Showing posts with label #Holynature. Show all posts
Showing posts with label #Holynature. Show all posts


JESUS CHRIST IS THE EVERLASTING ROCK.

"And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ." 1 Corinthians 10:4 (Read 1 Corinthians 10:1-6) -KJV.

A song writer wrote thus "Jesus the Rock, the Solid Rock, Jesus the Solid Rock, my soul has found a refuge in Him, Jesus the Solid Rock." In the lyrics, "Jesus the Solid Rock" is portrayed as:

1. A Refuge: Just as a physical rock can provide shelter and protection, Jesus is depicted as a spiritual refuge where one's soul can find safety and solace.

2. Unshakable: The song highlights Jesus as someone who cannot be moved, emphasizing His stability and reliability. This concept aligns with the idea that faith in Jesus provides a firm foundation for one's life.

3. The Foundation of the Church: The reference to Matthew 16:18 underscores the belief that Jesus is the cornerstone upon which the Christian church is built. It signifies the church's strength and resistance to spiritual attacks.

4. Protection: Jesus is likened to a shield and a place of safety where believers can seek shelter from the spiritual battles and challenges, they face in life.

5. Salvation: The lyrics also touch on the concept of salvation through faith in Jesus. By confessing one's sins and accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior, one can find refuge and eternal security in Him.

The imagery of Jesus as the "Solid Rock" is a powerful and enduring symbol in Christian faith, emphasizing His unwavering support, protection, and the salvation He offers to believers. It encourages individuals to turn to Him for strength, guidance, and spiritual security.

Therefore, the message underscores the belief that faith in Jesus provides a secure and unshakable foundation for one's life and spiritual well-being. Here are some key points from this message:

A. Protection from the Enemy: Jesus is portrayed as a shield and refuge where believers can seek protection from the spiritual adversary, symbolized as the devil or the enemy. This protection is seen as essential for the safety and salvation of one's soul.

B. Exclusive Shelter for True Friends: Here, it highlights that the shelter of Jesus is available to those who are true friends and followers of Him. This implies that sincere faith and a personal relationship with Jesus are necessary to fully experience His protective and saving grace.

C. Vulnerability of Sinners: It means that those who have not turned to Jesus in repentance and faith remain exposed to the attacks of the enemy. In this context, the "sinner" refers to someone who has not yet embraced Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

D. Call to Repentance: The message encourages i to run to Jesus for shelter and salvation. This is achieved through confessing one's sins, surrendering to Jesus, and accepting Him as Lord and Savior. Repentance and faith are seen as the path to finding refuge in the "Solid Rock."

In summary, the message is conveying a heartfelt call to faith and repentance of everyone that is yet to surrender all to Christ with the truth that Jesus Christ provides the ultimate protection and salvation for those who turn to Him. This remains a central theme in Christian faith and evangelism; therefore, you are invited to find security and eternal life in relationship with Jesus, the "Solid Rock" today!


THE WEIGHT AND BESETTING SINS

"And this is the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom and finished it. TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting" (Daniel 5:25-27) -KJV. The concept of "weights" and "besetting sins" in a spiritual context is drawn from Christian faith and is often used to emphasize the idea of obstacles or hindrances that can impede one's spiritual growth and relationship with God. Here are some key points related to this concept:

1. Weights as Hindrances: "Weights" refer to anything that may be permissible or even good in itself but becomes a hindrance when it distracts or obstructs an individual's progress in their spiritual journey. These "weights" can take the form of distractions, attachments, or habits that divert one's focus from our spiritual goals.

2. Besetting Sins: "Besetting sins" are specific sins or weaknesses to which an individual is particularly prone. These are the sins that a person may continually struggle with and have a natural inclination toward. They can act as persistent stumbling blocks in one's efforts to grow spiritually.

3. Distinct Concepts: " "Weights" and "besetting sins" are distinct concepts. "Weights" may refer to various hindrances or burdens that are not necessarily sinful in themselves but hinder one's spiritual progress. "Besetting sins" specifically point to sinful patterns or temptations that require special attention and effort to overcome.

4. Destructiveness of Pride: "Pride is highlighted as a destructive attitude that can hinder one's relationship with God. It is described as an attitude that can destroy one's spiritual life. God always resist the proud and give grace to the humble. This statement underscores the importance of humility and self-awareness in the context of spiritual growth and Christian faith. The example of Belshazzar from the Bible is cited as a warning about the consequences of pride and arrogance. Belshazzar's pride led to his downfall and the end of his reign.

5. Imperfection of Believers: " It is emphasized that Christians do not become perfect and sinless upon salvation. This recognition underscores the need for ongoing sanctification (holiness), the second work of grace for spiritual growth, inner purity, and transformation. This is seen as essential for believers to draw closer to God and see Him. A verse from Proverbs 16:2 is cited to highlight the idea that God weighs not only actions but also thoughts and intentions. This verse emphasizes the importance of God's righteous judgment.

6. Running the Heavenly Race: " The metaphor of running a race is often used in believers in Christ to describe the journey of faith. Just as a runner needs to shed unnecessary weight to run faster, believers are encouraged to cast off "weights" and address "besetting sins" to run the race of faith more effectively.

7. Righteous Balance: " The concept of a "false balance" being an abomination to the Lord is mentioned, emphasizing the need for integrity and fairness in all actions and dealings.

8. Repentance and Transformation: "Overcoming both "weights" and "besetting sins" requires a commitment to repentance, self-examination, and reliance on God's grace for transformation. It involves recognizing areas in one's life that hinder spiritual growth and taking steps to address them. 9. Biblical truth: " The concept of being weighed in the balances and found wanting, as mentioned in the Book of Daniel, serves as a biblical reference to the idea of being evaluated or judged by God based on one's actions and character.
"Therefore, "weights" and "besetting sins" underscores the importance of self-examination, repentance, and spiritual growth in the Christian faith. Believers are encouraged to cast aside hindrances, whether they are sinful or merely distracting, in order to run the race of faith more effectively and draw closer to God and see Him when our journey on earth come to an end. Here is a clarion call to genuine salvation in Christ, living a righteous and spiritually accountable life, guided by faith and a sense of moral responsibility. A call to humility - a quality often associated with acknowledging one's limitations, seeking guidance, and maintaining a teachable spirit. A call to examine oneself daily in the word of God, the importance of reflection, introspection, and aligning one's life with moral and ethical principles as we prepare for the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Finally, the significance of personal actions and how they impact various aspects of life, including relationships with oneself, family, friends, spouses, children, adversaries, and business associates to be taking into consideration in accordance with the word of God. God, as the righteous Judge, evaluates the thoughts, words, and deeds of individuals and will judge according to His righteous law. Therefore, a false balance is an abomination unto the Lord our God.

LEAVEN OF HYPOCRISY

“In the meantime, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples, first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy” (Luke 121). The Pharisees were a religious group in Israel given to legalism. Theirs was an outward show of religion which constituted of mechanical observance of Mosaic laws, traditions, of elders as well as ethical and ceremonial commandments of the law. They lacked true piety and they covered up with religious devotions such as praying on street corners, giving of alms, tithing, and fasting. In short, they majored in minors, neglecting weightier matters of the law – judgement, mercy, and faith. For this reason, Jesus warned people about the influence of false teachers and described their conduct as hypocritical.

The Sadducees on the other hand were less strict in their religious observances. They contrasted sharply with the Pharisees in their beliefs. The Sadducees did not believe in the existence of angels, spirits, or the resurrection of the human body after death. Many of them were priests of Jesus’ day. With very exceptions, the Pharisees and Sadducees were antagonistic to Christ and His message. These two groups wielded a great influence on the religious life of the Jews. This was the reason Jesus taught the people, especially His disciples to avoid their pernicious ways. While pointing to Himself as the true Shepherd, He warned His listeners not to follow religious hypocrites who were wolves in sheep’s clothing.

When Jesus was teaching His disciples what constitutes acceptable devotion to God, He cautioned them time and again not to comport themselves as the hypocrites do. “Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward” (Matthew 6:2). Perhaps our Lord Jesus Christ had the Pharisees and Sadducees in mind while speaking. Jesus denounced the Pharisees for their hypocrisy. The evils of hypocrisy are legion. A hypocrite is blind to his spiritual destitution. He treads the path of eternal destruction even though he may appear pious outwardly. His life of deception may lead other sincere seekers astray. If he is a member of a local church the individual constantly brings reproach to Christ. He is a great stumbling block in the way of others. Any wonder Jesus addressed the Pharisees thus: “But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in” (Matthew 23:13).

Expressions of hypocrisy can be identified as corruption spreads easily among a group. Therefore, Jesus instructed His disciples by figuratively referring to the action of leaven (or the modern usage, of yeast) on the dough. A little leaven when added to the dough will soon spread throughout the food material and cause it to rise. In the scriptures, leaven always stands for something bad or sinful. The only exception is when Jesus used it in the parable of the kingdom (Matthew 13:33) to depict the spread of God’s kingdom. Like leaven, hypocrisy in the little band of disciples could destroy the teachings of Christ they have received and eventually pollute the church in infancy. The disciples were slow at understanding the figure used by Christ, so He told them plainly what he meant: “ How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees? Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees” (Matthew 16:11-12).

The Pharisees were scrupulous about ritual cleansing of hands, cups, pots, and other vessels while the “…. Inward part is full of ravening and wickedness” (Luke 11:39). This is the picture of the pretender, a phoney who has the form of religion but denies the power thereof. The fellow may bear the name of Christ and may have learnt to comport himself (outwardly) the way genuine Christians do. Meanwhile, the heart is full of sin and wickedness. When all an individual knows about Christianity is singing, dancing, fasting, and regular church attendance while sound Christian doctrines are relegated to the background, he is already following the doctrine of Pharisees and Sadducees.

The Pharisees were described as “whited sepulchres” which appear beautiful outwardly but inside, they are full of all uncleanness. This reveals the religious hypocrite who may be a professing Christian. Are there not people in the church, who have effectually mastered the language of true believers even though they are yet to be transformed by God’s grace? Such people are tares amid wheat. Paul the Apostle referred to them as false brethren. A lot of sinning church members dress and put up the appearance of a genuine Christian, even though they are unconverted. The woes Jesus pronounced on the religious hypocrites of His time will also fall on the impenitent churchgoer without salvation in Christ. The only way out to escape from God’s judgement is genuine repentance from hypocrisy and resolution to follow Christ all the way

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HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD

“Follow peace with all men and holiness without which, no man shall see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14).Holiness is the very nature of God. Everything about His person, His attributes and characteristics is holiness. God demand holy living from everyone that is called by the name of the Lord. While God demand repentance from sinners, He demands holiness life from saints. ”But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, be ye holy for I am holy”. There are those who deny the possibility of living holy; such are those who profess that they know God, but in works they deny him.Inward and outward holiness is a condition for walking with God and living with Him eternally.

It is impossible to walk with a holy God with inward corruption and outward defilement. Any service rendered unto God without purity of heart has no reward. Those who bear the vessels of the Lord are to remain clean and pure within. Holiness of life is a condition for useful service. Those who substitute power for purity or exhibit power without purity will be disappointed on the last day as they will be told by the Lord “I never knew you; depart from me, ye that work iniquity”. The demonstration of the purity of life must be backed up with a life of purity and holiness. God will never promise us what He can never provide. He has made the provision for our holiness or sanctification through our Lord Jesus Christ. “Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered without the gate”.

The Lord expect every believer to be holy, it becomes important for all Christians to submit themselves to God’s total cleansing and impartation of perfect love. Prophet Isaiah chapter 52:11 said, “Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch not unclean thing, go ye out of the midst of her, be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord”. Therefore, “Dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and the spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God” (2 Corinthians 7:1).We are to genuinely seek the face of the Lord, so that our whole spirit, soul and body will be preserved unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. There are conditions for sanctification (holiness) because with God of holiness that expects us to be holy, nothing shall be impossible with Him if we trust Him absolutely.

There should be a strong desire, total yielding and consecration to possess this divine nature of God. We should desire it above home, property, clothes and all the possessions of the earth.

Secondly, there must be thirst and hunger for it. We must feel it within our hearts that we are incomplete without it.

Thirdly, there must be steadfastness. You cannot seek the Lord halfheartedly and receive the best from Him.

Lastly, we pray the prayer of faith. There some who believe that God can heal the sick, raise the dead, and supply all our needs but argue that holiness of life is not possible on earth. They limit God's divine ability in human life, because there is nothing impossible for God to do for us; if we ask in faith we shall receive. “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5:23).

WALKING DAILY WITH CHRIST

“As he spake these words, many believed on him. Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free? Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” - John 8:30-36 (KJV).

The new birth experience is the beginning of life-long adventure of walking with Christ. But, what does it mean to walk with Christ? You took the first step toward walking with Christ when you decided to repent of your sins and commit your life to the Lord, Jesus Christ. This step, although vital, is not the only step you are supposed to take.

To be a disciple of Jesus Christ, you must walk with him consistently. One of the essentials things of walking with Christ is reading God’s word, the Bible. The path of life is littered with temptations. The safest way of walking and not stumbling at any of the temptations is to read and keep the word of God. The holy word of God as a guiding light is imperative to those walking with Christ daily. It dictates the conduct and life-style of the believer and it has the final say on all matter that concerns the believer.

Another essential in walking with Christ is prayer. Communication is essentials for a growing relationship. When you pray you are communicating with God. The Christian life is a new experience to everyone that is newly converted. As a Christian, it’s essential to maintain a life of open communication with God as a habit. Not only does the person walking with Christ has the privilege of telling God about whatever bothers him, he also has the added advantage of having his need met. Prayer, the act of communicating with God, is also the greatest weapon through which the devil and his cohorts are defeated. Prayer is simple. It is casting your care upon God (1 Peter 5:7), asking God, the father, whatever you need (John 15:16) in the name of Jesus (John 14:13).

The most essential in walking with Christ that many overlook today is obedience: This what God demand from us and He places a high premium on it. A number of people who profess faith in Christ faltered when it comes to obedience. This is because they see Jesus as Savior but fail to know and accept Him as Lord. The Bible says “Jesus is Lord”. It is important to know that the true wisdom consists in building our spiritual house on the Rock, Jesus Christ our Lord. This singular act will make our Christian faith to become strong and firm in the fundamental principles of victorious Christian living. Our Christian life should always obey the Lord when things are convenient or when things go contrary to the way of our expectations. Jesus is Lord forever! He demands absolute obedience for all believers who are walking with Him. Our motives, tempers and lives should always conform to His Word, leaning on nothing but His grace and enabling power. Hence, walking with Christ is the most glorious experience in life that can ever happen to a Christian.

There are new discoveries for us each day in our daily walk with Christ. It ushers us into deeper knowledge, greater experiences and enjoyment of God’s blessings. With Christ as Captain of our salvation in our journey, He’s ever faithful to grant us victory, success, happiness and fulfillment here on earth and a blissful eternity hereafter.  “But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and has been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them” (2 Timothy 3:14).

<hr> UNLOCKING DIVINE POTENTIAL: ALLOWING CREATIVE ENERGY TO MANIFEST<hr/>

''Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth..And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of ...