Monthly Archives: April 2012

When God makes a promise

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When God makes a promise

Deuteronomy 7:13 says: “He will love thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee: He will also bless the fruit of thy womb, and the fruit of thy land, thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil, the increase of thy wine, and the flocks of thy sheep, in the land which He sware unto thy fathers to give thee.”

Notice that when God makes a promise, He makes it not just to the one who hears it, but to all of the future seed. When God said He would send His Son to die for our sins so that we could be blessed because when we have turned from our iniquities, He did it so that we could receive the blessing. Jesus died, not for His sins, but for our sins, and He died for our sins, bearing our curse, so that we could be blessed with His righteousness and His blessing. Today, think about how God sent His Son for you; not just for the people of yesterday, but for the people of the future. You were in the future in Christ‘s mind when He died on the cross.

You were on His mind!

May the LORD bless Nigeria, American and Israel and take care of us; May the LORD make His face shine upon us, And be gracious to us; May the Lord lift up His countenance upon us, And give us peace, In Jesus Christ Name, we pray! Amen!

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The sinless One took on the face of a sinner so that we sinners could take on the face of a saint

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Jesus with a royal purple robe mocked and beat...

The sinless One took on the face of a sinner so that we sinners could take on the face of a saint

Though his back was ribboned with wounds, the soldiers loaded the crossbeam on Jesus’ shoulders and marched him to the Place of a Skull and executed him.

Jesus was beaten with whips and handed over to the soldiers to be crucified. The governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the governor’s palace, and they all gathered around him. They took off his clothes and put a red robe on him. Using thorny branches, they made a crown, put it on his head, and put a stick in his right hand. Then the soldiers bowed before Jesus and made fun of him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” They spat on Jesus. Then they took his stick and began to beat him on the head. After they finished, the soldiers took off the robe and put his own clothes on him again. Then they led him away to be crucified. (Matt. 27:26–31 NCV)

The soldiers’ assignment was simple: Take the Nazarene to the hill and kill him. But they had another idea. They wanted to have some fun first. Strong, rested, armed soldiers encircled an exhausted, nearly dead, Galilean carpenter and beat up on him. The scourging was commanded. The crucifixion was ordered. But who would draw pleasure out of spitting on a half-dead man?

Spitting isn’t intended to hurt the body—it can’t. Spitting is intended to degrade the soul, and it does. What were the soldiers doing? Were they not elevating themselves at the expense of another? They felt big by making Christ look small.

Allow the spit of the soldiers to symbolize the filth in our hearts. And then observe what Jesus does with our filth. He carries it to the cross.

Through the prophet he said, “I did not hide my face from mocking and spitting” (Isa. 50:6 NIV). Mingled with his blood and sweat was the essence of our sin.

God could have deemed otherwise. In God’s plan, Jesus was offered wine for his throat, so why not a towel for his face? Simon carried the cross of Jesus, but he didn’t mop the cheek of Jesus. Angels were a prayer away. Couldn’t they have taken the spittle away?

 

They could have, but Jesus never commanded them to. For some reason, the One who chose the nails also chose the saliva. Along with the spear and the sponge of man, he bore the spit of man.

The sinless One took on the face of a sinner so that we sinners could take on the face of a saint.

May the LORD bless Nigeria, American and Israel and take care of us; May the LORD make His face shine upon us, And be gracious to us; May the Lord lift up His countenance upon us, And give us peace, In Jesus Christ Name, we pray! Amen!

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God The Grand Architect

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David's Joy Over Forgiveness; as in Psalm 32; ...

God The Grand Architect

“Your Workmanship Is Marvelous.” (Psalm 139:14)

When I tour an historic mansion and scrutinize the building’s details – the quality, design, and decor – I can draw some conclusions about its builder. Is the foundation strong? Are the walls and floors plumb and square? How well are the most intricate details constructed? Does the design flow from one room to another?

We live on a grand estate called Earth. As we look at the beauty and intricacies of our residence, we marvel at the genius of the design. When we gaze up into the heavens, we are overcome with awe at the vastness of what our Creator has brought into being. In one of the most beautiful passages in the Bible, King David describes how nature testifies to the power of God: “The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display His craftsmanship. Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make Him known. They speak without a sound or word; their voice is never heard. Yet their message has gone throughout the earth, and their words to all the world.” (Psalm 19:1-4, NIV)

To get just a small idea of God’s creative power, let us consider our corner of the universe. We live on one of nine planets that revolve around the sun. As the dominant light of our solar system, our sun gives off far more energy in one second than all mankind has produced since creation. With a diameter of approximately 860,000 miles, the sun could hold one million planets the size of the Earth. Yet our sun is only an average-size star.

How comforting it is to know that the God of creation is concerned with my well-being. There is no greater power!

Your View of God Really Matters …

On the next clear, starry night, go outside, gaze upward at God’s heavens, and worship Him for marvellous His power and wisdom. Tell Him how much you love Him. Listen for His voice in your heart.

What More Does God Say?

Psalm 92:4-5

Because God is all powerful, He can help me with anything

May the LORD bless Nigeria, American and Israel and take care of us; May the LORD make His face shine upon us, And be gracious to us; May the Lord lift up His countenance upon us, And give us peace, In Jesus Christ Name, we pray! Amen!

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Are You Worthy of a Miracle!

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Are You Worthy of a Miracle!


“We do not make requests of You because we are righteous, but because of Your great
mercy. Lord, listen! Lord, forgive! Lord, hear and act! For Your sake, my God, do
not delay, because Your city and your people bear your name.” -Daniel 9:18-19

Some people don’t say yes to their miracle because they don’t feel worthy of a miracle.
They mistakenly believe that God only heals or delivers saints, or those who are
good enough or important enough for God to step in miraculously.

“With all the BIG problems in the world – why would God care about me?”

“I must have sinned and I deserve the situation I am in.”

Such cause-and-effect thinking is misleading. So, we believe we deserve our suffering,
our disease, our failed relationships, our joblessness, and we don’t think we deserve
a miracle.

We receive miracles – not because we deserve them – but because God loves us, wants
to deliver us, and thereby reveal His glory in the process – so others will see
and say yes to their miracles!

So say “Yes” to your miracle – so God’s glory will be revealed!

PRAYER:

Lord, forgive me for thinking I am unworthy of a miracle. Thank You that You work
miracles today – not because we deserve them, but because You are merciful. So,
I ask today that Your name be glorified through Your miracle-working power. Amen.

How could your miracle bring glory to God?

May the LORD bless Nigeria, American and Israel and take care of us; May the LORD make His face shine upon us, And be gracious to us; May the Lord lift up His countenance upon us, And give us peace, In Jesus Christ Name, we pray! Amen!

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Never ending Love

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No Greater Love

Never ending Love

 

 

 

1 Corinthians 13:8

“Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.”
NKJV

Have you ever thought about love in the light of eternity? One day all that we know here on earth will be changed. When Christ appears in all His glory, heaven will come to earth and our lives, homes, bodies and relationships will change forever. Yet, there is one thing that will never change. That thing is love. When we see Christ face to face, we will no longer need faith. As we glimpse the realities of heaven all around us, we will no longer cling to hope of a better day. But love will never disappear. The love that created the world and gave life to humanity will still sustain the saints in heaven. The love that walked out of heaven and went to the cross is the same love that prepared a place for us for all eternity. And, the same love that strengthens us in this life is the same love that welcomes us into the next. This love never fails, never wavers and never grows weary. This love is the love of God.

1 John 4:19 “We love Him because He first loved us.” NKJV

Because this love will always remain, let us begin loving even now. We will spend eternity with our brothers and sisters in Christ, so why not love them now? As we love each other with the love given to us through Christ, the world will see it and desire the same. When they do, we can point them to the never-ending source of love, Jesus.

 

Life Lesson: Love releases the power of the Spirit in our lives and in our churches.

Dear God,
Thank You for the love You have shown me. Help me to love others in the same way You have loved me. Use me today to share the love of God with someone I see. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

 

May the LORD bless Nigeria, American and Israel and take care of us; May the LORD make His face shine upon us, And be gracious to us; May the Lord lift up His countenance upon us, And give us peace, In Jesus Christ Name, we pray! Amen!

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Are You a pillar of encouragement?

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Are You a pillar of encouragement

Encourage the Struggling

“For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. Romans 15:4”

Encourage those who’re struggling? Don’t know what to say? Then, open your Bible.

To the grief-stricken: God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

To the jobless: “In all things God works for the good of those who love him.”

Are you a cancer survivor? Someone in the cancer ward needs to hear from you.

Have you buried a spouse and lived to smile again? Then find the recently widowed and walk with them.

Your experiences have deputized you! Paul said in 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 that God is the source of every mercy, and the one who so wonderfully comforts and strengthens us in our hardships and trials. And why does He do this? So that when others are troubled, needing our sympathy and encouragement, we can pass on to them this same help and comfort God has given us!

 

May the LORD bless Nigeria, American and Israel and take care of us; May the LORD make His face shine upon us, And be gracious to us; May the Lord lift up His countenance upon us, And give us peace, In Jesus Christ Name, we pray! Amen!

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Bound in God’s Will

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Bound in God‘s Will

 

They laid their hands on Him and took Him.

Mark 14:46, NKJV

The soldiers and officials who had come to the Garden of Gethsemane to arrest Jesus seized Him roughly, punching and manhandling Him as they bound Him. They bound the hands of the Son of God! The hands of the Creator! Hands that had lifted in authority and calmed the storm at sea. Hands that had gathered little children on His knee.

Have you ever felt bound . . .

in a marriage where the love has run out?

in a small home with small children?

in a physical body wracked with pain?

Are you struggling with your bindings? Do you find that the more you fight against them, the more pain you inflict on yourself, so that you are miserable in your confinement? Sometimes binding is in the will of God. Jesus was in the centre of His Father’s will, yet He was bound. He did not resist the tight cords or complain about His confinement. He simply submitted, not to the soldiers, but to His Father’s will. Would you do the same?

Blessings

 

May the LORD bless Nigeria, American and Israel and take care of us; May the LORD make His face shine upon us, And be gracious to us; May the Lord lift up His countenance upon us, And give us peace, In Jesus Christ Name, we pray! Amen!

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King Of Hearts

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King  Of Hearts

 

 

Mark 4:30, “And he said, Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it?”

 

 

MARK 4:30-34

The word “kingdom” means “the realm over which a king rules.” When applied to God, it could refer to all creation, since “his kingdom ruleth over all” (Ps. 103:19), but the kingdom more often applies to His rule in and through those who are submitted to Him. “The Kingdom of God” more specifically refers to Christ living and ruling in our hearts. So praying “thy kingdom come” is praying for the expansion and influence of God’s rule in the hearts of men everywhere and, ultimately, the establishment of His physical Kingdom here on earth at His second coming (Rev. 11:15; 20:4).

Throughout Jesus’ earthly ministry, the Jews kept looking for Jesus to establish a physical kingdom here on the earth and deliver them from the oppression of the Romans. Although, during the Millenium, the Kingdom of God will physically rule over the nations of the earth, Jesus’ Kingdom is spiritually established by His Word and not by carnal weapons (2 Cor. 10:3-5). Jesus said, “The Kingdom of God cometh not with observation . . .behold, the kingdom of God is within you.” (Lk. 17:20-21) Paul says we are already in the Kingdom of God (Col. 1:13). The Kingdom of God is therefore Christ’s “invisible Church,” His body. The Kingdom began during His earthly ministry and is still ruling the hearts of men today.

The new birth ushers us into the Kingdom of God which is infinitely greater in wonder and benefits than our finite minds can comprehend. To the degree that we do begin to understand how God’s Kingdom works and apply our lives to it, we can experience heaven here on earth. Pray for a release into the physical of what is already present in your spiritual being.

May the LORD bless Nigeria, American and Israel and take care of us; May the LORD make His face shine upon us, And be gracious to us; May the Lord lift up His countenance upon us, And give us peace, In Jesus Christ Name, we pray! Amen!

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You shall not murder

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The Birth of Our Lord Jesus Christ

You shall not murder.
Exodus 20:13

 

Speaking Life

Most people would never think of breaking this commandment by murdering someone.

In fact it’s easy to skip right over this commandment, thinking, “Well I wouldn’t do that, so, moving right along….”

Be careful! Jesus teaches us in Matthew 5:21-22 that unjust anger and refusing to forgive are acts of murder that we commit in our hearts. He says, “Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment. But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment.”

How often have we “killed” one another by holding grudges, hatred and anger over them? How often have we worked to secretly tear down others with our words and our gossip, speaking death over their lives and over their works?

I challenge you to search your heart for signs that you are holding grudges or failing to forgive. I challenge you to ask God to forgive you and to help you speak life instead of speaking death. I challenge you to refuse to murder others with words just as much as you would refuse to commit murder by any other means.

 

Further Reading

  • James 3:6
  • Proverbs 16:27
  • Romans 1:29-30

God Bless

May the LORD bless Nigeria, American and Israel and take care of us; May the LORD make His face shine upon us, And be gracious to us; May the Lord lift up His countenance upon us, And give us peace, In Jesus Christ Name, we pray! Amen!

Related articles
  • Why We Must Forgive (bummyla.wordpress.com)
  • The Sixth Commandment (suetornai.wordpress.com)
  • Sermon on the Mount Memory Verse, Week 12 (saltandgrace.wordpress.com)
  • Teachings of Jesus: Don’t be Angry (anotherchristianblog.org)
  • Anger & Conflict Amongst Christians (2pillarschurch.com)
  • 6 Toxins That Affect Our Walk With God – Anger – Day 2 (christlikeministriesnwa.wordpress.com)
  • Thou Shalt Not Kill (communionwithjesus.wordpress.com)
  • Week 4.4 Murder pt 1 (dailybiblestudy.com.au)

The Lord Must Build the Church

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Šelpice, Jesus Christ church

The Lord Must Build the Church


Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do
the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will
remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.
Revelation 2:5

Jesus not only establishes the church but also removes a church when it
loses its value to the kingdom. If a church doesn’t witness, doesn’t
cause people to learn the truth, and doesn’t pray or if a church is
only formed by customs and catering to the flesh, not advancing the
kingdom of God, the Lord doesn’t want His name on it. You can look at the histories of some churches and some denominations and see that they
started out on fire for God, doing the great works of God. Today those
denominations are totally cold and losing members. What happened? Their
candlesticks were removed.

The only way that you can do the works of God is if the Lord builds the
church. If the Lord doesn’t build the church, you are in vain to build
it. You can build a church in the flesh, but there will be no credit,
no anointing, no move of God, and no revelation. It will be only an
institution.

If the Lord removes a church, He will send someone else to be His
witness because He still wants all men to be saved and come to the
knowledge of the truth. That is the reason why you will see three or
four churches in the same place.

Prayer for Today

Father,
You alone are the builder and establisher of Your church. I pray for
knowledge to do Your will, for courage to remain true, and for the
anointing of Your Spirit to do work that will last for Your kingdom and
Your glory. In Jesus Christ Name, Amen.

Think on These Things

Revelation 3:3
Malachi 3:4

May the LORD bless Nigeria, American and Israel and take care of us; May the LORD make His face shine upon us, And be gracious to us; May the Lord lift up His countenance upon us, And give us peace, In Jesus Christ Name, we pray! Amen!

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