Revelation 12;11 ‘And they overcame him by the blood of the lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they did not love their lives to the death’.
DAILY READING – -• • 1 Corinthians 2; 1 Kings 15:1-32; Joel 2:12-32
The shroud of Turin is the most studied artifact in the world. It is a 14-foot linen cloth bearing an image of a crucified man, which many believe to be the image of Christ. Since 1578, the shroud has been housed in the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Turin, Italy. When it first surfaced in 1354, many believed it to be the piece of cloth that wrapped Jesus when he was taken down from the cross, and which had covered Him in the tomb.
However, over the centuries, controversy has continued to trail its authenticity as scientists can’t seem to agree whether the shroud is the original burial clothes of Jesus or simply a fake. As a result, the Shroud has undergone more scientific testing than any other relic in human history. Yet no matter how much scientists test the shroud of Turin, they never seem to come to a conclusion.
The dilemma of these scientists seem similar to that of the Jewish leaders, who kept questioning Jesus to know His true identity. The Bible records in John 10:23-24, that as Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon’s porch, then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, ‘How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly.’
These Jews wanted factual explanation of who Jesus was. Despite all the miracles and evidences before them, the Jewish leaders still couldn’t believe Him, and kept questioning Jesus about His identity until the last moments of His life on earth.
The truth is that Jesus can only be known through revelation based on relationship. No matter how much scientists test the shroud of Turin, they will only end up with more questions than answers, because Christ can only be known through revelation and not scientific evidence.
And Jesus only reveals Himself to those who are in a relationship with Him. When we are connected to Him in intimacy and love He will reveal Himself to us.
Our love relationship with God matters more than anything else. It is the basis and foundation of our faith. No matter how much any one works in God’s kingdom, if there is no love relationship with Christ, all the labor would be in vain. Mathew 7:23, spoke about those who did miracles in the Name of Jesus and yet Jesus said He never knew them, because there was no intimate relationship. That is quite frightening.
1 Corinthians 13:3 says, that even though you give all your goods to feed the poor, and though you give your body to be burned, and it was not done through love, it will profit you nothing and it would all be in vain.
In Revelation 2:2-5 Jesus acknowledged the works and labour of the Church of Ephesus, but then He told them what He had against them was that they had left their first love, which He called their first work.
This means we should set our priorities right. The first and greatest commandment is to love God with all our heart, mind and soul. When we so love God, we will come under His divine cover. His banner over us is love.
When we abide in His love, we will be covered by Christ’s blood and exempted from all evil. Being in a covenant relationship with God exempts us from all harm. When we love and serve God, He will take away all the plagues and diseases of Egypt from us. Indeed by the Blood of Jesus we have fully overcome every plan of the wicked in these end-times.
PRAYER: Father, I thank You for making me an overcomer in every battle of life. Indeed by the power in the blood of Jesus I have overcome every force of evil at work in the world. Thank You Lord for exempting me and my household from every plague of these end-times in Jesus Name.
Quote :
When God is on your side, anything is possible. WORDBITE 201