Tag Archives: Christ

Naturally Holy

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Resurrection of Christ

Resurrection of Christ (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Naturally Holy

 

John 5:14, “Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.”

 

JOHN 5:1-15

 

In saying this, Jesus shows that sin causes the tragedies that come into our lives. The reason for holiness in the life of the believer is that when we obey sin, we yield ourselves to Satan, the author of that sin. Yielding to sin is yielding to a person – Satan. God doesn’t impute the sin to us but the devil does. Our actions either release the power of Satan or the power of God in us.

 

 

Although God is not imputing our sins unto us, we cannot afford the luxury of sin because it allows Satan to have access to us. When a Christian sins and allows the devil opportunity to produce his death in their life, the way to stop it is to confess the sin, and God who is faithful and just, will take the forgiveness that is already present in our born again spirit and release it in our flesh. This removes Satan and his strongholds.

 

 

The sins of a Christian don’t make him a sinner any more than the righteous acts of a sinner make him righteous. Sin is a very deadly thing that even Christians should avoid at all costs, but it does not determine our standing with the Lord. A person who is born again is not “in” the flesh even though he may walk “after” the flesh.

 

 

What is the motive for living a separated life? We live a separated life because our nature has been changed. We were darkness, now we are light (Eph. 5:8). Many people argue for holiness in order to obtain relationship with God. We need to live holy lives because of the relationship that we already have. It’s the nature of a Christian to walk in the light and not in darkness. If Christians were rightly informed of who they are and what they have in Christ, holiness would just naturally flow out of them. It’s their nature. It’s our nature.

 

 

 

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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For us, death is not a goodbye; it’s a “see you later”

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For us, death is not a goodbye; it’s a “see you later”

 

Culled From:  http://www.odb.org.

READ: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

We who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. —1 Thessalonians 4:17

As a boy, I had a collie named Prince Boy, a great dog that I really loved. One day, he disappeared. I didn’t know if he had been stolen or if he had simply run away—but I was devastated. I searched everywhere. In fact, one of my earliest childhood memories is of climbing a tall tree from which I could scan our neighborhood in hopes of spotting him. I desperately wanted my beloved dog back. For weeks, I was always watching and hoping to see Prince Boy again. But we were never reunited.

There’s a much greater sense of loss when we think we’ll never again see a loved one who dies. But for those who know and love the Lord, death’s parting is only temporary. One day we will be reunited forever!

Paul assured the Thessalonians, “The dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord” (1 Thess. 4:16-17). The words that provide comfort to the grieving heart are together and we. These words of reunion indicate that followers of Christ don’t ever have to experience permanent separation. For us, death is not a goodbye; it’s a “see you later.” —Bill Crowder

We’ll be reunited one day
With our loved ones who have died
If they know the Lord as Saviour—
Then with Him we will abide. —Sper

 

 

God’s people never say goodbye for the last time.

 

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
  • 1 Thessalonians 1 (saltthroughlight.wordpress.com)
  • 1 Thessalonians 4:14 (momsfirstscreenn.wordpress.com)
  • Revelation Concerning the Dead in Christ 1Thessalonians 4:13-18 (loopyloo305.com)
  • Why Jesus Came To Die: Reason #40 (sandhillsonline.org)
  • Understanding The Bible – 1 Thessalonians 4:16 – The Dead in Christ Shall Rise (darrellcreswell.wordpress.com)
  • Description of the Day of the Lord 1Thessalonians 5:1-11 (loopyloo305.com)
  • Seeing God (hbcgrace.wordpress.com)
  • Genesis 18 – The Doom of Sodom (fellowshipofminds.wordpress.com)
  • Jesus IS Lord in Colossians, and 1st & 2nd Thessalonians (defendingcontending.com)

Culture of Envy

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at dusk in Kensington, Maryland, USA.

Culture of Envy

 

 

You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant, or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.
Exodus 20:17

Everything about our culture entices us to want more and to want better things than we already have.

We live in the most affluent yet the most unhappy nation in the world. This is the result of removing gratitude from our value system and writing a “more, more, more” attitude in. If we don’t want more and strive for more, we’re told we somehow don’t measure up.

The cure for envy and covetousness is found in gratitude and praise to God. Colossians 3:16 tells us that we should “let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.”

Today I want to bring a word to you to find a new measuring stick for yourself and others-let us measure ourselves by our obedience to God and by the evidence of the fruit of the Spirit in our lives.

 

 

Further Reading

Job 5:2

Proverbs 14:30

Ecclesiastes 4:4

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!

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Faith Vs. Sight

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03.365 (02.08.2009) Faith

Faith Vs. Sight

God never changes

“Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of highest privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory,” (Romans 5:2)

Faith is essential to the Christian life. But until we realize our faith is in the God who never changes, we will tend to walk by sight.

All of us have natural, everyday faith. This is the faith we exhibit in the ordinary things we do. When we sip a glass of water, we trust that it is pure. When we board an airplane, we have faith that the builders, the air traffic controllers, and the pilot know what they are doing. This type of faith comes from our senses. If the water looks odd or smells funny, we do not drink it. If the pilot reeks of alcohol, we do not board the plane.

But spiritual faith does not depend on our senses. It is based on God’s consistent and trustworthy character. As George Mueller, 19th century British social reformer, explained, “Faith does not operate in the realm of the possible. There is no glory for God in that which is humanly possible. Faith begins where man’s power ends.”

Although our circumstances may appear hopeless and our feelings may tell us to give up, we must not allow ourselves to be limited by the visible world. Instead, we should place our trust in the God who never changes.

Yet many times our faith extends only as far as we can see. An African impala antelope can jump higher than ten feet and a distance of more than thirty feet. Yet these magnificent creatures can be kept in an enclosure behind a three-foot wall. The reason? The antelope will not jump if it cannot see where its feet will fall. The impala’s dependency on its senses robs it of its freedom.

We, also, are often limited by our need to see before we will believe. Instead, we must improve our spiritual vision so that the walls of fear and doubt cannot doom us to a life of spiritual mediocrity.

Your View of God Really Matters …

If you really believed that God never changes, how would that affect the way you trust Him for the things you cannot see, or the circumstances you don’t understand?

What More Does God Say?

Numbers 23:19

Because God never changes, My future is secure and eternal

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 Knows Best

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Father Knows Best

 

 

1 Corinthians 7:21-22

“Were you called while a slave? Do not be concerned about it; but if you can be made free, rather use it. For he who is called in the Lord while a slave is the Lord’s freedman. Likewise he who is called while free is Christ‘s slave.”
NKJV

We often think our circumstances in life are our problem. Whether it is our job, friends or family situations, we often think these are the source of our issues. Life can be uncomfortable at times, but friend, if you are a Christian, God has allowed circumstances in your life because he is forming Himself in you.

God is trying to help you in your circumstances and trials. By allowing you to go through difficult challenges in life, you can grow to be more like Him. Sometimes, trials can be painful. Is there anybody in your life that God is trying to use to remove what does not resemble Him in your life? You are precious to God and He loves you. He wants to grow you through your challenges. As you mature in the Lord, you should ask Him what He wants you to learn through them and allow Him to change you.

Consider a clay pot. The potter forms the clay to create a beautiful masterpiece. Once he forms it, he fires the clay to make it hard and usable for the tasks for which it was created. What if the potter pulled the clay out too soon? It would be half-baked and the clay pot would not be usable. The potter would then have to break the pot, re-wet it, form and fire it again. Life is a lot like this clay pot. Who wants to be a half-baked Christian? When we do not learn a lesson that God is trying to perfect in us, we have to go through it again and again until He forms Himself in us.

Philippians 1:6 “being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;” NKJV

Friend, God has called you to serve Him. He is using your circumstances to free you from the bondage of the shame, guilt and sin that separates you from Him. Whatever is going on in your life–trust Him! God is willing to do whatever it takes to reach you. He wants to set you free.

 

Life Lesson: Our circumstances are usually not the problem; it is our response or attitude to the circumstances that is the problem.

Dear Father,
Thank You for loving me. Thank You for the opportunity to go through circumstances that form me to be more like You. Lord, You sentenced and punished Yourself for me so I could be forgiven. I thank You that You were willing to pay such a high price for me. I choose to walk in the incredible plans You have for me instead of the plans I have made. Help me to be faithful in the small things by listening to You. You are my hope, my love and my peace. Help me to hear Your voice and to discover my own call and adventure in life. 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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Let Christ Live Through Us

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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)

Let Christ Live Through Us

 

Matthew 9:9, “And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.”

 

MATTHEW 9:9-10, MARK 2:14-15, LUKE 5:27-29

To “follow” means to come or go after; move behind in the same direction; to come or go with; to accept the guidance or leadership of; to adhere to the cause or principles of; to be governed by; obey; comply with (Jn. 10:27-29; Rom. 10:9-10, 13).

When a person first comes to Jesus, it is impossible to know everything that following Jesus entails. No one, however, should be fearful of making a total commitment because of some imagined problem that may never come to pass. There should be a willingness to forsake everything to follow Jesus. Once we make that decision, then Christ begins to live through us and we find a strength that is not our own, equal to whatever test we may encounter (Gal. 2:20).

It is Christ living through us that is the secret of victorious Christian living. It is not us living for Jesus, but Jesus living through us. Failure to understand this simple truth is at the root of all legalism and the performance mentality. The law focuses on the outer man and tells it what it must do. Grace focuses on the inner man and tells it what is already done through Christ. Those who are focused on what they must do are under law. Those who are focused on what Christ has done for them are walking under grace.

Just as the life of a root is found in the soil, or a branch in the vine, or a fish in the sea, so the believer’s true life is found to be in union with Christ. The Christian life is not just hard to live, it’s impossible in our human strength. The only way to walk in victory is to let Christ live through 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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Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves

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The Last Supper of Jesus Christ

The Last Supper of Jesus Christ (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves.

 

Micah 3:1

And I said: “Hear now, O heads of Jacob, And you rulers of the house of Israel:
Is it not for you to know justice?”
NKJV

Today’s society is fast paced and full of busyness. But what are we busy doing? Is it trying to live life with a mission to better ourselves? Any of us who have tried to live this kind of life know that we are never satisfied even when we achieve our goals. Friend, if we have a relationship with Jesus, is it not for us to know justice? If we claim to be a follower of Jesus, we have a responsibility to live a Godly life everywhere we go. God has showed us that life is not about us, it’s about knowing Him, loving Him and loving others. If anyone should know that, it is the body of Christ–those who have been forgiven of their sins. Now that God has blessed us with His forgiveness, He desires that we share His love with others. The world needs us to be an example of living the Bible so that they too are drawn to Christ. They need answers, and for us to say we are “Christians” and live our life in pursuit of personal gain would only be a contradiction to who we say we follow.

2 Corinthians 13:5-6 “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you? – unless indeed you are disqualified.” NKJV

Friend, let’s stand before God often and ask Him to reveal things in our life that are not pleasing to Him. As we do that, the world will not have any stones to throw. They will be drawn to Jesus and living their life for Him just like we should.

 

Life Lesson: The world is looking for answers, not for hypocrites.

Dear Father:
Thank You for loving me. Thank You for forgiving me of my sins. Help me to live a disciple’s life wherever I go. Please remove those things that are not pleasing to You so others are not confused. Thank You Lord, for using me to change lives for eternity just like you changed mine. 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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The Greatness Of Christ’s Love

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The Greatness Of Christ’s Love

Such Passion

“I pray that you and all God’s holy people will have the power to understand the greatness of Christ’s love.” Ephesians 3:18

From the cradle in Bethlehem to the cross in Jerusalem we’ve pondered the love of our Father. What can you say to that kind of emotion? Upon learning that God would rather die than live without you, how do you react? How can you begin to explain such passion?

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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A Slave Of Christ Jesus

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A Slave Of Christ Jesus

“This letter is from Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus….” (Romans 1:1)

When I proposed to Vonette, I said we would travel the world and that we would live in prestigious Bel Air, California. I promised her everything her heart could desire before we were married.

But within a couple of years our desires and our interests had changed. We had both fallen in love with Jesus. We came to the conclusion that knowing and serving Jesus was more important than anything else.

It was in that spring of 1951, one memorable afternoon, that Vonette and I, in our home in the Hollywood Hills, got on our knees and prayed, “Lord, we surrender our lives irrevocably to You. We want to do Your will. We want to love and serve You with all of our hearts for the rest of our lives.”

We actually wrote and signed a contract committing our whole lives to Him, relinquishing all of our rights, all of our possessions, everything we would ever own, giving to Him, our Dear Lord and Master, everything.

In the words of the apostle Paul, Vonette and I became voluntary “slaves” of Jesus that Sunday afternoon, by choice, as an act of the will.

Approximately 24 hours after we signed the contract to be His slaves, He gave me a world-changing vision, which we call Campus Crusade for Christ. I believe that had there been no contract, there would have been no vision.

For over 50 years, I have considered it my greatest honour to be a slave of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Your View of God Really Matters …

Is God truly sovereign in your life? Do you believe wholeheartedly that knowing and serving Jesus is the more important than anything else? Are you willing, along with the apostle Paul, to voluntarily become a slave of Jesus out of your love for Him?

What More Does God Say?

2 Peter 1:1; Matthew 20:25-28; Luke 22; 24-27; 2 Corinthians 6:4-10

Because God is sovereign, I will joyfully submit to His Will, Amen!

Culled from: DiscoverGod.com

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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Making the Best Choice

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Christ with Martha and Maria

Christ with Martha and Maria (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Making the Best Choice


Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain
village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her
house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’
feet, and heard his word. But Martha was cumbered about much
serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my
sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help
me.
Luke 10:38-40

In Luke, you see the attitude that causes religion. Jesus and His
disciples, and maybe even more of His travelling companions, are all in
the house and Martha is running around asking, “Do you have enough
drinks? Can I get you anything to eat?” While she is doing all this,
she comes to Jesus and says, “Lord, don’t you care that I’m doing this
all by myself? Make Mary help me.”

Religion has a controlling spirit. It has wrong priorities. Did Jesus
say, “Now, Mary, you can’t let Martha do all the work by herself. Get
up and go help her.” No, He said, Martha, many things bother you, but
Mary has made the best choice, something that can’t be taken away.”

Mary may not have had everything in order, but there was one thing she
did get right. She loved God, and she wanted His Words so that she
could do His works. That is the difference between religion and true
worship. We have a program at our churches, but at any time and in any
situation, we can stop what we’re doing and follow what God’s Spirit is
saying to do. Service doesn’t have to end in 90 ninety minutes, and it
doesn’t have to end in 240 minutes. It needs to end only when the Holy
Ghost wants it to be over.

Prayer for Today

Father,
Give me a heart that desires to make the best choices, and discernment
to know the difference. I quiet myself before you and listen to your
still small voice. In Jesus Christ Name! Amen.

Think on These Things

Luke 12:29
John 6:27

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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Get UP! And Claim Your Miracle!

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Get UP! And Claim Your Miracle!

But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.” -Matthew
17:7

Today, Jesus is walking through a crowd. Suddenly He stops, turns, and picks you
out of the crowd. He looks you in the eye and asks you: Do You Want to be made Whole?
Do You Want a Miracle?

If your answer is “Yes, I want to be made whole, I want a miracle,” here is Christ‘s prescription to get well: Get UP! Get up and claim your miracle!

For example, men and women come to our Hope Center on Mondays and get a free meal,
free haircuts, and free clothing. In addition, the head of our ministry’s HR department
has been helping men and women with their resumes at the Hope Center. They bring
their resumes to Eileen, who reviews them, makes notes on them, goes home and revises
them until they’re up to professional standards. Bringing multiple copies with her
the following Monday, she goes over them with the men and women seeking employment.

A while back, a man came running up to Eileen and said, “I got a job! I got a job
and I have two days off! Sundays and Mondays – so I can come to church and help
out here during Monday Meals!”

He got up! He claimed his miracle! He got up and came to Hope Center. He got up
and brought his resume to Eileen. He got up, came back to Hope Center, and picked
up his revised resumes. Then he got up and applied for his miracle job. He continues
to get up every day, goes to work, and gets up every Sunday and Monday to give back
to God.

Do you want to be well? Do you want a miracle? Then get up! And claim your miracle!

PRAYER:

Lord, thank You for touching me today, for giving me renewed faith. With Your help,
I will get up today and walk into Your miracle for my life. Thank You, Lord. Amen.

How has fear kept you from getting up – getting up from depression, from failure,
from rejection, from discouragement? How can the touch of Jesus renew your faith
so you can get up and walk into your miracle?

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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I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me

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Resurrection of Christ

Resurrection of Christ (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me

Acts 28:23-24

“So when they had appointed him a day, many came to him at his lodging, to whom he explained and solemnly testified of the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus from both the Law of Moses and the Prophets, from morning till evening. And some were persuaded by the things which were spoken, and some disbelieved.”
NKJV

Interesting… Paul used what part of the Bible? He used the Hebrew Scriptures. Paul used the Old Testament to show that Jesus was the Messiah; Yeshua HaMashiach in Hebrew. It’s amazing to me how many churches, pastors, and Christians are willing to throw aside the Hebrew Scriptures calling them outdated or not relevant for today. We see Jesus all through the Old Testament! He’s in Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, and all the way through the Psalms and into the prophets. Friend, you cannot throw out the Hebrew Scriptures without saying that Jesus is no longer relevant. Some would try to say that there are other paths to God. It is true that all paths do lead to God, but there’s only one path that leads to heaven. Everyone will stand before God, but without Jesus, you will be eternally separated from heaven and God at that meeting.

John 14:6 “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” NKJV

Jesus did not say, “I am one of many ways.” Friend, God has provided THE way for forgiveness and restoration to Him and that way is through His Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus died on a cross and was resurrected from the grave for our sins.

Jesus is the way to God’s forgiveness. He’s the only way.

Acts 4:12 “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” NKJV

Romans 10:9-10 “That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” NKJV

 

Life Lesson: Jesus and the Bible teach us that Jesus is the only way to heaven.

Dear Father,
Thank You for providing the means for my salvation. Thank You, Jesus, for dying on the cross for my sins so that I can be saved. Thank You for forgiving me of my sins. Please give me the courage to be a witness for You here on earth. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

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Courage comes as we live with Jesus

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Courage comes as we live with Jesus

“And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. And do not be afraid of their threats nor be troubled. I Peter 3:13-14”

On April 18, 2007, three Christians in Turkey were killed for their beliefs. Necati Aydin, a 35 year-old pastor was one of them.

He nearly didn’t go the office that morning. He’d been travelling and his wife, Semse, wanted him to stay home and rest. He admitted his weariness, but went on to work. There was much to be done. Semse recalls, “As my dear husband walked out the door, he smiled at me one last time. I didn’t know that was the last smile.”

Later that morning, attackers came to Necati Aydin’s office insisting he pray: “There is no God except Allah!” When Necati refused, the torture began. The last word from the office was the cry of an unswerving Christian: Messiah! Messiah!

I ponder the martyrs of Malatya and wonder, Would I make the sacrifice? Would I cry out, “Messiah! Messiah! Would I give my life?

How do we prepare? Linger long and often in the presence of Christ. Meditate on his grace. Ponder his love. Memorize his words.

Courage comes as we live with 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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Are you embarrassed to be seen in public with a Bible?

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Bible

Are you embarrassed to be seen in public with a Bible?

Not Ashamed

 

But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven.
Matthew 10:33

Are you embarrassed to be seen in public with a Bible? Do you hide yours in your briefcase or in your purse? Would you sit in a restaurant with your Bible proudly displayed on the table, or would you rather keep it hidden from view?

We are called to be witnesses for God. Take your Bible from its hiding place and display it proudly. Many have suffered and died just so you could have that priceless book.

Christ paid the price for your freedom, and because of what He did you are able to claim each promise in the Bible. Why be ashamed to let the world know that you treasure the Word of God?

The Bible has an uncanny ability to stir up human emotions-love, joy, hatred or disdain. If you will allow Him, God will open a door of opportunity for you to witness-to plant a seed for the kingdom.

You do not have to beat people over the head with God’s Word. All you have to do is be willing, ready and not ashamed to let the world know you are a believer.

 

Further Reading

  • Mark 8:38
  • Luke 9:26
  • Acts 1:8

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!

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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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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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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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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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A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger

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A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

—Proverbs 15:1

 

 

READ: Proverbs 15:1-4

A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. —Proverbs 15:1

My car broke down in a tunnel during rush hour in downtown Boston. Angry drivers expressed their frustration as they struggled past me. Eventually, the car was towed to a station for repairs. Later it broke down again, stranding me along the Interstate at 2 a.m. Back to the shop it went.

Unfortunately, the repair shop also doubled as a parking lot during Red Sox baseball games. When I arrived after work the next day to pick up my car, it was hemmed in by 30 other vehicles!

Let’s just say I was less than Christlike in my initial reaction. I ranted and raved, and then, realizing it was only making them less willing to help me at the close of their day, I decided to give up. I stormed toward the glass doors and struggled to get them open. My anger increased when the station workers laughed at me.

I had barely made it out when I realized how unlike Christ I’d been. Chastened, I rapped on the locked doors and mouthed “I’m sorry” to the staff inside. They were stunned! They let me back in, and I meekly told them that Christians shouldn’t behave as I had. Minutes later, they were shifting cars to free up mine. I learned the truth that soft rather than harsh words can change circumstances (Prov. 15:1). —Randy Kilgore

O may I find in anger’s grip
The strength to temper tongue and lip;
But failing that, may God grant me
The courage for apology. —Kilgore

 

A soft answer has often been the means of breaking a hard heart.

Culled from: http://www.odb.org.

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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Success

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Beloved, I wish above all things that you may prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers

Success

I’ve never met a person who did not want to be successful.

The desire to succeed is God-given.

God wants you to be successful.

John writes, “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.” –3 John 2 (KJV)

That’s what I describe as nothing broken and nothing missing.

That’s your spiritual walk, your emotions, your finances, your job, your health, your relationships, your household and the list goes on and on.

 

You Are As He Is

Take a moment to imagine how God sees you right now.

Because of Jesus Christ’s finished work at the Cross, God sees us as kings and priests. We are as He (Christ) is in this world.

Doesn’t it make you feel great knowing that God sees the finished product in you?

Remember this feeling because success in life is a journey, not a destination.

There will be times in life when you feel insignificant and down. There will be times when you don’t feel like taking another step.

That’s when you need to say, “I am the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.”

 

It’s Not What You Do Once in a While that Makes the Difference

 

Success doesn’t happen overnight.

In most cases, what we see as the big pay-off is the result of someone’s continual dedication to correct information and association.

That’s why it is critically important to remind yourself of who you are in Christ.

I recommend making this reminder part of your daily routine. I also recommend that you commit to reading your Bible on a daily basis.

I’ve often said that if you want to be a leader, you’ve got to be a reader.

It has never been easier, than in today’s day and age, to renew your mind.

There are audio books, podcasts, YouTube videos, e-books, and countless other forms of high-quality education.

After stretching your mind, you’ll begin to dream bigger and prioritize your life. You’ll regain that get-up-and-go attitude that you thought was lost.

 

A renewed mind results in a renewed attitude.

You see, success in life depends more on your attitude than it does on your surroundings or the people who are currently causing roadblocks in your life.

I’ve found that unsuccessful people have an attitude of avoidance.

They avoid taking responsibility. They avoid risk. They try to avoid failure.

On the other hand, successful people turn failure into feedback.

They realize that life is a path so they keep moving. They don’t stop to dwell on their mistakes.

Instead of focusing on the negative consequences of failure, they see each setback as a bump in the road to prosperity.

 

What are you focusing on?

We were doing business with a particular organization and they were doing a great job. Then they began to branch out into other areas.

Soon, they were spreading themselves and their staff so thin, they were unable to perform on the level that earned them our business. Bottom line is, it cost them a client.

The most successful businesses (and people) narrow their focus and concentrate their efforts on the things they do best.

When we branch out and try to be all things to all people, we misplace what makes us great.

 

There is power in narrowing your focus.

It is through Christ finished work that we are able to do all things.

It is by His blood that we are overcomers.

 

Focus on Him and you will be successful.

I call you blessed.

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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