SPIES VERSUS TRUE MEN

Good Friday with Jesus

Friday, 5th April, 2024

"Send one of you, and let him fetch your brother, and YE SHALL BE KEPT IN PRISON, THAT YOUR WORDS MAY BE PROVED, whether there be any truth in you: or else by the life of Pharaoh surely YE ARE SPIES. [17] And he put them all together into ward THREE DAYS. [18] And Joseph said unto them THE THIRD DAY, THIS DO, AND LIVE; for I fear God: [19] If ye be true men, let one of your brethren be bound in the house of your prison: go ye, carry corn for the famine of your houses: [20] But bring YOUR YOUNGEST BROTHER UNTO ME; SO SHALL YOUR WORDS BE VERIFIED, and YE SHALL NOT DIE. And they did so." Genesis 42:16-20 KJV

Let's remember! Let's remember Jesus' death as if were today!

You see, death is something we are supposed to do everyday, as really as we do life. If we can only live and not die daily, then we are not true men; we are not verified Christians and God cannot be sure of us. We can only be described as spies- certain spies in the kingdom of God. Nations, states and kingdoms do not deal lightly with spies. Spies are threats to national security. They must be tried and proved and if found wanting, killed. In Numbers 21:1, "And when king Arad the Canaanite, which dwelt in the south, heard tell that Israel came by the way of the spies; then he fought against Israel, and took some of them prisoners." Taking the way of spies or behaving like one makes you mete for the punishment of spies- prison.

The purpose of this life is the King's search for loyal eternal partners of His Kingdom. He doesn't want people he can't trust. Everyone who claims to be in His Kingdom must suffer trial- the trial of death, shame, obscurity, poverty, nakedness, homelessness, et cetera, and be found true!

Jesus said there are people who enter in by jumping the walls. "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that ENTERETH NOT BY THE DOOR into the sheepfold, but climbeth up SOME OTHER WAY, the same is a thief and a robber." John 10:1.

Joseph in his day was a type of Jesus. He was the man who tasted prison before the palace, just like Jesus indeed tasted death before resurrection power. Joseph knew the benefits of the pit. He knew it was the secret to his exaltation to the palace. He knew that any man who had not been to a prison of some sort could not have his words trusted. When his brothers came to him in the palace, he kept them all in prison for three days! He was giving them an opportunity to prove they were true men and not spies. He was giving them an opportunity to verify that they were worthy of the honour that awaited them- brothers of the Prime Minister of Egypt. Are you a spy in the kingdom of God? Are you one just interested in the goodies of the kingdom and not the sacrifices thereof? It is not okay to have your eye only on the resurrection and not on his death. When you do that, God is not sure of you. He will suspect you greatly and label you a spy!

Joseph said to his brothers on the third day, "This do and live, for I fear God". It's easy not to remember the death of Jesus and hold on only to the benefits of the resurrection or the good things of this life When you do that you are a thief and a robber and most likely do not fear God. We must understand that Joseph was a prophet. He was the guy who had dreams and said things that eventually came to pass. By making that declaration on the third day, he was addressing something that would be an issue for all time in the faith. People will not be lovers of Jesus' death but will chiefly hail His resurrection and boast of power to heal, power to have a sound mind, power to have wealth, etc. People who do such things are likely enemies of the cross- they have no cross in their own lives and will not want to preach it. But we must be lovers of Christ, His death and resurrection so that we can have real and true eternal life. Joseph, in the Scripture above, said, "This do and live". Jesus said, "This do in remembrance of Me"

HILLSIDE APPOINTMENT OF THE TWELVE

The Lamb’s Book

Thursday, 22nd February, 2024.

Mark 3:13-19 AMP - He went up on the hillside and called those whom He Himself wanted and chose; and they came to Him. 14 And He appointed twelve [disciples], so that they would be with Him [for instruction] and so that He could send them out to preach [the gospel as apostles—that is, as His special messengers, personally chosen representatives], 15 and to have authority and power to cast out demons. 16 He appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom He gave the name Peter), 17 and James, the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James (to them He gave the name Boanerges, that is, “Sons of Thunder”); 18 and [He also appointed] Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew (Nathanael), and Matthew (Levi the tax collector), and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus (Judas the son of James), and Simon the Zealot; 19 and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Him.

The Lambs’ lessons

1. Vs 13 Jesus is interested in making many disciples. When the crowds that followed Him increased, He made a conscious effort to chose and select amongst them those He wanted. First we see that he made a conscious effort to withdraw from those who loved to see a withered hand ( no opportunity or passion to work) on a Sabbath day, to be with His disciples near the sea, after which more crowds began to come around. And then next, we see that He begins to make stronger steps towards confirming His selected and closer disciples. Although you may start out as one of the lost-in-the-crowd admirers of Jesus, decide to become one of the closer ones out of the whole lot of people who follow Him.

2. Vs 13-15 Those whom Jesus chose and wanted had three characteristics:

a. they were willing to be with Jesus and take instructions from Him.

b. they were willing to be sent out by Jesus to do various chores and preach in various places.

c. they were willing to fight and oppose demons and evil forces so Jesus was happy to give them the power and authority for that.

In order to be drawn nearer to God, you have to deeply have the humility that shows you are ready to learn from Jesus, be used and sent by Him, and to fight against your own sin and the presence of evil in other people’s lives whom Jesus wants to set free.

3. Vs 16 He appointed a specific number of disciples who were to always be with him. He appointed twelve disciples. You should also be able to determine the number of people you bring close to yourself, to mentor and teach and to send out to do good works.

4. Mark 3:16-19 The names of the twelves disciples are well delineated. You must know the names of the twelve disciples Jesus chose. If he knew them by name, you should know them by name too.

I. Simon Peter

II. James, the son of Zebedee ( Boanerges that is, “Sons of Thunder”)

III. John the brother of James ( Boanerges, that is, “Sons of Thunder”)

IV. Andrew

V. Philip

VI. Bartholomew (Nathanael)

VII. Matthew (Levi the tax collector)

VIII. Thomas

IX. James the son of Alphaeus

X. Thaddaeus (Judas the son of James)

XI. Simon the Zealot

XII. Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Him.

5. Vs 16,17- He renamed some of his disciples. He renamed Simon Peter and the sons of Zebedee, James and John as Boanerges, meaning “sons of Thunder”. Jesus can give you a new name as you follow Him.

Revelation 2:17 AMP - He who has an ear, let him hear and heed what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes [the world through believing that Jesus is the Son of God], to him I will give [the privilege of eating] some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone with a NEW NAME engraved on the stone which no one knows except the one who receives it.’

6. Vs 16, 17, 18 Jesus appointed siblings to be in His team. We must desire to do the work of the Lord together with our siblings. James and John were siblings; they were both sons of Zebedee. Peter and Andrew were siblings; they were both sons of Jonah.

SELF- CONTROL

Live Daily Footstool Devotional

Monday, 11th March, 2024

Read James 3

Proverbs 13:3 TLB

Self-control means controlling the tongue! A quick retort can ruin everything.

Without self- control, you are not yet made perfect in love. You are not yet mature if you cannot exercise a good dose of control on your own self when it’s most needed.

Galatians 5:22-23 TLB - But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and SELF-CONTROL.

True maturity requires that you acknowledge that there is a beast lying within your own self, that if you do not sufficiently tame it, it will rule over you and disgrace you before you know. Receive the key to tame your own wild beast of the uncontrollable person that you may be!

In order to control a big machine like a car for instance, all one has to do is to use the key in its proper hole near the steering wheel and one can either move that large device or stop it. In the case of a complicated device like a computer, pressing a tiny key could be all that it takes to turn it on or off. Apostle James alluded to how that a tiny rudder could control a whole big ship!

You can control yourself well enough by learning to use or not use your little tongue to steer your large self! Decide today to view your tongue as the steering device for your life. Are you quick- tempered? Not as much harm can be done through your own bad temper boiling in your own head and chest as compared to the harm that can be done if you let your tongue loose to spew it all out insults, quarrels, outburst, fits of rage, or a brawl. Mastering the art of using your tongue to control your body’s emotions can be your best tool ever for you to attain heights of love, self- discovery and maturity in Christ.

You don’t have to respond to everything. You don’t have to say anything sometimes. One quick retort to a disgusting comment thrown at you unawares, leaving you all dishevelled and disappointed, could be all that’s needed to bring an irreparably big ruin into your life and destiny.

Learn to control your self by controlling your tongue. You won’t go very far in life without this key!

Prayer: Dear Lord, I thank You. I receive the key to self- control in my life in Jesus name. Help me to keep myself in and not scatter myself all over the place. I want my life to be in good shape, not distorted and looking all beastly, untamed, savage and lacking self- rule or self- control. Please help me to mature completely with the key of self- control in Jesus name. Amen.

Live everyday!

Anastasia Bruce

Footstool Colour

RECEIVE THE MARK OF MERCY

Desiring Mercy Footstool Devotional

6th March, 2024.

Read Revelations 9

Revelation 7:3 NCV - He said to them, “Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we MARK WITH A SIGN THE FOREHEADS OF THE PEOPLE WHO SERVE OUR GOD.”

Revelation 9:3-4 NCV - Then locusts came down to the earth out of the smoke, and they were given the power to sting like scorpions. 4 They were told not to harm the grass on the earth or any plant or tree. They could harm only THE PEOPLE WHO DID NOT HAVE THE SIGN OF GOD ON THEIR FOREHEADS.

Revelation 13:13-17 MSG

This second Beast worked magical signs, dazzling people by making fire come down from Heaven. It used the magic it got from the Beast to dupe earth dwellers, getting them to make an image of the Beast that received the deathblow and lived. It was able to animate the image of the Beast so that it talked, and then arrange that anyone not worshiping the Beast would be killed. It forced all people, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to have a mark on the right hand or forehead. WITHOUT THE MARK OF THE NAME OF THE BEAST OR THE NUMBER OF ITS NAME, IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO BUY OR SELL ANYTHING.

Many have heard of the “ MARK OF THE BEAST”(without which there will be no buying or selling in the last days, and with which many will be led to hell, but not many have been told of the MARK OF GOD’S MERCY( also known as the sign of God which spares those who humbly serve Him- ). Just as unrepentance from sin and evil can easily justify and qualify people to receive the mark of satan and eternal damnation, repentance and a change of heart can justify and qualify people to receive the mark of God’s mercy.

You see, the wrath of God is coming. It is evidenced by the many deadly diseases, plagues and expensive sicknesses that are killing people these days. God’s wrath is coming upon all those who do not fear Him nor obey and do His will. But to those who receive His teachings and wisdom, evidenced by a change of heart and ways, He will show mercy and spare from evil.

Ask to receive the mark of God’s mercy today. He loves you and wants to ensure your escape from torture in this life and in the world to come. You don’t have to subscribe to the mark of the beast before you can be assured of your daily bread. God’s mark of mercy can insure you so well that even in a world of so much hardship and difficulty, you can be well catered for as you love and serve God. Asking to receive the mark of God’s mercy will position you for a journey of obedience to God, one that will lead you into the freedom of enjoying God’s promises for your life.

Job 36:11 AMPC - If they obey and serve Him, they shall spend their days in prosperity and their years in pleasantness and joy.

Prayer: Dear God, thank You. I have often heard about the mark of the beast, but not so much about the mark of Your mercy. I’m so glad to find out that you can actually choose me and put a mark in my body, signifying that I belong to You. Please Lord, help me to obey and serve you always, in Jesus name, as I receive the mark of Your mercy. Amen.

Desire Mercy

Anastasia Bruce

Footstool Colour

THE KING’S NURSE

Royalty by Loyalty Footstool Devotional

Tuesday, 5th March, 2024

1 Kings 1:1-4 AMP - Now King David was old, advanced in years; they covered him with clothes, but he could not get warm. 2 So his servants said to him, “LET A YOUNG VIRGIN BE FOUND FOR MY LORD THE KING AND LET HER ATTEND HIM AND BECOME HIS NURSE; LET HER LIE AGAINST YOUR CHEST, SO THAT MY LORD THE KING MAY FEEL WARM.” 3 So they searched for a beautiful girl throughout the territory of Israel, and found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king. 4 The girl was very beautiful; and SHE BECAME THE KING’S NURSE and served him, BUT THE KING WAS NOT INTIMATE WITH HER.

One of the highest honours the Lord can place on your life is to call you to become a king’s servant.

In the royal home of Russia’s last Tsar Nicholas II and Queen Alexandra( of the early 20th century), when after filling their bough with four daughters and a son who was to arrive sick with hemophilia, there came a need for a royal nurse who would take care of the children especially because the Tsarina Alexandra also grew weak through last pregnancy. Margaretta Eagar, an Irish Nanny, was found and recommended to be a servant in the king’s courts. Before her “higher call”, she was a nurse in Belfast( capital of Northern Ireland) and had also served as a matron in a girls’ orphanage.

Through your beautiful service to the Lord in your secret life of worship, God can cause earthly kings to take note of you and call you into their service. This is one of ways God honours His children. You can expect to be recommended for higher works of service in the house of God as you walk in love to the Lord today, in your secret life of worship and faithfulness in service.

Abishag the Shunammite was found and brought to the king after a search was made throughout the whole of Israel’s territory. She was to be that beautiful girl who would sit by the king and nurse him in his illness. She did everything for him, except become intimate with him. When you are called into the king’s courts, your loyalty to the royal quarters will demand that you do not go too deep into certain things. You must respect boundaries. You must learn not be a loose talker, saying and telling everything you see in the intimate places of the palace. You must have a sealed mouth, not an “ okro” mouth, spilling out any and everything you see happening in the deep places. To beautiful does not mearey mean to be beautiful in your outlook, but more importantly, you must have a way of seeing beauty in everything around you, instead of complaining about everything or wanting to know so you can go and tell scoffers and mockers. You must have a certain fear and reverence that makes you serve in the courts happily, never too inquisitive to go uninvited into the inner chambers or tell whatever happens there to the public should you get to see anything there. Ask the Lord to make you a really beautiful person in the way you see things, not just in how people see you. True beauty is in how you see things, and not in how you are seen per se.

In Margaretta Eagar’s memoir of 1906, she is noted to have left out many sensitive topics of the life in the royal house that seemed even to be known by the public. For example she left out the matter of the sickness of the Russian prince, Alexei. She highlighted all the fond memories of her care for the princesses, Olga, Tatiana, Maria and Anastasia, calling them “my” children. Even after her six years’ work in the palace, she is not found as one with any recorded interview with any journalist telling of any secrets in the palace till her death in 1939. She worked in the palace courts, and was happy not to go spill any beans of any secret royal drama she may have witnessed while working there.

Psalm 65:4 AMP - BLESSED IS THE ONE WHOM YOU CHOOSE AND BRING NEAR TO DWELL IN YOUR COURTS. We will be filled with the goodness of Your house, Your holy temple.

Many blessings await you.

WITHOLD NOTHING

Live Daily Footstool Devotional

Monday, 4th March, 2024

Read Acts 20:17-38

Acts 20:20 KJV - AND HOW I KEPT BACK NOTHING THAT WAS PROFITABLE UNTO YOU, but have shewed you, and have taught you publicly, and from house to house,

All kinds of fears can prevent us from giving our all to the people that God sends us to. Fear of being abused, disregarded, downplayed, deceived, rejected, downtrodden, etc. While we attempt to minister God’s grace, there are those who would want to receive it in vain or in disdain.

But the Scriptures encourage us not be weary in well doing( Galatians 6:9).

Paul in the scripture above reminded the church he had been with for 3 years that he had not kept back from them anything that was profitable unto them. Friends, the purpose of a sent minister in your life is to deliver unto you all that is meant to bring you profit in every sphere of your life. Do not hold back as a minister from going all out in serving your flock with all the grace of God made available to you. And as a sheep, do not hold back from receiving all that the Lord has for you through God’s servant to you. By receiving the grace of God with little respect, we encourage fears in a our minister so that he or she does not want to go all out in bringing God’s grace to us.

Let us always encourage the delivery of God’s grace to us, whether we are at the giving end( to others) or at the receiving end. No one must hold back anything that is profitable for the flock of God for any reason.

Prayer: Dear Jesus, I thank You. I pray for the power to withold nothing in my ministry. I pray for the power to deliver to my flock all that your grace ministers to me. Please take out every impurity in my heart and make me a pure transmitter of your mercies and grace in Jesus name. Amen.

Live!

Anastasia Bruce

Footstool Colour

Daniel 1.

Daniel knew how to put a knife to his throat when he was in the presence of the king. We must be conscious of holding back our desires for food that served especially in any new place that we go to. This is important to keep us " undefiled"( Daniel 1:8), and able to maintain the purpose and assignment for which God may have sent us into a place. We must identify what makes us different, and put in exercises that help keep us different from others.

THINK ABOUT YOUR PASTOR’S FOOD

Royalty by Loyalty Footstool Devotional

Tuesday, 23rd January, 2024

Read John 4:7ff

John 4:33 So the disciples said to one another, “Has anyone brought Him something to eat?”

The disciples of Jesus distinguished themselves in that they were mindful of the physical needs of their Teacher. The disciples of Jesus paid attention to the Master’s meals- they showed concern as to whether he had something to eat at all. Being mindful of the physical needs of your Spiritual Teacher is a highly virtuous deed and it is a good sign of your loyalty and gratitude.

1. JESUS’S TEACHING MINISTRY VS TABLE MINISTRY

John 4:7-8 AMP - Then a woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink”— 8 For His disciples had gone off into the city to buy food...

While Jesus was busy serving God’s Word and Spirit to a hungry and thirsty woman at the well, his disciples went off into the city to buy food for the team! If you want to serve loyally in the Kingdom of God, you must understand that God gives leaders whose attention must solely be on the teaching of the Word, and the disciples around him must be content to be the ones to concern themselves with doing things that generate income or bring in physical food or resources so the work of the ministry can be accomplished altogether. Be content to be a part of Jesus’s table ministers. Be happy to be the one paying your tithes, giving offerings and gifts and communicating in all kinds of physical gifts towards your pastor. Do not find yourself grumbling and secretly wishing that you be the recipient of such honours when you are not the Apostle God has chosen and sent to a group of people. Take your place as a true disciple and be concerned about your pastor’s physical provisions.

2. THE 12 APOSTLES’ TEACHING MINISTRY VS TABLE MINISTRY.

Acts 6:2 AMP - So the Twelve called the disciples together and said, “It is not appropriate for us to neglect [TEACHING] THE WORD OF GOD in order to SERVE TABLES AND MANAGE THE DISTRIBUTION OF FOOD.

Providing spiritual food is very different from providing physical food. Putting food on physical tables is different from putting the Word of God of the tables of the hearts of men. The 12 apostles got to the place where they realised God demanded more of their attention to be on the teaching of the Word. This greater demand on their lives for the work of the ministry simultaneously called for their disciples to awaken to concerns about provision and distribution of physical food and needs.

It is highly important to pay attention to the physical needs of your Pastor while he communicates spiritual things to you.

Not being able to communicate physical gifts to the one who serves you with spiritual gifts is a sign of theft, lack of maturity, ingratitude , disgrace and disloyalty.

When the grace of God is at work in you, it awakens you and gives you a desire to want to contribute something to your pastor’s welfare.

2 Corinthians 8:1 AMP - Now, brothers and sisters, we want to tell you about the grace of God which has been evident in the churches of Macedonia [AWAKENING IN THEM A LONGING TO CONTRIBUTE]...

Prayer: Dear Lord, I thank You for Your Word. Please awaken in me a longing to contribute to the welfare of my pastor. Help me to be able go all out to fetch and give gifts towards the physical comfort of my pastor. Make me a true disciple by awakening this grace in me in Jesus mighty name. Amen.

Anastasia Bruce

Footstool Colour

FEAR GOD, SPARE THE BOYS

Desiring Mercy Devotional

Wednesday, 15th November, 2023.

Exodus 1:14-17 NIV - 15 The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, whose names were Shiphrah and Puah, 16 “When you are helping the Hebrew women during childbirth on the delivery stool, if you see that the baby is a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, let her live.” 17 THE MIDWIVES, HOWEVER, FEARED GOD AND DID NOT DO WHAT THE KING OF EGYPT HAD TOLD THEM TO DO; THEY LET THE BOYS LIVE.

Exodus 1:21 NIV - And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families of their own.

What kind of lady do you want to be? Do you want to be a woman who is always putting pressure on the men in your life till there is no life left in them to serve God but rather so much affection for your sinful and selfish self, or you would rather be like these midwives who feared God and worked hard and cunningly to make sure that the male child was free from death, satanic onslaught and demonic rule. Dear Daughter, you have to be a lady who is kind to males. Some women just hate men because of some bad experience they may have experienced before. That shouldn’t be. "Mankind” are the nearest and only neighbours to "womankind” among humans. A lady who hates males in general and has no desire to draw them close to or donate them to God through her heart and life has flouted the second greatest command by not loving her neighbour, and she certainly could not be a lover of God.

How, then, can you really love a male, as a female?

1. You love a male by fearing God yourself. You honour a male by fearing God and being sure to hear from him before you do anything or say anything to a male. As a lady, you must have a reverence for the male sex, recognising that the male sex was made first before the female.

For Adam was first formed, then Eve. 1 Timothy 2:13.

The male human being is a fearful creature who must not be known or estimated merely through carnal eyes. The male human is a being designed with a desperate quest to fulfill God’s mandate on the earth. If through your selfish ways as a neighbouring lady, you make the mistake to make life hard for a male, or drive him further away from the pursuit of God and salvation, you will be in great danger at the Judgement because you would have destroyed so much of God’s plans to express Himself through his males.

2. You love a male by honouring and fearing the image of a male. As a female, you must fear God by fearing your dealings with all males. You must fear that they are a special physical expression of God, and very different in purpose and mandate from females. A man’s maleness must make you fear God, bearing in mind that if you destroy a man’s life, you would have in effect destroyed an entire move of God for a particular heavenly agenda on earth meant to be through him. This should make you tremble when you see a man. Your first response when you see a man with well developed secondary sexual characteristics, for instance, should not be in the flirting of your eyes and behaviour around him. Deepen your fear of God by refusing to see a male as only useful for your sexual needs, monetary needs or social needs. The best way you can honour the male gender is not by volunteering yourself to him for sex at will, or give him or take money from him at will, or obey any deviant instruction from him in the name of love! Dear daughter, the best way you can honour God’s male species is to make sure that you deeply revere God as the head of a man and are careful not deal with a man or say or do anything to him that you have not first received from God.

But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God. 1 Corinthians 11:3 KJV

Shiphrah and Puah received a message from the king of Egypt ( who was filled with ungodliness and wickedness) but they refused to let that influence what they had to do with the males they came across.

When Jesus met the woman at the well, He congratulated her for her honesty in confessing that she had no husband, even though she was at that in her 6th "marriage". This woman must have been a woman who was a hard believer in marriage. Even though her previous relationships had failed for one reason or the other, she still continued to believe in marriage. It was clear by this 6th time, she was exasperated and disappointed that she did not have a faithful partner in even this supposed sixth spouse.

Yet it was this sixth time( and sixth hour! John 4: that her weariness met wit