The Sabbath, the Day of Rest

The Sabbath is the day of rest that God commanded Israel to keep in the Old Testament of the bible. This is the day when all the people must not do any work and depend on God completely for all their needs. God commanded Israel to set the 7^th day of the week apart as the Sabbath. This is the 4^th Commandment.

Exodus 20: 8-11 “You must remember to keep the Sabbath a special day. You may work six days a week to do your job.  But the seventh day is a day of rest in honour of the Lord your God. So on that day no one should work—not you, your sons and daughters, or your men and women slaves. Even your animals and the foreigners living in your cities must not work! That is because the Lord worked six days and made the sky, the earth, the sea, and everything in them. And on the seventh day, he rested. In this way the Lord blessed the Sabbath—the day of rest. He made that a very special day.

When God rained down manna in the wilderness he told Israel to collect a double portion on the 6^th day so that on the 7^th day they will rest at home.  Some of the people however disobeyed God. They went on the Sabbath to get manna but they found nothing.

Exodus 16: 4-5:   ^“Then the Lord said to Moses, “I will cause food to fall from the sky. This food will be for you to eat. Every day the people should go out and gather the food they need that day. I will do this to see if they will do what I tell them. Every day the people will gather only enough food for one day. But on Friday, when the people prepare their food, they will see that they have enough food for two days.”

Exodus 16: 27-30: “On Saturday, some of the people went out to gather some of the food, but they could not find any. Then the Lord said to Moses, “How long will you people refuse to obey my commands and  teachings?  Look, the Lord has made the Sabbath a day of rest for you. So on Friday he will give you enough food for two days. Then, on the Sabbath, each of you should sit down and relax. Stay where you are.” So the people rested on the Sabbath.

The bible however concludes in the book of psalms that Israel did not enter into God’s rest because of disobedience to his voice. It was then difficult for them to keep the Sabbath.

Psalm 95: 7b-11: “If only you would listen to his voice today! The Lord says, “Don’t harden your hearts as Israel did at Meribah, as they did at Massah in the wilderness.  For there your ancestors tested and tried my patience, even though they saw everything I did. For forty years I was angry with them, and I said, they are a people whose hearts turn away from me. They refuse to do what I tell them. So in my anger I took an oath: They will never enter my place of rest.”

The Old Testament is the shadow of things to come while the New Testament is the substance.

Colossians 2: 16-17: “So don’t let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new moon ceremonies or Sabbaths. For these rules are only shadows of the reality yet to come. And Christ himself is that reality.”

The conclusion is that anytime we are walking in obedience to God, we are keeping the Sabbath. It is not possible to keep the Sabbath without being able to identify the voice of God and obeying it.

Jesus Christ came to fulfill the law especially the Sabbath. He kept the Sabbath everyday of his life. Israel did not have spiritual understanding of the Sabbath so they spent all their time accusing Jesus of breaking the law.  Jesus declared that he would only do and say what he saw God the Father did or said.  

John 5: 18-19: So the Jewish leaders tried all the harder to find a way to kill him. For he not only broke the Sabbath, he called God his Father, thereby making himself equal with God. So Jesus explained, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does.”

Jesus performed all the miracles from a place of rest in God and so kept the Sabbath day. He relied on God completely in making decisions and he never went anywhere unless directed by God.

Sabbath keepers are those who hear the voice of God and obey. God speaks to us every day and he is pleased when we obey him.

Everyday should be a day of Sabbath for a true child of God. People attend church on Sundays to worship God and hear his voice. The Jews attend the synagogue on Saturdays to worship God and hear his voice. The bible however says that today when you hear the voice of God do not harden your heart.

Hebrews 4:7: So God set another time for entering his rest, and that time is today. God announced this through David much later in the words already quoted: “Today when you hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts.”

Everything we do must be from a place of rest in God; otherwise we will be walking in the flesh and this is not pleasing unto God. Walking in the flesh make us short sighted and does not allow us to enjoy the full benefit of all that the Lord has in stock for us. Every day of the week should be a Sabbath day.

 

Enjoy the blessings of God

The New Man Part 2

2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

The new man is born of God

The new man has the divine nature of God

The new man is born in the Kingdom of God

The new man is born of the Holy Spirit and of the word of God

The new man is a citizen of God’s kingdom

The new man inherits the kingdom of God

The new man is born to live in the glory of God

The new man desires the presence of God

The new man hears the Lord’s voice and follows

The new man hears the voice of God and obeys

The new man is one with God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit

The new man is not condemned

The new man walks by faith

The new man is in Christ

The new man can do all things

The new man is led by the Holy Spirit

The new man has eternal life

The new man pleases God

The new man does not walk in the flesh but in the spirit

The new man begins to manifest when the flesh is crucified

The new man bears fruits of the Spirit

The new man is an overcomer

The new man receives revelation from God

The new man is a true worshiper of God

The new man prays according to the will of God

The new man has confidence because God hears his prayers

The prayers of the new man are answered by God.

Prayer: O God, help me to always remember that I am crucified with Christ so that I will constantly walk in the spirit and not in the flesh.

Enjoy the blessings of God

Sunday Service 24/09/12. Sermon Topic: The New Man

Bible Reading: 2 Corinthians 5:14-17

“For the love of Christ constrain us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead. And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.  Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold all things are become new.”

The above passage talks about believers in Christ, who have received the nature of God and become a new man. The new man ceases to live for himself but starts living for God because God puts his Spirit within him. The Spirit of God begins to bear fruits and one of the fruits of the spirit is love.  God himself is love. The God kind of love gives sacrificially without expecting anything back. 

John 3: 16: “For God so love the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”

The nature of God begins to develop in the new man the more he comes into an intimate relationship with God. The new man takes on the divine nature of God. This divine nature of God constrains the new man to love people unconditionally. It becomes easy to love the unlovable and to forgive those who have offended him. This Agape love makes the new man go out of his way to help even when it is not convenient. The divine love of God flows freely from within him. The love of God within the new man also makes him to believe in the promises of God because faith works by love.   

Galatians 5:6 “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor circumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.”

Since the flesh of Jesus Christ was crucified on the cross and rose from the dead with a new body, God no more recons with the flesh but with the spirit of man that is resurrected with Christ. God expects us to identify with the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Our flesh must be crucified with Christ because whatever is done in the flesh is not acceptable unto God. As far God is concerned the flesh does not exist, it is crucified. That is why the bible says that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. God does not evaluate us from a human point of view; but looks deep down into the spirit of man.

Galatians 2: 20. ^“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”

God also wants us to evaluate people from his perspective. If we continue to view people according to the flesh we will fail to perceive the real person that God has created in his own image. God deposits his gifts in the spirit of man. We must not evaluate people from a human point of view. People must be viewed the way God sees and values them. Any work of the flesh whether good or bad is no value from God’s perspective.

 Jesus did not give up on Peter because Peter later became the Apostle to the Jews. God did not view Saul from a human perspective and he later became an Apostle to the Gentiles. Jesus Christ was viewed by many from a human point of view. Many people did not have the revelation of the glory of God that was residing within him. This glory was revealed to Peter, James and John on the Mount of Transfiguration.  

Luke 9: 28-29. “Now it came to pass, about eight days after these sayings, that He took Peter, John, and James and went up on the mountain to pray.  As He prayed, the appearance of His face was altered, and His robe became white and glistening.”

As a new man in Christ, the old way of life is passed away and things have become new.  The old man lived without God. Without Christ we are on our own even though we try to live as best as we can. However as a true Christian, Christ himself comes to reside in us and we are led by his spirit as we learn to rely on him.  Christianity is supposed to be a way of life and not a religion.

2 Corinthians 5:17. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold all things are become new.”

We must allow the Lord to occupy the driver seat of our lives while we seat beside him as the passenger. The Lord himself will take us to places we have never imagined. Many Christians prefer to be the driver. They feel comfortable having God as a front passenger. Some only allow him in the back seat of their lives while they allow their friends and family in the front seat. The Lord is however faithful to his word because he says “I will never leave you nor forsake you. When you have made a mess of your life and cry unto the Lord, he will answer you and show you where you have missed it. You then need to go back to that place and surrender completely to Christ.

Prayer: I ask O Lord that you enlarge the capacity of my thirst and hunger for you.

Enjoy the blessings of God. 

Sunday Service 16/09/12. Topic of Sermon: Waiting upon the Lord

Isaiah 40: 27-31 (NKJV): “Why do you say, O Jacob, And speak, O Israel: “My way is hidden from the Lord, and my just claim is passed over by my God”?  Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, The Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable.  He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, but those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.”

Waiting upon God can be described as waiting and looking out for God. When we begin to sense his presence, we must follow him according to his leadings. We should become fully focused on God like a waiter in a restaurant waiting on the customer. During the time of waiting the first thing to do is to share our feelings with God. We can then begin to spend more time in the word of God and more time in heart to heart fellowship with God. You will then begin to hear his voice. Waiting upon God draws us to the heart and mind of God in order to know what is in his mind and for us find out what he wants us to do. Waiting upon God brings us to a state of surrender where God takes over and we begin to move in his strength and wisdom.

The book of John 8: 1-11 tells the story of the woman caught in adultery. The men had picked up stones and ready to stone her to death according to the Jewish law. They however wanted to know Jesus’ view about their intention.  Jesus had to wait upon God for instructions. He was not distracted by the situation, but he focused on God for direction. He received a word of wisdom from God and said “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” All the men with their stones became powerless and subdued. They dropped their stones and walked away in shame. The wisdom of God gives power and strength.  

Many Christians are not ready to repent and come back to the heart of God. They want God to bless them at the place where they are. They are not willing to seek the heart of God to find out what God really has in stock for them. Though they identify with the cross, they have moved far away from the heart of God to the east and west of the cross seeking the hands of the Lord. However the heart of the Lord remains in the centre of the cross. Every time we are far away from the heart of God, our minds become polluted. It then becomes difficult for the Lord to hear our prayers not to talk of answering them. Imagine a visitor at your door. You can only open the door if you hear the door bell or a knock on the door. God is love but if he does not hear us when we pray how can he answer us.

Psalm 66:18:  “If I regard iniquity in my heart, The Lord will not hear.”

When we begin to wait on God and seek his face, be starts revealing himself to us and slowly our minds become renewed and our perspectives begin to change. His desires become our desires and his will becomes our will. We begin to pray according to his will and we have the confidence that he hears us. Once God hears us he would always answer. There is no mother that would hear the cry of her child that would not answer.  

1John 5:14-15: Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.  And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.

 A snail walking around without its shell will soon die of dehydration. Likewise a Christian who does not seek the heart of God is like a snail without its shell. That Christian will soon be dry up spiritually. When we begin to follow the Lord as a sheep following the shepherd, he leads and guides us. Goodness and mercy begins to follow us when we follow God. This happens automatically even when we don’t ask God for it (Psalm 23). The Lord wants us to watch and rely on him and surely he would strengthen us. We must learn to communicate and pour out our heart to God instead of complaining and murmuring.

Philippians 4:6-7: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

Prayer: Lord help me to wait on you at all times

Enjoy the blessings of God.

Sunday Service 9/9/12. Topic: The presence of God makes the difference.

Bible reading: 1Kings 18 &19.

 The presence of God makes the Christian life exciting always. This is why the angels in heaven cannot do but praise God always because they are in his presence. The presence of God prevents us from becoming weary as Christians. This is because we are totally dependent on God and not only on the anointing.

In the book of 1Kings 18&19 we read a story about Prophet Elijah. There was drought in Israel because there had been no rain for 3 years. The Lord then asked Prophet Elijah to present himself to King Ahab and then He will send rain (1kings 18:1). Meanwhile Jezebel the Queen was killing the prophets of Israel but Obadiah who was a governor in the palace had kept 100 prophets in a cave and was feeding them with bread and water. When Prophet Elijah eventually met with the King he did not wait for God to send the rain but instructed the king to summon all the prophets of Baal to Mount Carmel. On Mount Carmel Elijah was able to demonstrate the power of God because fire came down from heaven to consume his sacrifice. The prophets of Baal could not demonstrate any power and they became a laughing stock.  Everyone in Israel feared and honoured God, they respected his prophet Elijah.

If you observe closely you will see that the Lord God instructed Elijah to show himself to the king and then God will bring rain. You will be surprised to know that by the time Elijah was summoning the prophets of Baal it was the anointing on God on him but he had lost the presence of God. This is because the idea of summoning the prophets of Baal to a contest was Elijah’s idea and not God’s. Even though fire came down from heaven at Elijah’s request, God was not in the fire. It was after the big show that Elijah remembered to announce the second part of God’s message of bringing rain. Elijah then had to pray fervently and struggled before the rain finally came. If he had done it God’s way, God would have sent the rain and Elijah wouldn't have struggled. (1Kings 18:1).

Moses was a prophet of God. He did not have to struggle before the red sea parted into two; he only did what God asked him to do and God took care of the rest.  God himself turned bitter water into sweet water when Moses followed God’s instruction. God performed many miracles in the wilderness when Moses followed instructions. He even delivered Moses from all his enemies. When we follow God’s instructions, definitely his presence will be there to back us up. We struggle when we do things our own way. Miracles signs and wonders are good but God’s way is better.  

When Jezebel heard that Elijah had slaughtered the false prophets she threatened to kill Elijah. Elijah the great prophet suddenly became afraid and ran into the wilderness. He then became lonely, depressed and suicidal. He finally lodged in a cave (1Kings 19:9) and the Lord asked what he was there. This implied that Elijah shouldn't have been hiding in that cave if he had followed God’s instructions. Elijah then complained to God about the people’s idolatry and how he was the only prophet in Israel who had not worshiped Baal. He had forgotten that about the 100 prophets were kept alive in the cave by Obadiah. God then made it known to Elijah that the manifestation of His power does not necessarily imply the manifestation of his presence (1Kings 19:11-13). In a sense God was saying “Elijah, fire coming down from heaven revealed my existence and power but my presence was not with you because of your disobedience.  

1Kings 19:11-13: “Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the Lord told him. And as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And a voice said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

The life of John the Baptist is another example that we can study. John had prepared the hearts of the people of Israel for the coming Messiah. I believe that John the Baptist should have terminated his ministry as soon as Jesus Christ started preaching the gospel. (John 1:19-26). He however continued preaching and baptizing people. For example when a guest speaker has been introduced, the person who made the introduction is expected to sit down and listen to the guest speaker.  I believe that even though John was anointed, the manifested presence of God was no longer available to back him up. John later exposed the adulterous behavior of King Herod and Herodias his brother’s wife and he was imprisoned. In prison John became depressed, he lost his faith and he started doubting Jesus as the Messiah.

Mathew 11:2-3:”Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, and said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?”

 It is not possible to be in the manifested presence of God and be depressed. Peter  was also in prison (Acts 5:1-11) but he was not depressed because he was in the will of God. The manifested presence of God was with him and so he had peace. In prison he slept so deeply that the angel had to smite him on the side to wake him up.

The instruction of God is the most vital to us Christians and intimacy with God will make us follow God as he moves. Seeing him, hearing him, knowing his ways brings peace and joy. When we follow the Lord as a sheep following the shepherd he leads and guides us. He provides for us and restores our soul. He protects us from danger and in hardships he strengthens us and sees us through. He gives us victory over our enemies and we have favour everywhere we go. The sheep does not have to struggle; all he needs to do is follow the shepherd. We cannot understand the ways of the shepherd if we do not have an intimate relationship with him. We cannot have intimate relationship with God if we don’t desire it. We cannot desire it if we are not hungry or thirsty for it. God himself puts his thirst and hunger in us when we begin to ask him. Will you start asking the Lord today to create his thirst and hunger in you?

Enjoy the blessings of God

Sunday Service: 2/9/12: Topic of sermon: Seek first the Kingdom of God

Mathew 6:31-34: “So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’  For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.  But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

All the parables of Jesus are about the kingdom of God. This is because his mission was to preach the kingdom of God. Seeking God’s kingdom implies that we seek the reign of God on the earth. Every soul created by God has been called to seek the kingdom of God. The reign of God on earth brings salvation, healings, deliverance, miracles, and relationship with God, and submission to the will of God.

Once we have been delivered from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of God it is very important that we continue to seek God’s kingdom for more revelation and insight into the heart of God. This is what God has called us to do if not it will be difficult for us to be his ambassadors and representatives on earth. Jesus Christ knew what was going on in the kingdom of God and did exactly what he saw God the Father do.  Jesus never prayed for anyone to receive miracles but rather he performed miracles; doing exactly what was revealed to him by God the Father.   

John 5:19: “Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.”

Seeking the kingdom of God is seeking the heart of God. David was described as a man after the heart of God. David was seeking the kingdom of God without being aware of it and he eventually became the King of Israel.

As heavenly citizens we must understand the language, the culture and how to make heaven manifest on earth. This is to our advantage if we must access and enjoy the blessings the Lord has freely given to us. When we begin to seek the kingdom of God, our perspectives will change and we begin to have the mind of Christ.

When we seek the kingdom of God we are submitting to God’s authority. The kingdom of God must be established in our lives so that we can be in authority over every works of darkness. If we do not submit to God then we cannot expect the devil to submit to us.

James 4:7: “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

When we begin to seek the kingdom of God we soon discover that we have no worries. Our circumstances begin to submit to the reign of God because the kingdom of heaven is our focus. In the kingdom of God there is no stress, no depression, no worries, no sickness, and no sorrow. In the kingdom of God there are no impossibilities.

Seeking the kingdom of God is usually accomplished daily through prayers. As you do this the Lord begins to reveal secrets of the kingdom to you. There are many things that are going on the God’s kingdom that we might not have access to until we ask.

Mathew 7:7:  “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”

Mathew 13:11: He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them.”

The kingdom of God is from one real of glory to another.  The kingdom of God is not stagnant. That is why the angels in heaven cannot stop worshipping God because God is always revealing a new realm of His Glory. Any Christian who is not continuously seeking the kingdom of God will soon find out that he is being left behind because revelation of the kingdom is progressive.

The book of Ecclesiastes 3:11 say God has set eternity in the hearts of man. Eternity or eternal life is defined in the book of John 17:3 as knowing God. There is no satisfaction or fulfilment outside the knowledge of God.

Benefits of seeking God’s kingdom

• Ability to receive revelation of the things of God.
• Ability to move like God.
• Ability to operate in faith. Revelation strengthens our faith because we are not ignorant of God’s agenda. The bible says my people perish for lack of knowledge.
• Ability to exercise authority over the enemy.

 Enjoy the blessings of God

The love of God for the world

My children, I am closer to you than you can imagine

I reside in you

You are My temple

I delight to dwell in you

I don’t dwell in a place made with human hands

I dwell in a place made by My word and My Sprit

I love you

I paid a great price to bring you back to Me

You are my inheritance

Live in My love

Love one another

Care for one another as I love and care for you

Stay focused on Me

Stay focused on My word

I am all you need

There is no salvation in any other.

I am the way, there is no other way

I am the truth, know me and be set free from every bondage

I love you with all My heart

You are mine

Nothing can pluck you out of My hands

Share My love with others

I died for them as well

I paid a great price for their salvation

I hope for them to see and comprehend this

I hope for their salvation

Their names are also in My book of life

It is not My will to blot their names out

Share My love with every one

I love you My children

 

Enjoy the blessings of God

The love and the care of God

I love you My children

I care for you.

I lead you

Be attentive and you will hear My voice

I am your Lord

I am your deliverer

I am your saviour

Hearken to My voice

I am all you need

I have provided all you need

Come nearer

Come closer

Come and see

Come and taste

Come and enjoy all I have given you freely

You are mine

Nothing can pluck you out of My hands

Stay in My love

Rest in My grace

 

Enjoy the blessings of God

Come and I will make you.

Many people have issues or circumstances that they are battling with. Many have tried everything they could by their strength and wisdom but no success.  Some have given up to fate. Such ones have come to a point in life where they find it difficult to believe that their circumstance can change.

There is a true story in the bible about a man called Peter. He was a fisherman. It was recorded that he toiled all night but caught no fish. He came back to the shore feeling unhappy because he had nothing to feed himself and family. However he met Jesus who pronounced a word of faith. Jesus asked him to go back and try again. It is encouraging to know that God still has a word for anyone who cares to listen and obey his instructions. The ways of God is diverse to ours because he is all knowing and divine. God’s suggestions might seem foolish but you will get the desired result when you obey.

Luke 5:4-6 “when he had stopped speaking, he said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch. But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at your word I will let down the net.” 

Peter obeyed Jesus and he caught a lot of fishes to the extent that he needed help from his partners. The catch was a miracle. Miracles will begin to happen in your life when you start hearing the voice of God and obey. Miracles are blessings from God.  It is God’s will to meet our needs and give us our heart desires. When we receive miracles and blessings from God we become very excited, happy and thankful.

Luke 5: 6-7 “And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. So they signalled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.”

The abundant blessing that Peter received made him happy. It will be expected that he would sell the fish, make a profit of a life time; then go home and enjoy with his family. Peter even though was happy initially but he had no joy. He was astonished when his need was met miraculously. In fact fear came upon him. He had just received a miracle but he had no fulfilment in his soul. Usually when people receive their breakthrough they are very excited but within a short time they begin to pursue new things.  As we all know that the poor want to become rich and the rich want to become richer?

The soul of man is always yearning for more because it is void. This void can only be filled by God himself. The miracle that Peter received was the greatest he could ever imagine but his soul was not satisfied. Peter’s miracle can be likened to a man who had rented a house all his life and was always in debt. Suddenly he wins a 50 Million pounds lottery. The condition of this man’s heart remains the same and so after a time finds no fulfilment or satisfaction.

Luke 5:8-9 “   When Simon Peter saw it; he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!  For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken”

The only thing that can satisfy the soul of man is by yielding to the voice of Jesus when he calls. Jesus is the desire of the nations that the prophet Haggai wrote about (Haggai 2:7). He is the one every soul unconsciously yearns for. He told Peter “come and I will make you fishers of men.” It is written in the book of Matthew 4: 19 “Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men.” This was the plan and purpose of God for Peter. However he could not fulfil this purpose until he followed Jesus. Peter started an intimate relationship with Jesus by walking with him daily.

Luke 5:10b “And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men.”

The Lord is calling you as he called Peter. “Come and I will make you fulfil My plan and purpose for your life.” God has a different plan and purpose for each and every one of us. Until God makes you, you might not be able to enjoy the other things that he has freely provided for you. Jesus said in the book of Matthew 6:33 “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” Jesus Christ is the righteousness of God and the king of the Kingdom. Seek him daily; enjoy his presence and all he has freely given you.

 

Enjoy the blessings of God

The Power of Christ’s Resurrection

The gospel is the most authentic news of all ages. It is good news. As a matter of fact, many good and wonderful things happen to us that can be described as good news. They bring joy and happiness but not powerful enough to sustain us in this fallen world. There is however power in the gospel to bring joy and peace in the midst of chaos and issues of life. Paul described the gospel as the most important because of what it has accomplished in our lives. This gospel is the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is therefore wise to hold firmly to this truth so that the enemy of our souls do not snatch it away from us through unbelief. 

1 Corinthians 15:1-6: “Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep.”

Faith in the gospel makes every negative circumstance align to the truth of the word of God. It is by faith in the gospel that we are saved. 

Romans 1:16-17: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”

It is a fact that every human being is spiritually dead because of the sin of Adam. God however wants the dead spirit in man to be revived the same way He raised Jesus Christ from the dead. When you believe the gospel with your heart and repent from all your sins, the same spirit that raised Jesus Christ from the dead comes to revive your dead spirit. This same Spirit (The Holy Spirit) then continues to dwell in you. It is this Spirit in you that gives life to your body and you become rejuvenated. 

Romans 8:11: “But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.”

The Holy Spirit is the power of God. If the Spirit of God dwells in you then you also have His power. This power is great and mighty because it is the same power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead. How do you feel being conscious of the dynamo power of God within you? All this comes by faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 1:19-20: “ and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places.”

The power of God in you however has to be dynamic before the works of God starts to manifest in you and through you. The power of God starts working in you when you are focused on the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ said, “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the son of Man must be lifted up that whosoever believes in him may have eternal life (John 3:15). Read the full story in Numbers 21:4-9. Complete focus on the Lord Jesus Christ will make the power of His resurrection accomplish mighty things in you and through you.

Ephesians 3:20: “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.”

If the power of God is not working within us then the work of God will be limited. Praying in tongues by the help of the Holy Spirit helps us to build up our faith and it also helps us to focus more on Jesus Christ. Jude 1:20. We can imitate Apostle Paul by praying often that we might know Christ and the power of His resurrection. This is the power at work in every believer whose heart is focused on the gospel. Philippians 3:10

 

 Enjoy the blessings of God.

Which of these two trees are you eating from?

Four years ago, I read Rick Joyner’s book titled there were two trees in the garden and it was quite enlightening.  Two weeks ago when I was reading a book titled the secret place (by Dale A Fife) I had more understanding that the incident in the Garden of Eden still continues. Up to the present moment man is either eating from the tree of life or from the tree of knowledge of good and evil.  Death is inevitable when man continues to eat from the tree of knowledge.  

Genesis 2:15-17 “Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to tend and keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”

The greatest enemy of man is Satan. He comes in a subtle way to deceive man into believing that the word of God and his promises are not true. He usually asks the question “did God really say?” Our response however, determines the kind of tree that we would eventually eat from.

 

Satan continues to ask the question, has God said that you were healed, has God said you will have an increase in your income, has God said you will have a child, has God said your spouse or child will come back home. Has God said you can be delivered from this addiction, depression, bondage? Has God said that person deserves your forgiveness? Has God said you must pay back all you owe? Has God said your marriage will be successful? Has God said you will get the job? Can God forgive all your sins? Has God said he will furnish a table for you in the wilderness? Has God said you have power to move mountains? The questions are endless. Your response to these questions determines the kind of tree you are eating from. Satan deceived Adam and Eve into believing a lie and they eventually disobeyed God.

Genesis 3:1-3: “Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?”

The tree of knowledge of good and evil signifies anything that is not ordered by God. That thing might be good, it might be true but if it has not been commanded by God then it becomes the tree of Knowledge. Any act of disobedience, lack of faith, doubt, not standing on the promises of God etc signifies eating from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Anyone who is living a life of disobedience to God is dying slowly without being aware of it. The more we eat from the tree of knowledge, the more our focus is being taken away from God. Anyone who is not walking in the spirit is eating from the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

You become a slave to the person you obey and you have no choice than to hand over all your power and authority to him. That is how the devil acquires power. He gets it by deception because he is a thief.

Romans 6:16: “Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?

Jesus Christ himself is the tree of life. When we walk in obedience to his word then we are feeding on him. Feeding on him brings life to our spirits soul and body. Jesus is the bread of life. He is the word of God. That is why he said in the book of John that unless we eat his flesh and drink his blood we do not have life in us. When Jesus preached this message, many of his followers left.

John 6:53: “Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you.”

In order for us to continually eat from the tree of life we need the help of the Holy Spirit. He is the teacher who leads and guides us.  We need to depend on him daily and stay focused. It takes total focus on God to hear his voice and obey.

John 10:27-30: “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.  And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.”

Continuous focus on God causes a change in our nature because we become more like him. The more we become like him, the easier it becomes for us to obey his word.  

Corinthians 3:18: “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.”

 

Enjoy the blessings of God.

The Friends of God

It is amazing and wonderful to know that the creator of the universe has friends amongst the people he has created in his own image. It is also heartening to know that he still wants to make more friends. Many will want to make friends with the presidents of nations, ambassadors or affluent people of good reputation. These people however have limited capacity to accommodate all those who want to befriend them. The all powerful, invincible, all knowing, supreme, excellent, unlimited, infinite and all pervading God has the capacity to accommodate you.  His invitation is opened to whosoever is willing. There is however one condition that needs to be fulfilled before you can be one of his friends.

John 15:14-15: “You are my friends if you do whatever I command you.  No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from my Father I have made known to you.”

As we can see from the above passage, the condition to be fulfilled in order to be a friend of God is obedience to him. Disobedience drives us away from the presence of God while obedience draws us closer to him. When we are away from God’s presence, we become vulnerable to the enemy.

Psalm 91:1: “He who dwells in the secret place of the most high shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust. Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence. He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler.

Disobedience drew Jonah away from God and he ended up in the belly of a fish. When we don’t obey God we are rubbed of our authority over the works of the enemy.

James 4:7: “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”

What has God told you to do? Has he told you to be more committed to him? Has he told you that the only way to him is through Jesus Christ? Has he told you to make that phone call? Has he told you to humble yourself and forgive that person who has offended you? Has he told you to go back to your first love? Has he told you to relate in love to your wicked boss at work? Has he told you to break off from that unhealthy relationship? Do you walk with him and rely on him daily? It is wise to do whatsoever he has asked you to do because he is wiser than you.

John 2:5: “His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.”

Many love the Lord but are still struggling in the area of disobedience. Actually, it takes the grace of God to live a life of obedience. The grace of God is very essential to live a life pleasing to him.  Grace is the divine ability to do the things you cannot do by your own strength or ability. Grace is a gift that comes from God and we can have more of his grace in times of need. The word of God says that more grace is multiplied unto us as we increase in the knowledge of God. The more we know him, the more grace we receive to live an obedient life. The more obedient we are, the closer our relationship will be with him.

2 Peter 1:2: “Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.”

We get to know God more by spending time with him.  Learn to be still and focus on his love. Staying in a quite place and listening to good worship music is usually helpful. In that stillness you will hear his voice. Learn to talk to him about everything, “the good, the bad and the ugly.” Study his word regularly and allow the Holy Spirit to guide you. Learn to appreciate him by praising and worshipping him.

 John 10:27: “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.”

It is in God’s presence that we receive the divine enablement and the desire to live a life of obedience. Intimacy with God increases our knowledge of him. More grace is released to us from his presence and obedience comes from us effortlessly. Obeying him comes naturally from us because God’s divine nature has rubbed on us from his presence. We can then say with the psalmist that all our desire is to be in his presence.

Psalm 27:4: “One thing I have desired of the Lord, that will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord All the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple.

Make the decision today to be one of God’s friends. Enjoy his presence daily and live a life that glorifies his name.

Enjoy the blessings of God.

The Word of God in Your Mouth

I was praying on the morning of the 11th March 2012 when the Lord spoke to me clearly and said, “Whenever you pray in Jesus name, whatever you ask or say becomes My words and so it must come to pass.” The Lord then reminded me about the power of his voice in the book of psalms.

Psalms 29: 3-9: “The voice of the Lord is over the waters; The God of glory thunders; The Lord is over many waters. The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is full of majesty. The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars, yes; the Lord splinters the cedars of Lebanon. He makes them also skip like a calf, Lebanon and Sirion like a young wild ox. The voice of the Lord divides the flames of fire. The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness; The Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.The voice of the Lord makes the deer give birth, and strips the forests bare; and in His temple everyone says, “Glory!”

The above verses give me the confidence to pray more often in the name of Jesus. This is because I am more aware that the words coming out of my mouth are powerful. The word of God comes out like thunder destroying every obstacle in its way. Anything preventing the glory of God from manifesting in my life must bow and crumble in the name of Jesus. The word of God in my mouth carries his authority. He speaks through me because he dwells in me and I am his temple.

Corinthians 6:19: “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?”

We therefore need to be full of gratitude and thanksgiving to God. After we have made our request known through prayers to him, we need to honour him and magnify his holy name.

Psalms 29:1-22: Give unto the Lord, O you mighty ones, Give unto the Lord glory and strength. Give unto the Lord the glory due to His name; Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.

The above psalm describes us as mighty ones. Other versions say we are heavenly beings or the sons of God. The word of God also says we are gods. When you pray, those words are coming out of a mighty one, a heavenly being who is in Christ Jesus sited at the right hand of God. Remember that you are a new creation in Christ Jesus. You belong to the Kingdom of God and this kingdom cannot be limited by natural laws.

Psalm 82:6: “I said, “You are gods, and all of you are children of the Most High.”

Considering all these things, all your anxiety must cease. Pray about all your needs and give glory to God. This is because your prayer requests are already stamped as okay in heaven. When heaven says okay, the earth has no choice but to agree. Understanding this truth fills your heart with the peace of God. This makes it easy for you to wait patiently for your delivery to come in. You will have an “express delivery” if you maintain a positive confession.

Philippians 4:6-7: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

Learn to speak to bad situations and command them to change in the name of Jesus. Stop complaining to God about them because God is waiting for you to use the authority that he has given you.

Matthew 8:23-27: “Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him. And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep. Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” But He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. So the men marvelled, saying, “Who this can be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?”

Jesus spoke to situations; so we his children must do likewise. As a new creation, your spirit man is just like Jesus.

1 John 4:17: “Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world.”
We must be bold and strong. We must open our mouth with confidence and the Lord will fill us with his word.

Psalm 81:10: “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt; open your mouth wide and I will fill it.

Prayer points.

1. Lord help me to see and understand who I am in Christ Jesus.

2. Lord help me to know that your words in my mouth are powerful to make your kingdom manifest in my life.

3. Every negative word that I might have uttered be renounced in Jesus name.

Enjoy the blessings of God

The Greatness of God

The book of Isaiah gives us a good idea of how great our God is.

Isaiah 40:12-26 (NLT) “who else has held the oceans in his hand? Who has measured off the heavens with his fingers? Who else knows the weight of the earth or has weighed the mountains and hills on a scale? Who is able to advise the Spirit of the LORD? Who knows enough to give him advice or teach him? Has the LORD ever needed anyone’s advice? Does he need instruction about what is good? Did someone teach him what is right or show him the path of justice? No, for all the nations of the world are but a drop in the bucket. They are nothing more than dust on the scales. He picks up the whole earth as though it were a grain of sand. All the wood in Lebanon’s forests and all Lebanon’s animals would not be enough to make a burnt offering worthy of our God. The nations of the world are worth nothing to him. In his eyes they count for less than nothing- mere emptiness and froth. To whom can you compare God? What image can you find to resemble him? Can he be compared to an idol formed in a mold, overlaid with gold, and decorated with silver chains? Or if people are too poor for that, they might at least choose wood that won’t decay and a skilled craftsman to carve an image that won’t fall down! Haven’t you heard? Don’t you understand? Are you deaf to the words of God- the words he gave before the world began? Are you so ignorant?

God sits above the circle of the earth. The people below seem like grasshoppers to him! He spreads out the heavens like a curtain and makes his tent from them. He judges the great people of the world and brings them all to nothing. They hardly get started, barely taking root, when he blows on them and they wither. The wind carries them off like chaff. “To whom will you compare me? Who is my equal?” asks the Holy One. Look up into the heavens. Who created all the stars? He brings them out like an army, one after another, calling each by its name. Because of his great power and incomparable strength, not a single one is missing.”

These verses are not adequate enough to describe God’s greatness. All the books in the world are not enough to describe God’s greatness. We can only describe him from the little revelation he has given us. The greatness of God should give us the confidence that he is more than able to deliver us from trouble. God delivers those who put their hope and trust in him.

Isaiah 40:29-31 (NLT)” He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion. But those who trust in the LORD will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.”

In any situation, God is up to the task. He fulfils his promises. You might be in prison, hospital, before a court judge or before a panel. Anytime you need help, just call upon God and he will answer you. He will show you great and mighty things that you do not know about your situation and future.

Jeremiah 33:1-3 (NLT) “While Jeremiah was still confined in the courtyard of the guard, the LORD gave him this second message: “This is what the LORD says- he LORD who made the earth, who formed and established it, whose name is the LORD: Ask me and I will tell you remarkable secrets you do not know about things to come".

Has the Lord made any promises to you that have not come to pass? Please continue to trust in him because he who has promised will surely do it. Hold on to the word of God like a lion holding on to its prey and won’t let go. What God has promised you is settled in heaven and so it must surely manifest in your life. The covenant that God has with the day and night has never been broken. Therefore the covenant that God has with you through our Lord Jesus Christ can never be broken. It is a covenant of righteousness, peace, good health, prosperity and freedom.

All these blessings and many more must manifest in our lives as children of God. God who has promised these things, he is faithful and will surely do it. When circumstances or issues arise, be focused on the power of God to pull you through. Begin to see the solution to your problem and magnify the Lord. You will soon discover that your circumstance will not be able to stand against your God. When you begin to sing about the greatness of God, your circumstance must change for the better and everyone will surely acknowledge the greatness of your God.

Song
How great is our God
Sing with me                                                                 
How great is our God
And all will see
How great, how great is our God.
Name above all names
He is worthy of all praise
My heart will sing how great is our God.


Enjoy the blessings of God

You are more than a conqueror.

There is an interesting story in the book of 1 Samuel 13:1-14 about King Saul and his men when they were confronted by their enemies (the Philistines). King Saul had only 3,000 armies while the philistines had armies as numerous as the sand on the sea shore. In addition they had 30,000 chariots and 6,000 horse men. King Saul and his men were frightened and distressed and they knew that they could not match up with what was against them.

Are you presently in a similar situation where in the physical your circumstance is overwhelming and you don’t know the way out of the problem. Whatever the situation confronting you, the Lord wants you to know that he has won the battle for you on the cross. What he expects you to do is focus on him and this victory. Confess with your mouth all that he has accomplished for you and maintain your confession.

Two days ago (11th February 2012), I heard the voice of God clearly and he told me that “Jesus Christ is the way out and also the way in.” Jesus is the way out of any terrible situation and the way into the blessings of the Kingdom of God. It is very wise to focus on the way out a situation than focusing on the situation. Jesus Christ must be our main focus and this is made easy by the help of the Holy Spirit.

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.”

In the case of King Saul, he did not focus on God but on himself and the situation around him. He did not cry onto God for help but he was crying about his situation. He was focusing on his weaknesses, his lack, and his inabilities and also on his enemies. He was not like David who walked with God and casted all his cares upon God.

Psalm 34:6: “This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles.”

Our victory is in Christ Jesus who paid the price for our sins, sicknesses, poverty and bondages. He overcame and when we believe in him we become conquerors like him.

Romans 8:35-37: “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

Focusing on our situation brings anxiety, fear and hopelessness. Focusing on God brings revelation of his greatness and his ability to save and deliver. We must learn to magnify God in every situation and within a short time we will see him coming through for us.

Psalm 34:3-6: Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together. I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. They looked to Him and were radiant, and their faces were not ashamed. This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.

Salvation did not come to the poor man mentioned in the above psalm until he cried out unto God. Meditate on psalm 34 for some days, relax and enjoy your victory in Christ.

 Enjoy the blessings of God