FRIENDSHIP WITH THE FATHER

                   

If we look back in Bible times to the Book of Genesis, we would see that indeed, God's original idea creating man was to have a Friendship relationship with him, and that was why unlike we humans, He made His own creation - us, in His Image and Likeness. We would also see that God walked and talked with Adam and Eve in the Garden, otherwise Adam wouldn't have recognized God's voice (Gen 3:8).

A good example of Friendship between God and man is the relationship between God and Abraham. When God told Abram that he would be the father of many nations, he trusted Him (Gen 17), when God asked Abram for his son, he gave him wholeheartedly (Gen 22), when Abimelech took Abraham's wife, God confronted Abimelech personally (Gen 20:3), when God wanted to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, He chatted with Abraham first (Gen 18).

I believe God wants to have this kind of relationship with everyone. We need to move on from a 'Stranger relationship' to a 'Father-child relationship' and then to a 'Friendship relationship'. God has been reaching out to us individually and He's still doing so today, are you going to respond to His call?

Any friendship requires a lot of sacrifice, God has made the first move by giving His only Son - Jesus, to us. Friendship also requires trust, can you trust God totally? do you trust Him, do you believe His promises? can He trust you? Friendship requires giving and sharing, have you given God your life? your will? Any good friendship is built on communication, how often do you talk with God, in praying, in reading the Word? how much time do you give to Him out of the 24hrs of your day?

Just like with King David in the Bible, who had many mighty men who fought with him for the kingdom, but had the three mighty men who were called the first three (Adino, Eleazar and Shammah) who were willing to give their lives for him (2Sam 23), we should not be satisfied to just be numbered among the 'Christians' who focus more on just the Kingdom, but aim for a higher level, to be numbered with those who are first and foremost, after The King, before the Kingdom. Chase The King and not just the Kingdom and/or Its benefits.

First and foremost, give your life to Him and get into a relationship with The Holy Spirit, for it is He who would help you to develop and cultivate a healthy Friendship relationship with your Heavenly Father (2Cor 3:18). The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Love of God, and the communion of The Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen (2Cor 13:14).

This is food for thought, for everyone of us, including myself..... Peace!

ONE MOST AVOIDED FACT

   

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

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...