Faithful Writers

One thing you need to know about names in the Bible is that they are much more than simple labels of identification. In Bible times, one’s name reflected a person’s reputation, nature, and character. Let’s take a look at the actual meanings of the names of Noah’s sons and in general who each one’s respective ancestors turned out to be. Shem : Glory, Name (in the sense of making a name for oneself, becoming a respected person of authority). The descendants of Shem are the Hebrews, the Arabs, and most of the Asian races. The Messiah and Savior of the world will come from this line. Ham: Hot, warm, burning heat. The descendants are primarily the dark-skinned races that came to populate Africa. Egypt and the Philistines also stem from this line. Japheth: to enlarge, to become fruitful. The descendants are the Romans, the Greeks, and most of the European nations. Now all we have to do is take an objective look at how history has unfolded since ancient times and we realize that the blessings and curses that Noah proclaimed was nothing less than a powerful prophetic pronouncement. Israel, from the line of Shem, introduced not only monotheism to the world but also brought the messiah into the world. Indeed history itself is measured by the birth and death of Yeshua (BC and AD) . In this spiritual sense, Israel has conquered the world. Now the Japhetic nations of Europe and her distant cousin the United States have indeed been fruitful (wealthy) and expanded their influence over the whole globe but have always been subservient to the spiritual authority of Shem. A fact that rankles white supremacists to no end. It is the spiritual authority of Shem represented by the Jewish people that Adolph Hitler attempted to defy. But he failed. He should have known that no man can subvert God’s established prophecy. Finally, when we look at the history of the Hamitic nations of Africa, in general we can see that these nations have for the most part been plagued by poverty, slavery and a child-like dependency on the other nations of the world for their survival. To me, this is as powerful evidence as any that God’s Word is true and cannot be broken. © Richoka

Image by Claudio Henrique Claudio from Pixabay Let’s just start here: A whole lot of what we think is in the Bible…isn’t. We’ve been quoting things in church for so long that we just assume they came straight from the mouth of Jesus. If it’s been printed on enough coffee mugs or said with enough emotion from the pulpit, it must be gospel truth, right? Wrong. We’ve misquoted Jesus. We’ve misused Scripture. And one of the most common phrases we toss around like a spiritual Band-Aid is this one: “God will never give you more than you can handle.” You’ve probably heard that more times than you can count. It’s spoken like a promise when someone’s facing a job loss, divorce, depression, or devastating grief. It sounds comforting… until life actually does give you more than you can handle. And you’re left wondering, “What’s wrong with me?” But here’s the thing: Jesus never said that. Not once. Wait — So Where Did That Phrase Come From? Most folks assume it came from Jesus because, well, it sounds biblical. But it’s actually a twisted paraphrase of something Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 10:13 : “God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” Key word? Tempted. This verse is about resisting sin, not surviving suffering. It’s about not being overwhelmed by temptation — not about carrying the crushing weight of grief, pain, or trauma. Big difference. But somewhere along the way, we mashed those ideas together and made them into a fortune cookie version of the gospel. A gospel where strength is self-powered and God is more like a cheerleader than a Savior. Here’s What Jesus Actually Said Jesus was brutally honest about suffering. He never sugarcoated it. “In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”— John 16:33 That right there? That’s Jesus telling the truth. He didn’t say, “You’re strong enough to handle this.” He said, “ I’m strong enough.” He didn’t promise an easy path. He promised his presence in the mess. Why This Misquote Is Dangerous When we tell hurting people, “God won’t give you more than you can handle,” we load them up with guilt. Because guess what? Sometimes life does give you more than you can handle. Depression that won’t lift. A child you can’t save. A betrayal that guts you. A diagnosis that upends everything. If we believe the lie that we’re supposed to be strong enough on our own, we end up crushed under the weight of spiritual performance anxiety. We think we’ve failed God. We wonder if we’re weak or broken or just not faithful enough. But the gospel was never about what we can handle. It was always about what He can handle (and has handled) for us, with us, in us. Let’s Talk About Some Other Things Jesus Never Said While we’re clearing the air, here are a few more well-loved misquotes people slap Jesus’ name on: “God helps those who help themselves.” That’s not in the Bible. At all. Benjamin Franklin said that, not Jesus. Scripture actually teaches the opposite: God helps those who know they need help. “Money is the root of all evil.” Nope. What Paul actually wrote was: “ The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.” (1 Timothy 6:10) See the difference? It’s not money — it’s misplaced love. 3. “Hate the sin, love the sinner.” Jesus didn’t say that either. While it reflects a principle of compassion, it’s not a direct quote. And frankly, it often becomes an excuse to judge people while pretending we’re being holy. So How Did We Get So Off-Track? The Bible wasn’t written in English. It came to us through Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. And somewhere between ancient manuscripts, medieval Latin, modern translations, and Sunday school summaries, things got messy. Add in human error, church traditions, sermon shortcuts, and pop theology — and you end up with a handful of phrases Jesus never said… but a whole lot of people believe he did. It’s not always intentional. Sometimes it’s just easier to quote what we heard than dig into what was actually said. But when we misquote Jesus, we risk misrepresenting his heart. So What’s the Better Truth? The truth is: God will allow things you can’t handle. Not because He wants you to break — but because He wants you to stop pretending you’re your own Savior. We were never meant to live independent of Him. The weight of the world isn’t yours to carry solo. Jesus didn’t die and rise again just to cheer you on from the sidelines. He came to be your strength. Paul said it like this in 2 Corinthians 1:8–9 : “We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure… But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God.” That’s the gospel. Not “You’ve got this.” But “He’s got you.” One Final Thought If you’re hanging by a thread, barely making it through the day, and someone tells you, “God won’t give you more than you can handle,” you have permission to say, “That’s not true.” Because it’s not about how much you can handle. It’s about how much He already did. Takeaway Truth: Jesus never said life would be manageable. He said He would be with us in the unmanageable. That’s a much better promise. And it’s actually true. Faith = Trusting the process not promise (in the way you think they should mean). © Gary L Ellis

Have you ever felt down in the dumps because the predominant gene pool of you and your family stems from the line of Ham in the Bible? Maybe you feel inferior to other races or people groups. Or when something bad happens to you, maybe you feel like it’s because you’re cursed or something. Well, none of that is true. Read this and feel better. First , given all of the race mixing (I am half-Japanese and half-French) and intermarriage that has occurred over the centuries… The simple truth of the matter is that if it were possible to conduct a DNA test that would be able to tell us down to the very molecule what races of blood are flowing through our veins back to Biblical times… I think the results would show that all of us are most likely a mixture of all of Noah’s three sons. Second , 10 of the tribes of Israel were actually dispersed throughout all the Gentile nations. So regardless of what color your skin is, it is possible that you could have some Israelite blood in you. Third, the Scriptures make it clear that regardless of what line you were born into physically… You can make a spiritual choice to be grafted into God’s holy line! And of course, the opposite is also true. Many Arabs have forsaken their Godly Shem heritage for the cursed line of Ham by choosing to identify with the ancient Philistines ( for those who weren’t aware,” Palestine” is just the Greek word for “Philistine.” ) And many Jews, people originally chosen by God, have chosen to switch their allegiance from the God of Israel to a God their ancestors did not know. The below video is a sad example that this sometimes happens. The gentleman being profiled is a Jewish person whose original name was Joseph Cohen but for whatever reason decided to convert to Islam. On a more positive note, the following is a video of an Arab Christian who is serving in the Israeli Defense Forces (sorry, this video is Hebrew only). The most important decision you will ever make and the ultimate determinant of your identity is NOT your earthly bloodlines… But which God you decide to entrust your life to! Choose wisely because you will have to live with this decision for all eternity. CONNECTING THIS TEACHING TO THE NEW TESTAMENT There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor freeman, neither male nor female; for in union with the Messiah Yeshua, you are all one. -Galatians 3:28 Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands) — remember that at that time you were separate from Messiah, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Messiah Yeshua you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Messiah . -Ephesians 2:11–14 © Richoka

This is a good time to introduce an important principle you should understand when studying your Bible. I am referring to the Principle of Reoccurring Patterns. In other words, an event that occurs in the earlier pages of the Bible establishes itself as a pattern that will repeat itself again and again throughout the Scriptures. Let me give you some examples of how this works between the first pre-flood man, Adam, and the first post-flood man, Noah . -As Adam was given authority over all creation in the Garden, Noah was given authority over the new world. -As Adam was instructed to “be fruitful and multiply” , so was Noah. -Adam was the world’s first farmer as he was responsible for caring for the Garden. Noah also was the new world’s first farmer as the first thing he did was plant a vineyard. -Adam’s downfall came about as a result of partaking of the fruit of the garden he tilled. Likewise, Noah’s downfall came about as a result of partaking of the fruit (the wine) of the vineyard he tilled. - Adam had his nakedness shamefully revealed as a result of his transgression. The same thing happened to Noah. - As a result of Adam’s sin, mankind was placed under a curse for all generations. Likewise, as a result of Noah’s sin, Noah’s grandson Canaan had a curse placed on him and his descendants for all generations. -Out of Adam’s three sons first mentioned in the Scriptures, Seth and his progeny would be considered the Godly line. Similarly, out of Noah’s three sons, Shem and his progeny would be considered the Godly line. The Messiah Himself would be born from Shem’s line. Isn’t this amazing? There are many more patterns and we will see them repeat constantly throughout Scripture. I will be pointing them out as we move along. Contrary to the teachings of evolution, history is cyclical, NOT linear. © Richoka

The other day, a fellow messianic believer who I met on Facebook shared some very interesting information that I think goes a long way towards explaining why it was Ham’s son Canaan and not Ham himself who was cursed. And since she also provided solid references, I decided this couldn’t be ignored and so chose to do a post on it. Let’s take a look at Genesis 9:20–25. Noah, a man of the soil, proceeded to plant a vineyard. When he drank some of its wine, he became drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent. Ham, the father of Canaan , saw his father naked and told his two brothers outside. But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it across their shoulders; then they walked in backward and covered their father’s naked body. Their faces were turned the other way so that they would not see their father naked. When Noah awoke from his wine and found out what his youngest son had done to him, he said, “Cursed be Canaan! The lowest of slaves will he be to his brothers.” Now many commentaries assume that the “youngest son” is referring to “ Noah’s son Ham ” However, other scholars assert that the language in Genesis 9:24 points to Canaan being the one who had committed some “wicked act” against Noah and NOT Ham. In other words, “youngest son” refers to “ Ham’s youngest son ” and NOT “ Noah’s youngest son ." So the difficulty we face is one of grammar. From this perspective, Genesis 9:21–25 should read as follows: Then he [Noah] drank of the wine and was drunk, and became uncovered in his tent. And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside. But Shem and Japheth took a garment, laid it on both their shoulders, and went backward and covered the nakedness of their father. Their faces were turned away, and they did not see their father’s nakedness. So Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his [Ham’s] younger son [or, more properly, youngest son] had done to him. Then he said: “Cursed be Canaan . . .” Before we do a situational breakdown of what actually transpired, we need to take a closer look at the phrase “ became uncovered ." Let’s let Scripture define Scripture by having a look at Leviticus 18:6–7. ‘None of you shall approach any blood relative of his to uncover nakedness ; I am the Lord. You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father, that is, the nakedness of your mother. She is your mother; you are not to uncover her nakedness . -Leviticus 18:6–7 There is no doubt that in this context, the phrase “ uncover nakedness ” refers to a sexual violation. So if we take this as the meaning of “ became uncovered ”, this would mean that after Noah got drunk, it wasn’t just a matter of his blanket falling off of him and leaving him lying there naked. He was sexually violated!!! So the following is a step-by-step analysis of what may have occurred. ( I’m not going to be dogmatic about this. ) (1) Noah gets drunk and is sexually violated by Ham’s youngest son Canaan. (2) Ham is first on the scene after his son’s perverse act. (3) Ham is in shock (maybe somehow knowing that it was his son Canaan who had just perpetrated this vile deed ) and reports what he witnessed to his brothers. (4) Ham’s two brothers with their backs turned respectfully cover Noah up. (5) Noah awakens and is aware that Canaan had defiled him, and thus curses him for it. One question that arises is, was Canaan the youngest son of Ham? For the answer to that, take a look at Genesis 10:6. “The sons of Ham: Cush, Egypt, Put and Canaan. ” In the birth order, Canaan is listed last. So Canaan was the youngest son of Ham. In conclusion, if this interpretation is true, this means that Canaan was NOT punished for something Ham did ( which come to think of it doesn’t make any sense ), but was punished for his own sin. This explanation would also explain why the fact that Ham is Canaan’s father is emphasized twice in this account (verses 22 and 24). Of course, there are many unanswered questions. What in the world possessed Canaan to engage in a sexually deviant act with his grandfather Noah? How did Ham know for sure that Canaan had engaged in a sexually repulsive act with Noah? Did he witness Canaan in the act? I’m not going to be dogmatic and say this is the only way to interpret these passages, but it makes pretty good sense to me and if true, it also I feel would explain why God would eventually want to have the Canaanites wiped out. For those interested, the references asserting that “youngest son” in Genesis 9:24 refers to Canaan are as follows. The Soncino Chumash,” edited by A. Cohen, London, 1956, p. 47.The Pentateuch & Haftorahs, by JH Hertz, London, 1972, p. 34Rotherham’s Emphasized Bible Translation by Joseph Rotherham © Richoka

In order to properly understand many key passages of Scripture… It is essential you fully grasp the concept of the firstborn blessing. The Hebrew firstborn blessing is akin to the formalized reading of the family will just prior to the passing away of the father. It was customary for the firstborn to receive both of the following: 1) A double portion of the father’s wealth And… 2) The authority to rule over the family. A double portion meant the firstborn son received at least double the amount given to any other son. In addition, the firstborn was never a female. A married couple could have 10 daughters and then one son born after all of those daughters… And that one son would still be considered the firstborn… And receive a double portion of the family’s inheritance and the ruling authority over that family. What’s interesting is that in Noah’s pronouncement of the curses and blessings… We have a precursory firstborn blessing being proclaimed prior to it eventually becoming a formalized biblical concept in the Bible. However, what is unique in this case is that the firstborn blessing was split between Shem and Japheth . “May God extend Japheth’s territory; may Japheth live in the tents of Shem, -Genesis 9:27 From the above verse, we can see that Shem received the ruling authority… And Japheth received the equivalent of a double portion of the wealth (of the world so to speak) . Note that Japheth’s blessing is dependent on Shem. In other words, Japheth’s descendants would only prosper when their relationship with Shem was in a harmonious state. Again, Japheth is the ancestor of most of the European peoples including the Romans and the Greeks. Shem would become the Hebrews (as well as the Arabs, and most of the Asian races). Historically, speaking we can see a direct correlation between the prosperity of the Japhethic nations and how they treated Israe l (a Shemitic nation). Trust me, America’s prosperity has all to do with the blessing upon Japheth. Finally, we will see this splitting up of the firstborn blessing occur again later in Genesis when Jacob blesses his 12 sons who will eventually grow to become the 12 tribes of Israel. © Richoka

© Jane Isley It was much more than that. What do these names all have in common? Jesus loved them and died for their sins that day on the cross. While this can be hard for most to stomach the thought of this. It is true. We are all loved, regardless of what we have done. For God so loved this world that His Son came and died for each and every one of us. He carried the entirety of our sins, from the beginning of time until the end, while nailed to that cross for us. We have had many martyrs over the centuries who have died for one or many, but none of them carried our sins. When we die, we will awake anew. Our pain, sorrow, and misery will be gone. Jesus knows this, yet he He said, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me.” If He had died a death of just martyrdom for us, He would have known He would awaken resurrected in the blink of an eye, His pain gone and never lived over again. Yet he sweat blood — Why? Because it wasn’t simple martyrdom. He was carrying the weight of every single person’s sins from all time. Imagine taking the weight of all your sins and multiplying that by billions. Then willingly taking those upon yourself while being crucified? Hematidrosis. That is the name of the condition He had as He was praying to God the night Judas betrayed Him. This is a very rare condition where blood is excreted through sweat. All sources indicate that it is so rare that it is hard to research it properly, but there is one agreement amongst all the sources I have read. It can be caused by extreme stress, intense fear, severe anxiety, or facing death. To carry this for us, to love us so much to die for everyone, is love. Like I said earlier, it may be hard for people to stomach, but He died for the sinners; He died for what we call the worst of the worst. This wasn’t martyrdom, this was sacrifice for freedom from sin, death, and hell. This was love. He loves Judas, He loves Hitler, He loves John Gacy, He loves Herold. We all are loved, and He has carried the sins of everyone that day on the cross. When you remember this day, remember His love. Respect his sacrifice, respect what He did for all of us. This was not a simple death, this was pure hell He carried for us. Recommend reading this article , which adds further light on what He did for us. © Jane Isley Thank you for taking the time to read, and please consider  supporting my work . Your gift helps keep this work going, blesses others, and means the world to me. You can visit me at Faithful Writers  on Medium, where other Christian writers have joined me in sharing the word of God. You can also find me on   Tumblr  and   Facebook. Sources: Matthew 26:39 NIV Luke 22:44 NIV Department of Internal Medicine, Cascais Hospital; Haematidrosis: The Rare Phenomenon of Sweating Blood Healthline; Hematidrosis: Is Sweating Blood Real ? WebMD; What Is Hematidrosis ?

God doesn’t wait for you to behave before He breathes life into you. Let’s get something straight right out the gate: Being truly alive — fully, deeply, soul-thumpingly alive — isn’t some prize we get handed for coloring inside the lines. It’s not a gold star God slips us when we finally behave, pray more than we cuss, or go three weeks without rolling our eyes at church folk. No, being truly alive is something far wilder. Far deeper. It’s not something earned. It’s something revealed. It’s what happens when the Spirit of God starts stirring the dust and breath of our everyday moments into something sacred. Something electric. Something real. This isn’t the kind of life you can fake with a forced smile or spiritual performance. This is the kind of life that seeps out of your pores, even when you’re tired, even when you’re flawed, even when you’re unsure. It’s the life that says, “God is here. And somehow, God is showing up in me, whether I feel holy or not.” Is Aliveness a Prize for the Holy? Growing up, I thought being “alive in the Spirit” was for the spiritually elite — the ones who woke up at 5 a.m. to pray, never doubted a single verse, and always knew the right Christian radio station to play. If I could just get my act together, maybe I could be one of them. Maybe I could unlock the aliveness I saw in others. Maybe God would notice and reward me with more joy, more peace, more of Himself. But let me tell you what I’ve learned: That’s not how love works. That’s not how God works. “God is not an idea to be agreed with but a presence to be experienced.” — Richard Rohr God isn’t dangling aliveness over our heads like a carrot on a stick, waiting to see if we’ll jump high enough. Instead, He’s pouring Himself out — right here, right now — through cracked voices, shaky faith, and even the middle-of-the-night ugly cries. To be alive in the Spirit isn’t a bonus round. It’s the main thing. It’s not something God gives us after we prove ourselves. It’s something that proves God is already at work in us. What If Aliveness Isn’t About Perfection? Let’s be honest. If aliveness were a prize for good behavior, most of us would’ve been disqualified years ago. I know I would have. I’ve questioned God’s timing. I’ve wanted to disappear instead of pray. I’ve doubted myself more times than I can count. But you know what? It was in those moments — not in my most put-together ones — that I caught a glimpse of something holy rising up inside me. “The glory of God is a human being fully alive.” — St. Irenaeus God’s glory isn’t seen in our spotless record. It’s seen in our aliveness. In our risk of being vulnerable. In our choice to keep showing up when the world says, “Why bother?” In our laughter that breaks through grief, in our compassion that surprises even us, in the tears we shed when we’re moved by beauty or heartbreak. Being alive is not the end result of a spiritual report card. It’s the sign that God’s fingerprints are all over us. What Does This Aliveness Look Like? It looks like quiet courage. Like forgiveness that doesn’t make sense. Like believing again after the last disappointment almost broke you. It’s the mom who keeps praying even when her kid won’t answer her texts. It’s the man who finally tells the truth, even though it costs him. It’s the teenager who stops pretending to be someone else and risks being real. It’s the doubter who says, “God, if You’re real, come find me,” and feels something stir inside. That’s not earned behavior. That’s God breaking through the cracks. That’s aliveness. Holy aliveness. Can We Choose to Be Alive? We can’t manufacture it.We can’t control it.But we can say yes to it. We can lean into the ordinary and expect the sacred. We can show up open-handed instead of clenched-fisted. We can trade perfection for presence. “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” — Galatians 2:20 Being truly alive is not about us muscling our way to holiness. It’s about letting Christ live through us — even in the mess, even in the mystery. The more I let go of trying to be “good enough,” the more I see God doing something good in me. It’s not flashy. It’s not loud. But it’s real. And it’s alive. The Takeaway? Aliveness in the Spirit is not a reward for spiritual gymnastics. It’s the quiet revolution of love unfolding in our lives when we finally stop striving and start surrendering. It’s the deep breath of grace. It’s the heartbeat of God pulsing in our own chest. Don’t wait until you feel worthy. You already are. The Spirit’s not asking you to behave. He’s asking you to breathe. © Gary L Ellis

I discovered some history, its impact, and a serious lack of critical thinking. © Jane Isley I got curious about the phrase “ right hand of God ” for two reasons. It came up one night in a Bible study, and my dad is left-handed and has alluded to a few things in his past. So, my curiosity led me down a few late-night rabbit holes, and boy, was I not disappointed in my quest for information. I knew some historical information on the matter, but admittedly not as much as I know now. This goes further back than I realized, to pre-Christian civilizations. My first thought when reading through everything was that being right-handed is simply more common than being left-handed. (The online consensus is 90%-ish of the population) This originates ultimately as a “people problem” right from the start. Ok, I can get my head around that. Simply put, people can be downright judgmental, biased, and critical in general to anyone “different” and cause problems where there were none to begin with. But that shouldn’t be a shocker for anyone reading this article. What does the Bible say about the “right hand?” There are countless references to the “right hand.” To me, this makes sense, it’s symbolism and one we would and should have understood because there was already that established cultural meaning and deference to the right hand. Symbolically , being on the right hand of God means being in His favor, it’s where Jesus sits beside God in equal power; it means authority, a place of honor, and strength. Then, of course, things were taken way too literally and abused. I won’t make this article heavy on theology or break down verses by translation, we all know being left-handed by now is not a sin. We have multiple factors that led to left-handed people getting a bad rap and going through abuse for it. There was a combination of cultures already being biased, superstitions, a serious lack of critical thinking, misreading of Scripture, and abuse of Scripture to perpetuate these injustices. This is an excellent example of bad theology that we should learn from. This horrible history in Christianity is an example of bad theology and people taking things too far simply because they thought they had an authoritative right to do so. I decided it was time to talk to my dad, I knew a little history just from an occasional comment here or there. What he told me surprised me; in 2nd and 3rd grade, he went through hell for being left-handed. No one stopped him or tried to retrain him, but he got picked on so badly by his teacher that he ended up despising school. He never went to college and still cringes at the thought of school. He told me the teacher was a “staunch Lutheran” and back then and in his area the Lutheran church saw being left-handed as being “retarded and mentally ill.” I don’t like that first word at all and debated using it, but ultimately, it’s the truth. That and more was what was taught by a Christian church in his area. I have no idea if this article is about what my dad went through, a history lesson, or an article demonstrating the severity of what happens when people refuse to read all of the Bible and only use certain verses as an excuse to abuse and persecute. Maybe it’s simply an article about all three things. Before I leave you with this odd article, I want to share two things. God created us in His image, and Jesus was born with a left hand and a right hand, hence why this is a symbolic reference, not a literal one. I think Jesus would have been born with two right hands if this was indeed an actual concern God had. This is what was conveniently ignored in the Bible. “in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left;” 2 Corinthians 6:7 “Among all these soldiers there were seven hundred select troops who were left-handed, each of whom could sling a stone at a hair and not miss.” Judges 20:16 “Ehud reached with his left hand, drew the sword from his right thigh and plunged it into the king’s belly.” Judges 3: 21 “they were armed with bows and were able to shoot arrows or to sling stones right-handed or left-handed; they were relatives of Saul from the tribe of Benjamin):” 1 Chronicles 12:2 © Jane Isley First Published in Never Stop Writing on Medium. Thank you for taking the time to read, and please consider  supporting my work . Your gift helps keep this work going, blesses others, and means the world to me. You can visit me at Faithful Writers  on Medium, where other Christian writers have joined me in sharing the word of God. You can also find me on   Tumblr  and   Facebook.

You’ve clocked in for work, now what? Imagine that the kingdom of Jesus is like a corporation. And you were hired to help the company be efficient and profitable. It is a massive multinational initiative with branch locations all over the world. Is it profitable? You bet! Is there a dark competitor always trying to steal your fellow employees to deconstruct and come work for them? Absolutely. Jesus is the CEO. There is never any doubt who runs things. He heads all programs, hiring, growth, and employee personal development. His name is on everything. It is a well-recognized brand that is timeless and strong. His logo speaks of power, success, and victory. It’s Monday. Where do you go? You woke up, showered, ate a hearty breakfast, and arrived at work ready to give your best to the company. You clock in. What’s next? Do you head to a small cubicle to faithfully perform your duties? Or do you stop by the CEO’s open office door, knock, stick your head in, and say, “Good morning, boss?” Do you give him a quick update on your life and ask what’s happening with him? Or immediately bury your head in your work? Do you let him know what you need to be successful that day? Or assume he knows, and HR will provide it when they are ready? Jesus loves the assembly line workers and the remote salespeople who only check in occasionally via Zoom . But he delights in the worker who knocks in person. Imagine his smile when you put a couple of donuts on his desk. That’s the difference between a friend and an employee. They both produce impressive results for the company. But you are due for a promotion. And Jesus might be asking you to be his friend today. Here’s what he told his twelve coworkers: “I’m no longer calling you servants because servants don’t understand what their master is thinking and planning. No, I’ve named you friends because I’ve let you in on everything I’ve heard from the Father.” John 15:15 MSG The cultural context of that time hasn’t changed from what we understand today. A servant obeyed commands without necessarily understanding the master’s intentions. Jesus elevated His disciples from mere servants to a more intimate relationship. This shift signifies a deeper level of trust and intimacy. In the Hebrew scriptures, figures like Moses and David were called servants of God, highlighting their roles in God’s plan, but Jesus offers something greater. God spoke to Moses face to face. Moses climbed Mount Sinai several times, knocked on God’s office door, laid donuts on His desk, and had meetings that changed the world. Abraham is the VP of Faith and Obedience. His division has millions of employees, yet the CEO called Abraham his friend (Isaiah 41:8) . He was more than an acquaintance of God and more than a companion. He was a friend of God. Jesus had many followers. But how many of them did this: “Lying back on Jesus’ chest was one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved.” John 13:23 NASB How many employees lie their head on the chest of Jeff Bezos or Elon Musk during an executive meeting? Could you imagine sitting on the corner of Mark Zuckerberg’s or Tim Cook’s desk, telling them about your life? Would they even want to listen? I had to learn this lesson the hard way. I have only heard Jesus’s voice a couple of times. He said that His sheep hear His voice, right? (John 10:27) The first time was embarrassing, but a life-changing encounter. I was sitting in a men’s retreat when He visited me. I knew He was standing beside me, even though I couldn’t see Him with my physical eyes. Trust me: you just know. He told me clearly that He was proud of my service to the kingdom and then said something so startling I was stunned: “Now I’m asking you to be my friend.” My response brought out a darkness lying hidden and dormant within me. I said, “Jesus, if you really knew me, you wouldn’t ask me to become your friend.” Suddenly, He was gone. Poof! I don’t know if you have ever been in the presence of the Lord of Lords, and then suddenly not. But it is a sick feeling that cannot be put into words. I wish I could run Him down and apologize. But he seemed to be a million miles away. Ugh! I was a cubicle man. I clocked in and did my work to the best of my ability. But I saw myself as a broken man who had sinned so much that I could never have access to the top floor of the building, much less knock on the CEO’s door. Jesus saw me differently and knew what I could become if given the chance. I saw my rebellious past as a reason to stay distant. I didn’t want to get any of my dirt on his impeccable suit. He was watching me work with pure, heavenly eyes. He couldn’t even see my past. It had been removed as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12) . He wanted to promote me, but I didn’t feel worthy. And I wasn’t…I never will be. But he made me worthy. (I’m tearing up as I write this.) You came across this article for a reason. You’re being promoted. You now have access to the executive floor. You will be friends with the CEO of a company that will never go out of business. He has always come down to your floor and knocked on the entrance to your cubicle. Now it is your turn to go up to the top floor and knock at the CEO’s door. He wants you to come in and sit down for a few minutes. Lay your donuts on his desk. He loves them. He’ll smile. Don’t forget to lay your head on his chest. And ask, “What do you have on the agenda for today, Boss?” You’ll strategize together. He loves your input. The same way God loved it when Adam named all the animals. (Gen 2:20) It is a team effort. Then it is time to leave and seize the day. The weekend is coming when we all get to rest and enjoy the company picnic. But for today, let’s go. You got this. God believes in you more than you believe in yourself. © I.M. Koen Thank you for reading this far. You might also like these articles: Jesus Wants to Make You Breakfast. Have You Looked at Your “Hineni” in the Mirror Lately? How Bright Are You? God loves you! -Issachar