Monthly Archives: February 2012

God’s Wise Rules

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God‘s Wise Rules
by Bishop Keith A. Butler

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the lord thy God with all thy
heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the
first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou
shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang
all the law and the prophets.
Matthew 22:37-40

When Christ is king, hearts are changed. That is why Jesus taught the
Jews that only two rules need apply. When man is king, you need an
ever-growing mountain of laws, rules, regulations, limitations,
specifications and legal documentation to keep up with all the vices
the human heart can conceive.

God’s way-the way of choices plus only the most necessary
limitations-is always risky, and it always takes faith. Man’s way of
extreme choice and no limitations (anarchy), or of extreme limits and few, if any, choices (totalitarianism) seems to have few risks, and it
takes and allows for no faith. Its end is always the same-death to the
spirit.
The Christian life is a life of relationship with the living God, not a
life of following a book of rules. Once you know Him and discover
through His Word what He has done for you, you will delight to do His
will. It is no burden to live a righteous life in Christ because your
love motivates you to please Him in all things.

Prayer for Today

Father,
I praise you that your ways are higher! Your ways are wiser! Your ways
bring blessings! In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Think on These Things

* Deuteronomy 10:12
* Mark 12:29-30

May Our God The Almighty prosper Nigeria and Israel and defend us from all our enemies in Jesus Christ Name, Amen!

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And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him

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And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
Hebrews 11:6

Faith Alone

Do you have what it takes to please God? Don’t get me wrong; there is nothing we can do to earn His love, but as James 2:17 says, “In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.”

Many think that God is impressed by works or by following the law in a legalistic manner. Some believe that if they show kindness or if they are “good,” this will please God. God is clear about what will please him-FAITH.

Do you have faith in God? Do you believe that He will answer your prayers and will provide for your needs? Faith doesn’t come without effort. To be faith-filled you must be in a place where you are growing in God.

Faith goes beyond just saying “God exists.” Faith is following Him all the days of your life. Faith is trusting in Him even in the worst situations, and remembering Him in the best.

Believe that God will bless you as you seek Him and you will witness answered prayers as never before…because God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Further Reading

  • Hebrews 7:19
  • Hebrews 9:9-10
  • Hebrews 10:19-22

God Bless

May Our God The Almighty prosper Nigeria and Israel and defend us from all our enemies in Jesus Christ Name, Amen!

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Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad: for great [is] your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you

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Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad: for great [is] your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you

HE WILL SHARE HIS REWARD

MATTHEW 5:10-12

Jesus is saying that persecution should actually cause us to rejoice. There are many positive things about persecution but one of the best reasons to rejoice is because of the reward awaiting us in heaven.

Jesus takes the persecution of His saints very seriously as can be seen during the Damascus road experience of the apostle Paul. The Lord asked Paul (then Saul), “Why are you persecuting me?” (Acts 9:4) He didn’t say, “Why are you persecuting my people?” but “Why are you persecuting me?”

It is not actually us that people are rejecting but they are rejecting the One we represent. Therefore, Jesus promised to share His reward with us. All the glory and honour that Jesus has and will receive will be shared with those who have suffered shame for His name’s sake (Rom. 8:17). What a great reward!

Focusing on the reward instead of the persecution can actually make us rejoice when people speak against us (Acts 5:41). Paul actually longed to experience the fellowship that Jesus provided to those who suffered for His sake (Phil. 3:10). God‘s reward is infinitely greater than any suffering we will ever encounter.

May Our God The Almighty prosper Nigeria and Israel and defend us from all our enemies in Jesus Christ Name, Amen!

Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need

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Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. —Hebrews 4:16

During World War II, the British Isles represented the last line of resistance against the sweep of Nazi oppression in Europe. Under relentless attack and in danger of collapse, however, Britain lacked the resources to see the conflict through to victory. For that reason, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill went on BBC radio and appealed to the world: “Give us the tools, and we will finish the job.” He knew that without help from the outside, they could not endure the assault they were facing.

Life is like that. Often, we are inadequate for the troubles life throws at us, and we need help from outside of ourselves. As members of the body of Christ, that help can come at times from our Christian brothers and sisters (Rom. 12:10-13)—and that is a wonderful thing. Ultimately, however, we seek help from our heavenly Father. The good and great news is that our God has invited us to come confidently before Him: “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb. 4:16).

At such times, our greatest resource is prayer—for it brings us into the very presence of God. There we find, in His mercy and grace, the help we need. —Bill Crowder

God has given you His promise,
That He hears and answers prayer,
He will heed your supplication
If you cast on Him your care. —Bernstecher

Don’t let prayer be your last recourse in time of need; make it your first.

May Our God The Almighty prosper Nigeria and Israel and defend us from all our enemies in Jesus Christ Name, Amen!

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When we call on Jesus in a time of need, He will take that which is ordinary and transform it into something supernatural for our benefit

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Jesus H. ChristWhen we call on Jesus in a time of need, He will take that which is ordinary and transform it into something supernatural for our benefit

In the 2nd chapter of John, Jesus went to a wedding feast, and while there He turned water into wine. This miracle is symbolic of one of the benefits of our salvation. We know that Jesus came to save, but how could this be a part of salvation?

When we call upon the name of the Lord and receive salvation, with it we receive something amazing. We can call on Jesus in a time of need, and He will take that which is ordinary and transform it into something supernatural for our benefit. In other words, Jesus can take ordinary things, touch them, and transform them into something that meets our need, brings joy to our lives, and helps complete what we are involved in.

Water is the most ordinary thing, but Jesus made it far more than it was. Think about the things you are involved in right now. You may be in a struggle that looks very natural and ordinary to you. Or maybe you are in the midst of a storm that you believe has natural causes, or you may even believe you caused it yourself. It doesn’t matter. There could be a hundred causes, but Jesus is with you right now, and He can touch what seems so natural, so ordinary, and He can make it have a supernatural outcome. He wants to touch your life and cause everything you are involved with to be the best it’s ever been.

Let Him touch your life!

May Our God The Almighty prosper Nigeria and Israel and defend us from all our enemies in Jesus Christ Name, Amen!

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Grounded in the Word of God

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Grounded in the Word of God.

 

Proverbs 6:32 “Whoever commits adultery with a woman lacks understanding; He who does so destroys his own soul.

v33 Wounds and dishonour he will get, And his reproach will not be wiped away.”

When men are grounded in the Word of God, and are filled with the Fire of God they will not allow sexual immorality to come near their lives. They will realize that it is a tool by the devil to destroy them and their families and ultimately to distract them from accomplishing the purposes of God in their lives. There is no way to hide this sin. It may seem as if no one knows but eventually it will come out and ruin everyone involved.

May Our God The Almighty prosper Nigeria and Israel and defend us from all our enemies in Jesus Christ Name, Amen!

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Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age

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Jesus H. ChristGo therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age

(Matthew 28:19-20, NKJV).

Jesus said that we are to go, and as we’re going, to make disciples. That involves walking with Him and sharing Him with others. Here are some tips to help you get started:

1. Understand that your own life is a great part of your witness. If my relationship with Christ isn’t vital, then I really don’t have a lot to share. People not only listen to your words, they look at your life. We still fail and aren’t always a good example, so our only hope is to come to God and surrender to Him. It’s nothing that we can do. It’s God’s work.

2. Realize that we earn the right to be heard by sincerely listening to others. Everyone has a story. You can’t just blunder into a situation and callously share without listening. The Bible says that Jesus was a friend of sinners. That’s our example—to be a friend, to listen to people, see where they are, and then take them where they need to go.

3. Recognize that people are looking for a cure. When you go to the doctor, you don’t say, “I have cancer.” Instead, you describe your symptoms. That’s where most people live. They only see symptoms. “I’m lonely. I’m suffering from a broken relationship. I’m stressed.” … We know the ultimate cure. It’s Jesus Christ. Jesus didn’t die for their symptoms. He died for their sins. Yet, people don’t wake up in the morning and think, You know, I need to accept Jesus. They wake up with the symptoms, and so as people who are attempting to rescue those who are lost, we need to start with their symptoms, show them the disease (sin), and take them to the ultimate cure (Jesus)

May Our God The Almighty prosper Nigeria and Israel and defend us from all our enemies in Jesus Christ Name, Amen!

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God can do things that you never thought would happen

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God can do things that you never thought would happen

For I am the LORD: I will speak, and the word that I shall speak
shall come to pass; it shall be no more prolonged: for in your days,
O rebellious house, will I say the word, and will perform it, saith
the Lord GOD
Ezekiel 12:25

In Scripture, we see that God has many ways to prosper people
financially and to get wealth to them. God has used kings, lepers, and even fish. God has used waterpots, estranged family members and a boy’s
lunch. God has numerous ways to get your blessing to you. God can do
things that you never thought would happen. He can cause income to show
up in a way that you never knew could occur.

As a believer, it doesn’t make sense for you to try to figure out how
God is going to do it. When you do that, all you are doing is
wondering. Wondering is wavering, and wavering means you are going to
do without. So instead of wondering how God is going to bless you, lift
your hands and believe God is going to do it!

He’s the Most High God, and whatever He says always come to pass.

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Knowing God in a personal and permanent relationship is the ultimate human experience.

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Knowing God in a personal and permanent relationship is the ultimate human experience

Created to Know God

“Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.”

John 17:3, NIV

What is life in the image of God? It is life with a capacity to know the Creator in a personal relationship. It is a soul that communes with God and has eternal value in His sight. Man was created

to walk and talk with God,

to love and obey God,

to listen to and learn from God,

to glorify and enjoy God forever!

Jesus defined our meaning for existence when He prayed, “Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” Knowing God in a personal and permanent relationship is the ultimate human experience. Knowing God is the meaning of human life. It is the reason for our existence. It was the completion of all the changes God made in the environment in the beginning. And it is the completion of all the changes God is making in your life at the present.

Get to know Him and discover the real meaning of life.

May Our God The Almighty prosper Nigeria and Israel and defend us from all our enemies in Jesus Christ Name, Amen!

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The One Choice That Led to Death

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The One Choice That Led to Death

by Bishop Keith A. Butler

And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the

judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many

offences unto justification.

Romans 5:16

The first instance of God saying something and it not being done

occurred after God gave a limit to Adam, and satan challenged Eve about

whether God had really said it. In the end, Adam openly disobeyed the

one limit God placed on his existence and purpose in Paradise. As a

consequence, Adam and Eve were ejected from the garden and gave up

their crowns for the yoke of death.

Again, it wasn’t God’s choice; it was a human one. It is still that

way. Our choices always have consequences. God chose to risk everything

by giving us the power of choice in the hope that we would choose His

way freely and from the heart.

God gave Adam one boundary and countless free choices outside that

boundary. Humankind tends to set up countless boundaries and provide

only a few limited choices-especially when God has been removed from

the center of their lives.

Prayer for Today

Father,

I praise you for loving me enough to set boundaries, for loving me

enough to show me the good path which leads to life. Thank you for your

Word which gives light to my way. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Selah: Think on These Things

* Galatians 3:10

* James 2:10

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