Take All!

I have pursued my enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again till they were consumed. – Ps 18:37

David may have been Israel’s greatest king from a spiritual or military standpoint; but in terms of administration and sheer royal majesty, no Israelite king beats Solomon. Only under him did the kingdom of Israel attain the closest thing to ‘world-power’ status, fit almost to rank beside Egypt and Assyria. And in his time, the borders of Israel reached the farthest than at any other time in history – about four times the area they occupy today (“occupied” territory and all). Yet as large as Israel was then, it was still not up to the “Canaan” that God promised to Abraham and his descendants.

This is because the Israelites never really took over all the Land that was given to them. In spite of the fact that the LORD assured them victory in every battle, in spite of the fact that they had seen kingdom after kingdom fall before them, they still did not take over the land completely.

Out of fear, unbelief or just plain old laziness and complacency, each tribe that was allotted Canaanite territory always left some groups unconquered until years later those little remnants became their nightmare; (e.g. the Philistines).

Beloved, we mustn’t settle for less than whatever God has clearly revealed to us. Age, the passage of time and the harsh realities of life can sometimes make us begin to consider the vivid visions and prophecies of earlier years as naive and unrealistic. But taking over lands flowing with milk and honey from Giants – is NOT “realistic”, yet that’s exactly what Canaan was.

Make up your mind today not to live any less than God has made available to you. When you take over your “Canaan” and I take over mine, we would be effectively bringing the Kingdom of Heaven here on Earth. We mustn’t allow temporary successes or relative prosperity make us complacent. Our “Canaan” awaits; Let’s go take it all!

AMEN.

More Blessings await you today; you’ll not miss them in Jesus’ Name.

GREG ELKAN

You Should Win

What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us… – Rom 8:31

Josh 7:1-7 narrates how the Israelites were soundly routed by the inhabitants of the Canaanite town of Ai. We know the story, they lost 36 of the three thousand soldiers sent into the Land, and they all returned home devastated and miserable about the defeat.

It’s quite interesting that the Israelites didn’t attribute their loss to poor logistics, their probable inferior skills or even the fact that they sent three thousand men to fight a town of twelve thousand! None of that was considered; they lost and all they could think was, “This was not supposed to happen”.

Evidently, the Israelites had more faith in the Old covenant than we in the New Testament have in ours. Because when we experience failure and defeat in our lives today we usually take it as a natural consequence of things. “Life happens”, we often respond.

But to the Israelites, God, not life, was what was supposed to happen. Whenever they were in a battle, God fights for them, period. No questions asked. It didn’t matter the size and the pedigree of the opposing army, victory was assured. Sometimes, the LORD doesn’t even hide His gross partiality and favouritism to them; He’d send in hail to kill more enemies than the Israelites did, He’d make the Sun stand still to give them an advantage, He’d even reveal the military strategies of the enemy nation, (Josh 10:11-14; Jdg 5:20; 2Ki 6:12, etc.).

Beloved, God doesn’t love the Israelites more than He loves you; as a matter of fact, whatever affection He had for them under the Old Covenant pales into insignificance compared to the love He has for you whom He has accepted in His Beloved Son (Eph 1:6).

So live with an expectation of victory every day of your life; God expects no less from you.

AMEN.

More Blessings await you today; you’ll not miss them in Jesus’ Name.

GREG ELKAN 

Oh God, Deliver Me from Houseless Giants

In Dt 6:10,11 Moses promised the  Israelites that in Canaan they would inherit large towns, with good buildings that they didn’t build, and houses full of good things that they didn’t put there. Wells that they didn’t have to dig, and vineyards and olive orchards that they didn’t have to plant.

The template for taking over the land of Canaan was straightforward:

> Go into the area of land allotted to you

> Kill whatever giant you find in that area

> Take over the giant’s property – that is now your inheritance

(see Jos 10:36-37; 11:21-22; Jdg 1:10; 20).

But here’s a little practical problem: not all the giants would be hanging around their homes. Imagine with me a brave, ambitious Israelite who, with Joshua’s permission, eyes some choice property in an area. But on his way there he stumbles upon a fierce ‘goliath’ of a guy who was on the way to the forest. The battle is bloody and exhausting; but because he has the covenant backing from the LORD, the Israelite defeats the giant. But by now he’s weary, exhausted and spent; and he hasn’t confronted his own giant yet!

The giant he just defeated most likely has a nice house, too; along with a big garden and a superabundant storehouse. But giants don’t move around with dog tags around their necks, and there was no way to the location of this fallen giant’s property. 6 hours of exhausting warfare gone, no house to show for it.

This is unfortunately where we find ourselves sometimes: fighting battles that have no attendant spoils, involved in fights with no prizes at the end, and expending energies with no connected reward: Houseless Giants.

What are ‘Houseless Giants’? They are those conflicts that add nothing to either your pay check or your prayer life. They are troubles that bring you no value; ill winds that blow no good.

Haman’s decision to kill Mordecai ended up enriching him, Daniel’s persecution for his praying was an avenue for his promotion, and Goliath was David’s intro to national limelight.

Sadly, few of our real life ‘enemies’ fall into this category. Most of the things and people that bug us add nothing to us in the end. Petty quarrels, pesky headaches, office squabbles that affect your productivity, unbearable neighbours that spoil your mood for the rest of the day… ‘Houseless Giants’.

Get your priorities straight today. Jesus’ enemy, Judas, helped Him fulfil His destiny; any ‘enemy’ of yours that’s not doing same seriously does not deserve your time. Focus on the struggles that matter; not every ‘giant’ you meet in life is meant to be confronted.

SELAH.

More Blessings await you today; you’ll not miss them in Jesus’ Name.

GREG ELKAN

What Giants?

What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us… – Rom 8:31

As appealing as the prospect of taking over “Canaan” may seem, not many persons are that excited about it. This is because we have been conditioned with phrases like, “For every new level, there’s a new devil”, “In every rose, there’s a thorn”, “For every treasure, there’s a Dragon”… in essence, for every ‘land of Canaan’ “flowing with milk and honey”, there’s the ANAKIM – a fierce race of giants already living in the land you want to possess.

That seemed to be what the Israelites discovered when 12 men were sent to spy out the land for them. When they returned, the majority report was, “Those people are much too strong for us… the people are like giants. In fact, we saw the Nephilim who are the ancestors of the Anakim. They were so big that we felt as small as grasshoppers.” (Num 13:31-33 CEV).

In His mouth-watering depiction of the Land, God had conveniently left out that important piece of information, - at least that's how many of us see it.

We consider the attendant problems of the the Land as part and parcel of the Promise.

But if Moses had confronted God about the giants in Canaan, I believe the LORD would have replied with just two words: "WHAT GIANTS?"

First of all, though the Anakim may have been over ten feet tall,  they would still be tiny dots from God's perspective, (which is probably why He didn't 'notice' them).

Secondly, and much more importantly, He didn't mention the giants to the Israelites because the giants were HIS business, not theirs. Something is fundamentally wrong if a Full scholarship awardee starts losing sleep over the tuition fees.

When God gives you a promise or a prophecy, embedded in it is the victory. He didn't bring you to a Land flowing with milk and honey only to be devoured by the inhabitants, NO! On the contrary, He's giving you a land that you had not worked for, houses that you did not build, and you will  eat fruit from plants and trees that you did not plant. (Josh 24:13 EasyEnglish).

Beloved, if you focus on the possible problems you'll miss the promise, Prov 10: 22 says, "The blessing of the LORD, it makes rich, and He adds no sorrow with it."

Your “Canaan” awaits; Let’s Go There.

AMEN.

More Blessings await you today; you’ll not miss them in Jesus’ Name.

GREG ELKAN

Canaan: Let’s Go There

And I will give unto you, and to your descendants after you, the land in which you are a sojourner, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God. – Gen 17:8

In scriptures, “Canaan” is the general name given to the whole land of Palestine west of the Jordan River and the Dead Sea down to the Mediterranean. It’s also the land promised by God to Abraham and his descendants in Gen 17:8.

Canaan is the original “land flowing with milk and honey” (Num 13:27; 14:7-8). In Dt 8:7-9 Moses described it as “a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills; A land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of olive oil, and honey; A land in which you shall eat bread without scarceness, you shall not lack anything in it; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills you may dig copper.” And in Dt 11:12, he says Canaan is a land the LORD God cares about: watching over it all year long.

As a result of these, Canaan has become a biblical metaphor for every good and perfect promise God has for the Believer. Just like Abraham and his descendants, you and I too have our own “Canaan” – promises made to us by God either by prophecy or by a specific revelation from Scripture.

“Canaan” means different things to different people. To one person, it’s a dream job, to another it’s a global ministry, to yet another person it’s total healing and recovery or financial abundance; still to another it’s blissful marriage.

Whatever your “Canaan” is, as long as it is backed by the sure word of God, it’s possible and up for the taking. God’s called you to hope, health and wellbeing. Regardless of where you are in life right now, “Canaan” awaits; Let’s Go There.

AMEN.

More Blessings await you today; you’ll not miss them in Jesus’ Name.

GREG ELKAN 

We Still Serve the God of the Old Testament

Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever. – Heb 13:8

You won’t experience God any greater than your concept of Him. Some scholars say that there’re two “Gods” in the Bible; the harsh, unforgiving one of the Old Testament; and the gracious, loving one in the New. This only reveals the shallowness of their so-called scholarship; because any conscientious reader of the Bible will notice the unchanging Grace nature of Jehovah even with His dealings with Israel.

He presents Himself as Father, as Mother, as Husband, as passionate lover, as protector, as banner, as shield, as shepherd… (Ex 4:22; Dt 32:5,6,11; Hos 2:19,20; Ez 16; Ps 81:13-16; 3:3; 23:1…). Everything God is now, He has always been; indeed, Mal 3:6 explains that it’s because of His unchanging nature that the Jews were not destroyed under the Old Covenant.

Nevertheless, the collective experience of the Israelites was based on their perception of God and how they related with Him. Repeatedly, they said, “All that the LORD has spoken we will do” (Ex 19:8; 24:3,7; Num 32:31). From a Father-Children relationship (Ex4:22), it quickly became a Boss-Employee arrangement where they saw the largesse and magnanimity of the LORD as their just emoluments. Like paying customers at a chic restaurant, they gave orders concerning the menu and complained if it wasn’t served up to their expectations. Whereas their ancestor, Jacob, was grateful to have survived with just a stick, they enjoyed 5-star treatment in the desert and still grumbled.

Unfortunately, many in the Church still have this warped perception of God. 

Hearing their testimonies about how they got their miracle is a clear revelation of their theology: “We gave”, “We served”, “We sowed”, “We danced”, “We prayed”, “We Fasted”, “We, we, we…”.

Surely, they may be unaware of this, but it stops them short of receiving the full expressions of God’s unmerited favour. Like the Israelites, their sow-reap mindset is limiting the Holy One of Israel, (Ps 78:41). The New Covenant is not about you, it’s about God. The Ten Commandments of the Old Testament had a bunch of “Thou Shalt Not”s; but the terms of the New Covenant as outlined in Heb 8:8-13 is littered with God’s “I Will’s”.

Beloved, God hasn’t changed, (Heb 13:8) He’s ever merciful, ever gracious and ever abundant in goodness and truth; and is waiting to have a rich fulfilling relationship with you.

AMEN.

Have a Blessed Weekend in Jesus’ Name.
GREG ELKAN

These Are the Days of Elijah – Not!

Robin Mark, the Northern Irish composer of the song “These Are the Days of Elijah” (popularised by the sensational Donnie McClurkin in his third studio album), did publicly admit that the song was “unusual” and “a little complex”.

But beyond its apparently unintended affirmation of an extremist theological view, the lyrics of the song also unintentionally glorifies the Old Testament days as something to be yearned for.
 
Moses, David and Ezekiel may have excelled in the demonstration of God’s power and goodness in their days, but as Paul points out in 2Co 3:10, their “glory” is nothing compared to what we have today. Longing for their level of power and glory is like the owner of a Ferrari swooning over “the elegant pedalling motions” of a cyclist.

The Apostle Peter declared that these same prophets we’re feeling nostalgic over longed to see our days of glory (1Pt 1:10-12). The least person in the New Testament is greater than the best of the Old (Mt 11:11); therefore, only ignorance of what the New Covenant really is will make a Believer desire live in the Old.

Moses begged to see God’s glory, but today, “we ALL, with OPEN FACE” behold the glory of the Lord (Ex 33:18; 2Co 3:18). He begged for God to go with him, but that’s a superfluous request today as God has sworn that He’ll NEVER leave us nor forsake us! (Ex 33:15; Hb 13:5). The “Word of the LORD” came to Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Zechariah, etc. but the WORD of the LORD resides in us, permanently today (Jer 1:2; Ez 1:3; Zech 4:8; Jn 14:18). They were anointed, we have the Anointing! (1Sa 16:13; 1 John 2:20)…

HALLELUJAH!!!

Beloved, the song may be great and inspiring, but these are NOT the days of Elijah; these are the days of the “Manifestation of the Sons of God”, (Rm 8:19).  We’ll never fully express the power of the New if we keep looking back to the Old. It’s time, therefore, to acknowledge every good thing in us and stir up the gift of God, which we have resident in us, to full effect (Phm 1:6; 2Ti 1:6).

“For, in fact, that which was once resplendent in glory has no glory at all in this respect, that it pales before the glory which surpasses it.” – 2Co 3:10 (WNT)

AMEN.

More Blessings await you today; you’ll not miss them in Jesus’ Name.
GREG ELKAN

There’s Only One Testament, Actually

...for there is no difference. – Rom 3:22

The New Testament is only called “new” with respect to the Law of Moses, not with regard to God’s dealing with humanity. There has never been more than one way to please God in the history of mankind. The principle with which we attain right-standing with God today is – and has always been – by FAITH. As the Prophet Habakkuk declared six centuries before Christ, “the just shall live by his faith.” (Hab 2:4).

Abraham, Noah and the other Patriarchs all received the gift of righteousness through their acts of faith (Rom 4:3; Heb 11:7; 2). This is the single thread that connects all of God’s people for all time. There’s only one covenant and God has only one people (Rom 9:6; Gal 3:7-9, 29; 6:16; etc.).

The ancient Israelites never truly earned their blessings; what they enjoyed was always positively disproportionate to their acts of obedience. In the same way, their punishments and curses were always less than what the Law prescribed. For example, there was no time in their history that they fully met the rigid requirements of the Law, yet God never really littered the Land with the bodies of non-compliers.

Grace had always been at work, even back then. Perceptive saints like Moses, David and Jonah knew this and even exploited it to full effect. But we today have all the facts and details laid out for us.

Beloved, The New Testament is here for you to enjoy. God’s not against you; instead He has gone all out for you in Christ Jesus. All you need and will ever need is available for you in Him. And like the great Apostle, I pray that my God supplies all your needs according to His riches in glory (NOT according to your performance) by Christ Jesus, (Phil 4:19).

AMEN.

More Blessings await you today; you’ll not miss them in Jesus’ Name.
GREG ELKAN

There’s a Difference

“...rightly dividing the word of truth. – 2Ti 2:15

The difference between the Old Testament and the New can sometimes be so subtle that one can be in the New Testament yet living under the paradigm of the Old. We need to know that Everything available to the Believer under the New Covenant – health, wealth, blessings, protection, deliverance, etc. – is also available in the Old… even ETERNAL LIFE!

In Lk 10:25-28, Jesus said all you have to do to get Eternal Life under the Old Testament was to fulfil the requirement; which is:  “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbour as yourself!”

Under the New Testament, however, we receive Eternal Life by believing on the Lord Jesus Christ (Jn 3:16; Act 16:31).

Unfortunately, we generally receive Salvation through the New Testament route and then try to receive the other lesser blessings through the Old way.

To receive blessings under the Old, certain requirements have to be met (Ex 15:26; Lev 26:3-13; Dt 11:13; 15:5; 27:1); and indeed, not meeting those requirements incurred a curse (Dt 28:15; Mal 2:2; 3:9)! Under the New Testament, every curse is annulled (Gal 3:13) and every Blessing is pre-provided for us in Christ Jesus (2Cor 1:20; Eph 1:3).

Not knowing this distinction is what leads to wrong theology, wrong mindset… and a wrong perception of God.

Beloved, God is not withholding any blessing from you. Everything you need is already provided for in Christ Jesus. So go receive it, go get it, it’s yours. In fact, in the New Testament, “ALL THINGS ARE YOURS” (1Co 3:21).

AMEN.
More Blessings await you today; you’ll not miss them in Jesus’ Name.
GREG ELKAN

The 4 Testaments

“Study to show yourself approved unto God...rightly dividing the word of truth. – 2Ti 2:15

In Christianity, the term “Testament” has two meanings, and not distinguishing which is which in a conversation or a teaching can lead to confusion and wrong conclusions – even wrong theology.

Encarta dictionary defines “Testament” as

“Either of the two major divisions of the Christian Bible, known as the Old Testament and the New Testament”

However, the WordNet Lexicon defines a “Testament” as, firstly, 

“One of the two distinct revelations of God’s purposes toward man; a covenant.”

This second definition, though less popular, is the actual meaning of “Testament” used by the Bible authors and not the first. The first definition is actually an organisational construct used to conveniently categorise the Bible books, the second is the spiritual covenant between God and Man.

These two definitions gives rise, in essence, to FOUR “testaments”: two “Old” and two “New”. The “Old Testament” under the first definition begins in Gen 1 and ends in Mal 4. But under the second definition, the “Old Testament” begins in Ex 20 where God made a covenant with Israel and was ended by the Death of Christ.

Furthermore, the “New Testament” under the first definition begins in Matthew 1 and ends in Revelation 22. Whereas under the second definition, the “New Testament” began (simultaneously) in Mt 27, Mk 15, Lk 23 and  Jn 19; and did NOT end in Rev 22 but continues up to this very day!

Many Christians are not aware of this reality. As a Believer, be conscious that you’re still living in the New Testament. There’s a direct line between you and Pentecost. The Acts of the Apostles did not end in Acts 28 (obviously, since people like Peter and John were still “acting” after that); the Acts continues to this day!

Beloved, we’ve been ordained as “ABLE MINISTERS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT” (2Co 3:6); Therefore let’s reflect it in our conduct, our belief systems, and our theology.

AMEN.

More Blessings await you today; you’ll not miss them in Jesus’ Name.
GREG ELKAN

Let it Be “Of Christ”

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; – Col 3:16

Col 3:16 contains a rather unique phrase that Bible scholars find intriguing. It’s the phrase, “Word of Christ” (Greek logos christos). This is because this expression is found nowhere else in the New Testament (other than a probable rendering of Rom 10:17). This means Paul is particularly being specific on the type of spiritual food we’re to fill ourselves with.

What does “the word of Christ” mean?

“The Word of Christ” is, firstly, the message of the Gospel. It’s the declaration that we’re no longer enemies of God but that “God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them” (2Co 5:19).

“The Word of Christ” is the doctrine of Christ, or the teaching of the New Covenant. It’s the interpretation of revealed scripture from the viewpoint of the Cross. One can be loaded up with scriptural verses and still be deficient in “the word of Christ”. If one’s understanding of scripture is not based on what happened at the Cross, that knowledge will be a liability rather than a blessing; (what Paul meant by the expression, “the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life”,  2Cor. 3:6).

Finally, “the word of Christ” is Christ Himself. He says in Jn 14:23 that when we keep His words, He and the Father will come and dwell with us. When we constantly feed on, meditate and study the scriptures, He’ll tabernacle, dwell with and live with us in all wisdom and all richness.

So Beloved, Let the Word of Christ – the Message – have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct one another using good common sense. And sing, sing your hearts out to God! (Col 3:16 MSG)

AMEN.
Have a Blessed Weekend.
GREG ELKAN

What’s Inside Will Come Out

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; – Col 3:16

Sudden challenges or loss is a fact of life in this fallen world of ours; and it sometimes happens even to God’s children. What distinguishes Believers from others is not the absence of contrary circumstances but our reactions to such eventualities. This is why we should heed Paul’s admonition to let the word of Christ dwell in us “richly”; because, in the event of unexpected sharp turns of life, what’s in you will come out.

Martha, the sister of Lazarus in John 11, deserves some commendation in this regard. We may not know much about her spiritual life, but the way she spoke to Jesus, when He came four days after Lazarus’ death, grants us salient insights into her belief system and life philosophy:

·         “But I KNOW, that even now, whatsoever you will ask of God, God will give it to you.”

·         “I KNOW that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”

·         “Yes, Lord: I BELIEVE that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who should come into the world” (John 11:22-27).

We may have stereotyped Martha as a carnal, fussy homemaker, but the above statements are indicative of a spirituality that was above average for a Jew in those days (probably at par with Apostle Peter’s at that time). It may not have been ideal (she didn’t know Jesus’ miraculous power extended to healing decomposing bodies) but it lacked the bitter, hopeless faithlessness that we unfortunately see among some Believers who experience loss in one form or the other.

What people say in the moment of crisis says a lot about what they actually believe. But being full of the word of God will give you a perspective beyond human reasoning that doesn’t just help you cope but also helps you see your way out of the problem.

The reactions at moments of crisis by David, the Virgin Mary, Paul, Peter etc. hints to us that seemingly random miracles and blessings are not random at all; they’re outward reflections of what’s been brewing deep in the hearts and minds of the beneficiaries.

So soak yourself into the Word, dearly Beloved, “Meditate upon these things; give yourself wholly to them; that your progress may APPEAR to all.” (1Ti 4:15)

AMEN.

More Blessings await you today; you’ll not miss them in Jesus’ Name.
GREG ELKAN