There is no higher authority than God


English: at dusk in Kensington, Maryland, USA.

There is no higher authority than God

God’s Judicial Authority

“I have been given complete authority in heaven and on earth.” (Matthew 28:18)

A judge, above all else, must have authority. Our government endows judges with authority through the oath they take to execute justice. The law enforcement and prison systems back up the judge’s authority. The robe that he wears and having everyone in the courtroom stand as he enters, help to emphasize that authority. His gavel and his elevated seat in the courtroom show that he commands the proceedings.
Similarly, God, as the Creator, has the authority to do whatever He deems best with His creation. He is the potter; we are the clay. His throne is high above us in the heavens. His pronouncements are final. There is no higher authority than God.
God will judge every wrong act ever committed every sinful motive, every evil word. The sentence for these crimes is eternal separation from God and His holiness.
But there are those who will live in safety with God. These are the ones who have accepted Christ‘s payment for our sin when He died on the cross. Our loving Saviour, Jesus Christ, paid the sentence pronounced by the Perfect Judge. God sees these “sinners saved by grace” as righteous in His courtroom. Therefore, they will live eternally in the love, peace, and joy of God’s presence.

Your View of God Really Matters……..

Are you ready to stand before the Perfect Judge who has all authority? Remember, God’s standard of justice is perfection. Will He see your shortcomings, or will He see Jesus’ perfect sacrifice? It’s your choice.

What More Does God Say?

John 9:39; John 3:16-18

Because God is Just, He will always treat me fairly

 

 

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!

Time Wisely Invested


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)

Time Wisely Invested
“See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,” Ephesians 5:15
(KJV).

You’ve heard it said that “time is a most valuable commodity”. You can neither
reverse time nor add more hours in a day. So, are you investing your time wisely
or spending your time unwisely.

The time you spend with God, your family and your ministry to others, are wise investments.
What are your time wasters? Evaluate how you can reorganize your schedule to make
the most of every minute.

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!

With So Much Pain In Our World Today, Where is God asking you to help relieve the suffering ?


4 days of Evangelism Training in Southern Cali...

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)

Where is God asking you to help relieve suffering in the world?

 

 

 

“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”

 

 

Micah 6:8

It was Edmund Burke who said, “All that’s necessary for the forces of evil to win in the world is for enough good men to do nothing.” Sadly, this is all too true today, as many good people—yes, even Christians—sit on the sideline and do nothing about the injustice and pain that so pervade this world.

I sometimes wonder if the church has forgotten how to weep. When you see girls and ladies lined up for abortions, do you weep bitter tears of compassion? When you watch that television commercial about how we can help a child in need somewhere in the world, does it even faze you? When a family breaks up because of a divorce, are you also broken by that?

I think one thing that’s so noticeably missing among the people of God today is a deep sense of compassion and empathy for the hurting. One reason for this, I believe, is what psychologists call the L.I.A.R., the Low Information-to-Action Ratio, whereby we’re so inundated through media with news of suffering that it’s easy to begin to tune it out.

But don’t forget, people who suffer are real people. And in Jesus Christ, we have a real solution for them. So pray and ask God to show you where you can help relieve suffering in the world.

 

 

WITH SO MUCH PAIN IN OUR WORLD TODAY, LOOK FOR WAYS YOU CAN HELP ALLEVIATE THE SUFFERING OF OTHERS.

 

 

 

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!

Be strong and of good courage! For the Lord Your God Is With You


4 days of Evangelism Training in Southern Cali...

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)

Be strong and of good courage! For the Lord Your God Is With You

 

 

Joshua 1:9

 

 

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Has the Lord asked you to do something that is bigger than you? Are you facing something and you just don’t think you can do it? Be encouraged by this scripture today and be strong and of good courage…God is with you wherever you go!

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!

Let us unite under the name of Christ and find fresh unity among all believers


4 days of Evangelism Training in Southern Cali...

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 us unite under the name of Christ and find fresh unity among all believers

 

 

 

 

Deep connection

 

 

 

 

2 Corinthians 2:5

“I am not overstating it when I say that the man who caused all the trouble hurt all of you more than he hurt me.”
NLT

The church of Jesus Christ is a family. In fact, I would say it can be an even deeper relationship than those found in a family. As believers, we weep together over heartaches, rejoice together in victories and share our lives with each other. This is not odd; this is the way God intended it to be.

Romans 12:5 “so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.” NLT

If I was to cut my hand and you began to bleed, we would know there was a deep connection between us. In the church, we all are connected. When something good happens to you, I will be there to rejoice with you. Unfortunately, there are Christians who would rather pout over the blessing of another believer than to experience the joy of celebration with them. That person is missing out on one of the many joys of the church. Today, look for ways to connect with other believers. If they are struggling, then be there with them. If they are excited, then cheer them on as they seek Christ. Let’s unite under the name of Christ and find fresh unity among all believers.

 

 

 

Life Lesson: When part of the body is hurt, we all feel their pain. When part of the body is attacked, we all stand with them.

Dear God,
Thank You for Your church and the fellowship of believers. Help us all to remain united and not to allow petty issues to cause division. Give me a heart that rejoices with others and is willing to mourn with them as well. 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!

Lord, help me to be what You want me to be


Ernest Hemingway

Lord, help me to be what You want me to be

 

 

 

Your Bio Here!

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

READ: John 1:1-14

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. —John 1:14

While searching for an interesting way to instruct my college writing class about the concept of writing a biographical sketch, I found this idea: Write a biography in six words. When asked to do this, Pulitzer Prize winner Ernest Hemingway wrote this poignant bio: “For sale: baby shoes, never used.” Imagine the sad story behind those six words.

As I thought about this concept, I wondered if we could find any six-word biographies of people in the Bible. What I discovered was astonishing. Many of our scriptural heroes have already been described that way. For example, David, of whom God said: “A man after My own heart” (1 Sam. 13:14; Acts 13:22). Or Paul’s self-description: “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ” (Eph. 1:1). Or Paul’s description of Timothy: “My true son in the faith” (1 Tim. 1:2 NIV). And consider these words about Mary: “The virgin shall be with child” (Matt. 1:23). And about Jesus: “Became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14).

This exercise in precise descriptions of people of faith should cause us to wonder: What six-word description would best describe me? Would it be positive or negative? Would it be “Not an easy person to love” or “A shining light for the Lord”? What would your bio say? —Dave Branon

Lord, help me to be what You want me to be
In character, actions, and will,
For You are the potter and I am the clay—
Your purposes I would fulfill. —Fitzhugh

 

 

 

Once lost, now found. Eternally thankful!

 

 

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!

Absolute surrender to God’s will


4 days of Evangelism Training in Southern Cali...

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)

Absolute surrender to God’s will.

James 4:7 “Therefore, submit to God…”

The time has come for absolute surrender to the will of God. As we grow, God starts demanding more from us. And times will come when we are not sure that we will be able to do what God wants us to do. But if we surrender, something new happens. Our faith grows and our intimacy with Him deepens. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding” Proverbs 3:5

 

 

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!

Free Gift Of God


Cover of "The Gift of Forgiveness"

Free Gift Of God

 

 

 

 

Acts 21:21

 

 

“but they have been informed about you that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children nor to walk according to the customs.”
NKJV

What are some of the traditions you hold that keep others from Jesus? In the verse above, you see the Jewish and Gentile conflict within the church and the traditions that the Jews wanted the Gentile church to follow. Although they rejoiced that God was at work among the Gentiles, they slipped in the word ‘but’ revealing their ‘religiosity’. They were concerned for the traditions set within the church.

It is important as you walk in relationship with others to speak leaving out the ‘buts’. Often, you’ll hear that word come up as you talk to others. We all are in danger of saying it. Have you ever said.

“I like the way you did this ‘but’.”
“It’s a great church ‘but’.”
“I would show love to that other person ‘but’.”

Many times you can find yourself saying something and then filling in reasons why you don’t approve of something. Tragically, it’s the same thing that has put walls between the unbelieving world and personal relationships with Jesus Christ. On one occasion, I remember a guy who stopped by the parking lot of our church asking if it was okay for him to enter the church dressed as he was. The church down the road told him that he couldn’t come in unless he dressed more respectfully. This man was simply wearing a t-shirt and pair of jeans. It was okay to come to church ‘but’ he wasn’t dressed nicely enough to be welcomed in. When God forgives us, there are no ‘buts’. It is a free gift. When you are called to extend forgiveness to others, the Lord wants you to forgive them in the same way.

Maybe you are carrying around a number of reasons why you don’t want to show God’s love to someone else. If this is you, turn to the Lord right where you are and ask Him to help you purely embrace and show the gift of forgiveness to others as He has shown you.

 

 

Life Lesson: We do not earn forgiveness it is given to us, it is a gift.

Dear Father
Thank You for the free gift of Your forgiveness that You’ve shown to me by dying for my sins. Please give me the strength to extend the same gift of love and forgiveness to others. Keep me from putting up walls that hinder others in having a real relationship with You. In Jesus Christ  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!

God Knows Best


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

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!

Hell Is Real


William-Adolphe Bouguereau (1825-1905) - The F...

Hell is real


And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books
were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life:
and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in
the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead
which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which
were in them: and they were judged every man according to their
works.

Revelation 20:12-13

This is the great white throne of judgment for those who are not
overcomers, those who have not made the decision to receive Jesus Christ and stay true to Him. He said the books-plural-will be opened.
There is a record of everything you have done in your life: every
thought, action, intent, and word is recorded. The Bible will judge
your hearts, your actions, your motives, and your words.

Calling every molecule back together and fitting it all in a human body
is no problem to God. There will be, and there are now, people in hell
who will stand before this judgment in Revelation 20 and be given a
full picture of why they are in hell. There are some popular teachings
across the country that say there is no hell, that the loving God would
never send any person to hell.

God is love. Hell is not created for man; it was created for satan and
his angels and anybody who decides to follow him. If you turn away from
the living God and get satan’s judgment, you have chosen hell for
yourself. Make a decision for the Lord and reject satan. Hell is a real
place, but it is not the end.

Prayer for Today

Father,
I humble myself in Your presence, knowing that You know me inside and
out. You know my every thought and deed, my every word and action. My
desire is to glorify You in my life. In Jesus Christ Name, Amen.

Think on These Things

John 11:25

Acts 24:15

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!

Let Christ Live Through Us


4 days of Evangelism Training in Southern Cali...

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!

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


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!

Making the Best Choice


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!

God wants to bless us


Jesus is considered by scholars such as Weber ...

God wants to bless us

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.”

 

In this verse we see God’s will for Israel. They were redeemed by the blood of the Passover lamb, and as a result God wanted to bless them. We have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ who was without spot and without blemish. We have an even better covenant than Israel had back then. The covenant we have entered into is a covenant based on the promise of God, not by works, but by faith. God wanted to bring them in, and so certainly God wants to bring us in. If God’s desire was to bless, multiply, and increase them, then certainly it is God’s desire to bless, multiply, and increase us all the more.

Be 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!

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


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.

God Hates Religion


Detail - Glory of the New Born Christ in prese...

God Hates Religion

 

But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes,
which I also hate.

Revelation 2:6

If God hates something, then you are supposed to hate it. The
Nicolaitanes were known for their lascivious life style, for false
teaching, and for error. They wanted the priesthood to be restored, but
they wanted the church to be controlled by laymen. Nicholas, the
deacon, was their leader.

Men elected by men are not supposed to rule men called by God. When you
have laypersons trying to run what God planted, you will never get what
God wanted to happen because they aren’t called and anointed for that
role. Just because someone is a successful businessman doesn’t mean
that person knows anything about the anointing of God and the plan that
God has for the church.

God hates religion. Christianity is not a religion. Religion is
comprised of forms, customs, and religious activity. Christianity is an
experience with someone that is alive, someone who will change your
life forever. His name is Jesus Christ!

Prayer for Today

Dear Heavenly Father,
I praise You for reaching out to me, for desiring a relationship with
me that is true, pure, and enduring. I thank You for ever living and
ever interceding for Your people and Your church. In Jesus Christ Name! Amen!

Think on These Things

2 John 1:9
Psalm 101:3

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!

Worldly Cares Are Thorns


Šelpice, Jesus Christ church

Worldly Cares Are Thorns

Luke 8:14, “And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.”

LUKE 8:5-14

This third type of ground is characteristic of a large part of the Body of Christ today. These are people who have received God‘s Word, committed themselves to it to the degree that they are able to remain faithful in persecution, but because of being occupied with the affairs of this life, the Word sown in their heart is choked and no fruit is produced. Just as weeds in a garden will steal all of the nutrients and starve the plant, so the pleasures of this life, if we allow them to dominate our thinking, will stop the fruit that the Word would have produced.

Throughout history, the Church has always grown in size and strength during persecution. This is because during persecution we get our priorities straight. We realize our life is in Jesus (Jn. 14:6) and not in things (Lk. 12:15), and we focus all of our attention on the Lord. However, prosperity has been far more damaging to the Body of Christ for the exact reason stated here in this verse. God wants to bless His children with things (Ps. 35:27; Mt. 6:33), but a preoccupation with these things will choke God’s Word and make it unfruitful. If we would follow God’s formula for prosperity found in Matthew 6:19-34, we would have the Word bringing forth fruit and we’d enjoy the physical blessings of this life, too.

Notice Jesus said that no fruit was brought to perfection. This type of person will exhibit some fruit, but it will always be small and far short of what it should be. Do you feel frustrated because you are just getting by and are not really experiencing the abundant life that Jesus came to give? (Jn. 10:10) Examine your lifestyle and see if the cares of this life, deceitfulness of riches, or pleasures of this life could be choking God’s Word.

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!

This is love; not that we loved God, but that He loved us


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

This is love; not that we loved God, but that He loved us

John 4:10

This is Love

Love never fails!

Wait a minute, no one has unfailing love! No person can love with perfection.

That’s right. But God is not a person. Unlike our love, His love never fails! God’s love is immensely different from ours. Ours depends on the receiver of the love. Our love will be regulated by appearance or by personality. Even when we find a few people we like, our feelings will still fluctuate.

Does God love us because of our goodness? Because of our kindness? Because of our great faith?

No. He loves us because of HIS goodness, kindness, and great faith. The love of God is born from within him, not from what he finds in us. His love is uncaused, spontaneous. God loves you simply because he has chosen to do so!

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!

Don’t get distracted


Jesus entering Jerusalem on a donkey

Don’t get distracted

 

 

Acts 24:1

“Now after five days Ananias the high priest came down with the elders and a certain orator named Tertullus. These gave evidence to the governor against Paul.”
NKJV

 

What was Ananias doing chasing Paul around? As the High Priest, he should have been serving God and ministering to the people of Israel. Ananias was around 80 years old, yet he was so caught up in resentment that he was willing to make the 60 mile journey from Jerusalem to Caesarea to bring accusation against Paul. It’s been said, that “a distraction is what you see when you take your eyes off of the goal.” When we spend our time chasing distractions, we accomplish nothing. We only have so much time and so many hours in a day. In Matthew 5:37-40, Jesus told us to love God and love others, yet often we take our eyes off of Jesus and place them on ourselves.

Ps 90:12 “So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” NKJV

If you are over 35, you are probably more than half way through your lifetime. At the age of 50, you have likely used seventy percent of your time. Friends, as you get older the numbers don’t get better. Take a moment and reflect. Are you distracted? If you are focused on Jesus, then you will love God and love others. Do you love others? How? If you are making a long journey and your course gets off by even one degree, you will miss your destination by hundreds of miles. This is why we have to constantly make course corrections in our lives. Are you focused on Jesus or distracted by other things? Distracted? Uh oh, time for a course correction. Do you love other people? No? Oops… time for another course correction.

 

Life Lesson: As we follow Jesus we should not get distracted.

Dear Heavenly Father,
I love You. Please help me to love and serve others. Please forgive me for times when I have been distracted. If I am off course Lord, I ask that You would show me through Your Word, through a Bible teaching church, and through fellowship with other Christians, so that I make corrections. I pray this in Jesus Christ 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!

Forgive us our sins, just as we have forgiven those who have sinned against us


Corrie Milne 2007-11-11

Forgive us our sins, just as we have forgiven those who have sinned against us.

Let the mercy of Jesus be your model

Jesus Christ is our Example

(Matthew 6:12)

In 1944, during the horrible days of World War II, in the Ravensbruck concentration camp, Corrie Ten Boom and many other emaciated women worked long hours every day under the watchful eye of the prison guards. That year, Corrie’s sister, Betsie, died, a victim of the tortuous conditions.

In 1947, after the war, Corrie spoke to a group of Germans in a sparsely furnished Munich church basement. During her talk, she said, “Those who have been able to forgive their former enemies have been able to rebuild their lives…We, as Christians, have every reason to forgive each other, for our God richly lavishes His mercy on us.”

When she finished, she was approached by a balding, heavyset man in a gray overcoat. Horror filled her as she realized he had been one of the prison guards.

He thrust out his hand. “How good it is to know that, as you say, all our sins are at the bottom of the sea!” Dumbfounded, Corrie did not take his hand.

He went on, “I have become a Christian. I know that God has forgiven me… but I would like to hear it from your lips as well. Fraulein, will you forgive me?

Corrie remembered how he had pushed Betsie with the butt of his gun. Slowly, her hand moved toward his. Their hands touched and she finally vigorously shook his hand. With tears in her eyes, she said, “I forgive you, brother…with all my heart.

God loves us no matter what we have done. He forgives us when we ask. Since God richly lavishes His mercy on us, we must show mercy. And that means letting go of hurts caused by others.

Your View of God Really Matters …

If you have been offended, how does it compare with the experience of Corrie ten Boom, and Jesus, both of whom forgave their attackers. You can too. Let the mercy of Jesus be your model.

What More Does God Say?

Acts 7:59-60

Because God is merciful, He forgives me of my sins when I sincerely confess them.

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!