By His Stripes We Are Healed
Bible Reading: 1 Peter 2
Focus verse: Isaiah 53:5 "
But He was wounded for our transgressions, (our sin)
He was bruised for our iniquities; (our evil doings)
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And by His stripes we are healed."
"“Stripes,” (Isaiah 53:5; 1 Peter 2:24)
in the language of the King James Version of the Bible, and in some
others, means “wounds,” as seen in more modern translations such as the
New International Version. These stripes were administered by whipping
the bare backs of prisoners whose hands and feet were bound, rendering
them helpless. The phrase “by His stripes we are healed” refers to the
punishment Jesus Christ suffered—floggings and beatings with fists that
were followed by His agonizing death on a cross—to take upon Himself all
of the sins of all people who believe Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior.
“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father
except through me” (John 14:6).
The whips used were made of braided leather, with pottery shards and
sharp stones affixed to the ends, which tore open the flesh of the
prisoner with each cruel swing of the whip. When we picture this
terrible, inhumane form of physical punishment we recoil in horror. Yet
the physical pain and agony were not all Jesus suffered. He also had to
undergo the mental anguish brought on by the wrath of His Father, who
punished Him for the sinfulness of mankind—sin carried out in spite of
God’s repeated warnings, sin that Jesus willingly took upon Himself. He
paid the total price for all of our transgressions.
Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the apostle Peter wrote, “He
Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to
sins and live for righteousness; by His wounds you have been healed.” In
Isaiah 53,
Jesus’ future life on earth was foretold in the clearest of terms, to
include his eventual torture and death: “But He was pierced for our
transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that
brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds (stripes) we are
healed” (Isaiah 53:5; 1 Peter 2:24).
The contexts of Isaiah 53 and 1 Peter 2
make it clear that they are referring to spiritual healing, not
physical. “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we
might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have
been healed” (1 Peter 2:24).
The verse is referring to sin and righteousness, not sickness and
disease. Therefore, being “healed” in both these verses is speaking of
being forgiven and saved, not being physically healed."
The above is taken from www.gotquestions.org
Spiritual healing from sins is a greater miracle than physical healing. Yes, God can heal us physically and sometimes he wills it, but this verse is not about that. Yes, we still should call the elders to come pray for us, but don't cheapen the healing of the soul by using a verse not meant for physical healing. Always look to the context of the scripture when you determine what it means.
~Page Johnson
Interlocking Ministries
See photo: Click here
Saturday, July 8, 2017
Friday, June 30, 2017
Being Prepared
Being Prepared
Scripture Reading: Matthew 24: 30-42
Focus Verses: Matthew 24: 39, 42 “And those alive in the days of Noah did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.”
God always keeps His word. If God says something is going to happen, you better believe it will happen. God told Noah there would be a flood to cover the earth. Noah could have said to God, “but it has never rained on the earth.” Instead Noah, by faith, began to build a boat. Surprisingly enough, out of all the people on earth at that time, only eight people truly believed God would flood the earth. Many people were swept away to their destruction because of their unbelief.
God has said that He is coming back to earth one day. I think there are many people that don’t believe that event is really going to happen. Millions of people on the earth today are not prepared for that event. The result of that unbelief will be devastating. Throughout God’s Word He has given us ample warning that He is coming back, and that we are to be prepared. Let us be about the Lord’s work until He returns. I am ready and watching for His return. Are you?
Bobby Johnson
Interlocking Ministries
Scripture Reading: Matthew 24: 30-42
Focus Verses: Matthew 24: 39, 42 “And those alive in the days of Noah did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.”
God always keeps His word. If God says something is going to happen, you better believe it will happen. God told Noah there would be a flood to cover the earth. Noah could have said to God, “but it has never rained on the earth.” Instead Noah, by faith, began to build a boat. Surprisingly enough, out of all the people on earth at that time, only eight people truly believed God would flood the earth. Many people were swept away to their destruction because of their unbelief.
God has said that He is coming back to earth one day. I think there are many people that don’t believe that event is really going to happen. Millions of people on the earth today are not prepared for that event. The result of that unbelief will be devastating. Throughout God’s Word He has given us ample warning that He is coming back, and that we are to be prepared. Let us be about the Lord’s work until He returns. I am ready and watching for His return. Are you?
Bobby Johnson
Interlocking Ministries
Saturday, June 17, 2017
Tempted to go Back
Tempted to go Back
Bible Reading: John 21:1-14
Focus verse: John 21:3-6 – “I am going out to fish, “Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We will go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. Early in the morning Jesus stood on the shore but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. He called out to them, “Friends haven’t you any fish?” “No, they answered.”
When life becomes unbearable we often get tempted to go back to our initial way of life. We try to justify why we cannot continue holding strong into the faith. Some begin to think that God did not clearly speak to them about serving Him or maybe they did not make a right choice to follow God. They think it would have been better off for them in their previous way of life. These people may end up winning others to go back with them to their past way of life. Simon Peter finds things unbearable for him after Jesus was crucified and he feels he is not safe to continue with life as a disciple and a fisher of men. He shares his new decision to go back with other disciples who also jointly agree to go back with him. He forgets that Jesus had taken them away from fishers of fish to fishers of men.
The result of this decision is very disappointing! They did not catch any fish despite an all night struggle to get some. Isn’t this what others have faced when they are tempted to go back to their initial way of living? Actually others have ended worse than before and have lived not to see the joy they had hoped for in their going back. They try fixing it again and again but end up into wastage of strength and resources. As it happened to Peter and the friends; a decision to go back will never result into any fruit. It is a decision for grief, disappointment, shame, regrets and even death. Regardless of the circumstances we must not think of going back. But Jesus is faithful and is out looking for a soul which is tempted to go back into former life so that he may bring him back. He has the power to restore and bring back those which have abandoned service for God’s Kingdom. All our life victories have been because He has been our side and unless we stay in him we cannot get any catch. John 15:5, “I am the vine; you are the brunches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”
Pastor Eliazar Wambo
Makira Baptist Church – Mfangano Kenya
Bible Reading: John 21:1-14
Focus verse: John 21:3-6 – “I am going out to fish, “Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We will go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. Early in the morning Jesus stood on the shore but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. He called out to them, “Friends haven’t you any fish?” “No, they answered.”
When life becomes unbearable we often get tempted to go back to our initial way of life. We try to justify why we cannot continue holding strong into the faith. Some begin to think that God did not clearly speak to them about serving Him or maybe they did not make a right choice to follow God. They think it would have been better off for them in their previous way of life. These people may end up winning others to go back with them to their past way of life. Simon Peter finds things unbearable for him after Jesus was crucified and he feels he is not safe to continue with life as a disciple and a fisher of men. He shares his new decision to go back with other disciples who also jointly agree to go back with him. He forgets that Jesus had taken them away from fishers of fish to fishers of men.
The result of this decision is very disappointing! They did not catch any fish despite an all night struggle to get some. Isn’t this what others have faced when they are tempted to go back to their initial way of living? Actually others have ended worse than before and have lived not to see the joy they had hoped for in their going back. They try fixing it again and again but end up into wastage of strength and resources. As it happened to Peter and the friends; a decision to go back will never result into any fruit. It is a decision for grief, disappointment, shame, regrets and even death. Regardless of the circumstances we must not think of going back. But Jesus is faithful and is out looking for a soul which is tempted to go back into former life so that he may bring him back. He has the power to restore and bring back those which have abandoned service for God’s Kingdom. All our life victories have been because He has been our side and unless we stay in him we cannot get any catch. John 15:5, “I am the vine; you are the brunches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”
Pastor Eliazar Wambo
Makira Baptist Church – Mfangano Kenya
Friday, June 9, 2017
Forgiveness - The Delete Key
Forgiveness - The delete key
Bible reading: Matthew 6:9-13
Focus verse: Matthew 6:12 – Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
I must admit that my typing skills aren’t all that good so I frequently use the delete key to help me write and pass accurate information to other people. It’s possible that we will never be very accurate every time we write or pass information. I try to imagine if this key was missing in a computer or phone; communication would be difficult. Accumulation of mistakes would make your work, information or paper to present to be senseless, lacking in meaning hence low or no grading. People would present information they didn’t intend to. So delete key is the key that helps your writing be on course. It is a key you can’t avoid no matter how accurate you try to be.
Our lives have so many keys but forgiveness represents the delete key. It is the button we can’t avoid clicking daily if we want to stay on course with our walk with God and be presentable to God and to the people around us as imitators of Christ. Imagine if all the unedited work full of mistakes is what you could present for awarding, what grades could we get? That’s what happens when we don’t click the delete key in our lives. We should click it each time we make mistakes to others or whenever others do mistakes to us. Unfortunately, for some people this key is either dead, rarely used or just ignored in their lives. Jesus knew the importance of this key in our lives and instructs us to click it in our daily prayers. He said each day we need to ask for forgiveness as we also have forgiven others who trespass against us. He further states that if you don’t forgive then you too will not be forgiven, Matthew 6:14-15. Paul further states that, “You yourself are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody. You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.”
Pastor Eliazar Wambo
Makira Baptists Church – Mfangano Kenya
Bible reading: Matthew 6:9-13
Focus verse: Matthew 6:12 – Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
I must admit that my typing skills aren’t all that good so I frequently use the delete key to help me write and pass accurate information to other people. It’s possible that we will never be very accurate every time we write or pass information. I try to imagine if this key was missing in a computer or phone; communication would be difficult. Accumulation of mistakes would make your work, information or paper to present to be senseless, lacking in meaning hence low or no grading. People would present information they didn’t intend to. So delete key is the key that helps your writing be on course. It is a key you can’t avoid no matter how accurate you try to be.
Our lives have so many keys but forgiveness represents the delete key. It is the button we can’t avoid clicking daily if we want to stay on course with our walk with God and be presentable to God and to the people around us as imitators of Christ. Imagine if all the unedited work full of mistakes is what you could present for awarding, what grades could we get? That’s what happens when we don’t click the delete key in our lives. We should click it each time we make mistakes to others or whenever others do mistakes to us. Unfortunately, for some people this key is either dead, rarely used or just ignored in their lives. Jesus knew the importance of this key in our lives and instructs us to click it in our daily prayers. He said each day we need to ask for forgiveness as we also have forgiven others who trespass against us. He further states that if you don’t forgive then you too will not be forgiven, Matthew 6:14-15. Paul further states that, “You yourself are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody. You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.”
Pastor Eliazar Wambo
Makira Baptists Church – Mfangano Kenya
Friday, June 2, 2017
Ten Time Better in Ten Days
Bible reading: Daniel 1:3-20
Focus verse: Daniel 1:18-20 “At the end of time set by the king to bring them in, the chief officials presented them to Nebuchadnezzar. The king talked to them, and he found none equal to Daniel, Hannania, Mishael and Azariah; so they entered the king’s service. In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom.”
Testing is one of the ways in which learning is evaluated. Each day we are presented with opportunities to learn and grow in new ideas and we have the chance to better our understanding of the word of God. Daniel together with his three other friends are taken into a ten day learning experience and to be presented for testing after ten days. They refuse to defile their bodies with food and drinks that were not holy and pure before God but accept to take only what will please God. At the end of ten days the testing results show that they are ten times better than the other people.
Ten times better in ten days! Isn’t that encouraging. Not nine times, or eight times, or five times better in ten days. This means each day was an opportunity for them to grow and they did not miss any single opportunity. Imagine if believers would grow in their faith and understanding and service of God each day. The result could be a well varied difference between the world and believers. For some of us, it would be thousands of times better than the world given the number of days we have lived as God’s own children. But is that the truth or we are mixed into the world so that barely any difference is seen regardless of the number of days we have lived as God’s children. Have we grown in proportion to our life spent with God? 2 Timothy 2:15 – Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word truth. Avoid godless character, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly.
Pastor Eliazar Wambo
Makira Baptist Church – Mfangano Kenya
Focus verse: Daniel 1:18-20 “At the end of time set by the king to bring them in, the chief officials presented them to Nebuchadnezzar. The king talked to them, and he found none equal to Daniel, Hannania, Mishael and Azariah; so they entered the king’s service. In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom.”
Testing is one of the ways in which learning is evaluated. Each day we are presented with opportunities to learn and grow in new ideas and we have the chance to better our understanding of the word of God. Daniel together with his three other friends are taken into a ten day learning experience and to be presented for testing after ten days. They refuse to defile their bodies with food and drinks that were not holy and pure before God but accept to take only what will please God. At the end of ten days the testing results show that they are ten times better than the other people.
Ten times better in ten days! Isn’t that encouraging. Not nine times, or eight times, or five times better in ten days. This means each day was an opportunity for them to grow and they did not miss any single opportunity. Imagine if believers would grow in their faith and understanding and service of God each day. The result could be a well varied difference between the world and believers. For some of us, it would be thousands of times better than the world given the number of days we have lived as God’s own children. But is that the truth or we are mixed into the world so that barely any difference is seen regardless of the number of days we have lived as God’s children. Have we grown in proportion to our life spent with God? 2 Timothy 2:15 – Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word truth. Avoid godless character, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly.
Pastor Eliazar Wambo
Makira Baptist Church – Mfangano Kenya
Saturday, May 27, 2017
God Understands Our Limitations
Bible reading: Genesis 22: 2-13 (NIV)
Focus verse: Genesis 22: 7-8 – Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, “Father?” “Yes, my son?” Abraham replied. “The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together.
Limitations are part of our daily encounters with a degree ranging from one person to another, or a family to the other or a nation to the other. Though some people may say that they have excess for their needs, but none is perfect without a limitation – we are all lacking in something whether physical, physiological or emotional. Isaac as a young boy understood that something was missing; they did not have a lamb for sacrifice. He could count what they have but that is not all they needed, something was still missing. He turns to his father and shares his worries and concerns, and the father lovingly responds that God will provide. Isaac did not stop on the way nor did he complain to the father but believed the words of his father and kept moving even to the sacrifice alter.
Many people have doubted God’s help when over carried with limitations. Some have stopped from trusting and as a result have left the faith. God understands that we do not have it all but still wants us to trust and walk with Him. He already has solutions to all that troubles us but wants us to trust Him more daily as we abide in him no matter what. Apostle Paul states, Philippians 4:19 “And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” Don’t sit back or forsake walking in truth of the light of God because you do not have it all. Keep going, God has it all for you.
Pastor Eliazar Wambo
Makira Baptist – Mfangano Kenya
Focus verse: Genesis 22: 7-8 – Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, “Father?” “Yes, my son?” Abraham replied. “The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together.
Limitations are part of our daily encounters with a degree ranging from one person to another, or a family to the other or a nation to the other. Though some people may say that they have excess for their needs, but none is perfect without a limitation – we are all lacking in something whether physical, physiological or emotional. Isaac as a young boy understood that something was missing; they did not have a lamb for sacrifice. He could count what they have but that is not all they needed, something was still missing. He turns to his father and shares his worries and concerns, and the father lovingly responds that God will provide. Isaac did not stop on the way nor did he complain to the father but believed the words of his father and kept moving even to the sacrifice alter.
Many people have doubted God’s help when over carried with limitations. Some have stopped from trusting and as a result have left the faith. God understands that we do not have it all but still wants us to trust and walk with Him. He already has solutions to all that troubles us but wants us to trust Him more daily as we abide in him no matter what. Apostle Paul states, Philippians 4:19 “And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” Don’t sit back or forsake walking in truth of the light of God because you do not have it all. Keep going, God has it all for you.
Pastor Eliazar Wambo
Makira Baptist – Mfangano Kenya
Friday, May 19, 2017
Wasted Opportunity
Bible reading: Exodus 8:1-15 (NIV)
Focus verse: Exodus 8:8-10 – Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Pray to the Lord to take the frogs away from me and my people, and I will let your people go to offer sacrifice to the Lord.” Moses said to Pharaoh, “I leave to you the honor of setting the time for me to pray for you and your officials and your people that you and your houses may be rid of the frogs, except for those that remain in the Nile.” “Tomorrow” Pharaoh said. Moses replied, “It will be as you say so that you may know there is no one like the Lord our God.
Decisions have consequences that not only affect our lives but also the lives of our loved ones, communities, friends, work and even the nation at large. At one point in life we all stand a chance to help rescue other people’s lives or to help worsen their lives more so when are entrusted with a leadership role like Pharaoh was. Many people have made decisions that have lived to cause regrets in the generations to come. Pharaoh realizes that because of his tough headedness all the nation is invaded by frogs that spread all over the land. He goes to Moses to present the cry of his nation to have all frogs taken out from them. When given opportunity to decide when, he boldly says “Tomorrow.” Why would he postpone such kind of decision to the following day? Why would he allow the innocent lives of his people including his own family, and the children to have another troubled day with frogs?
That is exactly how we behave when we keep postponing making important decisions for our lives in time. We allow Satan to trouble us for another day yet we live in pain and worries away from God. We cause our innocent families to suffer when we don’t make right choices for their lives. Just as Moses told Pharaoh to decide when, so the Lord is waiting patiently for when we shall allow Him to come to our rescue. God will never force himself to us. Paul in his letter to the church in Rome (Romans 10:8-9) mentions that the word of salvation is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart. Any moment you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you are saved. Will you post pone your worries, troubles, anxieties to another day or have yourself at feet of Jesus and cast all your burdens upon him?
Pastor Eliazar Wambo
Makira Baptist – Mfangano Kenya
Focus verse: Exodus 8:8-10 – Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Pray to the Lord to take the frogs away from me and my people, and I will let your people go to offer sacrifice to the Lord.” Moses said to Pharaoh, “I leave to you the honor of setting the time for me to pray for you and your officials and your people that you and your houses may be rid of the frogs, except for those that remain in the Nile.” “Tomorrow” Pharaoh said. Moses replied, “It will be as you say so that you may know there is no one like the Lord our God.
Decisions have consequences that not only affect our lives but also the lives of our loved ones, communities, friends, work and even the nation at large. At one point in life we all stand a chance to help rescue other people’s lives or to help worsen their lives more so when are entrusted with a leadership role like Pharaoh was. Many people have made decisions that have lived to cause regrets in the generations to come. Pharaoh realizes that because of his tough headedness all the nation is invaded by frogs that spread all over the land. He goes to Moses to present the cry of his nation to have all frogs taken out from them. When given opportunity to decide when, he boldly says “Tomorrow.” Why would he postpone such kind of decision to the following day? Why would he allow the innocent lives of his people including his own family, and the children to have another troubled day with frogs?
That is exactly how we behave when we keep postponing making important decisions for our lives in time. We allow Satan to trouble us for another day yet we live in pain and worries away from God. We cause our innocent families to suffer when we don’t make right choices for their lives. Just as Moses told Pharaoh to decide when, so the Lord is waiting patiently for when we shall allow Him to come to our rescue. God will never force himself to us. Paul in his letter to the church in Rome (Romans 10:8-9) mentions that the word of salvation is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart. Any moment you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you are saved. Will you post pone your worries, troubles, anxieties to another day or have yourself at feet of Jesus and cast all your burdens upon him?
Pastor Eliazar Wambo
Makira Baptist – Mfangano Kenya
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