The Power Of Communion


The Power Of Communion
by Pastor Dony McGuire & Dr. Paul Graden

Last   month, Dr. Paul Graden brought us a wonderful teaching at our Sunday Worship   Celebration on the concepts and power of communion. He shared a somewhat lost   principle of the early church, in that they shared communion daily, often   multiple times a day, in their homes with those who were coming into   “the faith” as well as those who were already in “the faith.” I’ve   taken some of his teachings and broken them down in an attempt to awaken us   to some fresh realities about this all-important ordinance of our faith.

In that   time, communion typically took place prior to a meal and was preceded by a   “blessing,” much like Jesus blessed the bread before He broke it at   the Last Supper. The apostles devoted themselves to this (Acts 2:42). They   did this daily in homes (Acts 2:46). We see the Apostle Paul practicing this   also (Acts 20:11).

It wasn’t   until Rome took over the church in 313 AD that communion was restricted to   the church and the requirement for a priest to administer it started.   Interestingly enough, they allowed the “blessing” to remain at   home, which we now call “grace.” Before Rome banned communion at   home, there were hardly any records of sick or infirmed people in the church.   The only reason a “Christian” suffered illness was because they did   not understand what communion was really about. This is clearly   recorded in 1 Cor 11:28-32.

The church   had been instructed to walk in love (1 Cor 13), but they had failed to repent   to one another. Thus, some were receiving communion in an unworthy manner.   The result was that many were weak and sick, and many died. All because they   did not discern the Lord’s Body! The Corinthians missed Paul’s point. We can   learn from their misjudgment and heed Paul’s advice by understanding what   communion is about and starting off by judging ourselves first, bringing our   failings to God, repenting, receiving forgiveness and moving forward.

Communion   is paralleled with the Israelites preparation for the Exodus. They   slaughtered a lamb and its blood was applied to the doorpost to protect the   firstborn son from death. This was a typology of Jesus’ blood that would   protect us from death, as He promised us eternal life if we partake of   communion (John 6:53-54). Then the Israelites were instructed to eat the   flesh of the lamb. The next morning, millions of them left Egypt and not a   single one of them were sick or feeble! They continued taking communion daily   by eating of the “manna” (bread) that was supernaturally provided   by God.

Similarly,   Jesus instructs us to eat of His flesh and drink His blood (John 6:53-54). In   verse 56, Jesus promises that, when we do this, we will continually dwell in   Him. Luke described the promise a little differently by describing our   dwelling in Him as having our spiritual eyes opened (Luke 24:30-35).

We should   keep in mind that communion is not a “magic pill”; it must be   combined with faith (Hebrews 11:6). It is a symbol of God’s covenant with us.

God’s   grace is allowing us this glimpse “under the hood” through the   science of quantum physics. Quantum physics has been called the “Science   of Heaven Invading Earth.” The best part is that God’s grace is   communicating this complex message in terms that we all can understand.   Quantum physicists have discovered so much information that relates to   this–too much to briefly share here. But here are a couple of things to chew   on:

1. Our DNA   produces Bio-Photons, which they describe as a ball of light inside of us and   an aura of light particles outside of us. They are controlled by our thoughts   and emotions and have the ability to change our molecular structure. So, when   we partake of communion, we ingest the bread and juice. Our bodies begin to   absorb the elements into our cells and bloodstream. In faith, we believe that   the bread and juice become the blood and the body of our Lord Jesus Christ when   we partake of these elements. If we can wrap our minds around our faith, then   we have to take this a step further and realize this also introduces the very   DNA of God into our bodies and changes our DNA to His. When this happens,   diseases are healed and wholeness comes. So we should do this daily, and/or   as often as we will, and mix it with our faith.

2.   Scientists tell us that we literally phase in and out of this physical world   3,500 times per minute. Where are we when we phase out? Ephesians 2:6 tells   us that we are seated with Christ in heavenly places. Imagine the simple act   of taking communion “by faith” opening our spiritual eyes and allowing us to   become aware that we live in heaven and earth simultaneously! Then we will   see and hear God clearly and wonderfully. Then we will do as Jesus did and   only say what the Father says and do what we see the Father doing (John   5:19).

Yes, I   understand how complex these thoughts might seem in context to the way some   of us were raised, and I also understand many of us were led to believe   quantum physicists and scientists were on the opposite side of the spectrum   when it comes to the separation of the church and the world. But many of   today’s quantum physicists and scientists are believers also and are looking   for answers as to why many in the church seem to be powerless, sick and   diseased.

We can   accept the words of Jesus “by faith” and believe that when we partake of the   elements of communion “by faith,” then we’re ingesting His flesh and His   blood into our bodies. I also believe it’s within our ability to comprehend   this and then understand because He is God’s Son, we become partakers of the   DNA of His Father who is also our Father!!!

WOW!!!

For that   reason, I am asking that our church family enter into a season of taking   communion daily. Believing that when we do this by faith, we are becoming   partakers of the very life of God. No sickness or disease can exist where the   life of God exists. It’s our opportunity to step into a new realm of   understanding knowing that God the Father is not afraid to share His very   life with all of His children.

I am so   thankful for the grace of God allowing me to partake of His supernatural   Kingdom today and effect the world around me in a powerful way for Jesus. My   prayer is that you will join me and we will build a unified church as we   truly become the Body of Christ.

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

There is an incredible sense of peace that comes from learning how to rest in the Lord


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There is an incredible sense of peace that comes from learning how to rest in the lord

It’s worth the wait.

When the storms of life hit, we are often tempted to run for cover. When they continue indefinitely, we struggle to find encouragement. When the rain and the wind gather strength until they turn into what seems to be a hurricane, we find ourselves saying, “I can’t do this any longer,” The truth is this: we can’t, but God can.

He is the only One who can help us victoriously fight through the battles of life. Nothing can provide the type of strength that He provides, especially when we feel overwhelmed and discouraged. He stands beside us, and He never retreats.

Daniel never worried about being cast into the lion’s den. He knew that the Lord would provide the help and protection he needed to make it through the night. Some of the people who read these words are fighting a battle with a life-threatening disease. It is an unseen enemy from a human standpoint but not from God’s. He knows exactly what we are facing and how it is affecting our lives.

There is an incredible sense of peace that comes from learning how to rest in the Lord and allow Him to take care of your troubles. This does not mean that you abandon the fight and just give up trying. It means that you shift the focus of your effort from yourself to God. This is where the true victory is gained.

The apostle Paul faced many life-threatening situations. At one point, he debated whether it was better to ask God to allow him to go home to heaven where he would have unending peace and glory in the presence of Christ or to continue living the earthly life God had given him. Paul chose the latter. As much as he longed to see the Lord in heaven, he loved having the opportunity here to tell others about God’s unending, unconditional love and forgiveness.

The challenges you face today is directly related to the joy you will experience in the future.

Today’s Scripture Reading
Habakkuk 3:18-19

Invading the devil’s territory


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The Redeemed Christian Church of GOD.
HOLY GHOST CONGRESS!
Theme: A NEW THING.
Date: 12-17 Dec, 2011.
Venue: Redemption camp, KM 46, Lagos Ibadan expressway, Nigeria.
You are invited!

INVADING THE DEVIL’S TERRITORY

Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your Name.” and He said to them, “I saw satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.” (Luke 10:17-20)

Throughout His ministry on earth, Jesus encountered many people who were under demonic oppression and He had to come to their rescue by casting out the demons, healing the sick and teaching them the truth of the Gospel.

The devil was however enraged about this and he generated a lot of oppositions against Jesus. John 10:31; 39.

The apostles also had similar experiences in their missionary journeys. On a particular occasion, the devil stirred up a riot in the ancient city of Ephesus as result of the preaching of Apostle Paul against the practice of idolatry by the Ephesians and Paul’s companions were seized; Acts 19:29.

Evangelism is an area of ministry where believers must be prepared to do battle with the devil. This is because the devil is never happy when people who are within his territory are delivered and converted to Christ. He will not let go easily but will always fight back to retain control over the lives of such people.

If we must fulfil The Great Commission then we must be ready to confront the devil in battle. However, it is comforting to know that we are fighting from a position of Strength because Jesus has won the battle for us over two thousand years ago!

Our battle is not for victory but from victory in Jesus Christ Name! Amen!  

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

Faith Is Based On The Word Of God, Not “Optimism”


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

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So then faith cometh by
hearing, and hearing by the Word of God (Romans 10:17).

The faith that works and produces result is the one that’s
based on God’s Word. Someone may say, “I’m very hopeful and confident about the
future; I’m optimistic that the miracle I’m expecting will come to pass!” as
beautiful as that may sound, it’s not faith. You must have the Word of God as
the basis for your believing and confession, for faith is based on God’s Word;
it’s the response of the human spirit to the Word of God.

Faith is expressed when you act on the Word. The Apostle Paul
expounded in the Book of Romans how Abraham demonstrated strong faith on the
basis of what God told him in Genesis 17:5 “……for
a father of many nations have I made thee”
. hence the Bible says “He staggered
not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving
glory to God” (Romans 4:20). Abraham had God’s Word as evidence and spoke in
agreement with God; that was how his faith prevailed.

Another example is the story of the Syrophenician woman in
mark 7 ; a remarkable example of true faith. Her young daughter had an unclean spirit,
so she came and fell at the feet of the Master and beseeched Him to cast the
devil out her daughter (Mark 7:25-26). But in verse twenty seven, Jesus said to
her, “……let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the
children’s bread, and to cast it unto the dogs.” Her response was “……yes, Lord: yet the dogs under the table
eat of the children’s crumbs”
(Mark 7:28). Commending her faith, the Lord
Jesus said “…..For this saying goes thy
way; the devil is gone out of thy daughter. And when she was come to her house,
she found the devil gone out, and her daughter laid upon the bed”
(Mark
7:29-30). Observe that she acted on what Jesus said and went home; when she got
home she found her daughter healed. She didn’t act on mere optimism or impulse
of what she thought would happen, but on the Master’s infallible word.

Mere optimism is not a substitute for faith, for it doesn’t
have its foundation on God’s Word. It doesn’t matter how much you anticipate or
are hopeful for the best possible outcome in an endeavour, it still wouldn’t
work if your hope doesn’t translate to faith. True faith transcends the realms
of human theories, reasoning, impulses and optimism because faith is spiritual
and only come to you through the Word of God. So, for your faith to work and
produce results, it’s got to be based on God’s Word.

PRAYER

DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER, I
REJOICE TODAY AT YOUR WORD THAT’S BUILDING MY FAITH STRONG AND ENRICHING ME IN
ALL THINGS. YOUR WORD IS MY LIFE, AND THE LIGHT THAT SHOWS ME HOW TO WALK IN
THE PATHS OF VICTORY, PROSPERITY AND SUCCESS, FROM DAY TO DAY, IN JESUS CHRIST
NAME, AMEN!    

www.christembassy.org

Believe in prosperity


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You first
step to living in prosperity is to believe in prosperity. I’m greatly concerned
and feel really sorry for Christians who don’t believe in prosperity. Most
times they’re the same that condemn and criticize preachers who teach God’s
Word on prosperity, and that’s sad. Not to believe in prosperity or in the
message of prosperity is not believe in God, because when you study the Bible
carefully, you will discover that the prosperity of the Christian is God
ordained, God’s idea, and God’s greatest desire.

As a matter
of fact, if anyone must question, doubt or get sceptical about the message of
prosperity, it shouldn’t be the Christians. God’s idea is not even that the
Christian should try and become rich; for the Christian has already been made
rich. Moreover, the Christian should make the non-Christians rich by teaching
them how to prosper God’s way.

This is what
the Apostle Paul meant when he said, we make many rich (2 Corinthians 6:10). I
love the way Weymouth New Testament Translation puts it; it says “we bestow
wealth on many”. That’s our calling as Christians. There’s an anointing on us
to make people rich; to make their lives beautiful and prosperous. You’re
called to “bestow wealth on many!”

If you’re a
child of God, believe in prosperity and don’t be apologetic about it. Don’t
accept to be poor or average. You’ve been made rich (2 Corinthians 8:9);
therefore believe in prosperity and prove your faith by refusing to talk lack
and poverty. Instead, keep talking your way to financial abundance!

PRAYER

Thank You Heavenly Father for
ordaining me to be rich! I believe and acknowledge the grace of the Lord Jesus
Christ who though was rich, made Himself poor that I might be made rich. I
accept my prosperity as Your Will and idea for my life in Jesus Christ Name,
Amen!

God owns our lives, they aren’t ours


Jesus is considered by scholars such as Weber ...

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Instances abound all over the world of people who, out of frustration, took their own live. Their reasons vary from being fed up with life and frustrated with society to outright self-defeat. It’s true that no one takes his own life joyfully, but a closer look would reveal that no matter the justifications, such acts are not only the products of selfishness and self-centredness but also of ignorance of God‘s Word.

As Christians we need to realize that we don’t own our lives, the Bible says we’ve been bought with a price (1 Corinthians 6:20); we belong to Christ. None of us lives to himself, and none dies to himself. So, If you don’t live to yourself, there’ll be no reason to give up on life; there’ll be no reason to be so self-centred as to contemplate suicide.

When the realization that God owns your life dawns on you, you’ll become more concerned with what His purpose is for your life, and the desire to fulfill that purpose would be the staying force of your life. Take a cue from the Apostle Paul, even at a time he was convinced he had fulfilled God’s purpose for his he said, “For what is life? To me, it is Christ. Death, then, will bring more.But if by continuing to live I can do more worthwhile work, then I am not sure which I should choose. I am pulled in two directions. I want very much to leave this life and be with Christ, which is a far better thing; but for your sake it is much more important that I remain alive. I am sure of this, and so I know that I will stay. I will stay on with you all, to add to your progress and joy in the faith” (Philippians 1:21-25). How inspiring! He chose to live to be of benefit to others.

Even if you think you’ve fulfilled God’s purpose for your life, still choose the honourable way of being a blessing to others. To undertake suicide means that one has chosen to live to himself or herself; he or she has decided how long to live and when and how to die. This certainly isn’t the way for a Christian; a Christian should, on no account, contemplate taking his own life, for your life is not yours

For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. For whether we live, we live unto The LORD; and whether we die, we die unto The LORD: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the LORD‘s (Romans 14:7-8)

PRAYER

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you fo making your Word available to me today; Your Word indeed is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path, guiding me in the path of life, to live for your glory, in JESUS CHRIST Name. Amen!!!

http://www.rhapsodyofrealities.org