Last night i was talking to my niece about prayer, so i wrote a few pointers for her to get a better understanding of what i believe prayer truly is. This is a summary of an article i read by John Bunyan and i thought i would share this with y'all as well. This is is no means exhaustive, but i believe it is a good summary for her, a new child in Christ and also for anyone who is learning how to as a Christian.
1.Prayer is a sincere, sensible, pouring out of the heart and soul to God, through Christ, and using the strength and assistance of the Holy Spirit. We have to pray:
a) According to the will of God
b) According to the bible and
c) With submission.
Read Psalm 66:17, 18 when David said that:
“I cried out to [the Lord] with my mouth;his praise was on my tongue. If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened [to my prayer]"
We do not pray so that people can see you, or to fulfill a duty, we pray so that you can communicate with God. Prayers are not supposed to be fake.
Why does God ask us to be sincere in prayer? Because when we are sincere, we open our hearts and say what we truly feel without fear or thinking of what the consequences are. God looks at our hearts and judges if we are being honest or not.
2.Prayer is Rational. This means that prayer is supposed to make sense. Prayer is not continuous babbling of many words but it is simple reasonable utterance straight from the heart. It can be short or it can be long, it can be alone or it can be amongst a gathering. Wherever the location, when we pray, we need to make sure our prayers make sense and that we are being understood by God.
3. Prayer is affectionate. In Psalms, words like yearns, pants, longs, consuming are used to describe how David Prayed. We are praying to a great and holy God. We therefore cannot come before Him lightly with no passion as if we were speaking to a stranger. Imagine, for example, how you would present yourself if you were given the opportunity to address a Hollywood celebrity of your dreams. We have seen fans on television cry, faint and scream because they are overcome with emotion, love, respect. Now celebrities do not in any way compare with the greatness that is of God yet we most times treat prayer like it is an unimportant duty we need to perform.
We should not use empty words to make our prayers longer. When talking to God, prayer should be filled with hope, trust, respect. We should forget everything else and focus only on our great Father. For without a sincere, sensible, affectionate pouring out of the heart to God, our prayer is nothing but useless lip-service.
4.Prayer is through Christ and with the assistance of the Holy Spirit. Simply mentioning the name of Christ in prayer does not mean that we are coming to God through Christ. A man that comes to God through Christ must first of all know who Christ is and believe in him. Likewise, any prayer that is without the assistance of the Holy Spirit cannot be the will of God because it is through the Holy Spirit that we can listen and understand the will of God. Romans 8:26, 27.
5.Prayer should be in line with the things that God has promised. We cannot possibly expect God to answer prayers that are contrary to His word. Likewise, the Spirit will guide you according the word of God. Any prayer outside the bible might as well be called blasphemy. For whatever we seek ask or need, the scriptures have to be fulfilled. This means that we need to know what the word of God says in order to pray aright. God only hears what is according to His will.
When Jesus was being arrested he said that he could not tell his Father to send legions of angels to save him because that would not be according to scripture. Matthew 26:53, 54.
"This is the confidence we have in approaching God: 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 what we asked of Him" 1 John 5:14
Friday, November 6, 2009
Thursday, November 5, 2009
God's Purpose
We were created to fulfill God's purpose.
Scripture details ways in which God used men like Abraham, Moses, Joshua, David, to fulfill the plans he had for His people. God would have done all these things Himself but He didn't, He used human beings, Why? Because God gave man dominion over the earth, He gave human beings the authority to to rule and control the earth and all living things on it. Even after the disobedience of Adam and Eve, God was still bound by this word, He therefore, could not go against it, because;
“God is not a human that he should lie, not a human being that he should change his mind”- Num 23:19
He could not interfere in the goings-on on the earth even when He needed to.He had to use human beings, just like he had planned before the fall of Adam and Eve, to fulfill His purpose.
Christ was alive at the time of creation, but God sent Christ as Jesus down to earth, in human form, so that He can use him to fulfill His purpose.
Friends, God needs us to change the world, and the only way God can use us is if we commune with Him constantly and listen to what He has to say. He offered His son and His spirit for us to easily understand the way His kingdom works and aid us in communicating with Him through prayer. Christ taught us how to pray and the Holy Spirit is here to guide us to the will of God. Jesus showed us and gave us everything that the Father has given him, he gave us the keys to the kingdom.
“ I confer on you a kingdom just as my father conferred one on me.'' Luke 22:8
Therefore prayer is not an option, it is a necessity. It is through prayer that God can work through human beings to impact the world. Everything Jesus did, healing the sick, resurrecting the dead, chasing demons, changing water to wine, feeding the 5000, preaching to multitudes of people, showing love to strangers, praying,fasting et al; was because He was doing His father's will. In the same way he says;
“ The words I say to you I do not speak on my authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing His work.” John 14: 10.
How much more clear can this be?
“Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in Heaven” Math 18:18
This verse does not focus on binding demons as much as it clearly tells us that everything that we do not permit or do not do here on earth, Heaven will also not permit. Likewise, the things we agree to, the things we freely accept, Heaven will also concur. This means that whatever we do, good or bad, Heaven will permit. Why? Because we have a will and because we have the authority from God to do rule (Not own)the earth. So when we welcome immorality, hate, perversion, sorrow, fear, poverty, sadness, trickery; Heaven will permit. Likewise when we do pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, praiseworthy, right and noble things, Heaven will also permit.
The ball is in our court, so to speak. Everything is possible. We decide what our lives should be. We are the vessels, the temples of the Lord; please note that a temple by definition is a place where divine presence resides. How wonderful is this! This is the reason that God heals us, we need healthy bodies, this is why he offers us salvation, We need to to believe in Him. God needs us for His glory and purpose and in return He has promised us many many wonderful blessings:
“What no eye has has seen, what no ear has heard and what no human mind has conceived- these are the things God has prepared for those who love Him” 1 Cor 2:9
Everything we do, everything we need, everything we desire; it is from our Father in heaven... and how do we communicate with Him... yes through Prayer. Jesus prayed alone so many times and for long hours every once in a while. He needed to listen to what His Father was telling Him to do.
So when Paul advises us to pray without ceasing, he is dead serious. We need to be in constant communication with God and though His Spirit, what we need to do will be revealed to us.
When we stop praying, God cannot use us yet He wants to work in us.
Scripture details ways in which God used men like Abraham, Moses, Joshua, David, to fulfill the plans he had for His people. God would have done all these things Himself but He didn't, He used human beings, Why? Because God gave man dominion over the earth, He gave human beings the authority to to rule and control the earth and all living things on it. Even after the disobedience of Adam and Eve, God was still bound by this word, He therefore, could not go against it, because;
“God is not a human that he should lie, not a human being that he should change his mind”- Num 23:19
He could not interfere in the goings-on on the earth even when He needed to.He had to use human beings, just like he had planned before the fall of Adam and Eve, to fulfill His purpose.
Christ was alive at the time of creation, but God sent Christ as Jesus down to earth, in human form, so that He can use him to fulfill His purpose.
Friends, God needs us to change the world, and the only way God can use us is if we commune with Him constantly and listen to what He has to say. He offered His son and His spirit for us to easily understand the way His kingdom works and aid us in communicating with Him through prayer. Christ taught us how to pray and the Holy Spirit is here to guide us to the will of God. Jesus showed us and gave us everything that the Father has given him, he gave us the keys to the kingdom.
“ I confer on you a kingdom just as my father conferred one on me.'' Luke 22:8
Therefore prayer is not an option, it is a necessity. It is through prayer that God can work through human beings to impact the world. Everything Jesus did, healing the sick, resurrecting the dead, chasing demons, changing water to wine, feeding the 5000, preaching to multitudes of people, showing love to strangers, praying,fasting et al; was because He was doing His father's will. In the same way he says;
“ The words I say to you I do not speak on my authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing His work.” John 14: 10.
How much more clear can this be?
“Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in Heaven” Math 18:18
This verse does not focus on binding demons as much as it clearly tells us that everything that we do not permit or do not do here on earth, Heaven will also not permit. Likewise, the things we agree to, the things we freely accept, Heaven will also concur. This means that whatever we do, good or bad, Heaven will permit. Why? Because we have a will and because we have the authority from God to do rule (Not own)the earth. So when we welcome immorality, hate, perversion, sorrow, fear, poverty, sadness, trickery; Heaven will permit. Likewise when we do pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, praiseworthy, right and noble things, Heaven will also permit.
The ball is in our court, so to speak. Everything is possible. We decide what our lives should be. We are the vessels, the temples of the Lord; please note that a temple by definition is a place where divine presence resides. How wonderful is this! This is the reason that God heals us, we need healthy bodies, this is why he offers us salvation, We need to to believe in Him. God needs us for His glory and purpose and in return He has promised us many many wonderful blessings:
“What no eye has has seen, what no ear has heard and what no human mind has conceived- these are the things God has prepared for those who love Him” 1 Cor 2:9
Everything we do, everything we need, everything we desire; it is from our Father in heaven... and how do we communicate with Him... yes through Prayer. Jesus prayed alone so many times and for long hours every once in a while. He needed to listen to what His Father was telling Him to do.
So when Paul advises us to pray without ceasing, he is dead serious. We need to be in constant communication with God and though His Spirit, what we need to do will be revealed to us.
When we stop praying, God cannot use us yet He wants to work in us.
Friday, October 30, 2009
God Remembers
“I will never forget you”
The word “God Remembers” appears many times in the Bible. God has over time remembered His faithful people in moments when it was least expected. Note that scripture does not say that He ever forgot. God Does not forget, He said so Himself.
We need to know that no matter what we are going through, or what we have done, or who we are, God knows all of this and He will always remember us.
In the beginning, God initiated a covenant with His people, and through this covenant He made promises to His people, he was bound to keep these promises. When the time came for the people to receive the promises, God remembered His covenant. And when God remembers He responds in a huge way- When He remembered Noah, the floods began to subside, When He remembered Rachel and Hannah and they conceived, when He remembered the Israelites, they started their journey out of slavery, when he remembered Abraham he saved Lot from a city about to be destroyed. Friends, when we are faithful to God, He will remember us and bless us beyond what we can ever imagine. We should never falter in our obedience of His commands because in a covenant, both parties have to keep their side of the promise if they are to reap the benefits.
The covenant we now have with God is like a marriage of sorts. This covenant was renewed when Jesus came to earth. At the Lord’s supper we are reminded that Jesus’ death initiated a new covenant to save us ALL. That God loves us no matter what, and that we have a relationship with God our Father that can never be broken by Him.
“This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.”-Luke 22:20
So, let us make sure God remembers us, let us accept His unconditional love that works miracles in us, and mostly, let us always keep in mind that never at anyone moment has the Almighty Father forgotten about us not once!
“The days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them, declares the LORD. “This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time,” declares the LORD. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will they teach their neighbors, or say to one another, ‘Know the LORD,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the LORD. “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.- Jer 31:31-34
The word “God Remembers” appears many times in the Bible. God has over time remembered His faithful people in moments when it was least expected. Note that scripture does not say that He ever forgot. God Does not forget, He said so Himself.
We need to know that no matter what we are going through, or what we have done, or who we are, God knows all of this and He will always remember us.
In the beginning, God initiated a covenant with His people, and through this covenant He made promises to His people, he was bound to keep these promises. When the time came for the people to receive the promises, God remembered His covenant. And when God remembers He responds in a huge way- When He remembered Noah, the floods began to subside, When He remembered Rachel and Hannah and they conceived, when He remembered the Israelites, they started their journey out of slavery, when he remembered Abraham he saved Lot from a city about to be destroyed. Friends, when we are faithful to God, He will remember us and bless us beyond what we can ever imagine. We should never falter in our obedience of His commands because in a covenant, both parties have to keep their side of the promise if they are to reap the benefits.
The covenant we now have with God is like a marriage of sorts. This covenant was renewed when Jesus came to earth. At the Lord’s supper we are reminded that Jesus’ death initiated a new covenant to save us ALL. That God loves us no matter what, and that we have a relationship with God our Father that can never be broken by Him.
“This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.”-Luke 22:20
So, let us make sure God remembers us, let us accept His unconditional love that works miracles in us, and mostly, let us always keep in mind that never at anyone moment has the Almighty Father forgotten about us not once!
“The days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them, declares the LORD. “This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time,” declares the LORD. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will they teach their neighbors, or say to one another, ‘Know the LORD,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the LORD. “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.- Jer 31:31-34
Thursday, October 29, 2009
God's Favour
In the Old Testament, Jubilee was the year in which everything that belonged to the Israelites was returned to them. In Leviticus it is said that every 50 years, Liberty belonged to everyone. Each Israelite was to return to their family property, each one could eat food from attended fields because the land was made fruitfully and everyone was to live in a safe environment. Selling land to outsiders was forbidden and those whose houses had been sold could redeem them. It was the most anticipated year because all land and property was returned to the rightful owner and everyone had all they needed in full abundance.
Fast forward to Isaiah, the Lord promises a time of favour to the very same Israelites. During this time, a future time to come, all people would receive their deserved inheritance. Israel is promised abundance over and beyond what they think they deserve. Scripture says that all those who hope in the Lord would then receive unimaginable favour. In the stead of mourning, despair, hunger; will be double portion for all. The Lord promises that he would be their vindicator and retrieve all that had been taken from the Israelites.
My friends, i would like to let you know that we live in the times of all the above promises. We live in the times of constant Jubilee! Jesus brought to us all these promises. He brought favour, abundance, peace, love , freedom, he lightened our burdens, he retrieved all that was taken from us, he fought the war and friends... He Won! He says so Himself:
"He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me,because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.”
Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone
in the synagogue were fastened on him. He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”-Luke 4: 17-20
Jesus brought back to us, freedom, salvation, life and a lot more. He brought to fruition all of the promises of the old testament and the favour of God upon ALL mankind. We are ALL inheritors of these good things if we believe in Jesus Christ. Let us all then, endeavour to be believers.
Fast forward to Isaiah, the Lord promises a time of favour to the very same Israelites. During this time, a future time to come, all people would receive their deserved inheritance. Israel is promised abundance over and beyond what they think they deserve. Scripture says that all those who hope in the Lord would then receive unimaginable favour. In the stead of mourning, despair, hunger; will be double portion for all. The Lord promises that he would be their vindicator and retrieve all that had been taken from the Israelites.
My friends, i would like to let you know that we live in the times of all the above promises. We live in the times of constant Jubilee! Jesus brought to us all these promises. He brought favour, abundance, peace, love , freedom, he lightened our burdens, he retrieved all that was taken from us, he fought the war and friends... He Won! He says so Himself:
"He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me,because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.”
Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone
in the synagogue were fastened on him. He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”-Luke 4: 17-20
Jesus brought back to us, freedom, salvation, life and a lot more. He brought to fruition all of the promises of the old testament and the favour of God upon ALL mankind. We are ALL inheritors of these good things if we believe in Jesus Christ. Let us all then, endeavour to be believers.
What is Salvation?
I am compelled, this morning to study the meaning of Salvation.
To me, Salvation is being God's workmanship. It is being born again in Jesus Christ to do the works of God. We need to take a lot of time think about and study the reasons that God offered us this wonderful gift. Scripture says we obtain salvation through His Spirit and Grace.. we need to let God's strength and Holy Spirit work in us all day everyday.
Jesus said:
“... but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from Heaven.”- John 6:32
Everything comes from God.
There are sometimes when things are hard and our faith is tested and we feel like we cannot go on, the temptation to fall off the path of righteousness becomes so eminent and we become afraid. There are times that I have afraid when I failed to follow the commands of God. I would beat myself up about it and avoid prayer and the bible for like a week. The devil had got me thinking that God was mad at me and I could not face him. Then i remembered that one of the reasons i am born again is so that i can claim forgiveness for my iniquities.
“continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling for it is God who works in you to will and act in order to fulfil His good purpose.”- Phil 2: 12-13
Please note that the scripture says work OUT not work FOR.
In other words, even when times are tough, we need to keep the faith. In fear and trembling for me means, with intense respect and conviction, determined never to stop, no matter what our present circumstances maybe.
Salvation is more than saying a short prayer of belief out loud, it is more that telling your self and others that you are born again. Salvation is a lifestyle. It means choosing to break with all things evil, choosing to grow as a believer who reads and meditates on the word of God daily, it means being a testimony and a person who lives to please, and glorify God. Our salvation should be a practical daily lifestyle.
We have got to be serious about salvation people and not take it for granted, because the enemy after us is no joke, he does not take things lightly. We need to Continue to vigilantly work out our salvation lest we become indifferent to serving and glorifying God.
Because God works in us, everything we do should give Him credit. When we come to work, we might be working for our employers, but we are working under God, when we clean the house, watch the children, go to the movies, decide what clothes to wear.. everything and I mean everything we do, should always give God credit. We should always think, what can I do today, or how can I do what I plan to do today differently, so that I may glorify God?
The faith we have and exercise is put in us by God.
“For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience." Col 1:9-11
So my friends, we need to always evaluate ourselves, We should look into ourselves honestly and make the necessary changes in our lives. God is the source of everything that is good. We should stay obedient, walk blamelessly and we will archive success- and this success is living daily to the full purpose and glory of our God.
To me, Salvation is being God's workmanship. It is being born again in Jesus Christ to do the works of God. We need to take a lot of time think about and study the reasons that God offered us this wonderful gift. Scripture says we obtain salvation through His Spirit and Grace.. we need to let God's strength and Holy Spirit work in us all day everyday.
Jesus said:
“... but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from Heaven.”- John 6:32
Everything comes from God.
There are sometimes when things are hard and our faith is tested and we feel like we cannot go on, the temptation to fall off the path of righteousness becomes so eminent and we become afraid. There are times that I have afraid when I failed to follow the commands of God. I would beat myself up about it and avoid prayer and the bible for like a week. The devil had got me thinking that God was mad at me and I could not face him. Then i remembered that one of the reasons i am born again is so that i can claim forgiveness for my iniquities.
“continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling for it is God who works in you to will and act in order to fulfil His good purpose.”- Phil 2: 12-13
Please note that the scripture says work OUT not work FOR.
In other words, even when times are tough, we need to keep the faith. In fear and trembling for me means, with intense respect and conviction, determined never to stop, no matter what our present circumstances maybe.
Salvation is more than saying a short prayer of belief out loud, it is more that telling your self and others that you are born again. Salvation is a lifestyle. It means choosing to break with all things evil, choosing to grow as a believer who reads and meditates on the word of God daily, it means being a testimony and a person who lives to please, and glorify God. Our salvation should be a practical daily lifestyle.
We have got to be serious about salvation people and not take it for granted, because the enemy after us is no joke, he does not take things lightly. We need to Continue to vigilantly work out our salvation lest we become indifferent to serving and glorifying God.
Because God works in us, everything we do should give Him credit. When we come to work, we might be working for our employers, but we are working under God, when we clean the house, watch the children, go to the movies, decide what clothes to wear.. everything and I mean everything we do, should always give God credit. We should always think, what can I do today, or how can I do what I plan to do today differently, so that I may glorify God?
The faith we have and exercise is put in us by God.
“For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience." Col 1:9-11
So my friends, we need to always evaluate ourselves, We should look into ourselves honestly and make the necessary changes in our lives. God is the source of everything that is good. We should stay obedient, walk blamelessly and we will archive success- and this success is living daily to the full purpose and glory of our God.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Recipe For Success
Everything that happens in our lives, every good thing, comes from the lord:
“those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.“- Ps 34:10
God has already laid out plans and details concerning our lives here on earth. When we pay attention to to His call and follow His direction, we will be successful and prosperous.
Last night I studied Joshua 1-5. Here the Israelites are planning to take possession of the Promised Land for the 1st time. They are excited, anxious, and afraid and mostly they are under a new leader. The leader who led them from captivity, Moses, is dead, most of the old generation is gone and now we have a new people, most of who were born in the wilderness, waiting on the out skirts of Jericho, ready to take possession of it. God is aware of all these feeling and fears, so he encourages them, even Joshua their leader. He promises to make them successful and victorious and finally inherit this land, only if they do one thing: Obey his commands!
He tells them exactly what to do, to say and at what time.
Many times God speaks to us the same way. We hear Him tell us what we need to do and where we need to be, but how many times do we follow His instructions? One may say that they are not sure it Is God speaking. Well then, how about all the commands and instructions that are already laid out in the Bible, how often do we obey those?
Joshua conveyed the instructions, as given to him by God, to the Israelites. God told him the conditions that need to be fulfilled for the Israelites to be victorious.
This got me thinking, we have all received instructions from God. In many places, the Bible tells us explicitly what we need to do to obtain what we want. We have a basic idea of what is good and what isn’t. this of course depends on how much time we spend, reading, studying and meditating on the word. You cannot know all the commands and promises of God if you do not read the Bible:
“Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night”
Many a times we have chosen to disobey these commands and bend them to suit ourselves. How then can we expect o be prosperous and successful?
“do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”
Needless to say, we need to be blameless.
Asa Allozo Allen, a great man in spiritual history wrote that he realized that in order for him to have miracle-working power he needed to understand 13 things, two of which were:
1. He must be blameless like God Himself.
2. He must do away with sin in his body.
We are all called to conquer, just like Joshua did, however, our weapons are not against flesh, but against spirit, the worldly spirit. My friends do not let yourselves be defeated. We have God on our side who has given us all weapons and armory to succeed and be prosperous, let’s take heed.
“those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.“- Ps 34:10
God has already laid out plans and details concerning our lives here on earth. When we pay attention to to His call and follow His direction, we will be successful and prosperous.
Last night I studied Joshua 1-5. Here the Israelites are planning to take possession of the Promised Land for the 1st time. They are excited, anxious, and afraid and mostly they are under a new leader. The leader who led them from captivity, Moses, is dead, most of the old generation is gone and now we have a new people, most of who were born in the wilderness, waiting on the out skirts of Jericho, ready to take possession of it. God is aware of all these feeling and fears, so he encourages them, even Joshua their leader. He promises to make them successful and victorious and finally inherit this land, only if they do one thing: Obey his commands!
He tells them exactly what to do, to say and at what time.
Many times God speaks to us the same way. We hear Him tell us what we need to do and where we need to be, but how many times do we follow His instructions? One may say that they are not sure it Is God speaking. Well then, how about all the commands and instructions that are already laid out in the Bible, how often do we obey those?
Joshua conveyed the instructions, as given to him by God, to the Israelites. God told him the conditions that need to be fulfilled for the Israelites to be victorious.
This got me thinking, we have all received instructions from God. In many places, the Bible tells us explicitly what we need to do to obtain what we want. We have a basic idea of what is good and what isn’t. this of course depends on how much time we spend, reading, studying and meditating on the word. You cannot know all the commands and promises of God if you do not read the Bible:
“Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night”
Many a times we have chosen to disobey these commands and bend them to suit ourselves. How then can we expect o be prosperous and successful?
“do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”
Needless to say, we need to be blameless.
Asa Allozo Allen, a great man in spiritual history wrote that he realized that in order for him to have miracle-working power he needed to understand 13 things, two of which were:
1. He must be blameless like God Himself.
2. He must do away with sin in his body.
We are all called to conquer, just like Joshua did, however, our weapons are not against flesh, but against spirit, the worldly spirit. My friends do not let yourselves be defeated. We have God on our side who has given us all weapons and armory to succeed and be prosperous, let’s take heed.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Death, Heaven, Ressurection and Life After
“Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God- I say this to your shame”1
Ignorance of the truth about God is more detrimental than we think. It is on this very ignorance that the devil feeds to dupe us into believing his lies. If we do not know what God says through His word, we are bound to suppose whatever falsehood the evil one throws at us- for that is his intention.2 Know that even the devil himself knows scripture. 3Everything we need to know about life is written the Bible, [the book of life] but it is pathetic how little time we spend, not only reading, but studying scripture. So when life throws us a hard ball, we turn to our human strengths and wisdom. Wrong!
I have done a short personal study on the truth regarding death, Heaven, resurrection and life after. These are my humble thoughts:
The bible, in a number of instances, refers to death as sleep4. Likewise, I have come to believe that when we die, we are indeed asleep. Our soul rests. We are unconscious, as if in sleep, of all that surrounds us.
“Those who walk uprightly enter into peace; they find rest and they lie in death”5.
It is from this rest that the Lord Jesus will come to wake us up when he returns. Otherwise, the dead are still in their graves decaying, turning to dust, sleeping until the sound of the trumpet when the Lord returns. All who are buried in Christ will be raised. It is said that King David is still asleep6. He is not in Heaven, he is in the grave waiting as well, to be resurrected.
When we die [sleep]- this the first death is overcome by the resurrection which we have assurance of following Christ's own resurrection. We have victory over it and the second death will not affect us. However those who will be judged and found in the book of the dead will suffer the second death7 and will not be victorious, they will be thrown into everlasting fire for eternity-now this is the death we should be afraid of.
So maybe we should not be as afraid of the current death as we are. We know that we are living a righteous life and now have the assurance of eternal life in the resurrection, death is indeed overcome8, maybe its is the reason the Bible calls it sleep.
We have grown up in the belief that when we die, our soul/ spirit will go to Heaven and dwell with God and Jesus . If this is so, what then would be the use of Jesus final return?
“for the Lord Himself will come down from Heaven..”9
The Lord will come down and judge the living, raise the dead and judge them too.
2 Corinthians 5 speaks of being dressed with Heavenly clothing after the earthly “tent” is destroyed. Further reading up to verse 5 may seem to suggest that this Heavenly clothing is indeed dwelling Heaven. However could it means a clothing from Heaven?
“..because we do not wish to be unclothed but to to be clothed with our Heavenly dwelling”10.
One may ask, what is this clothing? This may be answered in Romans where the same analogy of clothing is repeated.
“Rather clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ.”11
The “Kingdom of God” is not in Heaven rather it is on earth. “Kingdom of God” and “Kingdom of Heaven” as used in the Bible are synonymous. Note that scripture calls it Kingdom of not in. More like how Uganda during colonial rule was under the Kingdom of Great Britain, but was not in Great Britain.
When John the Baptist12 and Jesus13 announced the Kingdom, they said that it is “near” [or “has come near” in some versions]. This is confirmation that the Kingdom of God/Heaven is here. We should not keep waiting and hoping to go to Heaven. Heaven is not ours to dwell, it is Gods throne. To us he gave the earth and dominion over it; to subdue, fill and rule over all living creatures in it. It is on this same earth that the new earth14 will be created. The old will pass away and there will be no more pain, suffering or death.15 God will then be our God and we will inherit everything, Eden will be restored. The concept that Heaven is “in the clouds” is unbiblical. The concept that we will be “spirits floating around in Heaven” is unbiblical, the belief that we will dwell in the Heavens above till the end of time is also unbliblical.
1-1 Cor 15:34
2-John 10:10
3-Mat 4:6
4-1 Cor 15:18
5-Is 57:2
6-Acts 2:34
7-Rev 12:11
8-1 Cor 15:54
9-1 Thes 4:16
10-2 Cor 5:4
11-Rom 13:14
12-Mat 3:2
13-Mat 4:17
14-2 Pet 3:13, Is 65: 17
15-Rev 21:4
Ignorance of the truth about God is more detrimental than we think. It is on this very ignorance that the devil feeds to dupe us into believing his lies. If we do not know what God says through His word, we are bound to suppose whatever falsehood the evil one throws at us- for that is his intention.2 Know that even the devil himself knows scripture. 3Everything we need to know about life is written the Bible, [the book of life] but it is pathetic how little time we spend, not only reading, but studying scripture. So when life throws us a hard ball, we turn to our human strengths and wisdom. Wrong!
I have done a short personal study on the truth regarding death, Heaven, resurrection and life after. These are my humble thoughts:
The bible, in a number of instances, refers to death as sleep4. Likewise, I have come to believe that when we die, we are indeed asleep. Our soul rests. We are unconscious, as if in sleep, of all that surrounds us.
“Those who walk uprightly enter into peace; they find rest and they lie in death”5.
It is from this rest that the Lord Jesus will come to wake us up when he returns. Otherwise, the dead are still in their graves decaying, turning to dust, sleeping until the sound of the trumpet when the Lord returns. All who are buried in Christ will be raised. It is said that King David is still asleep6. He is not in Heaven, he is in the grave waiting as well, to be resurrected.
When we die [sleep]- this the first death is overcome by the resurrection which we have assurance of following Christ's own resurrection. We have victory over it and the second death will not affect us. However those who will be judged and found in the book of the dead will suffer the second death7 and will not be victorious, they will be thrown into everlasting fire for eternity-now this is the death we should be afraid of.
So maybe we should not be as afraid of the current death as we are. We know that we are living a righteous life and now have the assurance of eternal life in the resurrection, death is indeed overcome8, maybe its is the reason the Bible calls it sleep.
We have grown up in the belief that when we die, our soul/ spirit will go to Heaven and dwell with God and Jesus . If this is so, what then would be the use of Jesus final return?
“for the Lord Himself will come down from Heaven..”9
The Lord will come down and judge the living, raise the dead and judge them too.
2 Corinthians 5 speaks of being dressed with Heavenly clothing after the earthly “tent” is destroyed. Further reading up to verse 5 may seem to suggest that this Heavenly clothing is indeed dwelling Heaven. However could it means a clothing from Heaven?
“..because we do not wish to be unclothed but to to be clothed with our Heavenly dwelling”10.
One may ask, what is this clothing? This may be answered in Romans where the same analogy of clothing is repeated.
“Rather clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ.”11
The “Kingdom of God” is not in Heaven rather it is on earth. “Kingdom of God” and “Kingdom of Heaven” as used in the Bible are synonymous. Note that scripture calls it Kingdom of not in. More like how Uganda during colonial rule was under the Kingdom of Great Britain, but was not in Great Britain.
When John the Baptist12 and Jesus13 announced the Kingdom, they said that it is “near” [or “has come near” in some versions]. This is confirmation that the Kingdom of God/Heaven is here. We should not keep waiting and hoping to go to Heaven. Heaven is not ours to dwell, it is Gods throne. To us he gave the earth and dominion over it; to subdue, fill and rule over all living creatures in it. It is on this same earth that the new earth14 will be created. The old will pass away and there will be no more pain, suffering or death.15 God will then be our God and we will inherit everything, Eden will be restored. The concept that Heaven is “in the clouds” is unbiblical. The concept that we will be “spirits floating around in Heaven” is unbiblical, the belief that we will dwell in the Heavens above till the end of time is also unbliblical.
1-1 Cor 15:34
2-John 10:10
3-Mat 4:6
4-1 Cor 15:18
5-Is 57:2
6-Acts 2:34
7-Rev 12:11
8-1 Cor 15:54
9-1 Thes 4:16
10-2 Cor 5:4
11-Rom 13:14
12-Mat 3:2
13-Mat 4:17
14-2 Pet 3:13, Is 65: 17
15-Rev 21:4
Monday, July 20, 2009
Mastering and understanding the workings of a kingdom will bring us from ignorance when we finally become born again. Unfortunately, this crucial and inevitable step of our faith has been ploughed and diluted into a religion by pagan Christians. Merely standing before a group of people, confessing your sins and accepting Jesus as your personal savior does not make you born again. Remember Nicky who said;
“Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”
Christianity is just as confused as Nicky was. Nicky was “Israel’s teacher”, he was a member of the Jewish ruling council. He was what I could call our modern day pastors, priests, imams. Yet he was told he could not enter the kingdom. Why? Because he could not understand the things of this earth nor those of heaven. In other words, he was religious!
To repent, to me, means renewing one’s mind;
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Rom 12:2
it means changing the traditional way that I think and replacing it with the right way, with the truth. Jesus showed us the truth;
“I am the way and the truth and the life..”
John 15:6
he told us how to think;
“You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience…”
Col 3:7-12
Using Jesus, analogy of the wind, we cannot see wind, it is invisible. We can only see its effects, like a leaf blowing round and round in an alley of a whiff of a little girls dress. In the same way you cannot see one who is born again- born of the spirit but by their actions. If people only say you are born again when they see you, then we are not yet there, yet only those alive and begotten of the spirit will inherit the kingdom.
I have said the so-called “believer’s prayer” many times and claimed to be born again, though never changed my mind. It is only recently when I became focused on the truth of Jesus Christ, when I studied the plan of God and I found out why I was created, when I know that I am not of this world, though I live in it, when I believe that the kingdom of God is conferred on me through Christ; when i believe the Christ is the Son of God and i, in faith, confess it; then i know with certainty that my spirit has been reborn.
“Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”
Christianity is just as confused as Nicky was. Nicky was “Israel’s teacher”, he was a member of the Jewish ruling council. He was what I could call our modern day pastors, priests, imams. Yet he was told he could not enter the kingdom. Why? Because he could not understand the things of this earth nor those of heaven. In other words, he was religious!
To repent, to me, means renewing one’s mind;
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Rom 12:2
it means changing the traditional way that I think and replacing it with the right way, with the truth. Jesus showed us the truth;
“I am the way and the truth and the life..”
John 15:6
he told us how to think;
“You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience…”
Col 3:7-12
Using Jesus, analogy of the wind, we cannot see wind, it is invisible. We can only see its effects, like a leaf blowing round and round in an alley of a whiff of a little girls dress. In the same way you cannot see one who is born again- born of the spirit but by their actions. If people only say you are born again when they see you, then we are not yet there, yet only those alive and begotten of the spirit will inherit the kingdom.
I have said the so-called “believer’s prayer” many times and claimed to be born again, though never changed my mind. It is only recently when I became focused on the truth of Jesus Christ, when I studied the plan of God and I found out why I was created, when I know that I am not of this world, though I live in it, when I believe that the kingdom of God is conferred on me through Christ; when i believe the Christ is the Son of God and i, in faith, confess it; then i know with certainty that my spirit has been reborn.
In His Likeness
I lay on my bed throughout the afternoon listening to Dr. Myles Munroe teaching about the kingdom of God.
I have been consumed by this message and its meaning for months and even though I have read most of Dr. Myles book and listened to his sermons about the subject, I feel there is a lot more about the kingdom that I do not know.
“Let us make human beings in our image, in our likeness,”. If God made us in His Image and we appear with 2 arms 2 legs, a torso, 2 eyes, ears, a nose, wit hair etc. does this mean God looks like me, short, fat, killer legs, cute fingers, cellulite et al? Is God human like you and me? Of course not.
So what is this likeness and image in which we were created? If God cannot be like us, can we be like him? Yes we can.
God is a spirit and in us he created a spirit. It is this likeness that is spoken of in Gen 1:26. Isn’t it amazing then to know that we have the very same spirit in us that is like God? We have the capability to be holy like him, to be truthful, faithful, gracious, righteous etc. We are on this earth, but being like God, we are not of this earth.
We are human beings because we need to live on this earth. God created the earth perfect for us to dwell in. He made the seas, the sun to give us light, the plants and animals to give us food. Spirits are not allowed to inhabit the earth, thus God needed to send his son (A spirit) to take the form of a human body.
“Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature e of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a human being…” Phil 2:6-7.
All my earthly traits are not of God. Realizing and knowing this feels like I have finally overcome. For now I know, and I have proof that whatever worldly experiences I go through, these are not meant to be me, therefore I simply turn to God and ask Him what we should do, because remember, Him and I are alike in spirit.
“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”- Ps 73:26
I have been consumed by this message and its meaning for months and even though I have read most of Dr. Myles book and listened to his sermons about the subject, I feel there is a lot more about the kingdom that I do not know.
“Let us make human beings in our image, in our likeness,”. If God made us in His Image and we appear with 2 arms 2 legs, a torso, 2 eyes, ears, a nose, wit hair etc. does this mean God looks like me, short, fat, killer legs, cute fingers, cellulite et al? Is God human like you and me? Of course not.
So what is this likeness and image in which we were created? If God cannot be like us, can we be like him? Yes we can.
God is a spirit and in us he created a spirit. It is this likeness that is spoken of in Gen 1:26. Isn’t it amazing then to know that we have the very same spirit in us that is like God? We have the capability to be holy like him, to be truthful, faithful, gracious, righteous etc. We are on this earth, but being like God, we are not of this earth.
We are human beings because we need to live on this earth. God created the earth perfect for us to dwell in. He made the seas, the sun to give us light, the plants and animals to give us food. Spirits are not allowed to inhabit the earth, thus God needed to send his son (A spirit) to take the form of a human body.
“Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature e of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a human being…” Phil 2:6-7.
All my earthly traits are not of God. Realizing and knowing this feels like I have finally overcome. For now I know, and I have proof that whatever worldly experiences I go through, these are not meant to be me, therefore I simply turn to God and ask Him what we should do, because remember, Him and I are alike in spirit.
“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”- Ps 73:26
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