will seem like sand in our hands. 

My encouragement to you is to be strong and very courageous within whatever you are facing today.  For in your tomorrow, a blessing will surely come as promised.

Lastly, when Joseph wept aloud, all of Pharaoh’s house heard.  Take solace and shalom in the fact that when you weep, the entire house of your heavenly Father takes notice.  As I said last week, your day of reckoning has come.   

Day of Reckoning

We had a wonderful Shabbat service yesterday. 

Of course, speaking of Joseph, an interesting illustration came forth.  It has to do with bowling, but let me first say this.

As I was ministering the Word, one powerful point rested in the fact that Joseph was in captivity for many years and, seemingly from one day to the next, went from the pit to the palace.  He had no idea the night before, when he lay his head to rest and that when he awoke the next day, it would be to a life of authority and privilege; the very inception of the dreams being fulfilled that he had oh so many years ago. 

His interpretation of Pharaoh’s dreams; however, lay within two periods of 7, equaling 14.  Isn’t it interesting that his very father labored for his mother for two periods of even 7 years, equaling 14. 

My summation (in reference to the illustration I spoke of earlier) lies deeply within the fact that we do not and sometimes cannot know when our day of reckoning has come. 

Back to bowling, if you are like myself, I don’t have a clue of how to calculate a bowling score.  I bowl and hope that my score is pretty large, anywhere around 300 would be great, because I know that 300 is the ultimate goal of bowling.   I think I’ve gotten around 75 (LOL).

Still, because of my ignorance, if I make a strike or a spare, my lack of understanding keeps from knowing truly where I stand in my score.  I simply don’t know where I am.  I know I’ve done something good.  I know I didn’t do anything wrong, but I don’t know how I’ve been scored.  It’s the same with Joseph.  Year after year, first serving his father, then his brothers selling him to captivity, then his struggles with Potifer’s wife, and lastly, to be thrown in prison.  He did nothing wrong and yet was punished.  He did not know the score until his day of reckoning had fully come. 

Isn’t it interesting that we, my brothers and sisters, are about to enter the year 2014.  I firmly believe that the years of not knowing the score, but pressing on and pressing in, are about to pay off.  So, be encouraged and know that our year of reckoning is upon us.  The score will be tallied and we shall be victorious.  From pit to prison to palace we shall prevail.

Your responses will be greatly appreciated to this blog.

Shalom.