Monthly Archives: September 2012

It is finished. Father, into your hands I commit my spirit

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English: Resurrection of Christ

English: Resurrection of Christ (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

It is finished. Father, into your hands I commit my spirit

Jesus’ Last Words on the Cross

From He Chose the Nails: What God Did To Win Your Heart
Copyright (Thomas Nelson, 2000) Max Lucado

The hill is quiet now. Not still but quiet. For the first time all day there is no noise. The clamor began to subside when the darkness—that puzzling midday darkness—fell. Like water douses a fire, the shadows doused the ridicule. No more taunts. No more jokes. No more jesting. And, in time, no more mockers. One by one the onlookers turned and began the descent.

That is, all the onlookers except you and me. We did not leave. We came to learn. And so we lingered in the semidarkness and listened. We listened to the soldiers cursing, the passersby questioning, and the women weeping. But most of all, we listened to the trio of dying men groaning. Hoarse, guttural, thirsty groans. They groaned with each rolling of the head and each pivot of the legs.

But as the minutes became hours, these groans diminished. The three seemed dead. Were it not for the belabored breathing, you would have thought they were.

Then he screamed. As if someone had yanked his hair, the back of his head slammed against the sign that bore his name, and he screamed. Like a dagger cuts the curtain, his scream cut the dark. Standing as straight as the nails would permit, he cried as one calling for a lost friend, “Eloi!”

His voice was raspy, scratchy. Reflections of the torch flame danced in his wide eyes. “My God!”

Ignoring the volcano of erupting pain, he pushed upward until his shoulders were higher than his nailed hands. “Why have you forsaken me?”

The soldiers stared. The weeping of the women ceased. One of the Pharisees sneered sarcastically, “He’s calling Elijah.”

No one laughed.

He’d shouted a question to the heavens, and you half expected heaven to shout one in return.

And apparently it did. For the face of Jesus softened, and an afternoon dawn broke as he spoke a final time. “It is finished. Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.”
As he gave his final breath, the earth gave a sudden stir. A rock rolled, and a soldier stumbled. Then, as suddenly as the silence was broken, the silence returned.

And now all is quiet. The mocking has ceased. There is no one to mock.

The soldiers are busy with the business of cleaning up the dead. Two men have come. Dressed well and meaning well, they are given the body of Jesus.

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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But Now! God is waiting to hear from you!

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English: Resurrection of Christ

English: Resurrection of Christ (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

But Now! God is waiting to hear from you!

Isaiah 59:2 says: “Your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you, that He will not hear.“

When you lived under sin, God’s ears were deaf to your cries, as this scripture clearly tells you. John 9:31 says: “Now we know that God does not hear sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and does His will, him He hears.”

I want to encourage you to remember that before you came to Christ, your sins and iniquities caused the heavens to be brass, but now Heaven is open for you. The Bible tells us that God sent forth His Son, and that Jesus was made to be sin for you when He knew no sin, so that you could be made the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21). Your sins once separated you from God and caused His ears to be closed, but now because of Jesus Christ, the heavens are open, and God’s ears are open to your prayers. Think about that.
God is waiting to hear from you!

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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What do you do “When Life Stinks”?

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Corrie Milne 2008-01-01 (2)
What do you do “When Life Stinks“?

At some point in time, everyone experiences a huge let down. No one is exempt! Something doesn’t go our way or someone doesn’t come through as anticipated. And, sometimes that someone is God! Pretending that life is nothing but sunshine once you give your life to Christ would be just that…pretending!

Learning, how to handle our disappointment, even disappointment with God, is essential in our faith journey.

Corrie ten Boom said it best, when we go through the darkest of tunnels, “that’s the most important time to stay on the train and trust the Conductor-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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Glorious Generation (Sermon Note)

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English: Abraham embraces his son Isaac after ...

English: Abraham embraces his son Isaac after receiving him back from God (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Glorious Generation (Sermon Note)

Introduction

Gory is part of the excellence of God. Thus, the chosen of God do normally reveal His glory in all areas of their lives. In this study, we shall examine the way God reveal His glory in the lives of His chosen ones, from one generation to another. May the Lord Himself teach us through His Holy Spirit in Jesus Name, Amen!

Bible Passage:            Genesis 12:1-3

Abraham

God deliberately chose Abraham to separate him from others and to bless him – Genesis 12:1. Abraham had no input in the divine choice – Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 5:8

Once Abraham accepted God’s invitation, God’s manifested upon him and his generations to follow. Abraham became the first recorded rich and wealthy man in the Bible – Genesis 13:2; 24:34-35; 14:14.

God has also made these riches available to us and our generation through Jesus Christ – 2 Corinthians 8:9; Job 36; 3 John 2; Psalms 37:25.

 

 

 

 

The glory of God upon Abraham did not allow him to be sick on any single occasion in all recorded history. That was possible because God was his great physician – Exodus 15:26; Psalms 105:37; Deuteronomy 7:15.

The promise of God was fulfilled in the life of Abraham – Genesis 17:19; Genesis 21:1-3.

 

 

 

 

God has glorious promises for us all – Jeremiah 29:11-13; Job 22:23-30.

 

 

 

 

Abraham ended well – Genesis 25-8. This is the lot of all chosen people of God – Job 5:26.

 

 

 

 

Isaac

He was a child of promise, specially chosen – Genesis 15:4; Genesis 17:19.

The glory of God manifested in the life of Isaac in all areas – Genesis 26:12-14 – the glory of God continued in the life of Isaac after Abraham.

Isaac ended well – Genesis 35:29.

 

 

 

 

 

The glory of God continued to Isaac’s generation and was extended to Jacob, his chosen son.

Jacob

Just as God picked Abraham from among many in the land of Ur, as He picked Isaac over his brother Ishmael, God chose Jacob over Esau – Genesis 25:23. Jacob became very great indeed.

We are now the glorious generations of Abraham, who are qualified to partake of his blessings and the promises of God to him. 1 Kings 8:56-58; Joshua 24:15; Numbers 23:19; Romans 4:20-21; Mark 9:23; Isaiah 3:10-11.

 

 

 

 

Conclusion: To be able to access the blessings of Abraham, you must be in Christ.

Altar Call:  you need to have Jesus to succeed!

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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Jesus Christ Is Standing At the Door Of Our Hearts

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English: 4 days of Evangelism Training in Sout...

Jesus Christ Is Standing At the Door Of Our Hearts

It is humbling to imagine that even in His heavenly glory, Christ knocks on the doors of our hearts, asking to come in. If we open that door, we will stand before Him. What a glorious moment. There is an old song that speaks of the comfort we find when we stand before God and with God.

When I stand with God, no raging storm shall ever shake me
When I stand with Him, the cares of life can never break me
For when I’m crying He dries my tears
When I’m frightened He hides my fears
All my sorrows disappear
When I stand with Him.

We have the assurance that in the storms of life, Jesus Himself will be standing with us. He is waiting to share our sorrows and to renew our courage.

—Billy Graham (Excerpted from Storm Warning)

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 Blood of Jesus Christ

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Stained glass at St John the Baptist's Anglica...

The Blood of Jesus Christ

How much more . . . will the blood of Christ . . . cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death.

Hebrews 9:14, NIV

Do you know people who arrogantly insist that if their good works outweigh their bad works, God is somehow obligated to accept them? As you look around, what “fruit” do you see others bringing to the place of sacrifice instead of humbly approaching God through the blood of His Son? The “fruit” of

religious activity,

good works,

morality,

or philanthropy?

Many people do not want to come to the place of sacrifice, the Cross of Jesus Christ, because it intensifies the conviction of their own sin and judgment and is a reminder that heaven’s gate is closed to sinners. God warns that “a man is not justified by observing the law,” (Gal. 2:16, NIV) because “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” of sin (Heb. 9:22, NIV). So humble yourself, come to the Cross, and thank God for the blood of Jesus that is sufficient to forgive any and all sin

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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Jesus Will!

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English: Jesus entering Jerusalem on a donkey

Jesus Will!

The Bible reveals to us that what Jesus says to one, He says to all. He is not a respecter of persons, and He does not change. His answer to one person is His answer to all people. In Matthew 8:1-4 there was a leper, and he came to Jesus for help. He told Jesus what he believed when he said, “If You will, You can make me clean.” The man believed Jesus had unlimited power. He believed nothing was impossible for Jesus. He believed Jesus was God‘s Son, and he believed whatever Jesus said would come to pass. He would have obeyed and done whatever Jesus told him to do. The only question this man had was “Will you?” He did not question the power or ability of Jesus, but he was unsure of His willingness.

Jesus settled the willingness question forever when He responded, “I will. Be clean.” What Jesus said to this man is what He will say to you in every situation. Jesus is willing. If you ask Him, “Will you help me?”, His answer will be, “I will.” If you ask, “Will you lead me?”, His answer will be, “I will.” If you ask, “Will you resolve this issue?”, He will say, “I will.” If you ask, “Will you stir me?”, you will hear, “I will.” If like this man you wonder, “Will you heal me?”, you will discover, “I will.” When you accept that it is God’s will to fulfil every promise and to do for you what He’s done for multitudes of others, then you will set yourself up for a miracle. Now, all you have to do is what the leper did – just mix faith with and act on the Word of God. God is waiting and His answer is, “I will.”

He will!

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 operates according to the principle of seed, time, and harvest

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English: 4 days of Evangelism Training in Sout...

English: 4 days of Evangelism Training in Southern California provided by LivingWaters Ministry. Obeying the great commission of Jesus Christ. “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to everyone” Mark 16:15 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

God operates according to the principle of seed, time, and harvest


But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly;
and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully
2 Corinthians 9:6

Paul had been talking about giving to the saints, and in this verse he
said, “he that soweth…” God looks at your giving as seed, and
He looks at you as if you are a farmer. That’s why we say, a seed will
meet any need.
God operates according to the principle of seed, time, and harvest. If
you want to have a harvest, you must first plant a seed.

Paul was telling this church that he who sows (gives) bountifully, will
reap bountifully. He who gives a little, will reap a little. The amount
you invest directly relates to the amount you receive.

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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Count your blessings, name them one by one (Hymn)

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Česky: Kříže - symbol utrpení Ježíše Krista a ...

Count your blessings, name them one by one (Hymn)

When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed,

when you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,

Count your many blessings, name them one by one,

And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

 

Count your blessings, name them one by one

Count your blessings, see what God hath done!

Count your blessings, name them one by one,

And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

 

 

 

 

Are you ever burdened with a load of care?

Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?

Count your many blessing, every doubt will fly,

And you will keep singing as the days go by.

When you look at others with their lands and gold,

Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;

Count your many blessing. Wealth can never buy

Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high.

So, amid the conflict whether great or small,

Do not be disheartened, God is over all;

Count your many blessings, angels will attend,

Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.

 

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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Like Jesus

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Stained glass at St John the Baptist's Anglica...

LIKE JESUS

Esther 1-3

Memorize:Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. 1 John 3:7

Read: 1 John 3:1-10

The call to salvation is a call to holiness. After you receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and personal Saviour, it does not end there; the journey to Heaven has only just begun. Before you were saved, you manifested the works of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-21).

But now that you have encountered Jesus Christ at salvation, the fruit of the Spirit is expected from you (Galatians 5:22-23). Every attempt at righteousness before your salvation was equal to self-righteousness which is as filthy rags to God (Isaiah 64:6); hence, Paul says his self-righteousness no longer counts but the righteousness by faith in Jesus Christ (Philippians 3:9).

God has not only saved us and given us the gift of righteousness, He also expects us to live a life in agreement with His standard. Today, some people think that it is just enough to be born again and that nothing else is required.

No! It is not enough! The truth is your new birth gives you the platform on which to build on, having secured God’s righteousness through your faith in Christ Jesus. We are called to be like our Saviour Jesus Christ. In 1 John 2:1, Jesus is called the righteous, and verse 29 says: If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.

This means that the fruit of righteousness that you bear will be used to determine whether you are born of God or not. 1 John 3:7 says: Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. God is not saying you should be holier than Jesus. Even Jesus says it is enough for a servant to be like his master (Luke 6:40).

If God expected works of righteousness from Jesus, He expects the same from you. If you look at the letters the Lord wrote to the churches in Revelation 2 and 3, you will notice that He kept repeating that those who will qualify for those wonderful rewards are only the believers who overcome as He also overcame.

In every point Jesus overcame, you too should, because He is our standard. Every act of righteousness He manifested, you too should. You must live a life that manifests the victory Christ has given you over the flesh, Satan and the world. You must allow Him to live His righteous life through you. Are you daily living a life of righteousness?

KEY POINT: Jesus is God’s unchangeable standard for man. Be like Him in everything including righteous living.

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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