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 HIGH COST OF SALVATION

p>The Bible describes the agony of Christ and His supreme sacrifice at Calvary as the price of our salvation, our passport into God’s presence, the propitiation for our sins, the peacemaker for our reconciliation, the power of the Christian life and the provider of our blessings. The suffering was dreadful, the sacrifice was overwhelming – so much that on the night of His betrayal He told three of His disciples, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even unto death” (Matthew 26:38); and to the Father, He prayed, “O my Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt…and being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground” (Matthew 26:39; Luke 22:44).

Betrayed into the hands of his enemies by one of His disciples, denied by His foremost disciple and deserted by other disciples Jesus Christ was subjected to unjust and extremely painful trial s before the high priest, the Jewish council, Pilate and Herod; He endured cruel mockery, insults, scourging, and had a crown of thorns spitefully pressed upon His head. At Calvary his place of crucifixion, He was finally nailed to the cross to suffer unbearable pain until He bled to death.

Jesus Christ the son of God and our redeemer bore all the torture and anguish and, above all, the pain of separation from the Father at the time He bore the guilt of the human race. No wonder then that immediately He gave up the Ghost, the veil of the temple tore from top to bottom, the earth quaked, the rocks split, and graves opened (Matthew 27:51-52).

Jesus Christ paid the high price of salvation with His precious blood shed on the cross of Calvary. Nothing but His blood could atone for the grievous sins of mankind. Nothing else could have reconciled man to God. The prophet Isaiah declared the suffering Messiah to be absolute without fault. “Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him… (and to) make his soul an offering for sin…” (Isaiah 53:10). Not until Jesus Christ knew He had endured the full measure of God’s judgment against our sins did He cry, “It is finished: and he bowed his head and gave up the ghost” (John 19:30).

Sin separates people from the holy God and it will do so forever unless it is forgiven and washed away. And there is nothing we can do or any amount we can pay or any sacrifice we can offer that could ever atone for our guilt. But the joyful message of the gospel is that God, through the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ, has procured our salvation from sin, sanctification, and removal of Adamic nature, healing from sickness, victory over Satan and his demons as well as the assurance of answer to prayers.

Outside of Christ’s sacrifice, there’s no other sacrifice for sin. Every sinner that comes to God, repenting of his sins and exercising faith in Christ’s atonement will be saved (1 John1:8-9). As Spurgeon once said, “if you were to wash your soul in the Atlantic Ocean, you might incarnadine (taint) every wave that washes all its shores, and yet the crimson spots of your transgression would remain. But plunge into the “fountain filled with blood, drawn from Immanuel’s veins,” and in an instant, you are whiter than snow. Every peck, spot, and stain of sin is gone, and gone forever.”

Sinner friend, what are you waiting for? The price of your salvation has been paid by the Lord Jesus Christ. He paid dearly so that you can be justified freely. Now pray and confess your sins, repent and ask Jesus to wash you clean with His atoning blood. Believe in Him today and you will be saved from the power and penalty of sin.

And if you are already saved, then take some time to solemnly recall what it cost your Lord to redeem you from the darkness of sin and the world. Ponder on the humiliation and suffering He went through just to make you what you are today; then let this deeper understanding stir you to a life of greater consecration and commitment to Him. The price of your salvation is very great. Do not despise it!

THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IN NEW CREATURES

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit…For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth” (Galatians 5:22-25; Ephesians 5:9). The Lord is concerned about the life and character of every believer. There is a great different between the work of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit.

Works are produced by human energy; why fruit is grown as a branch abides in the vine. The Christ likes qualities or virtues seen in new creatures are referred to in the bible as the fruit of the Spirit. God is glorified when the believer brings forth fruits. He derives joy and happiness in seeing Christ’s life in His Children. Fruit bearing is a mark of true discipleship. “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (John 13:35). Believers are known by the kind of fruit they bear; Love tops the list which means there is a single fruit of the spirit -Love, is the very basic essential life of the living Christ which expresses itself in all the nine fruits listed in Galatians 5:22-23, the other eight are anchored in Love. The single-minded lifestyle called “The fruit of the Spirit”. This produced in God’s children as they allow the spirit to direct and influence their lives and work in the fellowship with God. Christ commends fruit bearing Christians and condemns the fruitless ones. The branch that does not abide in the true vine cannot bear fruit, such is cast forth, withered, branch cast into the fire and burnt (John 15:1-7).

A Christian who does not bring forth the fruit of the fruit is rejected, while the fruit bearings are replenished to bring forth more fruit. The bearing of the fruit of the fruit is conditioned upon the possession of the salvation experience. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing” (John 15:4-5). In addition to this, Apostle Peter counselled, “And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:5-8). The fruit of the Spirit is the product of the Spirit. It is a gift from God the true vine.

A real living relationship and union with Christ is the only condition and qualification for fruit bearing. Church membership, tithing, good morals and water baptism are good, nut not good enough to qualify anyone for heaven or to bear the fruit of the Spirit; the bible declares: “All our righteousness are as filthy rags”. And Jesus said “Abide in me for without me ye can do nothing”. Have you be struggling to live a holy life., making resolution every time, yet living a defeat life, today you can make up your mind to come to Jesus the source of life and the gate into fruitful life. As you keep contact with Jesus and fellowship with people of like precious faith, your life will never remain the same. Have you been depending on the energy of the flesh? Today I tell you the grace of God is available for you. Abide in Christ constantly that is the secret of fruit bearing.

Meekness: The meek is gentle, plain, flexible but firm and frank. The meek is submissive, quiet, kind, soft and patience especially with the weak (Matthew 11:29).

Temperance: This is referred to as self-control, moderation or self -restraint. Temperance is the outward sign of a well-discipline life. It means bringing the total man (body, spirit, and soul); control.

Love (Charity): A caring for and seeking the highest good of another person without motive of personal gain.

Joy: The feelings of gladness based on the love, grave, blessing, promises and nearness of God that belong to those who believe in Christ.

Peace: Peace is the selfless, self-giving, self-loosing, self-sacrifice love that in manifest in spite of all adverse of life; Jesus the Prince of peace is the source of peace, it is calm in crisis, untroubled in trial and determined in disaster. “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7).

Longsuffering: This is also referred to as enduring or patience. It is the strong ability of selfless love to bear all things and continue in adverse situations. It is a ungrudging willingness to understand an unwelcome difficult people disturbing events situation that God allows to come your way (Hebrew 12:2). The benefits of longsuffering are disciple, development and direction.

Gentleness: It is the fruit that comes from the life that has received God’s abundant grace.

A Christian whose life reflects goodness is one with noble purpose, strong character, reliable conduct and trustworthy lifestyle. He is good, gracious and generous, always in the business of making others happy (Acts 10:38).

Faith: (Hebrew 11:6), faith is our basis for belief. It is the divinely implanted principle of inward and whole-hearted confidence, trust and reliance in God and His word. The Christian who is full of faith loves to the point of trusting and yielding himself faithfully to the service of other follow men, and the church. There will be no demonstration of God’s love where there is no faith.