MARK 10

28 Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee.

29 And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, there is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children,or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s,

30 But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and

 brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.

31 But many that are first shall be last; and the last first.

THE CHERRY ON TOP OF THE CAKE

I wonder if you have ever thought this…well look at everything I have given up for you Lord. Peter certainly, did and as usual he was very vocal.. he usually opened his mouth, without getting his mind into gear, that’s why I can identify with him so much.

 He states that they have given up everything to follow Christ and

 indeed, that was true, but Jesus puts it all into perspective in his

reply. He agrees that people have left things for the sake of Him and the gospel, but also says that they will receive a hundredfold, what they have left.

 Please note the two things right at the end, which Jesus says that we

 will receive and many people leave out. Many prosperity preachers say

 that the Christian will receive good things from God and this is true.

The first thing is persecution, note that persecution is added on. We will receive hundred-fold, but we will have persecution. As Christians, wee live in a world that to be honest hates us, sure it puts up with us,but it has little time for us, just as the world had little time for the Saviour.

Secondly and here is the cherry on top of the cake…we will receive

 Eternal life. We will spend eternity with Jesus and Father God, we will

 have perfect bodies and live-in heaven a place that is beyond our wildest dreams.

Whilst we are here on earth, we get a snapshot of what heaven will be like as we have fellowship with our Saviour, but when the time comes, we will see him face to face, we will serve him and live in the glory of his presence.

Jesus talked about the pearl of great price, that when someone found it in a field, he would sell everything he/she had to buy that field.This is that pearl.. salvation.. being with Jesus.

What we have given up is nothing to what we are receiving now and what we will inherit in eternity.

Glory to God

God bless you

JUDE

9 But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil (Satan), and[a]arguing about the body of Moses, did not dare bring an abusive condemnation against him, but [simply] said, “The Lord rebuke you!”

9 DISPUTING WITH THE DEVIL

This verse seems very obscure, but it so wonderful.

It shows us some things about how to defeat the devil, but also urges caution.

Firstly the caution, Michael who is one of the senior angels, and here he is disputing with the devil. Look at what he is saying. He does not bring an accusation against him, he says The Lord rebuke you. He does not use his own power or authority, he uses the authority of God. Likewise we have to use the authority of Christ’s name, unlike the seven sons of sceva, who tried in their own strength to handle the devil. You cannot handle the devil in your own strength, but you can use the authority you have in Christ.. use the name and the blood to defeat HIM.

Secondly, look at the tactics of the enemy. In Deuteronomy chapter 34 verse 6, it says that no one knows where Moses was buried. The tactic of the devil is to sidetrack the church into disputing about issues that are not important.

Church, you need to stop doing the devil’s work. His tactic is to entangle the church in petty arguments about minor points. You would of thought the devil would be discussing some major point, but here he is talking about the body of Moses.

Let’s be careful, and not get involved in petty disputes over words. So many christians spend their lives disputing over some minor points of doctine. Also don’t handle the devil on your own, you have the armour of God, you have the blood of Christ and you have the power of the name of JESUS

Use them wisely and use them often!

God bless you

Keith

True Confidence

“I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us… 1John 5:13-14.”

Many people either lack confidence or have too much confidence in themselves. But the best kind of confidence and assurance is to believe and trust in Christ.

Everything John has written, not just in his letter, but in his gospel, is to lead people, not just to believe, but to know without a shadow of a doubt that they are saved.

Why is this assurance so important in many believers’ lives?

Like many, I must admit in my Christian walk, I have doubted my faith. Undermining our assurance is a prime target of the devil. He will say “look at that sin you did”; surely you can’t be saved.”

Yet these verses speak truth when confronted by the Father of Lies. Death stalks us all; it is the thing we must all face. But thank God, we have this assurance, that we have eternal life and we will spend eternity with Christ.

When we are assured of eternal life and have fellowship with the Father, it gives us great confidence to face life’s challenges.

Isn’t that simply amazing?

God bless you, Keith 

THREE AMAZING STATEMENTS

JOB 16

“My friends are scoffers [who ridicule];
My eye pours out tears to God.

“Oh, that a man would mediate and plead with God [for me]
Just as a man [mediates and pleads] with his neighbor and friend.

“For when a few years are past,
I shall go the way of no return.

The book of Job is one of my favorites.

The central character is just totally amazing, because of some of the statements he makes.

After all, here is a man, who is going through some of the deepest trials, anyone in the bible, has to go through.

The first of these statements is to do with friendship.

Sure Job had these three people, who sat with him and were fine, until they started talking.

They seem to listen to Job, but in reality, they pour scorn on his situation.

The only thing, he can do is to pour his/her tears to God.

God forbid believer that you have friends like Job’s, but they do exist in every single church.

All you can do in this situation is to cry out to God, to pour out your tears to HIM.

No one hears or understands except God.

The second statement is that he wishes someone would intercede for him.

In human terms, we have very few people who will ever do this for us.

But in spiritual terms, we have an advocate who is pleading our case before the Father day and night.

He is our advocate, our intercessor and Our Savior, Christ Jesus.

But in human terms, do we ever intercede for our brethren?

To intercede means to stand in the gap for someone else.

Have you ever stood and pleaded for one of your brethren before the throne of Grace?

The third statement is that Job knows the brevity of his life, he shares God view of his life.

You know the older I get, I remember that my life is coming to an end.

Life is fleeting, one day we will be dust.

What will be your legacy?

What was Job’s legacy?

It was a life of trust and dependence towards God.

I hope these three statements touch your heart

God bless you

JOB’S AMAZING AFFIRMATION

JOB 19

25 For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:

26 And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:

Of all the things Job says, this is one of the most amazing. Despite all he is going through, he can say “I know that my redeemer liveth”. Indeed, isn’t this the cry of every true believer.

Paul later echoes this cry in 2 Timothy 1, when he says:

12 For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless, I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

I wonder if hundreds of years later, the Holy Spirit led Paul’s mind to think about what Job had written many years before?   After all, as Paul was writing, he would soon meet his Savior.

Job had this amazing confidence. He is very early in bible history, yet he says, His redeemer will stand one day upon the earth.   Well His redeemer certainly did that. Jesus came and stood upon the earth.   He walked with us and talked with us.

Job has this amazing confidence and confession, knew that his natural body would fade, but he knew despite that that he would see God.    This is Job’s confession and this is Paul’s confession.  Likewise, it should be our confession. I wonder can we say like Job,  I KNOW THAT MY REDEEMER LIVETH

Matthew Henry says this

Job was taught of God to believe in a living Redeemer; to look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come; he comforted himself with the expectation of these. Job was assured, that this Redeemer of sinners from the yoke of Satan and the condemnation of sin, was his Redeemer, and expected salvation through him; and that he was a living Redeemer, though not yet come in the flesh; and that at the last day he would appear as the Judge of the world, to raise the dead, and complete the redemption of his people. 

God bless you

Keith

JEREMIAH 44

16 As for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the Lord, we will not hearken unto thee.
17 But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth, to burn incense unto the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, as we have done, we, and our fathers, our kings, and our princes, in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem: for then had we plenty of victuals, and were well, and saw no evil.

YOU THOUGHT THEY WOULD HAVE LEARNED THEIR LESSON
When the children of Israel were taken captive to Babylon, a remnant went down to Egypt, along with Jeremiah. Did this stop their idolatry? God is speaking to them through his prophet Jeremiah, from verse 2 through to verse 15, God says why and what will happen to these people, but look at their crazy arrogance, they said, do you think what you say scares us?

God was gracious to this people, he let them go into the land of Egypt, but still they refused to acknowledge him and went their own way, sound familiar. Nothing has changed, God is continually seeking to be gracious to his world, but what does man do, he refuses point blank to respond in the correct way, he says, we have got into this situation by doing it our way, we don’t want to hear any other answer, we will do what is right in our own eyes.

Judges 21:25
In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.
The book of Judges is probably the most depressing book of the Bible, it is a book of wasted opportunities, the children of Israel, seeking to do it their way, look where that got them. Nowadays, we have people who still, as Romans 1 puts it, worship the creature rather than the creator, so God gives them over to a depraved mind.

Romans 1:21-25
21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things.
24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

Jeremiah 44:22-23
22 So that the Lord could no longer bear, because of the evil of your doings, and because of the abominations which ye have committed; therefore is your land a desolation, and an astonishment, and a curse, without an inhabitant, as at this day.
23 Because ye have burned incense, and because ye have sinned against the Lord, and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord, nor walked in his law, nor in his statutes, nor in his testimonies; therefore this evil is happened unto you, as at this day.

This chapter is so sad, but so relevant to us today. People want to do it their way, but this way leads to only one place and that is death. One day all men will be silenced, Jesus will judge all men. The time is now to turn to the Living God. Stop drinking dirty water and drink the pure water of life.

God bless you, Keith

JOB 1
WHAT WOULD YOU DO?
20 Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped.
21 And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”
22 In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.

JOB 2
9 Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die.”
10 But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.

So you think you are having it tough? Job was a blameless man, who acted in a blameless way, but in doing so, he lost it all, he lost family (well not his wife, who to be honest, you wouldn’t want to keep!), he lost all his possessions, he lost his source of income, he had nothing left. If I was in that position and it sure was bad, I doubt if I would react in the way Job did. He did not react in anger and frustration, he acted in worship.

His posture
He must have been sitting down, for he arose. But he didn’t stay upright for long though. The two things he did, rending his clothes and shaving his head, were acts of deep grief, but in that he fell down and worshipped.

I heard of a pastor’s wife who lost her husband and she said years later, it was in this time of great grief, that she had her closest times with the Lord. When we go through times of great loss and grief, it is through those times that the Lord is closest.

His position
He realized who he was, he realized that he was nothing. He realized that he came with nothing and would indeed leave the earth with nothing. We need to realize that possessions are absolutely nothing.

His praise
He was openly praising God, what do you think the devil was thinking?

Psalms 34:1
I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.

What is happening, surely Job would curse God? You see when we praise God, this turns the devil’s plans upside down, praise is the ultimate counter punch to the devil, it knocks him senseless and is such a powerful weapon for the Christian to use.

His purity
In Chapter 1, he did not blame God and in chapter 2, he rebuked even his wife. Through all this, he kept his integrity.

Mark 4:38
But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”

His power
Job 42:7-10
7 After the Lord had spoken these words to Job, the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite: “My anger burns against you and against your two friends, for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has.”
10 And the Lord restored the fortunes of Job, when he had prayed for his friends. And the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.

Job 13:15
Though he slay me, I will hope in him; yet I will argue my ways to his face.

Job 19:25-26
25 For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth.
26 And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God,

God’s purpose
What was God’s purpose for Job? So often we look at what God did and it seems harsh, but it wasn’t. We often go through suffering, grief, and hardship, but God’s purpose is not to punish us, it is to prune us.

God’s promise
Through all Job’s suffering, God didn’t desert him, he was still there all the time, even though Job didn’t realize it. God is with us during these times, it is in these times that God is so real to us.

Romans 8:28
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Hebrews 13:5
Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

This is God’s purpose and God’s promise for all who are going through suffering and grief.

God bless you
KK

2 THESS 3 

1 Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you:

2 And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith.

AND FINALLY 

There was a TV news programme in the UK, where the newsreader introduced the final item by saying, “and finally,” just like the Apostle Paul is saying here. In a nutshell, Paul is giving instructions on how to pray for himself and his team of workers.

First, it was a personal appeal. He wants his brethren to pray for him. It is one of our greatest privileges to pray for others, especially for those in Christian work. Let me ask you do you pray for those in Christian work? Do you pray for your pastor？

Second, it was a prayerful appeal. It was meant to urge the church to pray. Prayer is the engine room of the church. It has been said that it is prayer that drives the church and if the church has less prayer then it will lack power.

Third, it is an appeal that gives the church a priority. When you pray, you have to focus. It is no good praying like this… “Bless the church in China amen.” Get some mission prayer letters from missionaries; use Operation World, joshuaproject.net, and other resources to pray for specific people and things.

Fourth, there was a purpose in their prayer. This is how to pray for our brethren and especially those in full time service

That the word of God would have free course; that it would not be hindered. Paul said in his first letter that Satan hindered us. The devil tries everything to stop the flow of the gospel; it is our prayers on the mountain top like Moses that enables the Joshua’s fighting in the valley to succeed.

We are to pray that God’s word is to be glorified. That is the most important part of this prayer, not that we are glorified, but that his word is glorified. He gives an example of this church in his first letter Chapter 1. Look at what happened when the word of God arrived in this city; this is the word of God being glorified and having an unhindered passage.

5 For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.

6 And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost.

7 So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia.

8 For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing.

9 For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God

Finally, he prays for divine protection. All of us need this, but God’s full-time servants do most of all. There are people who will seek to destroy God’s work by destroying God’s servants.

Let’s pray like this for our fellow believers, our pastors and our church workers!

God bless

kk

1 COR 12

3 Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.

HOW TO KNOW YOU ARE A CHRISTIAN

There are many evidences that a person who names the Name of Christ can demonstrate, so others can tell they are a Christian. 1 John is a book that shows many of those evidences and is a good book to go through to truly examine whether we are in the faith or not. I encourage you to read it.

In 2 Corinthians 13:5, we are told to examine ourselves as to whether we are in the faith. We all need a reality check… me included.

When we were without hope and without Christ, we had no time for Christ. We used the Name of Jesus as a cuss word.

But when we come to know God, our attitude to Jesus is completely transformed. We come to see Jesus as intensely beautiful. Spurgeon puts it like this:

Jesus Christ is most precious to every believer.

O that I had power to speak of His preciousness as it ought to be spoken of! He is worthy of an angelic speaker to tell out all His worth

He is essentially precious. He possesses an intrinsic worth. He must be precious who is infinite God.

To every sinner who feels his sin, Christ is precious.

To every child of God who is saved, the Savior must forever be fairest among the fair.

To every heir of heaven who has experienced the sweetness of His saving grace, Christ must appear to be “the chief among ten thousand, and the altogether lovely One.”

Had not been for our Savior dying on the cross, we would forever have been cast into hell.

You know that you are a Christian because the Spirit works in your heart, and you call Jesus “Lord.” Not only do you call him Lord, but you act like Jesus is your Lord. You have given control of your life to Him and you know His Lordship over your life.

The true Christian calls Jesus the sweetest thing in his life. When you are saved, you call Jesus Lord, you call Him your beloved, you call Him precious and the Lovely One.

To me and to millions of others, He is precious, my beloved and my Lord. That is why one of the most important questions that can be asked is – What do you think of Christ?

If your heart cries out like Spurgeon above, you know you are saved… amen… because He is precious to you.

God bless you

Keith

MALACHI 1

1 The burden of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi.

A PASSIONATE HEART

Malachi was a very special prophet. He was the last prophet to speak before the long silence of 400 years and he had a real passion for speaking truth.

So, what did Malachi have a passion for?

He had a passion or a burning desire for God, and for God’s honour. Look at verse 6 of chapter 1.

A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the Lord of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, wherein have we despised thy name?

Let me ask you… Do you have a passion for God’s honour and glory? Do you have a burning desire for God Himself?

He had a passion for the word of God. The word of God was being trampled underfoot. It was listened to but not obeyed, just like it is today. Does that make you burdened or even angry?

He had a passion for God’s work. All through the book, especially in chapter 1, he sees the altar of the Lord being polluted (v.7). He sees eye service to the work of God and he is burdened and passionate to speak out under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

He has a passion for God’s people. They were living lives that appeared to the outsider, good and sacrificial lives, but in reality, within they were living lives that were a lie.

Let me ask you:

What’s your passion and can God share his passion with you?

Can He share what’s on His heart or are you indifferent to His voice?

There were many in Malachi’s day, who saw the same things, but said nothing… It is the same today.

Be open to the Spirit’s voice.

Share God’s passion with the world.

Share God’s passion with His church.

God bless you.

Keith

ZECHARIAH 13

1 In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness.

The book of Zechariah carries some of the most amazing prophecies about our Saviour, none more than this one.

It reminds me of the amazing hymn, There is a fountain filled with blood (see the lyrics at the end of this devotion).

What a promise… that a fountain will be opened up. A fountain where all who come under are cleansed of their sin. That fountain is Jesus and his death on the cross. The death nail of sin was driven into the precious Son of God.

God’s love and justice were shown at the cross, His love and mercy to sinners, but also His righteous anger against sin. Jesus was our sin bearer. He took the penalty that was due for us, so we can live, He had to die.

He took our place, we deserved to be condemned, but He was. He did no wrong, but He was punished for our sin. He was the scapegoat; He was the one that took our sin and brought us back into fellowship with God.

Because of the cross, the fountain is opened up. Any person who dips in this precious fountain is cleansed from their sin.

Nothing but this fountain can cleanse the dirty depraved sinner, only the pure fountain of the blood of Jesus.

Praise God… have you been cleansed by this wonderful fountain?

I hope you can sing the wonderful hymn… the fountain is opened, come to that fountain and be cleansed:

Hymn: There is a Fountain Filled with Blood

There is a fountain filled with blood,
Drawn from Immanuel’s veins,
And sinners plunged beneath that flood
Lose all their guilty stains:

Lose all their guilty stains,
Lose all their guilty stains;
And sinners plunged beneath that flood
Lose all their guilty stains.

The dying thief rejoiced to see
That fountain in His day;
And there have I, though vile as he,
Washed all my sins away:

Washed all my sins away,
Washed all my sins away;
And there have I, though vile as he,
Washed all my sins away.

Dear dying Lamb, Thy precious blood
Shall never lose its pow’r,
Till all the ransomed church of God
Are safe, to sin no more:

Are safe, to sin no more,
Are safe, to sin no more;
Till all the ransomed church of God
Are safe, to sin no more.

E’er since by faith I saw the stream
Thy flowing wounds supply,
Redeeming love has been my theme,
And shall be till I die:

And shall be till I die,
And shall be till I die;
Redeeming love has been my theme,
And shall be till I die.

When this poor, lisping, stamm’ring tongue
Lies silent in the grave,
Then in a nobler, sweeter song,
I’ll sing Thy pow’r to save:

I’ll sing Thy pow’r to save,
I’ll sing Thy pow’r to save;
Then in a nobler, sweeter song,
I’ll sing Thy pow’r to save.

JOSHUA 5

13 And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?

14 And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the Lord am, I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my Lord unto his servant?

15 And the captain of the Lord’s host said unto Joshua, loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon, thou stand is holy. And Joshua did so.

WORSHIPPING BEFOR WARFARE

The Vision of the Lord: It happened to Moses and now it was happening to Joshua.

In Chapter 3 of Exodus, Moses had an encounter with God before he went back to Egypt.  In the Old Testament God “appeared” to those who He called.  He did not use email or social media.  He showed up in a physical manifestation.  These appearances of God served two purposes:

First, it proved to the one being called that God was real; second, it gave the one being called the authority to act on behalf of God.  This happened to Gideon, and Isaiah.

The apostle Paul in Acts 9 met the risen Lord Jesus before he was commissioned to preach the gospel to the Gentiles.

In this passage, Joshua has an encounter with the commander of the Lord’s army.  Some say that this was an encounter with Jesus.  There are two reason to believe this: First, when Joshua bows down to worship, the Lord of Host does not prevent him from doing so; second, the Lord of host tells Joshua to take off his shoes, because he is standing on holy ground.  This same command was given by God when He appeared to Moses at Mount Horeb.  

Every servant of the Lord has to have an encounter with the Lord before they enter into ministry.  We all need to meet God personally, we need to stand on holy ground and then and only then can we go out and fight battles for the Lord.  Our holy ground is the Bible.  Every time we open the Word of God, God appears to us, and we are standing on holy ground.  

Don’t go out and fight without first meeting with God in prayer.  He is your strength.

When Joshua realized that he was in the presence of the Lord, he bowed down and worship.  To bow down to God in worship is to acknowledge that He is worthy of worship, that He is holy, and that we submit ourselves to His will.

Remember Samson shook himself, he thought he could get away with not meeting and spending time with God…the result?  He lost his two eyes!  And like Samson, when we try to do God’s work without God, we lose sight of his work, as we try to do it, our way, instead of his way. 

Before God used Joshua to conquer the nations, He appeared to him to encourage and strengthen him.  And God wants to do the same for us.  Don’t make a move until God moves in your life.  Be blessed.

God bless you

KK

1 CORINTHIANS 16

Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye.

2 Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.

THE BIGGEST ANTI-CLIMAX IN THE BIBLE

Paul deals with a variety of issues in this letter to the Corinthians.

I once heard my first pastor, David Green, preach on these verses. He said that it seems such an anti climax, as we go from Paul teaching such amazing truths, to a subject that seems very mundane and dry.

Remember that at the time of the writing of the Bible, there were no chapter divisions.

There are some amazing things that we can learn from these verses.

Paul has talked for a full chapter on the resurrection of Jesus. He now shows one example of how this should be worked out. In the phrase “the first day of the week”, Paul is clearly linking the day Jesus rose from the dead, or the first day of the week, with the subject of giving.

There are always needs in Christ’s church; here there was a need in the church in Jerusalem, and so the believers have to make a conscious decision to put something aside.

I strongly believe in tithing, and I also believe in the blessings of first fruits. We give on the first day of the week, and put God first in our giving. He gets the first part and not the left overs. We need to make a conscious decision to put money aside. This means, not only have we to deny ourselves physically, but we have to deny ourselves financially, and put God first in our financial dealings and in our giving.

God will prosper you, but He prospers you, not to give you a bigger bank account, but to make you a better and bigger giver.

Jesus said store not up things for yourselves, but give. If you give like you should, then God will open the storehouses of heaven and pour out a blessing you can’t contain.

The apostle John said that if you know of a need and are able to meet it, how can you be truly saved?

But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?

You see the need, you know the need, you can meet the need, but you decide not to; that is what it means to close or shut up the bowels of your compassion. 

Have you ever done that?

I know I have, just being honest here. We need never to turn off our bowels of compassion. We do it because we want to; it is our conscious decision to do so, so let me ask this question.Isn’t God within His rights to stop His bowels of compassion to you?

We are to set aside money for a rainy day, but we are also to share generously and meet the needs of other believers. One of the distinguishing features of the early church was the difference between Barnabas and the hoarders of Acts 5.

Why is the church so powerless? Because we hoard for ourselves; it’s my money you cry. It’s not, it’s God’s.. amen.

Use it for His glory. Give with a generous heart and see what God will do Malachi Chapter 3.. amen.

God bless you,

KK

2 CORINTHIANS 8

We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, 2 for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. 3 For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, 4 begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints — 5 and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us.

TRUE BIBLICAL GIVING

The churches of Macedonia weren’t rich in material things, but they sure were spiritually.

Let’s look at how they gave:

Vs 1. They gave because God’s love had been showed to them. Grace is undeserved favour and when you receive it, you will want to share it. Grace is meant to be shared.. amen. When showing grace, the other person may not deserve it, but you still give it.

Vs 2. They gave despite persecution. They were going through the mill, but had joy and that joy overflowed in their giving. Just because you are going through persecution, doesn’t mean you become inward looking.

Vs 3. They made sacrifices. They gave over and above what they had. They may have had to get rid of some object or possession that was precious to them. What precious object would you be willing to get rid of, to give generously? They didn’t have to be told! Some Christians have to be forced to part with money. Are you one of them?

Vs 4. There was a need and these believers were eager to meet that need. They actually begged Paul to let them be involved.  How many believers beg to be put on the church’s stewardship programme? How many believers want to be involved in supporting the work of the gospel? Do you have the same attitude that these believers had?

Vs 5. Their first commitment was to the Lord and then to Paul, and therefore it was quite easy for them to part with their money. Where is our first commitment?

Remember God LOVES a cheerful giver!

Are you happy when you give to God’s work and God’s people?

God bless you,

PHILIPPIANS 3

8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.

13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

WHAT WILL YOU GIVE UP FOR CHRIST?

This morning I finished reading the book of Acts, how struck I was by the commitment and passion of these early believers.

They gave up everything for CHRIST.

Look at Paul, he could have been high priest but all that was rubbish to him.

It reminds me of CT Studd who gave up a glittering cricket career to go to China and later to Africa.

He was greatly challenged by a tract written by an atheist, who said:

“Did I firmly believe, as millions say they do, that the knowledge and practice of religion in this life influences destiny in another, religion would mean to me everything. I would cast away all earthly enjoyments as dross, earthly cares as follies, and earthly thoughts and feelings as vanity. Religion would be my first waking thought, and my last image before sleep sank me into unconsciousness. I should labor in its cause alone. I would take thought for the tomorrow of eternity alone. I would esteem one soul gained for heaven worth a life of suffering. Earthly consequences should never stay my hand, nor seal my lips. Earth, its joys and its griefs, would occupy no moment of my thoughts. I would strive to look upon eternity alone, and on the immortal souls around me, soon to be everlastingly happy or everlastingly miserable. I would go forth to the world and preach it in season and out of season and my text would be, “What shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul?”

CT Studd was greatly influenced by this tract, so am I.

People like the Mormons serve two years overseas, Muslims pray five times per day, other religious faiths can quote large portions of their so called sacred scriptures, which in reality are rubbish, but Christians who have the truth, don’t read on it, meditate on it and treasure it.

In China, believers get up at 4am to pray and read the bible, I know of many, they sacrifice money, prestige and security to serve Christ.

Many have pledged their lives to the cause of the gospel, in our pampered western church, they put us to shame.

What have we given up for CHRIST?

Sunday morning is not enough!

Wednesday night is not enough!

The only thing that is enough is:

YOUR WHOLE LIFE

amen

KK

DEVOTION 2

IT’S GOOD TO..LISTEN

LUKE 10

38 Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.

39 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word.

40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.

41 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:

42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

So OFTEN we talk incessantly.

But our greatest need is not to talk, but to listen, not just to people, but especially to God.

We come to God in prayer and part of prayer is talking to God, but an equal part of prayer is listening to him.

It’s great to come and pour out our prayers to God, Psalm 62 says this:

8 Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.

I once heard a very challenging sermon that encouraged us to listen for as long as we speak to God. Maybe that is why God gave us two ears and one mouth, or maybe it was to stop us falling over!

The word cumbered in the English means to obstruct or hinder, it seems to me that actually serving Jesus hindered Martha from Communion with Jesus.

How many Christians serve God with a fervency and that is right and good, but it is not the best?

Service for God can and does hinder our communion with God, for it is our communion with God that gives us the power to actually serve God.. amen

We need to spend as much time listening to GOD as speaking to HIM.

He is always speaking to us, but are we too busy to hear Him?

Serving GOD is amazing, but sitting at his feet is even better. Luke 10:38-42

How much time have you spent alone with GOD today?

We are surrounded by noise and the hustle and bustle of life, we need as JESUS said to come apart and rest a while, if we don’t, that’s when we fall apart.

Mark 6:31

And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, andrestawhile: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.

GOD BLESS YOU

KK

JEREMIAH 7

9 Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods whom ye know not;

10 And come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, We are delivered to do all these abominations?

COMING TO THE RIGHT PLACE IN THE WRONG WAY

Coming to the house of God is a very serious business, we often come to church, but we treat it more like a car wash than a church.

We think we can come and have our sin forgiven and go out into the world and commit whatever sin we want, because we have completed our religious duty.

Paul says to us examine yourself to see if you are in the faith:

2 Corinthians 13:5 – Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!

Let us ask ourselves some questions.

Do we come into Church on time or late?

Do we come to spend time with God or to meet with our friends?

Do we give the service your full concentration, especially through the sermon?

The situation in Jeremiah’s time, is not dissimilar to our time, the people were outwardly religious, they had all the religious trappings, but in reality, they were far from God.

They were Sunday Christians who acted like pagans the rest of the week. They lied, lusted and swore during the six days and then came and justified themselves whilst in God’s house.

As I said earlier, we treat Church, like we treat a car wash, we go to have all the dirt taken off the car and now we can go home with a bright shiny car. We act like that in church, we can come to church, say a few prayers and do our religious duty, but this stinks in the nostrils of God.

Let us come to the house of God in the right way, in the spirit of reverence, fear and worship. Ready to sit at our masters feet and to learn from him.

God bless you

KK

JEREMIAH 7

23 But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you.

24 But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counsels and in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward.

ARE YOU GOING BACKWARDS OR FORWARDS?

God gives us commands, and these are meant for us to obey: John 14:15

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” God tells the children of Israel to obey his commandments, but would they obey.. the answer is NO.

In verse 23, God lays before us the blessings of obedience, but did they want to listen…NO. The words at the end of verse 24: and went backward, and not forward.

Are you going backwards or forwards in your Christian life?

Are you going backwards or forwards in your prayer life?

Are you going backwards or forwards in your bible reading?

If you are going backwards in your Christian life, means you have not listen to the voice of God and are acting in disobedience.

No Christian ever stands still in their walk with God, we go forward in obedience or backwards in disobedience.

Which are you doing?

God bless you

KK

1 JOHN 2  

18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.

19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.

IDENTIFYING THE DECEIVERS

How can you identify false teachers?

What is their distinguishing feature?

All through the NT, many false teachers came to deceive the church. The Church in Galatia was troubled by the Judaizers who taught that it was Jesus plus, today we would class them as the Roman Catholic church, indeed Roman Catholicism is the plus religion.

In Galatians 1 verses 6-9 Paul pronounces a curse on these people, strong words, yes, but these are true words.

6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:

7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.

8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.

9 As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

These people went forth from the church, because they couldn’t stand discernment in the church or discipline from the church.

These false preachers went forth from the church, so that they would be outed by the Lord.

Paul warns the Ephesian elders in Acts 20, that even some of them will turn out to be false teachers:

29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.

30 Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.

It is a warning to us, that not everyone, even though they may be a so called bible teacher, may not be all, they say they are.

My dear friend Victor Jack, has a wonderful ministry in Suffolk England, a Christian conference Centre and he is an active evangelist, but still he is active and committed in his local church.

The distinguishing feature, will be that they will persevere, they will continue with the church, they will be accountable to the local church and work under it’s auspices.

So many come and share today and you say” well, what church are you with”?

They say “oh I’ve no church”.

Be aware that ministry is usually connected to a biblical local church, yes I have this ministry, but I am accountable to the local church.

Be a member of your local church, don’t leave it to go out on your own.

KK

JEREMIAH 23

21“I did not send the prophets,

yet they ran;

I did not speak to them,

yet they prophesied.

22 But if they had stood in my council,

then they would have proclaimed my words to my people,

and they would have turned them from their evil way,

    and from the evil of their deeds.

 FALSE PROPHETS

I think Jeremiah 23 is one of the most sobering chapters of the Bible; to pastors this is a terrible rebuke. I have taken these two verses to illustrate the effect of false teachers on a nation.

So how do we know these false teachers? In 2 John they were identified as those who proclaimed that Jesus Christ had not come in the flesh.

In the text from Jeremiah, we have another sign of false teachers: A refusal to call sinners to repentance.  The only way to see people truly come to Christ is to preach the Word of God, so they repent.

False teachers, whether they teach prosperity gospel, the potential gospel or any other gospel, teach that we are the ones in control of our lives and do not need to worry about sin and repentance.  This shows a complete disregard for the message of repentance and faith which is necessary for the sinner to be saved and for Christians to be restored.

To all Pastors and all church workers: We need to preach repentance and faith. Are you preaching the whole counsel of God? Are you drawing people to God through your message of repentance? Are the members of your church turning from their evil ways and starting to live for God and Him alone?

 Do you want to see our society transformed? Preach the message of repentance and faith. Do you want a healthy church?  Preach the message of repentance and faith.  Do you want your marriage and family to honor God? Preach a message of repentance and faith.

 Paul said be instant in season and out of season 2 Timothy 4. In other words, whatever circumstance we are in, we are to PREACH THE WORD.

Whether we are in times of blessing or in times of hardship, we are to do the same thing and that is to preach Christ crucified.

When we are going through times of blessing, we sometimes stop preaching Christ crucified. We are never to stop this biblical preaching.

Fashions and fads come into the church, but sound preaching is the foundation of any church, it is word of God powerfully preached that is used by the spirit of God to transform lives.

ARE YOU PREACHING THE WORD?

GOD BLESS YOU

KK

MICAH 7 

18 Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.

19 He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.

THERE IS NO ONE LIKE OUR GOD

What a finish to this glorious Book- just absolutely wonderful!

The answer I know I can give and I hope you can too is:

THERE IS NO GOD LIKE OUR GOD

Why? Because he is the only one who can pardon sin. Because Jesus has dealt with and broken sin’s authority over us, it’s hold has been smashed in pieces and the curtain has been torn – allowing us to enter the holy place of God’s presence through the blood of the lamb.. AMEN.

The Jews in this book of Micah had been told so much of what was wrong with them. Corruption and idol worship were rampant throughout the land and yet God gave this amazing promise to his People.

I wonder if your land is full of sin and idol worship. Well, this is the promise God holds out to you: it is this, that your land: your community can be saved because God is the one who pardons sin.

What Man has broken, God puts back together. Sin brings forth death, Jesus brings life. He brings life, because we are no longer under the curse of sin, no one else could rid the world of the curse, he had to become a curse for us.

Millions and millions of people hope to reach God, they pray five times a day, they worship stone idols etc, but these things cannot change man’s heart, only one thing can.

Man needs to have a new heart, the heart of sin has to be replaced by the heart of flesh Ezekiel 36.

The story of the valley of dry bones in Ezekiel could only be brought to life by God, no buddha could do it, no Mohammed could do it, only Christ could do it.

When God saves a man/woman, he passes from death to life. We are removed from the kingdom of darkness and brought into the kingdom of light. Ephesians 2:1-8.

THEREFORE

We need to proclaim the main difference between the one true God and the many false gods around today and it is summed up in these verses. Our God can deal with sin. He can pardon our sin if we come to him in repentance. These idols which people bow down to, of wood and stone, are objects. They cannot save from sin, they cannot pardon sin, they cannot have mercy and compassion on the sinner.

No Buddha or Mohammed can pardon sin and deal in mercy. They do nothing for man. They are just men. There is only one true God… He says in Exodus 3:14..’I AM THAT I AM.’

OUR GOD IS LIKE NO OTHER… AMEN

Let’s tell the world!!!

God bless you

Keith

2 TIMOTHY 2 

3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

BEING A SOLID SOLDIER

Paul was writing these words chained to a Roman soldier, so he had a good reference point. He saw this soldier day after day, and he observed all that the soldiers did and all that they said.

He observed these soldiers, and his master piece is in Ephesians 6 where he describes the armour of a Christian.

In Roman times the soldiers had to sleep out in the open when they were in battle format; they didn’t have comfortable beds to sleep in. They had to endure marching through mud, in the rain and living in difficulty, as we are to expect. The Christian life is not a bed of roses…Amen. Some of the soldiers guarding Paul must have had hardened or weather-beaten faces. They had been through it; they had fought many battles and marched many miles.

Matthew Henry says:

II. He must endure hardness (v. 3): Thou therefore, etc. 1. All Christians, but especially ministers, are soldiers of Jesus Christ; they fight under his banner, in his cause, and against his enemies, for he is the captain of our salvation, Heb. 2:10. 2. The soldiers of Jesus Christ must approve themselves good soldiers, faithful to their captain, resolute in his cause, and must not give over fighting till they are made more than conquerors, through him that loved them, Rom. 8:37. 3. Those who would approve themselves good soldiers of Jesus Christ must endure hardness; that is, we must expect it and count upon it in this world, must endure and accustom ourselves to it, and bear it patiently when it comes, and not be moved by it from our integrity.

Their focus was on pleasing their commander, so they were not entangled with the world. To be entangled is to be caught up with something. you cannot serve two masters. There is no way you can be a soldier of Jesus and a lover of the world, as Demas was to show sadly later in this book. He made the wrong decision… Amen.

We are under the command of Christ, we serve him and not ourselves.

Everything about that soldier was concerned about service, for his commanding officer. He kept his armour shining, he focused on his job, he marched. All he did was for the one who called Him to be a soldier.

How much more, as soldiers of the King of Kings, must our focus and service be to the one who has called us out of darkness, into his marvellous light, to share his glorious gospel.

Matthew Henry says these words

III. He must not entangle himself in the affairs of this world, v. 4. A soldier, when he has enlisted, leaves his calling, and all the business of it, that he may attend his captain’s orders. If we have given up ourselves to be Christ’s soldiers, we must sit loose to this world; and though there is no remedy, but we must employ ourselves in the affairs of this life while we are here (we have something to do here), we must not entangle ourselves with those affairs, so as by them to be diverted and drawn aside from our duty to God and the great concerns of our Christianity. Those who will war the good warfare must sit loose to this world. That we may please him who hath chosen us to be soldiers. Observe, 1. The great care of a soldier should be to please his general; so, the great care of a Christian should be to please Christ, to approve ourselves to him. The way to please him who hath chosen us to be soldiers is not to entangle ourselves with the affairs of this life, but to be free from such entanglements as would hinder us in our holy warfare.

So many believers think they get sit in an easy chair on the battle field, warfare is going on all around them, and they are idling their time away.

This relates to time spent on our cell phones, It is easier to play on your cell phone for an hour, believe me, been there done that, this is entangling yourself with the world.

The more you entangle yourself with the world, the more it will start to choke you. 

Your Christian service and Christian fervour will be slowly squeezed out of you.

There are millions of believers, some of them sit in churches today, but they are pale shadows, they have entangled themselves with the world.

They are also thousands and thousands of people like Demas, who have loved this present world, they were once fervently serving Christ, but now they won’t darken the doors of a church,

Don’t be a Demas.

10 For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica.

Let us behave like true soldiers of the kings of kings.

God bless you

Keith

MARK 13

9 “But be on your guard. For they will deliver you over to councils, and you will be beaten in synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them.

10 And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all nations.

11 And when they bring you to trial and deliver you over, do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.

DIVINE SPEECH THERAPY

Jesus is speaking in his Olivet discourse, he is giving many warnings to his disciples about what will happen to them.

What he said to the disciples actually happened, I think Peter and John, would remember these words, when they stood before the council in Acts 4, that Stephen would remember them as he shared in Acts 7. They did not have a bible in front of them.

Paul did not have his bible with him, when he proclaimed the gospel In Acts 17 and 26. The holy spirit, who is our helper, brings all things to our remembrance John 14:26.

Have you ever been out on the street and had an opportunity to share the gospel? I have, I remember several times, having no bible, but the holy spirit brought verse after verse to my attention.

This promise is true to us today in the 20th Century.

Two questions, although the holy spirit, brings things to our remembrance, we have to memorise and learn scripture, someone said our veins have to BIB LINED.. LINED WITH THE TRUTHS OF SCRIPTURE.

Have you ever shared the gospel, out on the street?

Have you ever been open air witnessing? Now I know this isn’t for everyone, but this is how I learnt.

It is scary, but the blessing is beyond words.

Ray Comfort said:

I go witnessing hanging my head, I come back clicking my heels.

Listen to what an atheist says about Christians who don’t share the gospel:

I do not believe that you Christians believe your own creed — for if you were persuaded that things really are as your Bibles teach, and that we poor lost people were really going to such a dreadful place as you say Hell is — then you would act more humanely toward us.

If you saw our houses on fire — you would run and help us to put the fire out; or if you saw us in danger of death — you would try to do something to save us. But you pretend to believe that we are going to Hell, and that Hell burns with fire and brimstone forever, and that once there we can never get out — and yet you talk to us about all sorts of things — but never say one word to us about saving our souls from this terrible doom!

So I have reasoned thus: either you Christians don’t believe what you say — or else you must be the most hardened and unfeeling wretches in the universe! Now, as I don’t believe that you are such cruel, hardened, and unfeeling people as this supposes — then I must conclude that, with all your talk — you Christians don’t really believe what your Bibles teach!

For if you really believe what you say about sin, and Hell, and our danger — then you would act differently; and if you have a spark of kindness in your hearts — you would try to save us from such a dreadful doom. And, on the other hand, if you do not believe what you profess — then you Christians cannot be honest; and to say the least, there must be a great deal of hypocrisy among you.

Now, I honestly tell you that these are the things which have stumbled me more than anything, and until I can see you Christians act differently — I will not be persuaded to believe what your sort of folks say.

Taken from https://gracegems.org/2011/07/unsaved.html
摘自https://gracegems.org/2011/07/unsaved.html

Jesus promises that you will be given the words to say.

It’s time to speak.. amen

God bless you

KK

Serving God Properly



“Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire… Hebrews 12:28-29.”

Next to being a child of God through the redemptive power of the precious blood of Jesus, serving God comes a pretty close second. I have the great privilege of writing and now preaching and there isn’t one time that I either write or preach, that the awesome responsibility of doing these lays heavily on my heart.

Whatever we do, whether it is cleaning the toilet or preaching the gospel, we do it as if God was watching. We do not serve some vague being, who does not care about how we do things. Jesus is perfect in all his acts. Our Saviour was the perfect Son, perfect carpenter and he was perfect in every way.

We should serve God in reverence and in godly fear. Godly fear is the fear of letting God down or of hurting his heart. We want to serve Him excellently in all we do. We should strive for the standards he has.

Everything we do in our lives, some of it will be stubble and some will be rubies and gold, some will remain and some will be burnt off. Let’s make sure all our service for God is of the ruby type and acceptable to God our precious Saviour and Lord.

God bless you, Keith

GALATIANS 3

13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hanged on a tree:

14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

COMMENDED AND NOT CONDEMNED

The law curses us and condemns us; we stand no chance if we are matched against the law, and we are found guilty and have no answer to its requirements.

We have violated God’s law and deserve the full force of God’s judgement and condemnation. We stand in the dock, condemned by the law, the judge is ready to pass just sentence, but instead of condemning us, in Christ He forgives us, because the curse has been taken by someone else.

The full curse has been taken by his sinless Son, who has taken the curse for us.

We have a wonderful picture of what the Bible calls imputation in Zechariah 3:

And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him.

2 And the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?

3 Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel.

4 And he answered and spoke unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.

We are brands plucked out of the fire, literally we have been plucked from the very edge of hell, by God’s grace.

Now we stand before God, righteous, because the curse has been removed; it has been taken and destroyed by One who is perfect. He fulfilled the law in every point and so we are now justified.

Look at what Paul says in Romans 3 and 5:

3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

In verse 20, no one is justified by the works of the law, no one.

But in Chapter 5, if we trust Christ and him alone for salvation, we are justified, we have access to God, we have peace with Him. We stand in this grace; we can stand before God, clothed in the righteousness of CHRIST.

As Paul again says in 2 Corinthians 5

21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

The curse removed! We no longer stand condemned, but stand commended to God. There is no condemnation for us! What an amazing truth; this should make us shout HALLELUJAH!!

Romans 8

There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

Look at verse 2, we are now FREE! The curse has been removed by Christ.

Look at verse 3; what the law couldn’t do, God did through His Son.

Now that too should make you shout HALLELUJAH!!

IT DOES ME

KK

ISAIAH 40

9 O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God!

THREE SIMPLE WORDS

The book of Isaiah is totally amazing and can be divided into two parts.. the first part (chapters 1-39) describes the deep problems of God’s people. And the second part (chapters 40-66), outlines God’s answer to these problems.. and the answer is summed up in one word.. JESUS.

The children of Israel failed to keep the Law of God; now what they needed was God’s grace.  But to receive that grace they first needed to hear God’s voice.    

What is our message to the world?  It is the same as the Prophet Isaiah…BEHOLD YOUR GOD!!

We have to get ourselves up into the high mountain, and shout from the heights of the hills, Behold Your God!  You and I cannot reach the world sitting in the pews of the church.  We go to church to worship Christ…we go to the world to do the works of Christ, proclaiming Him to the sinner.  Think about it.  Most of the people we meet, will never darken the doors of a church, so how will they hear the gospel?  We have to take it to them.

We are not to tell them that they can have their best life now or gain prosperity by believing in Jesus. We are to tell them, “Behold your God!”  We tell them that God is real and he offers salvation and eternal life to those who believe.  

Are you lifting up your voice with strength and sharing the good news of the gospel?

Are you afraid to share the gospel?  Ask God to give you the boldness to share His Word to the lost.  Do you know someone who needs to hear the gospel?  Take the time to tell them that you love them and to “Behold Your God!”

God bless you

Keith

NUMBERS 13

30 And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.

NUMBERS 14

24 But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it.

HAVE YOU A CALEB SPIRIT?

Right in the midst of this uproar, Caleb stood up; he would not be silenced.

Caleb was one who was not going to go along with the majority. Oh how we need Caleb’s today, and Joshua’s for that matter. Remember that in the book of Joshua, even at age 80, he said, give me this mountain.

He is one who is like Paul in Philippians 3; always pressing on. He is seeking always to go forward, and to claim more ground. He wants to claim the prize, because there was no retirement for him.

Caleb did not put his sword away. He was ready!

Note the wonderful promise given to Caleb. Please note who one of the first judges of Israel was, that’s right, Caleb’s nephew:

9 And when the children of Israel cried unto the Lord, the Lord raised up a deliverer to the children of Israel, who delivered them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother.

10 And the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he judged Israel, and went out to war: and the Lord delivered Chushanrishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand; and his hand prevailed against Chushanrishathaim.

When you honour God, He will give you honour. God granted the promise He made to Caleb.

My question is:

Have you a Caleb spirit?

Have you an attitude that goes against the flow, even when the majority say you are wrong?

Are you prepared to say: Give me this mountain?

I will be 80 in 14 years, I hope by the time, I reach that age, I will be saying:

GIVE ME THIS MOUNTAIN

I want to go higher, further and deeper.

Then you have a Spirit like Caleb.

God bless you,

KK

NUMBERS 13

26 And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word unto them, and unto all the congregation, and shewed them the fruit of the land.

27 And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it.

28 Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there.

29 The Amalekites dwell in the land of the south: and the Hittites, and the Jebusites, and the Amorites, dwell in the mountains: and the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and by the coast of Jordan.

30 And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.

31 But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.

32 And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature.

33 And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.

THE BIGGEST BUT IN THE BIBLE

The word isn’t in the passage. It’s disguised, but can you see it?

At the start of verse 28, we have the word: Nevertheless.

They told them of everything that was good, and there was much that was good, and indeed the good outweighed the bad 10 to 1.

The conversation of these twelve spies would have been interesting. On their way, they were filled with excitement and anticipation, but coming home they had spilt into two distinct camps. Maybe Caleb and Joshua were cold shouldered by the ten? We don’t know.

All twelve spies saw the same things, but they came to two different conclusions. The answer lies in what the Lord said about Caleb in Chapter 14. He had a different spirit. As for Joshua, who the assistant of Moses, surely some of that rubbed off on him.

‘

They said good things about the land they had seen, but there was a catch and that was the “But.” It turned out to be the but of unbelief, the but of failing to believe the promises of God. These people knew what God had promised, they had seen him deal with the Egyptians; a more powerful force than even the Children of Anak and yet they still didn’t believe.

The ten spies saw everything through the eyes of man, but Joshua and Caleb saw everything through the eyes of God.

The ten spies saw the giants in the land.

Joshua and Caleb, saw they power of God?

Whose eyes do you see through?

If you see through man’s eyes, there will always be a BUT.

Remember that saying BUT cost the Children of Israel dearly.

Don’t say But, say like Caleb and Joshua.. let’s do it!!

God bless you,

KK

HEBREWS 9

11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;

12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood He entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:

14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

15 And for this cause He is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.

JESUS – THE MEDIATOR

In the garden of Eden, paradise was lost.

God was now separated from man, and there was nothing that man could do to apart from God’s mercy to be made right with his Creator.

Throughout the OT, God had a series of animal sacrifices that were a forerunner of the perfect sacrifice that Jesus made at Calvary.

The sacrifices had to usually be a lamb without spot or blemish, this pointed to the sinless lamb of God, who was totally without sin in any shape of form.

Through these animal sacrifices God would impart mercy, but not salvation.

That would come later once Christ gave His life for sin.

Through His blood we receive redemption and life everlasting.

What happens at that moment is that your conscience is purged and you are freed from the dead works you once did; you now serve a new master, this is what happened to the Apostle Paul.

In the Book of Philippians, he counts all of his past accomplishments as dung, a total waste.

His relationship with Christ was the only thing that mattered.

And that should be the same for us as well.

The Old Testament or covenant was carried out by a series of sacrifices and rituals, so that the Children of Israel could experience the presence of God.

But Jesus has made a new testament or new covenant.

Later in Hebrews it is called “a new and living way.” Hebrews 10:19-22

Jesus is the mediator of that covenant.

He and He alone is the only one who could bring us back into fellowship with the Father.

The sacrifice had to be perfect, it had to be better and it had to once.

It was all of these things, because it was made by Jesus, the sinless Son of God.

Jesus is my sacrifice.. he sacrificed His life for me.

He has called me to receive an eternal inheritance.

Why has He called me? Because He set his love upon me before the foundation of the world.

That is why I can San. WHAT A GLORIOUS SACRIFICE…WHAT A GLORIOUS SALVATION…WHAT A GLORIOUS SAVIOUR.

Jesus died for me

Set His divine love on me

To give me eternal salvation

And to glorify His name

God bless you

Keith

HEBREWS 7

27 Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for His own sins, and then for the people’s: for this He did once, when He offered up Himself.

JESUS – THE GREAT HIGH PRIEST

The theme of the book of Hebrews, is that Jesus is superior to the Old Testament form of worship.

He is also superior to Moses and Aaron, those who were appointed by God to lead Israel in how they should approach the almighty.

When read alongside the book of Leviticus, the Book of Hebrews makes a bit more sense.

In OT times, there were several sacrifices that the children of Israel had to make for the atonement of their sins; they brought the animals to be sacrificed to the priest.

There was the Scapegoat, a live goat that had the sins of the people placed on his head and was sent outside the camp into the wilderness.

Perhaps the most notable sacrifice was the sin offering presented by the high priest once a year.

Known among the Jews as the Day of Atonement, the high priest would enter the Holy of Holies once a year to present the blood of the sacrifice to atone for his own sins and the sins of the people.

The sacrificial system of worship given in the Book of Leviticus points to the ultimate sacrifice…Jesus the Son of God who gave His life for the sins of the world at Calvary.

The high priest was a man, who had to atone for his own sin, but Jesus was sinless.

In Leviticus, the lamb to be sacrificed had to be “without spot or blemish.”

This points to Christ, the sinless Lamb of God.

It is no wonder the angels cry Worthy is the lamb who was slain.

Christ offered up Himself for our sins.

He did what He did with a willing heart, He did not have to be forced into it, He wanted to do it.

His sacrifice was a free and voluntary act of love in obedience to the will of His Father.

It was a full and perfect sacrifice, he just did it once.

The sacrifice on Calvary needs never to be repeated.

There were many high priests in the Old Testament.

But when Jesus offered Himself at Calvary as our great High Priest, there was no longer a need for this office.

The ultimate sacrifice for sin had been made, and no more sacrifices were needed.

No longer did we have to go through a mediator.

The veil was torn and free access to the Father was granted.

No wonder the Pharisees and Saducees were so angry at Jesus; they were about to lose their privileged position.

The story of the Gospel is about access to the living God through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.

The path has been cleared, the obstacle of sin and death have been removed.

How wonderful is Jesus?

How amazing is his sacrifice?

Now is the day of salvation, stop trusting in your works and trust in the sacrifice of Jesus.

If you are trusting in the sacrifice.. are you sharing it?

God bless you

3 JOHN

3 For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth.

4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.

5 Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers;

6 Which have borne witness of thy charity before the church: whom if thou bring forward on their journey after a godly sort, thou shalt do well:

NO GREATER JOY

John is here speaking as the elder statesman of the church, he is the last of the apostles alive, his mind is still sharp as he remembers the times he spent with his Saviour and his fellow apostles.

He is an exile now, on the island of Patmos, a place far away from ministry and yet he receives regular reports from people who come to Him, and it thrills his soul.

On our recent trip to the UK, I was privileged to spend a little time with Andrew, who 40 years ago, led me to Christ, It must of been thrilling to him to see me serving God after all this time.. thanks, Andrew, for showing me Jesus.

We also shared on the street with my friend Mike, who came to know Christ at a meeting I was at, it was thrilling to see Mike sharing the gospel in the open air.

John is thrilled because Gauis his beloved friend and other brethren arer walking in truth, they are keeping to the truths of the bible, they are walking in the spirit’s power.

They are walking in love, their love is so good it is recalled as an example before the church.

What gives you the greatest joy?

One of the main things is that those you have counselled or led to Christ or discipled are now going on in Christ.

So many believers haven’t led one person to Christ, they haven’t discipled anyone and so they cannot say the words spoken by the apostle John.

Can you say these words?

4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.

God bless you

Keith

1 Corinthians 16

13 Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. 14 Let all that you do be done in love.

FIVE RULES FOR CHRISTIANS

Paul is finishing his letter that is full of instruction and rebuke. He leaves the church with five short rules that we need to obey and do in today’s world.

Rule #1: Be Watchful. What do we have to watch out for:  One of the things is to watch out for the devil. He is prowling the earth like a roaring lion, seeking who he may devour.  Therefore, be on your guard, and stay prayerful. 

Next, we have to watch out for the coming of the Lord Jesus.  We are encouraged to look expectantly for Christ’ return.  He is our blessed hope.  (See Titus 2:13).

Rule #2: Stand firm in the faith. In this day of error, we must be true to the Bible and to the highest standards of Christian conduct. in 1 Corinthians 15:58, Paul tells the saints to be steadfast.

Many people are questioning scripture and saying this is wrong and that is wrong, and false teachers are rampant in the church.  We must study the Bible, so that we can properly understand the truth from error. (See II Timothy 2:15).

Rule #3: Act like men. When Paul was writing this, I’m sure that he was thinking of some of the actions of this church. They hadn’t acted like men! Indeed, they had acted like spoiled children. We are to be men in all our actions. So many men in the church are very womanly; they dress not as men should, and wear things that make them look effeminate.

Remember that no one who is like this, has any part in the Kingdom of God. Paul encouraged Timothy to be an example in every area of his life.  1 Timothy 4:12 says,  “Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.”

Paul and Jesus were real men, and have manly characteristics. We have a desperate need for manly Christians. That doesn’t mean you have to the gym and start a body building program; However, you are called to be the man God’s word directs you to be.

Rule #4: Be strong. Remember what God said to Joshua,  “Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous…” (Joshua 1:6). 

The end times are here; the days are evil, and we need to be courageous. We need to go into the world asking for the courage that Christ gives.  

Rule #5: Do everything in love. Sometimes we can be so courageous, or so strong, that we forget to act in love. Strength has to be balanced with love.  These five rules if they are carried out and acted out in the lives of Christians will transform our lives for God’s glory.

God bless you,

KK

GALATIANS 3

10 For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” 11 Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.”[d] 12 But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.” 

CURSED AND CONDEMMED

Are you relying on your works and the works of the law?

Then you are under a curse, if you don’t obey all of it, James says in chapter 2:

10 For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it.

Listen, you cannot obey the whole law.  No one can; if you fail in only one point, you have failed to keep the whole law and stand condemned.

The law takes us to court. Imagine if you break the law: Let’s say you break the speeding law, you go 55 in a school zone, you come before the judge and you will have to take your punishment.

The defence of so many people, is well, “Judge, I have kept every other road rule and I have done many good things to help people.”

Just because we have kept some of the law does not mean we can rely on it for protection from it.

Likewise, when we come before the Judge of the universe, we cannot say, “I have kept virtually every part of the law. Yes, I have failed in a couple of points.” This won’t cut it.

A Christian or righteous one lives by faith. He is not obsessed in keeping the law, but lives through the power of Christ, as Paul said in Galatians 2:20, that he is crucified with Christ. He is living life through Christ and not in adherence to the law.

The law brings us to court and condemns us; we are under its curse, the weight of sin on us. We cannot remove this curse; the curse is stuck on us and however hard we try; we cannot remove it.

So, stop trying to be justified through observance of the law! The justified shall live by faith.

What is that faith? It is faith in the finished work of Christ on the cross. That allows us to be imputed with His righteousness and able to do the works that are pleasing to Him.

20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Romans 3:9-18 state that no one ever seeks God. Yes, we seek after religion and our self-importance. When I was an unbeliever, I went to church, I glanced at the Bible, but I couldn’t say that I ever sought God.

9 What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;

10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

11 There is none that understand Eth, there is none that seeks after God.

12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

13 Their throat is an open tomb; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:

14 Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:

15 Their feet are swift to shed blood:

16 Destruction and misery are in their ways:

17 And the way of peace have they not known:

18 There is no fear of God before their eyes.

The curse of the law cannot and will not be removed by serving the law, because none of us can keep the law perfectly.

It needs someone who can keep that law perfectly and therefore can remove the curse of the law. JESUS stands in our place.

Praise be to God, that He has provided a way that we can have peace with God.

God bless you

KK

GALATIANS 3

13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hanged on a tree:

14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

COMMENDED AND NOT CONDEMNED

The law curses us and condemns us; we stand no chance if we are matched against the law, and we are found guilty and have no answer to its requirements.

We have violated God’s law and deserve the full force of God’s judgement and condemnation. We stand in the dock, condemned by the law, the judge is ready to pass just sentence, but instead of condemning us, in Christ He forgives us, because the curse has been taken by someone else.

The full curse has been taken by his sinless Son, who has taken the curse for us.

We have a wonderful picture of what the Bible calls imputation in Zechariah 3:

And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him.

2 And the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?

3 Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel.

4 And he answered and spoke unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.

We are brands plucked out of the fire, literally we have been plucked from the very edge of hell, by God’s grace.

Now we stand before God, righteous, because the curse has been removed; it has been taken and destroyed by One who is perfect. He fulfilled the law in every point and so we are now justified.

Look at what Paul says in Romans 3 and 5:

3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

In verse 20, no one is justified by the works of the law, no one.

But in Chapter 5, if we trust Christ and him alone for salvation, we are justified, we have access to God, we have peace with Him. We stand in this grace; we can stand before God, clothed in the righteousness of CHRIST.

As Paul again says in 2 Corinthians 5

21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

The curse removed! We no longer stand condemned, but stand commended to God. There is no condemnation for us! What an amazing truth; this should make us shout HALLELUJAH!!

Romans 8

There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

Look at verse 2, we are now FREE! The curse has been removed by Christ.

Look at verse 3; what the law couldn’t do, God did through His Son.

Now that too should make you shout HALLELUJAH!!

IT DOES ME

KK