Edy's space

Pure perception
The point I am concerned with in this short exhortation is how our perception can propel us through process and pain toward the prize set before us. The way we perceive affects the condition of our hearts either positively or negatively. ‘Now when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it displeased him; so he took hold of his father’s hand…from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head.’ Genesis 48v17. Both sons were Joseph’s but Manasseh was the elder of the two. To receive patriarchal blessing, Joseph expected his father to lay his right hand on the firstborn. The contrary that Joseph saw displeased him. Perception pilots emotion and motives. It impinges on how we analyse issues and the conclusions we reach. Since we need to always conclude wisely to get the best out of every situation, changing negative perception is imperative. The difficulty we encounter here is how to recognize and change odd perception. The
common belief that our background and the group we associate with have a remarkable influence on our perception of life is true. You cannot change your background but you can opt out of a bad group. Our internal make-up plays a dominant role too. The internal configuration must not be allowed to ruin our external walk and progress in God. If Jesus could walk on water, even what nature arranged God could re-arrange. In the text we read above, God inspired Israel to ‘set Ephraim before Manasseh.’ Genesis 48v20. The younger could be greater than the older. What you are going to become must be greater than who you are and what you were. Depend on God to change your perception. “And Joseph said to his father: ‘Not so, my father, for this one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head.’ Genesis 48v18. Joseph wanted to correct his father in line with what he saw and deemed right. But his father’s action was deliberate. He saw differently and
according to heaven’s arrangement. Our Father in heaven also wants to effect rearrangements in our life despite what we have seen. He wants us to see the way He sees. Nature and nurture are not constraints to our Father’s perception. Like Joseph finally did, will you allow the Father’s re-arrangement? Don’t allow what you have seen put you in a mould. Scales of lies must fall off from our eyes if we must perceive right. Perfect perception of God’s way clears debris from blurred vision.

Moses is another example of someone who, at last and against all odds, saw the way God wanted him to go; ‘…for he looked to the reward.’ Hebrews 11v26. Moses who God chose as the leader in Israel had certain characteristics which made him excelled. Worthy of note among many of his faith boosters is perception. Faith in God so permeated Moses’ heart that what he beheld held him tight. He looked onto God, saw His reward and was glued to what he saw. ‘By keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish,’ we shall be able to strip off every weight that slows us down especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress. Thus running the race that God has set before us becomes easier. Hebrews 12v1 (NLT). Moses ‘looked to the reward.’ He set his eyes on the crown and the determination to win the race consumed him. He discovered that the prize was worth the labourious process he had to go through. He saw the prize and
endured the pains. If there is no picture, there is no future. If you can see the picture, it is easy to adjust your posture. You will easily realize that a rigid posture can spoil the final result. Perception is critical to decision making process and the development of godly attitude. What you constantly behold, good or bad, will hold you tight. If you can see the right picture, you can take long strides toward the future with dodged resolve not to be deterred by any spanners thrown into your wheel of progress. ‘…For [Moses] looked to the reward.’  A place with Jesus is that reward, our reward. May God open our eyes to see beyond process and pains, to see the prize.
Be alert and alive in Him

Treasures in obscure places   Deep inside the belly of the earth are treasures hidden for those who are daring to discover and obtain benefits for their labor. Diamond is mixed with coal deep in the ground; gold is in the mud waiting to be explored and its beauty enjoyed. Whatever happens, goal-getters overcome all obstacles to bring out treasures from these dark places. Planes, cars, electronic gadgets… are treasures embedded in the earth but dug out and refined to reveal their usefulness. ‘And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being.’ Genesis 2v7. God is a wise investor. Why did He invest so much in man (dust) - a mere mortal? Man, like gold, is a treasure from the mud (dust). Man is the most valuable treasure ever dug from the ground. God did the digging. He formed man from dust and refined him by putting a part of Himself in man. God places a great value on man because he is His treasure. ‘For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also’. Luke 12v34. No wonder God is always mindful of man. His mind is full of concerns for man. He cannot leave us alone, He cannot forsake His own. That is why His mercy toward us endures, He is always ready to forgive if we truly repent and He sent His Son to seek and save sinners. Jesus, during His earthly ministry, located one Gardarene demoniac and his condition was completely changed. The one living in the dark side of life, who no one could tame, crying and cutting himself with stones saw the Light and was instantly healed. The lunatic met with Jesus, was transformed and became an evangelist spreading the good news about the goodness of the Lord in his home and neighboring towns. There is no treasure, no matter how deeply hidden, that cannot be discovered and brought out to showcase the glory of the Creator. Treasures in earthen vessels can be refined to become vessels of honour. Gideon was among those hiding from the enemy of Israel before he met the Lord. He became a mighty man of valor. David was tending the family’s sheep in the field when the word of God located him and he became the anointed king. I was a vessel consigned to the dungeon but by God’s grace I am being re-cycled to become a vessel of honour. Isn’t it high time you too were ‘carried on eagle’s wings’ toward your purpose in God? God is the one bringing us ‘up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay’ setting our ‘feet upon the rock’. Everybody has his/her dark side of life. This notwithstanding, the Holy Spirit can still dig out the treasure in us. God wants to do a new thing in our lives, if we allow Him. When you suddenly find yourself in the obscure side of life (may be in troubles), look for the treasures God intends that you discover and acquire. There are no dark situations (difficulties, problems and even dangers) without accompanying hidden treasures. All we need to do is to remain humble and let God lift up our eyes to see clearly. Anyone that passes through the dark alley of life without finding any treasures might have suffered in vain. If God created gold and put it in the mud and diamond He put in the dark areas, I pray we will put our worldly treasures where they rightly belong - in what seems the muddy compartment of our hearts. Then and only then shall we be able to exalt God’s name above all other things. At His birth, the Savior of the whole world was wrapped in swaddling cloths and laid in a sheep’s feeding trough because there were no rooms in the inn. Today, Christ lives within the humble though many of them may be broken-hearted. There are no rooms for Him in the hearts of the busy, rich and wise men of the world. Worldly treasures and pressures have taken over all the available rooms in their hearts. I pray you’ll be enabled to embrace God’s extended mercy and favor. Be alert and alive in Him.

..."I who speak in righteousness, mighty to save." Why is Your apparel red, And Your garments like one who treads in the  winepress? "I have trodden the winepress alone, And from the peoples no one was with Me. For I have trodden them in My anger, And trampled them in My fury; Their blood is sprinkled upon My garments, And I have stained all My robes. For the day of vengeance is in My heart, And the year of My redeemed has come. I looked, but there was no one to help, And I woundered that there was no one to uphold: Therefore My own arm brought salvation for Me; And My own fury, it sustained Me. I have trodden down the people in My anger. Made drunk in My fury, And brought down their strenght to the earth."  I will mention the lovingkindness of the LORD And the praises of the LORD, According to all that the LORD has bestowed on us, And the great goodness toward the house (our homes) of Israel, Which He has bestowed on (us) them according to His mercies, according to the multitude of His lovingkindness. For He said, "Surely they are My people, Children who will not lie."So He became their Savior. In all their affliction He was afflicted. And the Angel of His Presence saved them;In His love and in His pity He redeemed them; He bore them and carried them All the days of old. But they rebelled and grieved His Holy Spirit; So He turned Himself agaist them as an enemy, And He fought against them. Then he rremembered the days of old,...