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JOANNA

  MEANING OF NAME: The Lord gives graciously. STORY IN BRIEF: A wealthy woman who worked in the courts of Herod Antipas. Her husband, Cuza, was also the estate manager of Herod Antipas. Joanna followed The Lord on missions, supported His Ministry with her gifts, and was privileged to have witnessed the resurrection of Jesus. These happened after The Lord delivered her from demonic obsessions. Obviously, Joanna would have attempted winning Herod Antipas over to Jesus. But her Spirit probably was dared when Herod beheaded John for Herodias and Salomey. SHORT BACKGROUND ON HEALING: Healing, from ancient Bible days, was seen more as spiritual than physical. Egyptian physicians would often drill holes in the heads of patients in order to create an exit for these "ailment-causing spirits". There were medical doctors, yet most patients were rather sent to the priest-physicians. REFERENCE SCRIPTURES: Luke 8:1 – 3; 24:10 (and Matthew 14:1 – 12) Luke 23:7 – 12
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THE SINFUL WOMAN

  HER CHARACTER: She was a notorious sinner, possibly a prostitute or adulteress. Rather than trying to defend what was indefensible in her life, she admitted her sin and made a spectacle of herself in a passionate display of love and gratitude. STORY IN BRIEF: She was a notorious prostitute or adulterous woman that followed Jesus to Simon's house. There, she kissed The Lord's feet, mobbed it with her tears, wipped wit her hair and finally perfumed it. Simon, surprised at Jesus' silence, loudly thought, " would the son of our holy Father just watch on without repelling this sinful woman? " Jesus quickly narrated to Simon - a creditor cancelled his debtors debt( one 50 denarri, the other 500 denarri). Then, He asked Simon which of the two debtors he thought would be most appreciative. When Simon judged right, saying it would be the debtor with much debt, Jesus explained that it was the reason the woman did as much; she perceived that her much sins would be forgiven...
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DEBORAH

  MEANING OF NAME :  Honey Bee CHARACTER :  Deborah was not just a political leader, but was also one who trusted in the faithfulness of Her God, resulting in their victory over foreign oppressors. HER REGRET :  Herpeople's faith had grown weak after deviating from their God. HER JOY :  Through her courageous and faithful leadership, God, again handed them victory over their opposers. STORY IN BRIEF :  Following the reign of Joshua and Rahab, was DEBORAH - the prophetess. Deborah was not dispirited like her fellow Israelites but rather remained loyal and strong in God.   Israelites, would practise idolatory after conquering the gateway to Caanan ( Jericho). Thus, they became timid and discouraged in the face of the uprising Canaanites led by their king, Sisera. But Deborah would keep her trust in the God that brought them this far. She joined Barak and his thousands of men in an attack at the Canaanites. And God was faithful - He granted them Victory a...
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SOWING THE RIGHT WAY !

" For there is a right time and procedure to every purpose..." Ecclesiastes 8:6 A seed is a  gift offered to God or to a man in demonstration of LOVE or HATRED. It takes the forms of money, property, crops, physical food, words of the tongue and attitude.  Seeds - good or bad, reproduce their kind. This, we must understand in our walk with God and in our relationship with man. The one who desires to reap good fruits must sow good seeds ! Unfortunately, much may not be harvested from our seeds when we sow disregarding the WILL of God. It is, therefore, imperative to observe God's " HOWs " and " WHENs " concerning sowing, as disclosed below. 1. LOVE:  " If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing." 1 Corinthians 13:3.   When LOVE guides the giver, the best is offered out. Such gifts are so significant that they create vacuums with the giver, while touching the heart of the receiver. It ...
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GOMER

  MEANING :  Completion STORY IN BRIEF: Gomer - wife of The Prophet, Hosea, mocked at her husband's tenderness while allowing other men to seduce her upon squandering her husband's gifts. Earlier, The Lord instructed Prophet Hosea to marry a whore from an adulterous nation, so he did. And the names of their three children, meaning: "God scatters" , "Not loved"  and "Not my people", pronounced the severity of the Prophet's seperation from his wife. Hosea is now heart-broken. The Lord does not only see the fulfilment of God's Word in His life; God teaches him lessons from Israel's unfaithfulness through her wife's misdeeds. Finally, God asks Him to still love his wife just as He, God, still loves Israel inspite of their stubbornness. When the Prophet did, his wife returned and their love life was restored. FURTHER READINGS: Hosea 1-3
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RIZPAR




Rizpar was one of Saul's concubines. She stood and witnessed the gruesome murder of her two sons -  Armoni and Mephibosheth. 

More disdainful to her is the fact that the two were not burried; they were left to rot contrary to the prevalent tradition of burrying the dead within the next 24hours. 

With sorrow, Rizpar spent days and nights with the corpses ensuring that they were neither swamped nor dragged away by any animals. Soon enough, King David noticed her discomfort, and was moved by her attitude; David ordered for the burrying of Rizpar's sons, the remains of their father, Saul and that of Jonathan.

BACKGROUND: 

Joshua promised that Israel would be at peace with the Gibeonites. But Saul broke that oath, killing as many Gibeonites as he could in his time. In retallating, the Gibeonites asked David for seven of Saul's son whom they murdered in the presence of Rizpar.

LESSONS:
 
1. Customes can be broken; protocols are skipable. If only we consistently remain loyal and faithful to God, our expectations will be met. 

2. God never asked David to release Saul's sons to the Gibeonites; the Bible does not record anywhere that rain finally fell because David positively affirmed the request of the Gibeonites. But like Virginia Owen indicates in her book, " Daughters of Eve" , it is clear that God takes pleasure in honourable burial so He swiftly responded to the prayers of the people following the burrying of the Suals.

BIBLICAL HISTORY ON BURIAL:

In Bible times, the dead were burried soon after they died; it never took more than twenty four hours for people to burry their dead. First, the corpse is washed and smeared with good smelling preservative ointments. Mourning which could span seven days following the burial was done, sometimes, by professionals too. The corpse was burried in a cave or a tomb. And every other relation of this person was buried in that same tomb.  

REFERENCEE SCRIPTURE:

2 Samuel 21: 8- 14, John 11: 17, 39, 44., Genesis 49:29-32, Jeremiah 9:17, Matthew 9:23, 
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