Lotus flowers can purify the water they grow in and can even resist pollution.
‘He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver..’ – Malachi 3:3
‘resist the devil and he will flee from you’ – James 4:7
‘happy are those whose hearts are pure, for they shall see God’ – Matt 5:8
‘For you are God’s temple, the home of the living God, and God has said of you, “I will live in them and walk among them, and I will be their God and they shall be my people.” – 2 Cor 6:16b
Lotus flowers submerge below the water each night and rebloom in the morning without trapping any damaging residue from their environment no matter how acidic or dirty it might be.
‘let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles’ – Hebrews 12:1-3
Lotus flower seeds can survive for thousands of years, even without water - they are extremely hardy and durable, seemingly unaffected by the natural movements of the world and they represent longevity!
‘let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest’ – Gal 6:9
‘stand firm. Let nothing move you…because you know that your labour in the lord is not in vain’ – 1 Cor 15:58
‘they will thrive and bear fruit and prosper in old age, they will flourish and be vital and fresh’ – Ps 92:14
Lotus flowers represent strength
‘be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid, do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go’ – Joshua 1:9
Lotus flowers represent persistence
‘because of his persistence and boldness, he will get up and give him whatever he needs’ – Luke 11:8
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God has been impressing on my heart, all about the Lotus flower for the last month and along with that we have just this past weekend celebrated Easter!
JESUS DEATH
45 Now from the sixth hour (noon) there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour (3:00 p.m.). 46 About the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud [agonized] voice, [j]“Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” 47 When some of the bystanders there heard it, they began saying, “This man is calling for [k]Elijah.” 48 Immediately one of them ran, and took a sponge, soaked it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and gave Him a drink. 49 But the rest said, “Let us see whether Elijah will come to save Him [from death].” 50 And Jesus cried out again with a loud [agonized] voice, and gave up His spirit [voluntarily, sovereignly dismissing and releasing His spirit from His body in submission to His Father’s plan]. 51 And [at once] the veil [of the Holy of Holies] of the temple was [l]torn in two from top to bottom; the earth shook and the rocks were split apart. 52 The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints (God’s people) who had fallen asleep [in death] were raised [to life]; 53 and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection, they entered the holy city (Jerusalem) and appeared to many people. 54 Now the centurion, and those who were with him keeping guard over Jesus, when they saw the earthquake and the things that were happening, they were terribly frightened and filled with awe, and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!” – Matthew 27:45-54 AMP
JESUS RESURRECTION
Now after the Sabbath, near dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other [a]Mary went to look at the tomb. 2 And a great earthquake had occurred, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone [from the opening of the tomb], and sat on it. 3 The angel’s appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were as white as snow. 4 The guards shook, paralyzed with fear [at the sight] of him and became like dead men [pale and immobile]. 5 But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified. 6 He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said [He would]. Come! See the place where He was lying. 7 Then go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead; and behold, He is going ahead of you into Galilee [as He promised]. There you will see Him; behold, I have told you.” 8 So the women left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to tell [the good news to] the disciples. 9 And as they went, suddenly, Jesus met them, saying, “Rejoice!” And they went to Him and took hold of His feet [in homage] and worshiped Him [as the Messiah]. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell My brothers to leave for Galilee, and there they will see Me [just as I promised].” – Matthew 28:1-10 AMP
JESUS ASCENSION
50 And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them.51 And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.52 And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy: - Luke 25:50-52 KJV
9 Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, 11 who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.” – Acts 1:9-11 NKJV
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Fifty days after Jesus’ resurrection was the first Pentecost. God caused a visible outpouring of the Holy Spirit…
When the day of [a]Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place, 2 and suddenly a sound came from heaven like a rushing violent wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 There appeared to them tongues resembling fire, which were being distributed [among them], and they rested on each one of them [as each person received the Holy Spirit]. 4 And they were all filled [that is, diffused throughout their being] with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other [b]tongues (different languages), as the Spirit was giving them the ability to speak out [clearly and appropriately]. 5 Now there were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout and God-fearing men from every nation under heaven. 6 And when this sound was heard, a crowd gathered, and they were bewildered because each one was hearing those in the upper room speaking in his own language or dialect. 7 They were completely astonished, saying, “Look! Are not all of these who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears in our own language or native dialect? 9 [Among us there are] Parthians, Medes and Elamites, and people of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and [c]Asia [Minor], 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya around Cyrene, and the visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes (Gentile converts to Judaism), 11 Cretans and Arabs—we all hear them speaking in our [native] tongues about the mighty works of God!” 12 And they were beside themselves with amazement and were greatly perplexed, saying one to another, “What could this mean?” 13 But others were laughing and joking and ridiculing them, saying, “They are full of sweet wine and are drunk!” – Acts 2:1-13 AMP
There had been 52 days from the time Jesus passed away, through to the Holy Spirit coming to those in the upper room on the day of Pentecost. I was thinking… what a ‘witness’ it would have been to those in Jerusalem to see their loved ones come back to life (Matt 27:52). Imagine the testimonies that would have started spreading like wildfire of God’s goodness to them. I am sure their friends and families would have started spending more time with the disciples in those 52 days. I can imagine now how over 3,000 (Acts 2:41) could have been added to the church that day!
The Hebrew meaning of number Five – power, strength, alertness (wake–up) Torah, grace, ministry, service, gospel, fruitfulness, going forth, fast movement, anointed, prayers, and protection
One of the Hebrew meanings of number Two – is witness
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Harking back now to my dedicated thinking through of the Lotus flower….
My two takes on the Lotus flower for this month are ‘Strength’ and ‘Purity’.
Even if you suffer for it, you’re still better off. Don’t give the opposition a second thought. Through thick and thin, keep your hearts at attention, in adoration before Christ, your Master. Be ready to speak up and tell anyone who asks why you’re living the way you are, and always with the utmost courtesy. Keep a clear conscience before God so that when people throw mud at you, none of it will stick. They’ll end up realizing that they’re the ones who need a bath. It’s better to suffer for doing good, if that’s what God wants, than to be punished for doing bad. That’s what Christ did definitively: suffered because of others’ sins, the Righteous One for the unrighteous ones. 1 Peter 3:14-17 MSG
In verse 15 it says ‘be ready to speak up and tell anyone who asks why you’re living the way you are’ – now that takes a big resolve of strength of character, and I believe it can only be done with Jesus standing on the inside of us so we can stand tall in His authority – now that is His strength! Strength in character like those witnesses on the day of Pentecost!
In verse 16 it says ‘Keep a clear conscience before God so that when people throw mud at you, none of it will stick’ – I am blown away that God can make a flower that does not retain ‘any damaging residue from its environment no matter how acidic or dirty’, if he can do that for a flower then he can most certainly help us remain pure and unspoiled from our circumstances and what is happening around us if we ask him? Are we prepared to be that in this season for Jesus Christ after all He has done for us?
My heart was captivated by the connection of the Lotus flower to these scriptures in 1 Peter 3 because that passage has been my ‘Life’ verse since 1990’s and so I know it must be God speaking to me.
If God can orchestrate the powerful revival of adding 3,000 to his church back on the original day of Pentecost, either through the testimony of saints raised from the dead, speaking in tongues in many languages or however he did it… then through His strength and accomplishments in me, I know I too can be part of Him bringing revival to my city and sphere of influence in this season too!
Our church has just experienced many individuals attending our Easter Services over this past weekend who have accepted the Lord Jesus for the first time or rededicated their lives again to Christ. I believe we are at the beginning of a New Era of Christ doing the original Pentecost again! Watch out World!
PRAYER Lord Jesus help me, through your word, prayer, and fellowship with other saints to be a catalyst for you here in 2024!