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Tuesday 30 July 2013

ONE MOST AVOIDED FACT

   RAPTURE
I'm going to ask a question and I want you to answer it sincerely within your heart: 'if' you were given the privilege of choosing when rapture should come, what would be your response? Because so far, most responses I get sound like 'nah!, I gotta get married first, buy a good car, have ma awesome crib, you know, enjoy a bit of life first, and some other stuffs, you know what i'm talking about'. 

Some people do not just want to accept the fact that The Rapture is on its way, some accept this fact, but feel they've been hearing for damn quite too long, it's become a norm and has been put at the back of their minds, some also would tell you that there's nothing like 'that' and in fact, they do not believe in some 'Invisible Being' existing somewhere no one has gone to... blah, blah, blah. The Rapture is so real (Matt 24:36)

I just want to refresh this simple but very important reality of life in our precious minds, The Rapture is coming and it is so close I can feel it (Matt 24:33). I once told someone, we are simply lucky that the timing in heaven is different from that of the earth, otherwise, you won't hear people say 'my great-grandfather died believing that The Rapture was coming, my father also died believing the same, why won't I think I'd be long gone before The Rapture comes? 

Thing is, really, there's nothing to be scared of about Rapture because Heaven is so much more better than this wicked world we are living in. The one thing that you should bother to be bothered about is your own way of life and your personal relationship with God while you are still here (Matt 24:42), because that determines a whole lot - whether you make it to Heaven or to Hell... not getting you scared alright? The rapture will separate those who knew the Lord in Spirit and Truth, from those who knew the Lord just by tradition and form (http://www.spiritlessons.com/Documents/Rapture_Ready/).

Many are now confused about what is right and what is wrong because indeed, the world has become 'churchy' and the Church has become 'worldly'. Our Standard for life should be The Holy Bible and nothing else, through the help of The Holy Spirit. In fact, if a Servant of God preaches something and you do not see it in The Bible, you are permitted to reject that teaching in your heart. Mind you, The Bible cannot and should never be read like any other book because there is the Logos (the physical written Word we can see) and the Rhema (the Divine interpretations of the written Word which comes through The Holy Spirit of God). When you have any questions, confirm the answers you get from others in the Bible through the help of The Holy Spirit, don't swallow everything you hear just like that.

Do not get consumed with the attractions of this world so much that you forget you are just passing through to get to a Final Destination. This is very important. Just like it would piss you off to fail an exam that you know you have been reading for the past 3 months, so also it would be most annoying to have claimed to be a Christian from birth and have gone to church every Sunday and Weekly Service and still miss The Grand Prize - Rapture! (Matt 24:44)

What more, the Gospel is for everyone one, and what is this Gospel? it is The Good Message that Jesus came into the world to die for everyone and save us all. This Gospel is indeed already going viral. Don't hesitate to draw your friends and colleagues to Jesus Christ. I think it would be so cool if when we get to Heaven, we all see ourselves there, or what do you think? (Matt 24:14)

Jesus Loves You....... Peace
                                  
                                                   Painting, courtesy of Akiane Kramarik

Thursday 25 July 2013

THE PLACE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS AND UPRIGHTNESS

   Then Grace...
 

Have you ever wondered what is the difference between you and Pastor Adeboye, or Bishop David Oyedepo, or Pastor David Yonggi Cho and the likes of them? Well, here is the answer...

There is something about our Great God; "I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and ... compassion on whom I will have compassion (Rom 9:15); GRACE!!! The great difference between Christians is in level of Grace. 

Grace signifies the unmerited operation of God in the heart of man, effected through the agency of the Holy Spirit. It is in reality the communication of Divine goodness by the in-working of the Spirit, and through the medium of Him who is ‘full of grace and truth.’ (Robert Girdlestone). “Grace” derives from the Greek word Charis. Grace excludes merit. Even if one were able to perform everything God commands, he still must regard himself as an “unprofitable servant” (Luke 17:10) (www.christiancourier.com). 

The level of God's Grace is the definite difference between Christians. Looking at and studying the lives of great servants of God, most especially God's Generals, I see something similar in them. God is the giver of Grace and as much as It comes without merit, there is one common factor that helps magnets It to the carrier.

God cut the great covenant with Abraham after He told him walk before me and be thou perfect in Gen 17:1 and therefore I am more sure of this common factor which is Righteousness, Uprightness before God, most especially beginning from the heart.

David to me, was the most immoral of God's servants that lived on this earth, but yet, he experienced so much of God's Grace that today, we say; 'Jesus the son of David', 'Star of David', 'Throne of David', 'Key of David', etc. Why? it was simply because of his heart for God, for with God, motive weighs more than action. 

Then, David did not have the help of The Holy Spirit as we do today. When we get to heaven, you can go ask David and he'd probably tell you he wishes he acted better. Rom 6:1-23 emphasizes the issue of Righteousness especially in verse 1

Grace makes all the difference, it is Grace that covers your errors, it is Grace that gives you what you are not qualified for. If you wish to increase in your level of Grace, strive, engaging the help of The Holy Spirit, to walk uprightly before God, and simultaneously pray for more Grace and then you would see the workings of God in your life.

God bless you richly in Jesus' Name... Peace...
                         

Friday 19 July 2013

CALL HIM BY HIS NAMES

              
There's no need to over-emphasize the roles that names play in the lives of its bearers. In the Bible times, parents named their children based most times, based on the circumstances of their birth, like in the case of Jabez. Also, sometimes, when God needed to take someone to their next level of breakthrough, He changed their name e.g. Abram - Abraham, Jacob - Israel, Saul - Paul. So also, God answers to His Names. 

God revealed His Names to us not just for us to learn in Christian Religious Studies (CRK) in school, but for us to know who He is and what He is capable of doing. For example, in Ex 6:3 when God wanted to manifest Himself in a new way to the Israelites, He introduced Himself to Moses as JEHOVAH, which in Hebrew is similar to YHVH (Yahweh) meaning 'I am that I am'. Also, in Gen 16:13, God was revealed to Hagar as El Roi meaning 'The One who sees'. God also introduced Himself to Abram in Gen 17:1-2 as El Shaddai when He wanted to assure him of His covenant to multiply and increase him.

Most times, what you call God is the way He would manifest Himself to you. For Example, in 2Kngs 2:14 when Elisha said 'LORD God of Elijah', God manifested Himself to him the way He had done to Elijah. As we behave and respond to the meaning of our names, God also behaves and responds to the meaning of His names in different situations. His names are also used when worshiping Him

Take time to learn God's Names and their meanings and you'd see that you'll begin to enjoy a better relationship with Him. You can't claim to know a God whose names you do not know. Do not limit God in your life.

Selah!

Thursday 18 July 2013

THIS NAME 'JESUS'


I do hear many people shout 'Jesus!' or 'Jesus Christ' at every little occurrence, like it's now a slang. The Bible emphasizes the Power in the Name of Jesus when it says that at the mention of His Name, every knee shall bow (Phil 2:10-11).... In the Ten Commandments, it also says there that you shall not call the name of The Lord in Vain (Ex 20:7, Deut 5:11). 

Little wonder why when people are in trouble and they shout 'Jesus', sometimes there is no intervention. God honors those who honor Him and calling that precious Name in vain is dishonoring to God. Even Demons respect that Name so why can't we humans? Many people would get angry if their surname or their dad's name is joked with but yet if they are told that a friend of theirs met a popular musician and that they missed, you'd more likely hear something like 'Jesus!, are you serious?', like He is supposed to answer that question. Although some people in Israel do bear the name Jesus, the difference between theirs and Our Lord's is the Power of The Holy Ghost that backs it up. That name 'Jesus Christ' carries so much Power in it and through it, miracles and deliverance are wrought.

As from today, please do make up your mind to honor not just Jesus but also His name, it is not an ordinary name. It might take some getting used to but it really pays to honor God and to know the worth of Kingdom Mysteries, in this case the name 'Jesus'. When that Name is called in faith, with consciousness of It's Power, things do happen - physically and spiritually. In this name there is healing, deliverance, joy, peace, etc. It is also a powerful seal to the prayers we render unto God.

Take the Name of Jesus Christ seriously as from today. Peace
                               
                                      

                                                       

Wednesday 17 July 2013

THE BOOK

Hi people, I'm so sorry I have not written in a long while, but I've got something really good today.
    Importance of reading The Bible
So many people have more than one version of this Great Book, some have more than five copies of it, many have it in different forms - soft-copy, hard-copy, audio, etc, most have it everywhere - in their cars, library, rooms, kitchen, toilet, handbag /briefcase, etc, but how many actually read it? 

One thing that I've come to know about The Trinity is that they work with us based on what we know, They cannot perform more than what we know except of course in rare cases. For us to claim the blessings of God, we need to know what The Book says about them. Also, God speaks to us primarily through The Book. When we are at crossroads, The Holy Spirit brings to our remembrance some verses we have read in The Book that would then inform us on what next. So far, I have discovered that everything a Christian needs to make it in this life and beyond is in The Book. More so, we defend ourselves from the deceit of the devil with information from The Book.

Lucifer the devil knows a lot about God and about The Bible for he was one of the top angels before his great fall. You'd notice that when he wanted to tempt Jesus Christ, he used words from The Book and Jesus in return also responded with words from The same Book (Matt 4). The most common temptations that Christians easily fall into are the ones in which Lucifer says 'but The Bible said..., so why not?', and if we do not really know this Bible, we would not have sufficient knowledge to counter him. Note, Lucifer would never quote The Scriptures wrongly, and so if you want to counter him with The Scriptures, you'd better know it and know it well, otherwise 'the accuser' would go and counter you instead before God and would make a mockery of you.

It is therefore pertinent that as Christians, we should take time not only to study The Bible to get Rhema (Revelation from The Word), but to also know The Logos by heart. Both are very very important. Salute!
                                             

Friday 12 July 2013

AN ORDINARY STONE OR A SMOOTH STONE?


Wanna share something very important that I saw today:

Yeah, God looks at the heart but the surface really matters too. For humans, 'don't judge the book by the cover' does not apply. When David chose the stones to kill Goliath, he didn't just choose any stones, he chose smooth stones, why? Just as it is preferred to grind with a smooth stone than with a rough one, so also it is much preferred to use a vessel that is alright inside-out than just on the inside.

The devil has been using that part of the Bible to deceive many people... 'it doesn't matter, God is not looking at the outside, it's the heart'. But seriously, would you permit an ill-dressed person to anchor an event for you?, definitely not. As much as God looks at the inward man, the outside is also very important. A lot of people would get really disappointed if they see a Pastor's wife wearing mini-skirt. To them, it is wrong for the Pastor's wife but not for them. This Christian race is for everybody and not just preachers, every man to himself.

As a Christian, your life should not be a controversial one. Of course, it's not in the Bible that 'thou shalt not wear mini-skirts' or 'thou shalt not smoke' or 'thou shalt not drink alcohol', but I do not see why a person would claim to be a Christian and there would be no clear difference between him/her and an unbeliever apart from church-going. Packaging is key with God too. The early disciples were first called Christians in Antioch because they acted and behaved like Christ, nowadays, 'I'm a Christian' is more or less a slang, it doesn't go deep down to the heart anymore. God forbid that at the end of this race, all 'efforts' would be rendered null and void.

Let people see you and see Christ, let your whole being glorify God. This is why when God sees a willing 'vessel' to use but first takes 'it' through 'fire' for purification and sanctification before use. What God uses you to do on the earth and how much you fulfill your destiny is dependent on your stand with God, God's view point of you. Since the way you dress is the way you are addressed, Christians should depict Christ in all they do. As you are working on your inside by the help of The Holy Spirit, you should let it correspond with your outside too - the way you dress, speak, act, etc. It doesn't all happen in one day but as you yield yourself totally to Jesus and the workings of His Holy Spirit, you'd see things falling into place.

Happy Weekend...



Tuesday 9 July 2013

THE 'IF'S OF BIBLE PROMISES

Wow.., going through the Bible, there're just so many promises for the 'children' of God and yeah, we do claim a lot of them. But have you noticed?, most of them have conditions tied to them, meaning for these ones, there's not just saying Amen, you have to fulfill the required conditions. I'm not trying to scare anyone here, I just want you to see the reality of things so that you don't go about thinking God does not answer all your prayers and so that you would have better access to the blessings available in Christ Jesus.

Condition number 1 and the one common to most is that you must be a child of God, not just a church-goer but a Born-again Christian, are you? Second condition I've noticed is obedience to God's instructions. For example, many claim the blessings of Deut 28 but most people overlook its condition in verse 2. Another condition is right-living (righteousness) and holiness e.g. Ps 92:12, Ps 34:9, Ps 112. Trusting the Lord is also one of them like in Is 52:13b. Giving is also very key to wealth Lk 6:38, Prov 11:24. Hardwork is also part of it Prov 22:29. Tithing is indeed advisable Prov 13:9-10. Humility, very important James 4:6, James 4:10, Is 57:15, Ps 12:3.

These above are just the most common few that I have mentioned. Once again, by the Spirit of the Lord, this is made very easy, for it is not by power, nor by might, but by His Spirit Zech 4:6. Follow Jesus wholeheartedly today.

God Bless you richly in Jesus' Name... Amen. Shalom
                               

Monday 8 July 2013

'THE FEAR OF THE LORD'

Sorry I have not posted in a long while, but I'm sure you've been having a splendid time with God...
       
It is a popular quote from the Bible that 'The Fear of The Lord' is the beginning of wisdom (Prov 9:10). We all pray to God for wisdom, but how many of us actually 'fear' The Lord? Now I'm not talking about 'Fear' in the way the world describes fear.

Actually, what does it mean to fear God? Using the story of Job (Job 1:1), I'd say to fear God means to live a life towards Holiness, to avoid evil and to live a life focused on pleasing God because of your love for Him. Expanding, I'd say it is simply putting God first in everything you do. It is also making your thought pattern like 'if God were here, would I do this, would I be here'? of which God is actually everywhere but we always seem to notice Him only when we want to, like in church services, on Sundays and when we want Him to do something for us. And that's why you'd hear people say things like 'I don't drink on Sundays', 'it's Sunday, don't sing circular songs', 'you just came back from church and you are lying'. At least, thank God there's some level of discipline, but we should always realize and accept the fact that God is everywhere all the time and that's why He is called Omnipresent.

Apart from having an awesome relationship with God, there are other benefits of walking in the Fear of The Lord - 

First we only say quote that the Fear of The Lord is the beginning of wisdom, but one of my spiritual fathers (Pastor Victor Oluwadamilare) says it is also the continuity of wisdom. I believe it is because of you begin with The Fear of The Lord and then you stop, you would come into an era of 'divine foolishness'. It is this indepth because you who was once seen to be wise would now be seen to be more foolish than the 'foolish' of this world.

Also, Prov 1:7 says that it is the beginning of knowledge because with God you don't learn secrets, they are shown to you - Bishop Abioye. Therefore, it grants you access to the secrets and treasures of heaven, I find that really cool. An example is the story of Jacob when in a year, all the wealth of Laban was transferred to him simply because God showed Him how to (Gen 30) and also that of Daniel, Shedrach, Meshach and Abednego in which they were found to be ten times better than their mates and equals (actually in that period, the king's meat would have first been sacrificed to idols, which was an abomination for them) (Dan 1). The Fear of The Lord also grants you favor with God and Man because God would not mind to 'move heaven and earth' because for you (Dan 1:9).

In addition, from the story of Job in Chapter 1 vs 1 - 3, you'd see that because he feared God, God so blessed Him. Also Joseph, because He feared God, God brought him to his destiny, making him a Prime Minister in a foreign nation overnight. The Fear of the Lord places you above your bosses, just like in the case of Joseph.

Let me leave you with this, The Spirit of God is The Spirit of The Fear of The Lord (Is 11:2), therefore keep your communion with the Holy Spirit daily and you would see yourself yearning to please God and actually pleasing Him more easily. Also, when God has seen the intent of your heart He would also make provision for you just like He did for Daniel so many times. Peace
                                

Wednesday 3 July 2013

GOD'S IDEA ON INCREASE

On Material Wealth
         rain of money

Some people believe that because Jesus told the rich man in Matt 19:23 that he has to give his wealth to the poor before he can enter heaven, therefore, it is a sin for a Christian to be materially wealthy. Well, that's a totally shallow thinking. Here, it implies that you should just HAVE wealth and not POSSESS it. This is because in heaven the principle of increase is giving and it would also prevent the temptation to make material things your god.

It is common fact that the Jews are the wealthiest and most successful group of people in the world today. This is because they understand the principle of increase from the Torah - giving. Jews believe that humans are supposed to be givers and not receivers and therefore they even give more than they spend. Giving is also a way to show your love for God.

Who do we then give to? First to God - diligently pay your Tithes and your Worship-Offerings to Him, then you can move on to the level of Sacrificial Offerings. Give to the poor and to the needy, you are simply privileged by the Grace of God. Support Kingdom projects like missionary evangelism, church building projects, etc. Most times, it is advisable to give by the promptings of the Spirit, especially in Sacrificial Offerings.

You should give in plenty for if you sow bountifully, you would reap bountifully (Lk 6:38). You cannot sow one grain of corn and expect to receive a field of corn. Some people would feel like are they not giving too much? Well, you can never give too much because the increase would be so much that you would be moved to keep giving more and more. Or do you actually think that God needs your money? An opportunity to give is an opportunity to be blessed and that is why it is called a 'seed'. God does not 'USE' people. 

Also when giving, you must give with a cheerful heart. After you give, you should not be grumbling about what you gave otherwise it becomes a seed that falls on the rocky ground. Also, it is advisable to give either according to or beyond your means, don't ever give below your means e.g. N5 out of N1000.

It takes faith to give what your life depends on - Prophet TB Joshua. Now when giving, you should expect something back in return because it is a seed sown to reap a harvest. You name your seed and tell God what you want in return, God always return back a hundred-fold and more. In fact, the Bible says that when you give to the poor, you are lending to God (Prov 19:17). Now just think, what happens when the bank lends you money over a period of time, you pay interest. Heaven's currency is way beyond any currency on earth so never underestimate God. 

A lot of people know how to give but very few know how to receive. Some people have defined the exact way the blessing must come and so they would not recognize it at all if God decides to bring it another way. After you have given, rejoice, only remember it for the returns, never regret.

One more thing, God only blesses people who are ready to be a channel of blessing to others and so the principle of giving (Prov 11:24, Matt 5:14-29). Hoarding the blessings God has given you e.g. having wears in your wardrobe that you have not worn for five years, what are they doing there or is the wardrobe going to wear them? would not move God to embarrass you with divine blessings, you would simply be getting physical rewards for jobs well done - salaries and profits (Matt 6: 19-20).

If you want to live a life of abundance, free from the financial 'rules' of this world, GIVE!!!
                                                        

Tuesday 2 July 2013

A WORD FOR TODAY


           I believe I can fly

Always believe in yourself because you CAN do ALL things through Christ who strengthens you.... nobody can look down on you unless you give them the right to do so....Peace

Monday 1 July 2013

THE THREE - GOD, JESUS AND THE HOLYSPIRIT


             Holy Sprit
The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, The Love of God and the Sweet fellowship of the Holy Spirit (2Cor 13:14)... is this just a mere recitation of 'The Grace' for you or does it mean more to you? Let's take a look at it...

The 'Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ' is that Grace that was provided when Jesus died on the cross for the whole world and took our sins in exchange for righteousness, our sickness in exchange for perfect health, our poverty in exchange for prosperity, death in exchange for life, pains in exchange for joy, oppression in exchange for victory, and basically, i'd say everything bad for everything good. Are you living in this Grace or in damnation? Are you maximizing this Grace or ignoring it? Besides, The Grace is for those who have GIVEN their lives to Christ - The Born-again Christians, so are you truly born again? Are you still living under the law or have migrated to the realms of Grace? Do not waste this great opportunity the Father has given us to live a life of 'Heaven on Earth' - The realms of the Supernatural..

The 'Love of God' - oh, how sweet! We love Him because He first loved us and this He demonstrated by giving His ONLY begotten Son - Jesus Christ - for a dying world (Jn 3:16). Have you reciprocated this love? Not just by your confessions of 'I love you Jesus' or 'I love God', but by your actions - loving those around you, caring for the less privileged, giving (your time, resources, etc) to those in need and also to Him, talking about Him to people? Then, do you understand this Love?, because the more you understand It, the more gloriously you live on Earth, far above the oppression and lies of the devil. God does love you, soooooooooo much, never doubt this. And also, the more you understand God's love and reciprocate it, the easier it is for you to live a life pleasing to Him - a life above sin.

Ok.... this is so cool, God so loved us that He gave to us His sweet Holy Spirit.... that's a great sacrifice and I find it really cool and I always appreciate this. The Holy Spirit is every believers strength here on earth. God speaks to us through Him, He helps us to understand the Word beyond the Surface of the lettering, He's the bestest friend ever because you can tell Him anything and everything and He'll keep your secrets too and you're so sure that He'll give you the best advices there ever can be. He's so loving and fun to be with , very humorous and most gentle. If you do not have a relationship with this Guy, you sure are missing a whole lot! Fellowship with God's Holy Spirit is the surest way for you to live a glorious life here on earth. He makes the Christian race much easier than it seems and He takes care of your weaknesses. When He's with you, the devil cannot come near because He is the HOLY Spirit. 

Make 'The Grace' much more than just a chant... it's a prayer and a commitment. Peace