All posts by totallylovedbygod67

Santification by Kenny Mcclinton

Bible words

Sanctification: a change of service – to God (John 13:1-17) (Joshua 24:14-15)

Definition of the term:  Sanctification is a two-fold doctrine and can be understood better in this manner:

(a)  Immediate Sanctification – consecrated, set apart for sacred use or service.  (John 10:36)

(b) Progressive Sanctification – purify afresh; make Holy. (1 Corinthians 6:11) (John 17:17)

John 13:10 – “Jesus saith to him, “He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.”

There are two different Greek words used in this verse for the word we have in the King James Version Bible as “…washed…” and “…wash…”.  The first word simply means, ‘The big bath’; the second word could be understood as, ‘The tidy-up wash’.

(a) Washed:  This denotes being bathed completely spotless; sanctified; set apart for sacred service to God – and it’s a ‘…once for all time…’ wash. (Hebrews 10:10)

We are cleansed from all sin by the precious Blood of Christ Jesus.   (Titus 3:3-6) (1 Peter 1:18-19)

We are PASSIVE in this act of God’s sanctification; it is done according to His free grace.  (Ezekiel 36:22-23) (Hebrews 10:3-25)  Praise God!

Sanctification:  Sanctification in this ABSOLUTE sense is performed by God in His gracious act of Salvation – we are ‘born again’. (John 3:3-8) (Jonah 2:9)

Christ’s righteousness is imputed unto us by God-given faith. (John 6:37) (Acts 4:12)

This act of Sanctification has primarily to do with the believer’s STANDING before God, in Christ Jesus.  (2 Corinthians 5:17)

The believer is thus deemed PERFECT, sinless; not guilty; Holy; righteous; etc.; a son or a daughter of God; joint-heirs with Christ; beloved of the Father; with immediate access to God in prayer and acceptance before God’s Holy throne of grace – a new creature in Christ indeed!  Hallelujah!  What a Saviour!  Praise His gracious Name! Amen.  (Hebrews 7:25)

(b) Wash:  This word denotes being washed (or purified afresh) DAILY, as we walk as pilgrims through this barren land.  We are personally and individually ACTIVE in this progressive sanctification process.             (John 15:3) (Galatians 6:5)

Therefore, this sense of PROGRESSIVE SANCTIFICATION implies the sense of having a daily tidying up; a constant cleansing exercise which must continually follow the main bath to keep the believer Spiritually clean in his/her actual STATE.  It is therefore, the believer himself who is held responsible for this sense of his/her SANCTIFICATION. The Lord commands us as believers: “Be ye Holy for I am Holy.”  (1 Peter 1:16)
(1 Peter 3:10-16)

Practical Reality of Sanctification:  In our State we are, and shall always remain, “…unprofitable servants…”. (Romans 3:10;22-23)               (Romans 7:14-24)  (Luke 17:10)

Sin separates us from God’s Holy fellowship – but NOTHING can ever separate us from His Family!  (Isaiah 59:1-2) (Romans 8:28-39)

We, as born again, Spiritually regenerate believers have a STANDING in Christ.  However, if there is unconfessed sin, or consistent impurity of habits, in the believer’s life – the believer shall seldom receive real Spiritual power to serve the risen Lord Jesus.  (Hebrews 12:14) (Acts 1:8)   (Ephesians 5:18)

Holy Spiritual power to serve the Lord Almighty will only be imparted to those who are sincerely seeking to sanctify themselves to receive it!  Therefore, be Holy, “…be filled with the Spirit.”  (Ephesians 5:18)

We must strive to be:
                 (a) ‘…vessels of honour…’. (2 Timothy 2:15-21)                
                 (b) ‘…conformed to Christ – not the world.’. (Romans 12:1-2)

Question: How do born again believers PREPARE to be filled with the Spirit?
Answer:  By PROGRESSIVELY SANCTIFYING the vessel (i.e. our hearts) desiring to be filled with the Holy Spirit of God.

Conclusion:

Sanctification: Sanctification is, therefore, a two-way doctrine.  God sanctifies us once for all time in our STANDING before Him and in His Holy sight – by clothing us in Christ Jesus.  (Hebrews 12:14)      (Habakukk 1:13)

Our duty thereafter then, as Christians, is to progressively, “…grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”  – as to our actual STATE daily. (2 Peter 3:18) (2 Corinthians 5:17)

When the almost inevitable sins do come into our lives, and cause a hindrance to our fellowship, service, and worship – they must be:

(a) confessed: (1 John 1:7-9) (Psalm 51:5)

(b) forsaken:   (Philippians 3:1-10)

(c) and the vessel ‘washed’: (Ephesians 5:26) (John 15:3)

Prayer and the Word:

Prayer to God and the Word of God are the Christian’s passport to a CLOSE SANCTIFIED walk with the Lord God.  We must keep short accounts with God concerning personal sins; and be SANCTIFIED daily by Bible study and quiet times in God’s Holy Presence.  (Psalm 16:11)

In the above manner, we shall receive the power of the Holy Ghost, as promised, to win souls for the Master – Jesus Christ. (Proverbs 11:30)

Our lives shall then be victorious lives of personal sanctification.  We shall have continual victory over Satan, and self, and sin.  (Exodus 17:8-16)

Go to then, Blood-bought Christian warrior, live in this Scriptural state of Sanctification.  Amen, and amen.  Praise God, amen.

Adoption by Kenny Mcclinton

Bible words

Adoption: a change of family – in God    (Galatians 4:1-7)

“…And I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be My SONS and DAUGHTERS, saith the Lord Almighty.”
(2 Corinthians 6:17-18) (John 1:12)

Definition of the term:  Adoption is an act of God’s free grace whereby believers (i.e. those born again of the Spirit of God) are received into the number of (i.e. or family of) God; and have a right LAWFULLY to all the privileges of the sons and daughters of God.  (Romans 8:14-17)

We thus cease to be sin-enslaved children of Devilish disobedience to God; and are ADOPTED into God’s family – through God’s grace, and Christ’s Victory Atonement for us at the Cross of Calvary. (John 8:44) (Ephesians 2:1-3) (Romans 8:4-18) (Ephesians 2:13-22) (Galatians 4:5-6)
(Hebrews 4:14-16)

Adoption:  Adoption ensures us that we believers are thereafter PITIED; PROTECTED, AND PROVIDED FOR – by our Heavenly Father.   (Psalm 103:13-14) (Proverbs 14:26) (Matthew 6:30-34) (1 Peter 5:7)

Of course, it also means we are often CHASTENED when we stray, as a loving Father would chasten His own beloved children. What grace!  What Fatherly love!  (Hebrews 12:5-14) (Revelation 3:19) (1 John 1:8-10)

Adoption:  Adoption means that we are NEVER cast off from the family of God! (John 6:37) (Lamentations 3:31-33)

We are rather SEALED, by the Sovereign Spirit unto the day of full redemption of the body as well as the soul and the spirit.
(Romans 8:18-25) (1 Corinthians 15:51) (1 John 3:2) (Ephesians 4:30) (Ephesians 2:10-14) (Daniel 6:16-17)

We are sealed; safe; and forever secure – in Christ Jesus.  Hallelujah!  What Eternal security we have in our Saviour!

Adoption:  Adoption means assurance of EVERLASTING SALVATION! (1 Peter 1:2-5) Even the angels of God are sent to minister to unto we who are God-chosen heirs of Salvation.  Hell’s legions cannot prevail against us!  Praise God it is so!  (Hebrews 1:14) (Matthew 16:18)

Adoption:  Adoption means all true believers become LEGAL inheritors of God’s promises – in Christ Jesus. (2 Corinthians 1:20)
(Hebrews 6:12-20)
We become, in fact, “…joint-heirs…” of all God’s treasures and Kingdom – with Christ Jesus, the Son of God Himself!  Riches indeed!  Oh, the infinite goodness of God!  (Romans 8:15-17)

Adoption:  Adoption is an act of God – not a PROCESS!  God is God, and He does what He wants to do, He is not hindered by our infirmities at all.  (Psalm 115:3) (Ephesians 1:11)

Adoption:  Adoption is completed at once, and is conferred by the Lord upon all true believers equally when God saves us. (Galatians 3:24-29)

God’s grace alone provokes this act of God towards we who deserve only Hell and its torments forever.  Now, this is something for believers to get excited about! (Ephesians 2:8-10) (Ephesians 1:4-5) (1 John 3:1)

This adoption is carried out on the merits of Christ’s redemptive Atonement on the Cross, and His righteousness alone!  (Isaiah 61:10)      (1 Peter 1:18-19) (Romans 3:10) (Romans 3:22b-23)

We have no righteousness of our own, in our natural state we are Spiritually bankrupt.  (Isaiah 64:6) (Romans 3:10)

Conclusion:  We give much respect and praise to a mere mortal who, in his/her human compassion, sees fit to adopt an orphan child – to give the child a home, and make it the legal inheritor of the family possessions.

How much more should we believers now, in the Scriptural light and knowledge of God’s doctrine of Spiritual Adoption, give sincere and heartfelt reverence, and willing worship, and praise – plus thankful service – to the great Father of all who, in faith, possess Jesus as their Saviour and Lord?  (James 1:17)  Glory to God on High!  (Romans 16:27)

This therefore is the Scriptural doctrine of Adoption.  Let us rejoice in its knowledge and its Biblically proven truth.  Amen.

Conversion by Kenny Mcclinton

Bible words

Conversion: a change of life – for God, in Christ Jesus.

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right (or constant) spirit within me…then will I teach transgressors THY WAYS; and sinners shall be CONVERTED unto Thee.”  (Psalm 51:10-13)

“…old things (i.e. habits, way of life, etc.) are passed (i.e. continually passing) away), behold, all things are become (i.e. or are continually becoming) new.”  (2 Corinthians 5:17)

The above Scripture is the basic principle sense of the doctrine of Conversion – born again souls continually becoming more like, or conformed to be like, Christ Jesus, our Redeemer Lord. (Romans 12:1-2)

Definition of the term:   Conversion is the act which takes place when a truly repentant sinner is Regenerated (i.e. born again, born from Above); and thus renounces his/her former self-dominated way of life, and turns in faith to follow after Godliness – as manifested by the lord Jesus Christ Himself.

This is what being ‘Christian’ is all about – Christlikeness in one’s NEW LIFE, as opposed to living a consistently carnal life of selfishness and sin.  (Galatians 5:22-23)

This NEWNESS OF LIFE is thus a manifestation of what God has miraculously done inside the sinner’s heart.  The Life of Christ is emulated, to the best of one’s ability, and the old carnal nature is denied and dominated by the outward expressions of the new nature of God
(1 Corinthians 6:9-12)

Conversion:  This Conversion transformation is continually sought after,  longed for, by the born again nature within – which seeks to glorify Christ as both Saviour and Lord!  Obedience is henceforth yearned for by the believer.  (Psalm 42:1-2) (John 14:15)

Constant Conversion, in the eyes of the world, glorifies God, and leads other sinners to Christ for Salvation.  (Proverbs 11:30)

Conversion:  Conversion reflects the change of mind concerning God and sin which was first brought about by true Repentance – the gift of God.
The NEW NATURE, given by God’s free grace, seeks only to follow after Holiness.

The OLD NATURE, inherited from Adam, seeks only to satisfy self; and is incurably disobedient to God and Godliness! (Hebrews 12:14) (Romans 8:7)

Therefore, because of the above facts of our situation as true Christians, we have continual conflict within us, and always shall until (in death) we put off these bodies of sin – or Christ returns to change us into glorified bodies which shall never sin again.  Hallelujah!  Even so, come Lord Jesus.  Amen.  (Romans 7:14-24) (1 Corinthians 15:51-58) (1 John 3:2)

Conversion:  Conversion is therefore the exercise of the new nature, subsequent to the gift of Regeneration.  It is accomplished by faith and continual Repentance from sin and error.  (James 5:16-20)

As born again believers, we have immediate access into God’s Presence by prayer. (Ephesians 2:18) (Hebrews 4:15-16)

When we are aware of having sinned (i.e. transgressed known laws of Christian obedience), we can thus come to our Father, through Christ’s Atonement Sacrifice at the Cross; in the power of God the Holy Spirit.
(1 John 1:8-10) (Romans 8:26)

We humbly confess our sins, and once more resolve to forsake them; and to try to walk a fresh path of Godliness.  (Galatians 5:16-26)

Conversion in Relation to Regeneration:   The distinction between conversion and regeneration needs to be kept in mind.

Regeneration is the CAUSE of Conversion – we are given a desire to follow after God and Godliness ONLY after we are Regenerated into Christ’s Body, the Church!  (John 3:3-8)(1 Corinthians 2:14-16)

Therefore, we consciously attempt to repent from, and forsake, those ungodly things which are behind (i.e. in the past life of sin), and press on in faith towards Christlikeness – God’s Righteous Standard of behaviour and attitudes. (Philippians 3:12-14) (James 1:22) (James 2:14-26)

Being ADOPTED into God’s Family, we thus strive to act like born again children of a Holy Lord God and Father.  In this manner, we daily manifest the wonder of Christian Conversion.
Practical Point of Conversion:  We who are merely mortal, born again Christians, shall always continue to sin, that’s a Scriptural fact!
(1 John 1:8) (Romans 7:18-18-24)

However, by God’s free grace, we can also be granted God’s forgiveness.  (Psalm 130:1-4)

The ‘sheep’ (i.e. saved soul) when it falls into the mire, will never be happy until it is lifted back out and washed clean again. (Psalm 51:7)             (Psalm 40:1-3)

But, the ‘pig’ (i.e unsaved soul) is completely at home in filth, and thus happy to wallow continuously in it!  (2 Peter 2:22) (John 10:27-30)

True Christians are chastened when they sin and stray. (Hebrews 12:5-11) (Revelation 3:19)

Mere professors, unsaved, ‘good-living’ persons never receive the Father’s corrections.  Why?  Because they belong not to God!  The Heavenly Father only corrects His own children, and the unsaved person in not in the Family of God.  (John 8:44)

Conclusion:  This, therefore, is the Scriptural doctrine of Christian Conversion – let us thus, “…work out our Salvation with fear (reverence) and trembling…”; and seek to be Converted to Christlikeness DAILY.  Amen?  Yes indeed, amen – and thanks be to God, amen.
(Philippians 2:8-12) (1 John 1:7-9)

Jeremiah and Judges

Noonday 2

JEREMIAH 2

 13 For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.

GOING DOWN THE TOILET

This is what is happening to the nation of Judah.

The nation of Judah had seen what happened to Israel, its larger neighbour.  It saw that God had pronounced judgement on Israel and they were carried into exile. Although Judah had several godly kings such as Hezekiah and Josiah, they still fell into idolatry and sin.  

 This verse speaks of Judah’s rejection of the glory of God’s presence and power, to chase after worthless idols.  

 Look at the verses before this, the Living Bible puts it very well in verses 8 & 10-12:

 8 Even their priests cared nothing for the Lord, and their judges ignored me; their rulers turned against me, and their prophets worshipped Baal and wasted their time on nonsense. 

  Let me ask you.

Are you wasting your time on nonsense?

 10-11 Look around you and see if you can find another nation anywhere that has traded in its old gods for new ones—even though their gods are nothing. Send to the west to the island of Cyprus; send to the east to the deserts of Kedar. See if anyone there has ever heard so strange a thing as this. And yet my people have given up their glorious God for silly idols! 

Have you given up the glorious God for silly idols?

 The prophet Jeremiah is amazed at what THE NATION OF Judah had done.  I can hear the prophet saying, “You have pure water – you can see its pure water – but you deliberately choose to drink stinking rotten water!”  Judah chose to reject pure water (God’s presence) that is available for free, and work hard to obtain filthy water that will make them sick.  

 Christians in this present age have the pure holy water of Jesus, but they hew out the cisterns that hold no water by living in carnality and sin.  We often struggle to place Jesus first in our lives because we are consumed with chasing money, wealth, sports, and TV.  Consider this: How many Christians watch over 25 hours of TV every week, but can’t spend an hour in prayer?

 When will we stop making cisterns or idols for ourselves that can’t hold water, which means that they have no value to our lives?  It’s almost like Jesus isn’t enough for some believers.

Isn’t He lovely enough? 

Isn’t He glorious enough?

Isn’t His sacrifice at Calvary enough?

It’s time to tear down our idols.  Let me leave the final words to Charles Haddon Spurgeon on how beautiful Jesus is:

The incomparable sweetness of Christ! 

 At our very best we are strangers to much of the incomparable sweetness of Christ. 

We shall never exhaust His goodness by our praise, for He is ever so fresh and has so much of the dew of His youth, that every day He has a new song to sing.  

We shall find Him a new Christ every day of our lives, and yet He is ever the same; His surpassing excellence and unexhausted fullness thus constantly renew our love. 

O Jesus! none can guess how great is the least of Your attributes, or how rich the poorest of Your gifts.

A big Amen!

 It is time to stop drinking dirty water out of man-made cisterns and drink the pure water of Christ and his Word

 God bless you

KEITH

JUDGES 16

16 And it came to pass, when she pressed him daily with her words, and urged him, so that his soul was vexed unto death;

17 That he told her all his heart, and said unto her, There hath not come a razor upon mine head; for I have been a Nazarite unto God from my mother’s womb: if I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man.

18 And when Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and called for the lords of the Philistines, saying, come up this once, for he hath shewed me all his heart. Then the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and brought money in their hand.

19 And she made him sleep upon her knees; and she called for a man, and she caused him to shave off the seven locks of his head; and she began to afflict him, and his strength went from him.

20 And she said, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that the Lord was departed from him.

21 But the Philistines took him, and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass; and he did grind in the prison house.

LUST, LIES AND LOSS

The story of Samson is probably one of the saddest in the whole Bible。 Samson had awesome strength, but he also had a fatal flaw and that was his lust for women.

Throughout his 40 years of judging Israel, Samson was a living, breathing scandal when it came to women. Despite his great strength he had a weakness for women. And it was this weakness that would be his undoing.  One day he met a woman named Delilah.  She was not a woman of the house of Israel.  She was a Philistine, a people who were the sworn enemy of Israel, the people who Samson was appointed by God to judge and protect.  But Delilah had one thing going for her: She was beautiful, and as far as Samson was concerned, that was all that mattered.  The above passage tells us what happens next: Delilah presses Samson for the secret to his strength, Samson deceives Delilah, Samson eventually gives in to Delilah, Samson loses his two eyes, and Israel loses one of its greatest military heroes.

Samson is a warning to every believer about the power of lust to distract and destroy your fellowship, your family, your reputation.  The path of lust and sin leads to death.  Romans 6:23 reminds us that, “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

”

Look at the end of verse 19. Delilah started to laugh at Samson. The world and the devil lures the believer and when we fall to temptation, we become the object of his ridicule and scorn.  

Verse 20 is one of the saddest verses in the whole Bible. Samson not only lost his strength, he lost his dignity, and eventually he lost his two eyes. This is a picture of the Christian who falls out of fellowship with God.  When we lose our connection with God, defeat follows. We think we can live on past glories.  And while the Lord never leaves us, we can leave Him.  This makes us an easy prey for the enemy.  If we lose God’s power, then we lose our spiritual sight and we end up in the prison house of sin and regret. 

Do we go out into our day, without spending time in prayer and scripture reading?

Then we wonder, why we fail.. amen

Lust leads to a life of lies and to the loss of our spiritual power.  Samson, who had never lost a fight, lost everything to his lust for a woman.  

What have you lost because of sin? Think about it.

Fortunately, the story of Samson does not end with him losing his two eyes and grinding away in the prison house.  Eventually, his hair grows back and so does his strength.  One day the Philistines decide to bring Samson into the temple of Dagon, their god to make sport of him…big mistake. The great Samson, is now a laughingstock to his enemies.  He calls out to a young boy to place his hands on the two pillars of the temple.  He then does something that he should have done when he was with Delilah…he prayed.  He says to God: “O Lord God, remember me, I pray!  Strengthen me, I pray, just this once, O God…”. The Lord heard his prayer, and gave Samson the strength to bring down the temple of Dagon on the entire hosts of the Philistines!  Here is the lesson: If you have fallen into sin, it is not the end of your story.  God still has a plan and a purpose for your life. God is waiting to restore you, and give you the power to overcome the enemy.  And through Him, you can do more for His glory now, than at any other time in your life.  Seek Him today.  You will be glad you did.

God bless you

Keith

By Keith

Halloween

HALLOWEEN

Here are some more ideas, for you to oppose this evil.

You can pray binding the power of Satan.. and get your church and house group together to do the same. Have a prayer meeting at your church on the date of Halloween or open up your home for a prayer meeting

。

You can prayer walk you area.. applying the blood of Jesus to every house.

You can give out gospels to every child who comes to your house Trick or Treating.

You can speak out against the evils of Halloween.. we need people who will stand up and say “THUS SAYS THE LORD.”

Please share this devotion with all your friends and groups esp place on Facebook.

Thanks, and God bless

Keith

NOONDAY DEVOTION BY KEITH

REPROVE AND CHALLENGE ALL EVIL WAYS

Ephesians5

11 Take no part in and have no fellowship with the fruitless deeds and enterprises of darkness, but rather expose and reprove and convict them.

12 For it is a shame even to speak of or mention the things that [such people] practice in secret.

13 But when anything is exposed and reproved by the light, it is made visible and clear; and where everything is visible andclear there is light.

14 Therefore He says, Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall shine (make day dawn) upon you and give you light.

15 Look carefully then how you walk! Live purposefully and worthily and accurately, not as the unwise and witless, but as wise (sensible, intelligent people),

16 Making the very most of the time [buying up each opportunity], because the days are evil.

The Lord has laid this devotion on my heart. I feel very passionately about the evils of Halloween.

Now I know many believers think I am going over the top on this issue, so let’s start with these verses in Galatians 5

19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 idolatry,witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Do you notice anything believer?.. yes, Witchcraft is included in this list.

Jesus talks about things like adultery and murder in the Sermon on the Mount; He says that if you do them in your heart, you are as guilty as those who actually do them.. what about participating in Halloween?

Well, if you let you children dress up in ghostly costumes, or place carved pumpkins outside your house.. you are involving yourself in this evil practice, when God clearly tells you in his word to have nothing to do with it.. forgive me, I am a bit slow.. but even a slow person like realises that this for what it is.. DISOBEDIENCE.

What does the first part of Ephesians 5:11 say.. HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE WORKS OF DARKNESS.. IT MEANS EXACTLY WHAT IT SAYS!!!.

The Ephesian believers had a great bonfire and burnt all their pagan books.. they took these verses to heart, more to the point, they obeyed them.

Believers want God to be their friend.. well, He is.. If you obey Him. He demands that you burn all this Halloween stuff and that you do not participate in this godless and pagan holiday.

If Christians acted like the Ephesian believers and burned all this rubbish, we would have bonfires stretching all across America and other countries. I estimate and I am just guessing here that Evangelical Bible believing Christians spend up to 100 million in many currencies on Halloween food, costumes etc. How much would world missions benefit if that money was given to support the work of the church overseas? How many missionaries are struggling for support and the church wastes money on this rubbish?

Now I won’t be the only person teaching or preaching this in the run up to Halloween, but some people do not get it.. it is TIME TO OBEY THE LORD AND TO HAVE NO FELLOWSHIP WITH THE WORKS OF DARKNESS.

。

This so-called holiday is in the realm of the devil.. he is our enemy.. it seems some Christians have crossed over to the enemy’s side for the time leading up to Halloween.

IF you go on any social media site such as FACEBOOK and click on the satanic groups, their groups have up to 20,000 members, my brothers and sisters, the devil is not playing games, we laugh at Nero and say he fiddled whilst Rome burnt, but in joining in with the Halloween fun, we play with fire. We are not to fiddle about with these things, we are to rebuke this evil. The first settlers that came to America would be shocked to see this across the country, this was not brought by them.

You know Christians think, they are on some kind of party ride, the devil is deadly serious, there are thousands of groups all across the world, who will pray for the destruction of Christianity on this time, this is the height of evil and must be opposed.

It is time to tell you kids not to participate in this, to forbid them.. yes, to be strict, what peer group pressure is placed on them. It is time for you pastors to preach against this evil, it is time for the church to pray against this evil, to not go to stores who sell this stuff.

It is time to burn the stuff you have about Halloween and go to the Lord in Repentance.. are you prepared to burn all the Halloween stuff you have in your house?

THE DEVIL IS NOT PLAYING GAMES, WHY ARE WE?

IF you join in with this evil, then you are standing with the devil’s side, what was Aaron and the Children of Israel doing, when they worshipped the Golden Calf, bowing down to an idol.  What are we doing when we have pumpkins around the porch? Oh, they look pretty, the Lord doesn’t think so?

WHO IS ON THE LORD’S SIDE?

You refuse and join in with this stuff, then you are in rebellion against God and what is rebellion, it is like the sin of witchcraft

In 1 Samuel 15, the Lord says that rebellion, which is a refusal to do what you are told and to go your own way, is like this

22 And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. 23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.

In verse 16 of Ephesians 5, we are told to redeem the time, literally to buy it back. If you are involving yourself in this practice.. stop and turn in repentance.

There are millions of Christians who say nothing and are silent, it is time to rise up like a mighty army of prayer warriors. Prayer chains against this evil should run in every church, every city, every village and every Christian household. We need to stand against this evil and to come to Lord in repentance asking his forgiveness and pleading for revival, so that this evil will be banished forever.

If you refuse to obey the Lord and participate in Halloween, then you are guilty of witchcraft, and as Galatians 5 says.. no one who does such a thing will enter the Kingdom of God.. A very sobering thought.. Amen

HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS PAGAN TIME.

A final word, the 31st October is the anniversary of Martin Luther and what he did back in 1517, what did he do you say?

Christians know more about halloween than they do about the reformation, what a disgrace that is…amen

by Ben Alexander

Halloween

Many Christian parents are concerned about what Halloween really is. We know that it is of Druidical origin which means that it was part of the Druid religion. In essence, Druidism is the worship of evil spirits, especially of druids who were believed to dwell in trees. There were priests in the Druid religion and like all pagan religions, Druidism revolved around the worship of evil spirits, and offerings to them to insure the welfare of the worshippers.

THE ORIGIN OF HALLOWEEN

The name of the festival in early days (and it is still found in Ireland) meant “Satan’s Watch.” It was the night given over to Satan and his demons to work all the evil they wanted in the hope they would leave people unmolested the rest of the year. A fire was commonly kept burning on that night. The ghosts of the dead were dreaded and feared and men were thought to be restless in their graves because of something that happened in their life on earth. They were supposed to come back from the dead to take vengeance on those who were descended from people who had wronged them. People commonly locked themselves in their houses and spent the night in terror, letting the devil have his fling and do his worst.

Spiritualism and witchcraft is very real and we should not be providing our children with this opportunity for involvement. Many, if not all of our Halloween customs have their roots in these ancient beliefs. The witch on the broomstick and the jack-o-lantern are the symbols of Halloween. The witch, of course, is the personification of evil which is a substitute for Satan. The jack-o-lantern symbolizes the fire that was kept burning in the houses of those who feared Satan’s worst. In fact the jack-o-lantern is always lit up (there is a fire there) so as to frighten away the devil.

WHAT HALLOWEEN REALLY MEANS

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Dressing up in costumes and “trick or treating” to the neighbors is a carry-over 

                                         of the idea of making an offering to Satan and to the spirits to appease them. “Trick or treating” is a modern form of saying “offering or revenge.” The grotesque and horrible masks our young people wear making themselves look like skeletons, dead people, or horrible monsters are symbolizing Satan and inspiring fear to get an offering.

Satan likes Halloween celebrations because this is a glorification of evil. Most people naturally do not think of it in this way. We believe it is all done in fun. Is it wise to have our children dress up like the devil and have “fun” in a devilish form? Can this possibly please God? After all, Ephesians 6:12 tells us that we are in a spiritual battle against Satan and his demons when it says. “for we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. When the Word of God teaches this, do you think it is right to celebrate a night given over to our enemy, Satan? When we poke fun and joke about the spirit world, we are encouraging ourselves and our children to believe that this doesn’t really exist. When we allow our children to dress up like witches and ghosts, we are allowing them to treat lightly what God treats seriously in His Word. Exodus 22:18, Deuteronomy 18:10, and several other scriptures tell us that this is wrong. Those who don’t know about the origin and meaning of Halloween are feeding their own belief into the Word of God when they treat lightly and celebrate what God hates. Satan camouflages himself amidst fun and gaiety and gets people to belittle his power and activity among men or even completely deny it. It is a very clever trick of the enemy.

AN ALTERNATIVE FOR TODAY

Satan is getting bolder in the United States, Occult practices are springing up all over America. Halloween parties provide a perfect setting for these. Often at these parties there is fortune telling, ouija boards, seances, and things of that nature. We can’t afford to have our children participate in these activities.

We realize the problems this creates because it will be said “everybody” is dressing up to go “trick or treating.” October 31 is not evil of itself. It is what we do with it that matters. Let’s work at substituting good fun for bad. We can start working through our church. Instead of having a Halloween party, have a fun night —games, refreshments, and perhaps even a film. The children can dress up – maybe a clown night, an old-fashioned night, or even Bible character night. Have a party! Have fun! Let it be harmless fun and let us glorify our Lord Jesus Christ – not His adversary.

One of my concerns is that when a child has enjoyed trick or treating once a year and then becomes a teenager…What then? Well, they are not going around knocking on doors for candy, that’s for kids. So, what happens — they have parties and hold séances. This is a fact, and the results sometimes can be devastating, added to the fact that they are violating God’s will and opening themselves up to demon possession.

The BOTTOM LINE is that this would be a good time to explain to our children about the TRUE source and power and the one who we should really celebrate is JESUS.

God Bless,

Ben

Pornography

Ben Alexander

Is Pornography Really Wrong?

When it comes to porn, the question facing many men and women is simple:  is it really wrong? Is it really that big of a deal?  I mean, it’s just an image on a screen.  It’s not someone I know, or someone I’m having an actual affair with, so I’m still faithful to my future (or current) wife. It’s just sexual release, like masturbation, and we all know that masturbation is not condemned in the Bible.  It’s not even mentioned.

And isn’t sex a good thing, so what’s wrong in watching it happen?  I’m just admiring beauty.  And besides, I’m single, so what do you expect me to do with all this pent-up sexual energy?  It seems like a safe release until I am married.

I’ve heard all of this, and more.

So, is it really that big of a deal?

Yes, and here’s why:

It is sexual sin.  Jesus made it clear that when we give in to lust, it is akin to the act itself.  It makes no difference whether you know the person or not; lust is not tied to relationship.

It is addictive.  The ubiquitous nature of porn is new to our culture, and to human sexuality, but it is becoming increasingly clear that it is highly addictive in nature. As a result, it can not only begin to dominate a life, but can demand ever-increasing levels of exposure and ever-increasing degrees of experience to continue to stimulate.

It is degrading to women.  In pornography, women are treated as objects. They are not fulfilling God’s dream for their life as His precious daughter, nor are they fulfilling His design for sexual expression and fulfilment.  You are watching a woman who is being sinned against, treated in a way that is contemptible to her heavenly Father (whether she sees it or not – and the fact that many may not only adds to its tragic nature).  And if you are a woman watching it for the men, it is equally degrading to them.

It leads to other sins.  Studies are beginning to show that the effects of porn on men are more than temporary sexual stimulation: as they see women treated as objects, they begin to treat women that way.  They become more sexually aggressive, leading to date rapes and expected “hook-ups.”

It harms your relationship with your current, or future, spouse.  It is absolutely ridiculous to say that watching porn enhances a sexual life.  Instead, it cheapens it.  Those caught in its web testify to how porn quickly becomes a substitute for sexual intimacy with your spouse.

It desensitizes your soul.  Sin of any kind desensitizes your spiritual life.  Continued exposure to a sin such as pornography is like shooting novocaine into your soul. It deadens you and grieves the Holy Spirit in your life, forcing Him to withdraw His utmost filling in a way that diminishes His power and presence in your life.

It distorts sex.  Nothing reduces sex to lust more than pornography.  Yielding to such images is overwhelmingly addictive, like a narcotic that delivers a quick hit to the emotions or senses, but ravages you from within.  It destroys real relationships, real intimacy, real sexuality.

I’m a missionary.

I talk with men who are dealing with the spiritual torment and guilt of engaging in pornography while trying to rationalize it away;

I talk with men who are having to fight it as an addiction;

I talk with men who are finding it is leading them to a warped view of women;

I talk with men who are experiencing its direct path to other sins;

I talk with men who are seeing its assault on their marriage;

I talk with men who are trying to awaken their souls from its deadening grip;

I talk with men who have distorted views of what sex is about.

I also talk to the wives of these men – I’ve seen the hurt, the betrayal, the wounding to intimacy, trust and self-esteem.  And increasingly, I am having the same conversations with women who have become caught in its snare.

There is little doubt to those of us who work with people, and those who are themselves caught in its web, how pornography is destroying the sanctity of sex and the glory of marriage.

And we haven’t even broached what it is doing to the coming generation of men and women who have been exposed to it at the earliest of ages over multiple years.

。

So, is pornography really wrong?

IN EVERY POSSIBLE WAY!

Blessings,

Ben

Harry Potter

Ben Alexander

Just who is this little boy with the lightning bolt scar on his forehead that has captured the hearts of millions of kids from all over the world? He is the product of J. K Rowling, a student of mythology who consulted with members of Wicca in order to accurately write about witchcraft in her book series on Harry Potter.

Over one hundred million Harry Potter books have been sold in over 200 countries and translated into 46 languages making J.K. Rowling a billionaire in the 4 years since publishing her first book, “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone”.

Harry Potter is fun and his stories are making kids read. He is a nice guy, he takes care of the bad guys, and that makes him a hero…but there is a problem.

What is the real story behind Harry Potter? Is it fantasy, or is it fact?

According to Andrew Hard a Fox News reporter, Harry Potter has now turned to the dark side. He writes “Some parents are concerned that the kids Lining up outside bookstores will be faced with a story as black as night itself.”

“It’s scary for younger kids, when you have animals turning into people and people into birds and things like that,” said Geneseo IL . Parent Marian Shannon. “Its maybe not for kids who are less than eight years old.

As Potter readers well know, the boy wizard’s godfather, Sirius Black, has been killed right in front of him, he has cast the forbidden “Cruciatus curse” on a witch in an effort to make her writhe in unspeakable agony and he has been prophesied to kill or be killed by the evil Lord Voldermort.

The Saturday release of “Harry Potter and the half blood Prince” the second to last book in the series, expectations for the series to grow blacker still.

“It’s been getting progressively darker throughout the series” said Ilene Cooper, children’s book editor at Booklist magazine. J.K. Rowling herself has intimated that she isn’t sure Harry is going to survive the series. That’s about as dark as you can get.”

Some parents complained that the last Potter film, “Harry Potter and the prisoner of Azkaban” which introduced audiences to the black clothed ,soul sucking floating “dementors”— was far too dark and horrifying for young children to see.

“When my family went, it was surprising to see how many parents brought 5, 6 and 7 year olds, and I was thinking, “that’s not the age group that this is for” said Wauconda, Ill., mother Colleen Kersting.

“One child screamed out in the theater and had to leave .I think parents were shocked at how violent and scary the movies have gotten” she continued.

Editor’s note: Unfortunately most people have no idea of what the occult really is. The Bible warns about the use of witchcraft in almost a hundred scriptures which I have written down in my book “Out From Darkness.”

In some instances, I have seen psychic phenomena performed in the Harry Potter movies and book. For example, the movie showed Harry looking into a mirror and seeing the future. This is known as “mirror mancy”, this is a form of divination (the art of obtaining information of the spirit world forbidden by God Deut. 18:10). It is interesting to note that Sirhan Sirahan, who assassinated Robert Kennedy, said he practiced this phenomena and saw himself in the mirror killing Robert Kennedy before he committed the act. His defense was the “devil made me do it”.

I was horrified as I saw another scene where there was a large glass cage with a huge snake slithering on the floor, apparently there was a boy being mean to Harry Potter. Harry then performed his magic and put the boy in the cage with the snake, who was terrifying the kid.

Eventually he cast a spell and took this humongous snake out of the glass cage and left the boy locked in there. But the thing that got my attention, was when the snake was freed, it spoke to Harry and as its fork tongue shot out of its mouth, it said “thank you” to Harry Potter.

Yes, Satan is saying “THANK YOU” to J.K. Rowling and publisher’s Scholastic inc. for introducing witchcraft to millions of children all over the world.

Incidentally ever since the Harry Potter books entered the market hordes of teenagers have turned to the religion of witchcraft (Wicca) and it has become one of the fastest growing cult/occult in existence.

The bottom line is what does God say? In the book of Samuel chapter 15 verse 8 “Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft”.

Witchcraft encourages power, violence and sin.

Before some of my readers write and tell me that Harry Potter is a a hero and that there are witches who practice white witchcraft, ( good witchcraft), God reminds us that Satan comes as an angel of light (2nd.Corinthians 11:14).

Last but not least please don’t accuse me of judging, I am only quoting the Bible, after all God is the final judge.

Teaching Our Children Witchcraft

One woman, filmmaker and occult expert Caryl Matrisciana, focuses her efforts on explaining what she believes are the dangers of the Harry Potter series and how the books portray a lifestyle diametrically opposed to that of Christians. She has released a documentary video, “Harry Potter: Witchcraft Repackaged, Making Evil Look Innocent,” that shows how the Harry Potter phenomenon is incompatible with Christianity. The video documentary details numerous similarities between the spells and magic used by Harry Potter and those used in the witchcraft of the Wiccan religion. “Such striking similarity,” said Matrisciana, “is definite evidence that the author has meticulously researched Wicca and included its tenets in her children’s books. She writes her book series as fantasies, but the facts and details that she describes about witchcraft are very real!”

I am of the opinion that this is one of Satan’s greatest victories, and one of our saddest hours. Witchcraft has established a foothold in a fashion that has not happened since the time of Moses, when the Israelites entered Canaan.

Two hundred countries have embraced Harry Potter as their hero. In God’s eyes Harry Potter is described (in 2nd Corinthians 11:14) as Satan coming as an angel of light.

He has captivated over 50 million American children with the blessings of our Public education system. The schools are using the book series in their classrooms and busing our children to theatres to see the Harry Potter movie. Their reason is because Harry Potter is teaching our children to read. What they are reading doesn’t seem to matter….’Johnny’ is reading for the first time and that’s what is important to them. And in a few short years, the parents and educators of these children will wonder “what on earth possessed a large segment of them to turn to witchcraft and sorcery and Satanism.”

The publisher of Harry Potter is Scholastic Inc. And guess what? They are also the leading publishers in America for our public-school textbooks. Not only does Scholastic Inc. publish the book, but they also publish lesson plans embracing the philosophy of Harry Potter. Their website is filled with curriculum that teaches our children witchcraft!

哈利·波特的出版商是Scholastic Inc. 猜猜看？他们还是美国公立学校教科书的主要出版商。Scholastic Inc.不仅出版这本书，还出版支持哈利·波特哲学的教案。他们的网站上充满了教授我们的孩子巫术的课程！

The book teaches everything that God despises, including witchcraft, talking to the dead and reincarnation. Of course, it is all wrapped up in clever covert fun.

My understanding is that there is a separation of State and Religion, yet in a covert way it is taught in schools and there is no doubt many of the children are practicing how to cast spells etc. This is religion pure and simple, yet Christians are forbidden to mention the word of God in school.

Children are very impressionable, and seeds are being sewn in their minds. The old adage goes, “what you see (and read) is what you are”.

Scholastic Inc. website also has material encouraging teachers to answer questions. However, if a little girl gets up and says, “my Sunday School teacher told me that Jesus said, ”no one enters into the Kingdom of God except through me,” then that is unacceptable, but it is permissible to ask questions pertaining to witchcraft because it’s fantasy, and it’s fun, and it’s Harry Potter.

About seven years ago, Wiccans in the military protested because they did not have their own chaplain. It was then that the Supreme Court ruled that Wicca is a religion. Therefore, if it is not OK to teach Christianity in school, then it should not be OK to teach witchcraft in school!

Dangerous Website Links Exposed

Let’s take it a little further; Scholastic Inc. also has links to other websites.

They have a place where you can link to other books. All a child needs to do, for instance, is this: where it says ‘Search’, just write in “witch” and it will bring up adult websites, promoting books such as WICCA, How to Become a Teen Witch, and many other books unsuitable for children. Type in “witches” and it brings up links to pornographic sites and the home page for The Church and School of Wicca. And you say that witchcraft is not an organized religion? Brothers and sisters, they even have their own website! 

Another teaching tool found on the Scholastic website is the Harry Potter journals. Pastor Bob Coy of Calvary Chapel in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida tells of a public-school teacher who looked into the journal of one of her 5th grade girl students, who wrote, “I’m a witch! You know you are a witch if you have dark spots on your private parts”. The ten-year-old child said she got the information out of one of the witchcraft books that she found on one of these web sites…after searching the internet for more information on Harry Potter.

This rubbish being taught in school is unacceptable. The problem is that the majority of people in America don’t know the Bible, period! No wonder God said, “my people perish for the lack of knowledge.”

Over the past 5,000 years history shows us that God closed the doors on 20 major civilizations when they permitted three things to happen:

1. Kill their children,

2. Practice witchcraft,

3. Tolerate homosexuality

God then permitted that civilization to be terminated.

A case in point is Canaan, which we now call Palestine. According to Deuteronomy 18:10 the Canaanites were killing babies, were into divination (fortune telling), Astrology, casting spells, drugs, witchcraft, and calling up the dead.

God hates these things and made it clear that those who practiced them will not enter into Heaven. I believe that America is in danger of God closing the door on this great country.

  1. We have permitted the killing of 40 million babies since the Supreme Court of The United States of America, on January 22nd 1973, allowed us to murder our children through ABORTION (I might add here that if the reader has committed the above and repented, then I want you to know that God has forgiven you (1st John 1:9).
  1. Witchcraft is rampant in The United States of America.
  1. Homosexuality is tolerated and even taught in schools as an alternative lifestyle.

We are truly, Brothers and Sisters, in one of our saddest hours! I will be praying daily for the Truth…and that the educators of our children in this great country will come to know it.

In His Loving Name,

Ben

Demon possession

Ben Alexander

I have heard this question asked many times in my lifetime. While the answer is quite straightforward, NO! a Christian cannot be demon possessed, there are other things that by demonic intervention, can affect a Christian. Let’s look a little deeper into this situation.

When a Christian receives Christ as their personal Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit enters that Christian’s body, soul and spirit. God has claimed that person for His own and as a result, demons cannot occupy the same place as the Holy Spirit. Satan knows this and that is why he tries so hard to get to people first and have his demons or demonic influence control or affect that person.

Even though the Holy Spirit has entered the “new Christian,” demons can certainly try to plant thoughts or to affect the thinking process of an individual. I remember a story that a famous evangelist told about a day he was in his office and he was in his quiet time reading and studying. From out of nowhere, he stated vile, lewd sexual thoughts came into his mind. He was absolutely taken by surprise by this but knew just what to do. He went into the office next door, which was his associate’s office, and asked him to pray with him to banish these “darts” from Satan. With the prayer offered, the darts ceased at that time and his mind was able to get back to the studying and reading he needed to be doing.

Now I do not think that Satan is behind every bad thing that happens to people, or that every bad thought comes from the devil. But I do believe the devil and all his demons are looking for people that they can affect with their “darts” and look for the weakness in that person and send their “darts” precisely at that point. Many times he is successful. We see over and over again and again, “good” people failing sexually and becoming involved in immoral situations. Even some of our friends, relatives or acquaintances have been affected. Some tell about it to others and in doing so are asking for help in the situation. Others do not tell and let themselves get further and further into trouble. Before they know it, they have committed sin and they have their lives in shambles.

Look at Peter and what he did and how he was affected. Peter was a saved person. He was a “rock” for Christ, but he still denied Christ three times. Why? Well, it certainly wasn’t reasonable to think Peter went from being such a “rock,” to being a wimp for Christ, in such a short time. He had to have been affected by some sort of demonic suggestion or demonic involvement.

In the case of Ananias and his wife selling their property and lying about how much they got and how much they gave, Peter himself asked them why they had allowed Satan to fill their hearts to lie to the Holy Spirit. They were Christian believers, but they lied and were swayed from the truth and the good of what they were doing. That is satanic influence. Many of you, I am sure, have had thoughts come into your mind and you cannot figure out where they came from. Where does temptation come from? Well, you know it comes from the devil, so it also shows that we have to be on constant guard and have our “shields up” at all times. As one author puts it, “Demons cannot live in Christian hearts, but they perch on Christian shoulders and whisper in Christian ears.”

As we realize the demons and Satan himself can be literally “perching on your shoulder,” we also must realize we cannot just go through each day doing the same old thing and not growing in the Lord and realizing his power. We need to constantly build our “arsenal” of defense, by studying His Word, memorizing His Word and giving the Holy Spirit within us the weapons to help fight our fight against this formidable enemy.

Christians, unfortunately, think just because they have turned their lives over to the Lord and had the Holy Spirit come into their lives, that they are safe. Satan loves to hear this. He has a good chance of wrecking that Christian’s life, because he is so powerful. Christians are not building their arsenal. Christians are not “in training” to ensure they are ready to do battle with demons or the devil himself. Christians today seem to do just enough to stay “status quo.” The reading and praying that the majority of Christians do is just enough to keep their knowledge and battle expertise at the same level as the day they gave their lives to the Lord.

The research that goes on nationally supports this statement. Even our Christian community at large, watches more television every day than reading or praying. Our young people, generally speaking, are the same – little Bible time or prayer throughout the week, but they have all their socials, extracurricular activities and the like, but they are not growing in the Lord and strengthening themselves for the battles ahead.

在全国范围内进行的研究支持这一说法。即使是我们的基督

People, we must realize that Satan has a plan for our lives just as God has a plan. Both are going to fight for each and every one of us. Now God is the stronger of the two, we know that, but He also tells us what we need to do and how to do it and what will happen if we do what He tells us to do. However, if Satan can interfere with that advice and get the person off track and keep them off track, he will probably win the battle.

Most all of us know what the plan of defense is. We have a full set of armor ready and available for each and every one of us. God says with this armor we are to face the enemy and stand. Now, God has fashioned a plan of defense. We are to gird ourselves with the truth. It is a belt to guard our middle part. It is what God has spoken. This is what will strengthen us mightily. We must wear the breastplate of righteousness of integrity, of moral rectitude and right standing before God. This covers the area of the heart and lungs. No arrow of the enemy can penetrate this perfect protection. Other parts are also accounted for in that our feet should wear the good news of the Gospel; it makes us firm footed and mobile against the enemy. Then we should always have our shield of faith, confidence in the entire work of Christ on our behalf. This can turn away ALL enemy attacks, even though they may be flaming missiles.

Our head is a vital spot; a shining helmet is provided, the helmet of salvation. We have the offensive equipment in the sword, the Word of God, the Bible, the Holy Scriptures, with these we can strike out against the enemy. However, with all of this, we need to consider prayer as a supporter of the whole armour of God. Sounds simple, doesn’t it? If so simple, then why are the majority of Christians not outfitting themselves with God’s armour? Well, I believe this again is part of the devil’s plan. If he can keep our lives so jumbled, so busy, so busy, so confusing, then we will “not have time” to get the armour or be able to put it on. The outcome? Sin! We are doomed to come under the full attack of the devil and his demons.

It is interesting to see some of today’s society believe in things they cannot see, smell, taste or feel. Today we are told of the different rays from the sun that can go into our eyes and damage the nerves and lose some of our eyesight. Yet, we respond to a scientist, who tells the general public this is what they have found and to do what they are told and buy certain sunglasses to protect their eyes and wear sun screen to protect against the “cancer inducing rays.” Yet, mention to some Christians that there are demons running around trying to affect them in some way and they will look at you as if you have a third eye or the like.

Christians must realize they are in mortal danger without the armour of God. Satan’s time is running short and he knows it. He will be “pulling out all stops” in an effort to get back some of the most dedicated Christians we have. He will be working overtime to derail new Christians; another group that if you tell them about demons, they are not spiritually mature enough to understand what you are talking about.

Jesus knew about demons and about Satan. He conversed with demons in casting them out and even conversed with Satan when He was tempted by him. Jesus knew the power of Satan and his demons. Even though the disciples were given power to cast out demons, there was the one time they could not cast the demon out. This occasion supports the fact that demons are very powerful entities. This particular demon, Jesus said, had to have a different type of approach to get him to leave the person. Folks, we just don’t give enough credence to the fact that Satan and his demonic army are very powerful adversaries and must be recognized and dealt with on that basis. When the world saw Saddam Hussein do what he did in Kuwait and the world said enough is enough and we must do something against him, nobody underestimated him. General Schwartzkoff certainly did not underestimate him. There were huge forces of troops and equipment sent in. Many countries’ forces were amassed to ensure there would be enough power to do what was necessary. In the same light, each and every Christian needs to realize the power of the devil and his demons. They ARE there. They ARE here. They DO put thoughts into your mind, your brain, into your thought processes.

Yet, if we know this and take the appropriate action, we can be the winners. If you could only have seen and talked with the people that I have who have been controlled by demonic forces, you could see the first-hand proof of demons and their work. Some of the tragedies of today, with mothers or fathers killing their babies, or fathers sexually abusing their children, or other like horrors, are being blamed on a newly discovered type of “syndrome.” Well, I am going to tell you point blank, there may be some syndromes floating around that lawyers or juries can blame these horrifying tragedies on, however, I believe there is only one person behind all of these things and he is the devil himself and his accomplices.

So, while I gave you an absolute NO! to answer the question, “Can Christians Be Demon Possessed?” I hope I have shown you how Christians can be affected in every aspect of their life by demon induced thoughts or suggestions. It is a very real happening and one which can lead to one’s spiritual death. Through Satan and his demons’ works, a Christian formerly headed for heaven, can be derailed and end up in a fast lane headed for hell.

Now, I also warn you not to get paranoid and think every thought you think is being affected by a demon. But do be aware that where you do not have the spiritual armour on, there is the possibility that you could -have thoughts being planted by “spiritual darts” from the enemy.

The answer to all of this is fairly simple. Jesus gave us His way of dealing with things and what we should and should not do. If we approach things with the attitude of how Jesus would react to your situation or what He would do in this situation, you are on safe ground. Like I mentioned before, put on the armor and Pray, Pray, Pray, and then Pray some more.

Invest your time in prayer; it pays dividends that are out of this world!!!

God Bless,

Ben

1 SAMUEL 4

Noonday 2

I SAMUEL 4 

21 And she named the child Ichabod, saying, The glory is departed from Israel: because the ark of God was taken, and because of her father in law and her husband.

22 And she said, The glory is departed from Israel: for the ark of God is taken.

THE WORST WORD IN THE BIBLE

There are thousands of words in the holy bible, all inspired or God breathed by God himself through human authors.

2 Peter 1

21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

I hear that the name given to most children in the world today is Mohammed, hardly anyone calls their child Ichabod and for good reason.

Actually some churches, need to be called Ichabod, for the glory has departed from them, the glory of the Lord has disappeared, the Ark of God is in another place.

Do you remember what Jesus said to the so called doctrinally astute, service focused Ephesian church, they had everything lined up correctly, they had all their doctrine right, their service and discernment were spot on nigh perfect and yet he had one thing against them, they had lost their first love.

Revelation 2

2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:

3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.

4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.

5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

In the UK, there are many churches, that have been turned into community centres and various other uses, some in fact, have become places where other so-called faiths meet.

These were once thriving centres of worship, where the gospel was preached, where Jesus was uplifted, but now they are a shell, their candlestick has been taken away.

The sad thing is that a church can go on, in a normal way and still not know the glory has departed. The church like Samson can shake itself and say, we will operate as we have always done, but he and they don’t realise that the Lord has left them.

Judges 16

20 And she said, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that the Lord was departed from him.

Could Ichabod, be placed over your life?

Could it be placed over mine?

This was Paul’s greatest fear that after he had preached to others, he would become a castaway.

1 Corinthians 9

1 Corinthians 9:27

But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

I pray none of us, reading this devotion, has the name Ichabod, written over our lives, the shell is there, but the glory is departed.

If this is the greatest fear of the Apostle Paul, it surely must be ours.

I pray that no church pastor reading this, says ‘we will carry on as before, keep doing the things, we have always done’, not realising the glory has departed.

May none of us, have ICHABOD written over our lives.

God bless you

KK

1 CORINTHIANS 9

Noonday 2

1 CORINTHIANS 9 

24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receives the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.

25 And every man that strives for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:

27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

WHAT WILL YOU GIVE UP TO WIN THE PRIZE?

There was a big boxing match in the UK, you may have seen it, the Ukrainian fighter beat the British fighter by knockout, he has beaten three British fighters, all who are taller and are heavier than him.

Yesterday, I saw his training, now some of you like to go to the gym and exercise, but some of the things, he did, took my breath away.

He lifted weights that would kill me if I tried, he took all his time to train for the fight.

He sought and won the prize, which was the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world, he is now the best of the best.

But it comes at a cost, this training takes him away from his family, his wife and three young children, in training for one of his last fights, his daughter was born, he never saw her birth, what dedication to his sport.

As Christians, we seek not earthly glory but a divine prize, this man is seeking a corruptible crown, we are seeking a crown that is incorruptible, but we won’t give up any comfort to win it.

Will we go to church if its raining?

Will we get up early to seek God?

Will we read and study our bibles, instead of sitting for hours watching TV or browsing social media?

You say that you want to win the prize, but a bit like me, we don’t want to pay the price.

Paul is Philippians 3, gave us this great insight:

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,

My friend David is going to Everest base camp at 21,000, this is high altitude, so he is training for this, sacrificing for it.

He walks the south coast path, twenty miles each day, last year I followed his example, I walked ten miles one day and was completely exhausted, maybe because I won’t sacrifice like he does.

Unbelievers really do put us to shame, they sacrifice everything for worldly pleasure and pursuit, but Christians think that going to one service on Sunday is enough, FORGET IT!

Jesus said these words in Luke 14, lets keep them in mind my dear brothers and sisters.

26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.

27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?

29 Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him,

30 Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.

31 Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?

32 Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace.

33 So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.

WHAT WILL YOU GIVE UP TO WIN THE PRIZE?

GOD BLESS YOU

KK

Algeria Part 4

Africa 1

Modern technology  is going to play a major role in equipping the Algerian church.

Firstly many people groups need to have the scriptures in their own language, please pray that such tools as AI would be used to translate the bible into these languages.

The internet has a pivotal role to play as do mobile phones to provide bible based content that would encourage the Algerian Church.

This country is a young church, it needs handling with care and constant prayer. Please pray that this church would have God’s protection, the boldness of the Spirit of God and Christ’s compassion.

PEOPLE GROUPS

Tuareg, Tahaggart

https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/15608/AG


Tuareg, Algerian

https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/15226/AG

Nuristani, Malakhel

https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/13431/AF

Algeria Part 3

Africa 1

Please pray for the following people groups in Algeria:

Young people and children make up three quarters of the population, many of the believers are first generation believers and need careful nurture and care. Please pray that they would grow up well.

The Atlas mountains are home to the Berber people, there are now believers in many of the 13 groups that are growing. Please pray for the growth of a truly Berber church that would impact the whole of North Africa.

The Tuareg and Bedouin people are now responding to the gospel. Continue to water these shoots with fervent prayer.

The Oasis towns of the Sahara, which were once seen as unreachable are now being reached by fervent Algerian believers. Churches are being started. Please pray for these fledging believing groups

PEOPLE GROUPS

SAHRIWA

https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/14639/AG


Idaksahak

https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/12178/AG

Tamazight, Temacine

https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/22643/AG

Tajakant 

https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/15199/AG

Algeria Part 2

Africa 1

The church is growing through bold witness, but laws are now being passed, which would make the sharing of the gospel illegal. Please pray that all efforts to stop the spread of the gospel would be stopped.

For the establishment of strong Christian families, most Christian girls are forced into marriages with Muslims. This country needs to see the beauty of true Christian homes.

For the few  pastors, who are under constant strain and surveillance  and for the calling and training of gifted men to the ministry.

Becoming a Christian from a Muslim background, makes you really unemployable, as many jobs are reserved for Muslim’s. Pray for provision of Jobs for these dear believers

Over 4 million Algerians are now in Europe and this is an open door, please pray for the planting of churches amongst them.

People groups

Bedouin, Suafa

https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/15095/AG

Pray that these people would have their physical and spiritual needs met

Deaf

https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/19007/AG

Pray that these people would  have access to the bible in audio format

Moroccan Arab

https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/13819/AG

It is hard to understand that Islam is so deeply ingrained into their lives, these strongholds can be torn down only by faithful and fervent prayer.

Amazigh, Mozabite

https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/13842/AG

These people are totally trapped in the darkness of Islam, please pray for them

Algeria Part 1

Africa 1

Algeria is a majority Muslim country, situated in North Africa, it has a large coastline with the Mediterranean sea.

The Christian community is small but growing, although Islam is the dominant religion, gospel activity has grown in recent years.

Praise God for the dynamic growth of the church, fellowships are starting all over the country, but persecution is very active and ongoing. Please pray that despite these challenges, the church would continue to grow.

The church is Algerian, it has its own identity. Please pray for more resources to be made available specifically aimed at Algerian believers, they need resources that are relevant to them and their culture.

Unity amongst the believers is strong, please pray that this would continue.

Please pray for Algeria

https://prayercast.com/prayer-topic/algeria

People Groups

Arabic Speakers

https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/10379/AG

Virtually all of these people of nearly 40 million, have had any chance to hear the gospel. Pray that obstacles would be removed.

Amazigh, Kabyle (Berbers)

https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/12399/AG

Please pray for the stronghold of Islam would be broken amongst the se people.

Shawiya Amazigh 

https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/14899/AG

Opposition to the gospel is intense, Please pray it would be broken.

Amazigh, Central-Atlas

https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/12217/AG

Amongst the Berbers, one in a thousand acknowledge Jesus is Lord. Please water these tender roots of growth with prayer

Kiribati

Pacific

Small and very beautiful coral islands, spread over a large area of the pacific, now face eradication because of rising sea levels.

Please pray that this would create a state of national urgency to come before God in prayer and repentance.

The congregational church that once was strong is now riddled with false theology, please pray that the churches would put the bible back to the centre of their witness and worship.

People groups

https://prayercast.com/prayer-topic/kiribati

Kiribertese

https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/12713/KR

Euronesian

https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/11165/KR

American Samoa

Pacific

Situated in the Polynesian Pacific, this is an island with a good standard of living, it also has a strong Christian foundation gained over many years.

There is a base for Youth with a mission on these islands and church growth has been remarkable over the past few years.

But there has been growth in cult activity especially the mormons, please pray that the church would confront these false teachers and that the truth of the gospel would penetrate every home.

People groups

Samoan

https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/14676/AQ

British Virgin Islands

Americas 1

A series of beautiful coral islands in the Caribbean sea, it’s Motto is “where there is no vision, the people perish”

These islands have been highly Christianized with the gospel, but vice and sin rule these islands.

Many Christians are nominal and their talk does not match their walk. Please pray that the believers would repent and cry out to God for deep revival

People groups

Virgin Islanders

https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/19414/VI

South Asian

https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/19211/VI

Cayman Islands

Americas 1

Three small coral island situated south of Cuba, they are a tourist paradise and the islands main income comes from the millions of tourists who flock there every year.

Christianity is numerically strong on these islands, but is very nominal. Pray for a revival to hit the church and to breathe new life into it’s witness and worship that would impact not just it’s population but the many tourists who come seeking pleasure, may they find Christ.

Offshore banking generates millions, whilst most are legal, there are some that are not. Please pray that these false companies would be exposed

People Groups

Cayman Islander

https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/19415/CJ

Jamaican

https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/12316/CJ

Haitian

https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/12035/CJ

Chapter 2:4

Ephesians 2

Ephesians 2

4 But God

HAVE YOU HAD A BUT GOD MOMENT?

These two words, must be among the greatest words in the whole bible, to the Christian, they are music to his ears.

Man is in a condition that he/she cannot change and cannot hope to change, in verse 1 it says we are dead in trespasses and sins, indeed we are hopelessly trapped, we are as dead as a do-do.

Man seeks to be Mr. do it yourself, he/she seeks any method to make himself better, but he can’t.

Verses 1-3 paint a terrible picture of man’s condition, he has no hope and it is only God that can do anything.

If it wasn’t for God, then I would still be trapped in the pit of sin, every Christian has had A BUT GOD MOMENT.

My friend, you need to have a But God moment, when God steps in and saves you, there is no hope in trying to earn salvation, you can’t.

The rest of the verse tells us why God saves us and we will consider this next time.

Trust in Christ alone and have you own But God moment.

God bless you

Keith

EPHESIANS 2

4 who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,

RICHES THAT ARE BEYOND MEASURE

We saw in our last devotion that those who are saved, all have their own BUT GOD moment.

How does this come about?

God has no reason to pour out his mercy on hardened sinners like us, he could and maybe should of turned his back on us, but thank God he didn’t.

Romans 5 says this:

6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.

8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

We are completely unable in our own power to do anything to help ourselves, it is God’s mercy that we are saved and not of human effort, the whole point of this section is to show that man is impotent, completely unable to do anything to change his sinful condition.

Mercy is the withholding of what we deserve, listen to the apostle Paul, as he outlines the mercy of God. Chapter 9 of Romans sums this up:

15
For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.

16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.

23

And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,

God’s mercy is poured out on us, he can be merciful to us, because at the cross, he was merciless to his only son Jesus at the cross.

Mercy was extended to guilty sinners because Jesus laid down his life, Paul states this glorious fact 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 great love of God for us, is beyond our imagination, why should God love us?

I for one, cannot think of one reason, why he should love me, again Romans 5:8, sums these thoughts up:

8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Christians know this rich mercy and great love, therefore we are to share it, it is our privilege to do this.

Are you sharing it or are you keeping it to yourself?

How selfish if you are?

But to those of you reading this, who do not know the richness of his mercy and his great love, the time to trust Christ is NOW

2 Corinthians 6:2

(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)

Do not harden your heart.

Trust Christ today, tomorrow may be too late.

Hebrews 4:7

Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

God bless you

KK

Proverbs 20

Proverbs 1

PROVERBS 20

3 It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.

STICKY BEAK SYNDROME

Helen, my wife, says I have a problem. She calls it by the title of the devotion.

Strife and meddling are a real paIn to any church, where strife is, there is every evil thing. Strife either personally or corporately will rip churches and relationships to pieces. The text says that it is a good thing for a man to cease striving with others. Have you stopped causing strife?

I can speak from experience, because I am an expert in meddling. Let me give you an example: Helen and some sisters are talking in Chinese, and I have to know what they are talking about it. It is none of my business and when I find out, then it’s really not that important, but yes I have to know. I have to meddle.  I have to stick my beak into something that isn’t my business. Have you ever done that? What… you haven’t… you are either perfect or a liar!!!!!

Peter was a meddler. Look at him on the Mt of Transfiguration. He couldn’t leave things alone! God’s glory was all around him, and then after he was restored by Jesus, he had to ask about John; “What will this man do?” He got a stern rebuke from Jesus. He knew full well what John would do, but he wanted to meddle. He wanted to know everything.

Be honest here, are you a meddler? Do you have sticky beak syndrome?

God bless you

Kk

PROVERBS 20

4 The sluggard will not plough by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing.

BEDRIDDEN

So many Christians are bedridden. They like their beds too much, me included.

We all love to harvest, but the hard, back breaking work is the ploughing, because without it, you can’t get a harvest.

We all like to see a full church at Christmas and Easter with many unbelievers. But this is probably the result of long days of sending out invitations and praying for people.

Let’s say we are having special services at Christmas, and it’s snowing on the Saturday mornings. You and church members are going to go out into the community posting literature through the doors of houses, “Oh Its so cold, let’s go another day”. WWJD is printed on our logo’s. We say well what He do? Well… He would go, cold and all.

We have to plough the land before we can plant the seed. If we plant the seed upon the unploughed land, will it grow? I think not.

We should not expect a harvest unless we are prepared to plough and then sow. Remember Psalm 126. Maybe we don’t receive a harvest because we don’t sow in tears; there is sowing and sowing in tears. There is a difference in giving out literature and giving them out with a heart of compassion for those you are giving them to:

Those who sow in tears
    shall reap with shouts of joy!


6 He who goes out weeping,
    bearing the seed for sowing,
shall come home with shouts of joy,
    bringing his sheaves with him.

When someone comes to faith in your church, that is probably the result of someone who is dedicated, believing, ploughing and sowing precious seed in their hearts.

Remember, before we can reap, we have to sow and before we can sow, we have to plough.

。

Sometimes the ground is hard, but that is the time to get off our butts and plough. We can’t plant seed on land that is not ploughed.

So it’s time to get out of our comfortable little church lives and plough the communities we are in. Have you ever prayer walked your community?

I talk to many believers who never invite anyone to church or to evangelistic events. They are completely bedridden and expecting others to share the gospel. 2% of Christians share their faith in a regular basis! This is true church, and it’s time to train people how to share the gospel. We are here for one purpose, and that is to share the gospel!

I have heard of a minority people in China of 30,000. Much literature was given out to them, but there is no fruit. Yes, the seed was sown, but the field was not ploughed. Ploughing and sowing can happen in a time period close to each other.

Let me ask you about the peoples of Afghanistan. Can the seed of the word of God be sowed into their lives? Yes and no. It takes people to plough in service and prayer to break up the ground… first.

Jesus said what in Luke 9:

62 Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the Kingdom of God.”

What is that person doing? Is he sowing the seed or is he reaping?

He has his hand to the plough… doing probably the most important job in the church.

Let me ask why should you expect a share of the harvest if you can’t be bothered to plough and sow?

God bless you

KK

CHINESE SERMONS

Uncategorized

CHINESE

JOHN KNOX INSTITUTE

LEVITICUS IN CHINESE  20 SERMONS
ROBERT MCCURLEY

https://www.johnknoxinstitute.com/sjjd/lvi

恩約下父母承擔的角色
49:57zhSteven Shi • 24/7/14100+
Job 1:4-5; Ephesians 6:4

https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermons/71524258373716/a?autoplay=1

无题证道 DAVID MCADAM

https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermons/727261746424925

旷野中的馨香 JOSH BALES

https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermons/71526316212415

恩典而非毅力 RYAN WETHERN

https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermons/71526222146

神对悖逆的世界的审判：悔改还是灭亡?
42:16zhSteven Shi • 26/8/2
Chinese Reformed Baptist – Revelation 16:1-9

https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermons/84261459101760/a?autoplay=1

神國帶來審判
41:47zhSteven Shi • 25/6/1
Revelation 11:16-18

https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermons/66251326592577/a?autoplay=1

Chapter 2:2-3

Ephesians 2

EPHESIANS 2

2 in which you once walked. You were following the ways of this world [influenced by this present age], in accordance with the prince of the power of the air (Satan), the spirit who is now at work in the disobedient [the unbelieving, who fight against the purposes of God]. 3 Among these [unbelievers] we all once lived in the passions of our flesh [our behavior governed by the sinful self], indulging the desires of [a]human nature [without the Holy Spirit] and [the impulses] of the [sinful] mind. We were, by nature, children [under the sentence] of [God’s] wrath, just like the rest [of mankind]. 

ALL VERSES FROM THE AMPLIFIED BIBLE

BUT YOU HAVE BEEN WASHED

We are always told to look to the future and that’s so true, but we also have to remember the past.

When my dear and BELOVED brother Peter came over whilst we were in the UK in 2015, we went back to our home where he grew up and where I was born, we met the next door neighbour and she remembered him as the one, who was quite naughty, needless to say.

I do have people who are reading this, one in particular who does remember me, before I was a believer, a mixture of Dennis the menace and the joker (in fact it was no joke to those who met me, rather a nightmare).

As Christians, we need to remember, where we come from, we are now in the light, and that is wonderful, but what were we like.

In verse 2, we were following the world, we were running headlong after Satan and all the world had to offer, we were not interested in God or Jesus, we maybe kept up a veneer in Church attendance, like I did, I was ok to go to church for an hour, but for the rest of the week, I was a devil.

In reality, I fought against God, I was not for him, I was against him, he was irrelevant to me, something and someone, that was for sad and lonely people, who needed something to console themselves with.

I let my fleshly passions run wild, I remember that my father had a big jar where he put coins in, 5p and 1p (for my American friends, that’s a nickel and a dime). He often wondered, why his jar wasn’t getting any fuller, because this little thief, was helping himself to it, this is the reality of a sinful heart running wild and roughshod over any and every law and moral standard set down, it basically sets down it’s own rules, it is only when the Holy Spirit convicts and controls a person, that these passions are crucified and that takes a lifetime.

I was under wrath, God’s hand was upon me, and not in a good way. Now he holds me in his hand, back then, he wanted to throttle me, as many other people did.

So what does this mean to us as Christians, well knowing where we come from, gives us two things:

One is urgency, we see the world, as it is, without hope, people who are trapped in sin, just like we were. The world needs help, people all around us, are under the wrath of God, literally the righteous anger of God, many thousands today in your country and my country will die today.

There is really, no time to waste.

Second is compassion, we no longer, look on people, as those unbelievers, read what Paul says to the Corinthians in Chapter 6 of His first epistle:

9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit or have any share in the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; [d]neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate [by perversion], nor [e]those who participate in homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers [whose words are used as weapons to abuse, insult, humiliate, intimidate, or slander], nor swindlers will inherit or have any share in the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you [before you believed]. But you were washed [by the atoning sacrifice of Christ], you were sanctified [set apart for God, and made holy], you were justified [declared free of guilt] in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the [Holy] Spirit of our God [the source of the believer’s new life and changed behavior].

Such were some of you:

BUT YOU HAVE BEEN WASHED

That’s why we should remember, we were like them, but we have been washed.

We are where we are only because oof the blood of Jesus washing us from all our guilt and sin.

Let us never forget that once:

Such were some of you

God bless you

KK

Chapter 2:1

Ephesians 2

Ephesians 2

 1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins

THE DIVINE DEFIBRILLATOR

Once I was in a hospital and watched as doctors tried to revive a man, they put the electric charge on his chest and kept charging it, sadly it was to no use.

This is what it was like with us, we were completely dead and trapped in sin, and we try and revive ourselves with all kinds of good works and false religions, which offer us no hope at all.

We are completely oblivious to anything spiritual, nothing can revive us.

The revival of our souls is personal, it is you that he has quickened,  every few seconds somewhere in the world, the Holy Spirit is working, he  is making someone alive that was dead, this is almost too incredible for words.

For those of us, like me and others reading this, this is the most amazing thing, so what does it make us do? It should make us want to share it, after all, it’s not everyday that you can get a new heart, so let’s share it to everyone we can.

Ezekiel in chapter 36 of his book, says these words:

25 Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.

26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.

And in chapter 37 of his book he says this:

6 And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the Lord.

7 So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone.

8 And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them.

9 Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord God; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.

10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army.

What does it say in verses 7 and 10 of Ezekiel, so I  prophesied as it was commanded me, I spoke the words of life, we as Christians have the words of life, but we do not speak it, we have the opportunity to speak about Christ and yet we do not speak, I know most of all, it is easy for me in China, I can say ” well I don’t speak the language”, that is no excuse, and it will not hold water when God asks us, why we didn’t speak the words of life Ezekiel chs 3 and 33?

Do you know in America, the land of free speech, many believers have sticking plaster over their mouths, when it comes to witnessing, they only take it off to gossip and slander each other.

God through his Holy Spirit does the circumcision without hands, we have all had a heart operation done without hands, a spiritual operation, that is supernatural.

In John 11, we have the story of Lazarus, the grave is exactly, where we are, we are completely dead, we are in our graveclothes, completely dead, with no chance of revival, but Jesus comes and says Lazarus come forth, every single one of us, who has been saved is quickened or made alive by the Holy spirit and brought out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light.

You have been revived by the divine Defibrillator, you have been given

a new heart and are now made alive by the circumcision without hands, in Colossians 2:11-15, we have a great picture of what Christ has done for us, we are now alive, no longer dead in sin, but alive unto Christ.

11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:

12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.

13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;

14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

What a saviour!!!!

Thanks be to God

Amen

KK

Chapter 1:15-23

Ephesians 1b

EPHESIANS 1

15 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,

16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;

17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:

18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,

20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,

21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:

22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,

23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

KNOWING CHRIST IN ALL HIS FULLNESS

I wonder what it was like to be one of the believers in Ephesus, as this letter was read to the whole church, it must of been so eye opening to hear these words read in their original written language of Greek.

Paul has said the longest sentence in the bible and now he is going to pray the first of his greet prayers for the church and the individual believers in Ephesus.

Paul has outlined all that we have in Christ and who we are in Christ, now he prays that we fully grasp and grow in this wonderful knowledge.

He doesn’t want these things in vs 3-14, just to be head knowledge, he wants these things to deepen and develop in the life of the church and each individual believer.

In verse 17, Paul states that the believers be given the spirit of wisdom and revelation, they would have a passionate heavenly mindset to all the things mentioned in vs 3-14.

The believers would fully grasp all that Christ has given them, to do this, we need God’s wisdom, because these things cannot be discerned by human wisdom, how can human wisdom understand redemption, adoption and election?

God through his holy spirit is continually revealing to us new things, Paul is saying, may God continually reveal new and exciting things about Christ to you.

Let me ask you as you read your bible, Is God revealing new things about Christ?

Are you grasping more of what you have in Christ and who you are in Christ?

SEE John 1:14-16, Colossians 3:11. Romans 13:14, John 15:5

He prays for three P’s:

To know God’s amazing plan verse 19

4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will

God had a plan, before time began, he choose you, he predestined you. Do I understand these things? No!

I do not wish to get into an argument over this subject, the bible teaches it and so I believe it. Some things are beyond our mind’s scope, all we can do is to wonder at the glory of it…amen

We praise God although we see through a glass darkly, there are things, we don’t understand, but we know and praise God that he had a plan for each and everyone for us.

These verses in Romans 8, are so wonderful:

29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

To know God’s amazing power vs 19-20

The ESV says:

19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might

We all know that hurricanes and earthquakes can be measured, but God’s power cannot be measured, it is immeasurable, and it works in us, it is to us who believe, it is working in and through us, by his precious Holy spirit.

The same power that is working in us, is the same power that raised Christ from the dead, it we ever caught the full extent of this, we would not be afraid of anyone.

To know the person of Christ vs 20-23

Christ is above all things, so we can be assured that he is in control of everything and not only that he is in control of the church.

We can have the upmost confidence because Christ is above all and has all things under his feet, what does Christ have under his feet, sin and death are under his feet, he has defeated them.

That is the confidence the Christian has and Paul prays that the believers will know the glorious fullness of God’s plan, power and the magnificent person of Christ.

Paul’s whole focus is Christ and his whole focus, is that the church and the believers would know Christ, he wrote to the Philippian believers in this way in chapter 3 of that wonderful book:

 8Yea 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.

Our whole focus should be Christ, our whole aim, should be to know Christ.

Is knowing Christ and knowing him better your whole focus?

Is he and he alone, your abiding passion?

God bless you

KK

Ephesians 1:15-16

Ephesians 1b

EPHESIANS 1

15 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,

16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;

TRUE PURPOSE DRIVEN PRAYER

How do we pray for each other?

What is our motivation for praying for your fellow believers.

Paul has stated what we have in Christ, he has shown us that we have everything IN Christ.

When we see believers trusting in and serving Christ, then we  should pray for them.

How do we pray for people:

We pray profitably for them, Paul says for this reason.

For what reason you say, well to gain a thorough knowledge of all he has outlined in verses 3-14, because if we truly grasped what we have in Christ and who we are in Christ, then we would have true Christian assurance and security, most of the problems in our Christian lives, lie in a lack of security and we have no knowledge of who we are in Christ.

He prayed precisely for them, look at the rest of the prayer, he is praying for specific things for the believers, he is praying for wisdom, hope, knowledge of God and power. He is not praying for worldly things, but for things relating to the kingdom of God.

We pray for them personally.

Note he talks of your faith, he prays for each of the believers in Ephesus. As we read further in this prayer, we see how personal this prayer is. When we pray every day, we pray for individual believers, sure we pray for the church, but we pray for individual believers. Paul had spent years in Ephesus, he knew many of these believers in person, many in churches today, only know those in their little cliques.

We pray for them passionately

As soon as Paul heard about these believers, he started to pray. 

As you read the prayer, can you hear the passion, he is praying with. Do you pray for your fellow believers with passion?. Is it just bless X or Y, or do you pray with passion for them?

He prays persistently,  he does not cease to give thanks for these believers. His prayers were ongoing and constant for the believers, he did not pray once in a while for these believers, he brought them before the throne of grace on most days.

He prays with a positive result in mind, look ahead to the prayer, what is the result, that they would know the power of God manifested in their lives. Prayer is power and the result of you praying into believers lives is that they are infused with the very power of God.

As you pray for your fellow believers, you need to pray in these five ways:

Profitably

Personally

Passionately

Precisely

Persistently

If we pray like this, our prayers, will have a positive result, that the very power of God would be unleashed in the people and churches you pray for.

God bless you

KK

Chapter 1:11-14

Ephesians 1b

Ephesians 1

13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

SIGNED SEALED AND DELIVERED

What happens when a person truly trusts Christ for salvation?, 

One of the things, is that he/she receives the precious Holy spirit, who is their teacher, guide and comforter.

One of the things that the Holy spirit does is to seal us, to authenticate us in the sight of God.

When you have a piece of porcelain from a world famous factory, it will usually have the makers or artists mark on it, it is the same with us, we are sealed with God’s seal or stamp, we are his.

God has purchased us as his prized possession, he now seals us, remember that the Spirit of God is fully God, he can and does do this, the seal is the guarantee we will receive the inheritance.

One day we will receive our full inheritance,  it is a sure thing, there should be no doubt in our minds.

I come to all these verses and they are my favourite verses in the whole bible, their focus is on God and what Jesus did for us on the cross. 

They go back to the dawn of history and look forward to heaven and to the glorious realisation that we will be his forever.

They are reassuring words for the believer, but also thay are words to motivate you, to share and proclaim what Christ has done for you.

It’s truly awesome, but it’s no good keeping it to yourself.

I pray as we delve deeper into Ephesians, these truths will resonate in your heart and mind.

God bless you

Keith

EPHESIANS 1

11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

THE BEST INHERITANCE

If salvation, redemption and adoption weren’t enough, we now come to the promise of an eternal inheritance. Jesus mentions this in John 14:1-3 and Peter must of been thinking of this, when he wrote these words under the urging of the Holy Spirit.

1 Peter 1

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,

5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

Our parents and other relatives leave us money, but that inheritance will not last, the inheritance we received through Christ, never loses it’s value, it remains constant.

As I have read this passage, I realise one thing, God doesn’t have to do any of this, he makes a deliberate choice, he gives all these blessings, simply because of his love and mercy towards us. The counsel of his own will, he does these things, not to glorify us, but to glorify himself, our salvation , our redemption, adoption and inheritance are about Him and always will be.

God does all things for us glory and our good, he saves us that we should bring praise to his glory and supreme majesty.

Heaven is our inheritance, intimate fellowship for eternity is our privilege, we shall see his face and serve Him forever.. amen.

We are heirs of this promises and joint heirs with Christ, have we received our inheritance yet?

No, but we will, it defies description, it simply blows our minds to even think of it.

If you have this inheritance, then you want others to have it too, this is a motivation to share the gospel. Do you know Christ and have this inheritance?

Let’s finish with this amazing verse from Romans 8, rejoice Christian, you are an heir and a joint heir with Christ.

Romans 8:17

King James Version

17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

Next time the devil, tells you that you are worthless, tell him this you have an inheritance that lasts forever, that’s how to answer him.

God bless you

Keith

Chapter 1 :7-10

Ephesians 1A

EPHESIANS 1

7 according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight

LAVISHED GRACE

I love strawberries and cream, I love to pour cream on my strawberries, I love to lavish them with cream.

When God gives something to us, such as forgiveness, such as redemption and grace, he does not hold back.

He gives it to us lavishly, his grace is rich and deep. Can you come to a full understanding of that, I certainly can’t, it is beyond our understanding.

He gives it to us, knowing all about us, knowing all about us, but he still gives it.

But again, he can only give it to us because he had to see his beloved son suffer on Calvary, he can only give grace, because he gave up his son to be the scapegoat for our sin. He punished his son, so that he could lavish his grace and his love on us.

What a glorious salvation

True, Total, Rich and Lavished upon us

God blesses you

KK

Ephesians 1

9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:

10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:

MYSTERY AND MAJESTY

All through the Old testament, we have pictures of redemption, through the series of sacrifices and feasts, the old testament writers wrote about grace, they earnestly and fervently wrote about him, but we see the fulfillment, in 1 Peter1,we read this:

10 Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:

11 Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.

12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.

But in these days, Christ is revealed to us, in Hebrews 1, we read this:

1God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,

2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

Now he has been pleased to reveal Christ in all his fullness… to us.

We get the benefit of this, but in a recurring theme, he does it for his good pleasure and his glory, God does everything according to his purposes and for his good pleasure.

He also reveals Christ, to draw all the strings of history together, the cross and resurrection are the central point of history, he brings everyone and everything together in Christ, he brings different people from different nations together in Christ.

We are together in Christ, we are redeemed in Christ, we are one in Him. In the fullness of time, he has brought true salvation to all men.

People through history have longed to look at these things, David, Moses and Isaiah wrote about these things, but we can see them, we have the benefit.

What a wonderful joy to be In Christ.

God bless you

KK

Chapter 1:7

Ephesians 1A

CHAPTER 1

7 In him we have redemption through his blood,

TRUE REDEMPTION

We often hear the word redemption, maybe a sports team that has suffered a horrible defeat in a final, won the next year, they will say, it is redemption for them, to use the word in that context is not true.

Redemption means to buy back, the analogy to use is that of a slave being bought back from slavery. The children of Israel were a redeemed people, they had been bought back from slavery in Egypt.

The bible is the story of redemption, man was with God, then because of his sin, he lost his relationship with God, he was under the grip of sin, he was a slave to sin, but because of the shed blood of Jesus, we were bought back, we were redeemed.

Let us never forget the terrible price that was paid to buy us back, it was the precious blood of Jesus.

William Cowper puts it like this:

  1. 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.
  2. 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.

Oh, the precious blood of Jesus, that has earned my redemption, as every true believer can say, it is only by the precious blood that I am redeemed.

I am redeemed by the blood of the lamb. Hallelujah

God blesses you

KK

7 the forgiveness of our trespasses

TOTAL FORGIVENESS

Not only are we bought back, but all of our sins, all our trespasses are forgiven.

We often think, how can God forgive every single sin, I’ve ever done.

Just imagine in a day, we commit ten sins every day and let’s say, we live for seventy years, that’s 255,000 individua sins and that’s not counting the sins in our mind and our thought life, but God forgives every single one.

Forgiveness is total and complete, once God forgives our sins, he does not bring them up again, he completely forgets them.

Psalm 103, is a great place to go to remember these things

He does not deal with us according to our sins,
    nor repay us according to our iniquities.
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
    so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west,
    so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
13 As a father shows compassion to his children,
    so, the Lord shows compassion to those who fear

We are forgiven, all our sins are under the blood, all of our past guilt is washed away.

In a world that is full of guilt, the believer, can know the great fact that God has forgiven all his trespasses. everyone.. amen

God blesses you

kk

Chapter 1:6

Ephesians 1A

Ephesians 1

6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. 

12 to the praise of his glory.

14   to the praise of his glory.

ITS ALL ABOUT HIM

Why does God do things?

Why does he save us?

We get so many benefits, surely it’s for our benefit

Well, no it’s to show forth the glory of his grace.

It’s so that his grace, would show forth his glory and that his glory would be seen in his grace.

So many times, we hear testimonies and it’s all about that person,  what happened to them, how they changed etc.

But in truth, it isn’t and shouldn’t be about them, it’s all about God, it’s all about what he has done for us, remember that we are dead in our sins, we cannot help ourselves, left to ourselves, we would never move towards God, it is he who draws us, it is he who gives us the faith to believe, it is the precious Holy spirit who convicts us of sin, righteousness and judgement.

Next time you tell your testimony or share with another person, make sure, it’s all about Jesus and not about you.

Remember, you are only saved to show forth the glory of his grace.

Are you doing that on a daily basis?

God bless you

Keith

Ephesians 1

TRUE ACCEPTANCE

6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

In Matthew 3:17, Jesus is being baptized by John the Baptist, the Spirit of God descends on him and the Father says this:

17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

So many people, don’t feel accepted in society today.

They crave to be accepted, if they are not accepted by this or that person, then they feel let down and take drastic measures, they try to change their appearance, some even change gender and some sadly commit suicide.

True acceptance comes through Christ.

How can we be acceptable to God, through the beloved, God’s son.

We are accepted because of him, because of his atoning death on the cross.

These are truths to cling onto, these are defining truths for your life.

We are accepted because we are in the beloved, we are in Christ. He is in us and we are in him, because we have that relationship, we can know true acceptance.

When people won’t or can’t accept you as you are, know thus, that God in Christ, has accepted you, because you are in Christ.. HIS BELOVED SON.

Matthew Henry says this:

The next spiritual blessing the apostle takes notice of is acceptance with God through Jesus Christ: Wherein, or by which grace, he hath made us accepted in the beloved, v. 6. Jesus Christ is the beloved of his Father (Matt 3 17), as well as of angels and saints. It is our great privilege to be accepted of God, which implies his love to us and his taking us under his care and into his family. We cannot be thus accepted of God, but in and through Jesus Christ. He loves his people for the sake of the beloved. 

God bless you

Keith

Chapter 1:4-5

Ephesians 1A

EPHESIANS 1

4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love

GOD’S CHOSEN ONE

As, I start to write about these wonderful truths, I am like the psalmist, these things are too wonderful for me, they may me too wonderful for me, but if you are truly born again, they are a reality for you as they are for me

When I was at school, and we played football, we had to pick teams, this was something I dreaded, because I knew that I would be left to last, ever felt, like that?

Well, it’s not the case with God.. amen.

He chooses us.. yes, he choose me and he choose you.

In 1 Corinthians 1:26-31, Paul says GOD chooses the foolish things, the things that the world thinks are useless and unworthy, how amazing。 We might not be anything in the world’s eyes, but we are everything in God’s eyes.

I can’t fully comprehend all this, truly it is beyond my understanding. 

God the Father made a conscious choice to choose me and you, if you are truly born again. it shows surely that we have no part in our salvation it is God who takes the initiative, it is God who draws us to himself, it is God who loves us. 1 John 4:19

Why did he choose us?

So, we could be holy and blameless before him, we were tainted by sin, but now because of the cross, we can be blameless.

​

What motivated or constrained him?  Love, pure and beautiful love. He had no need of us, he knew that we would reject him, but still he chooses us, still he loved us and now praise God, he has you and me, for his very own.. amen.

Matthew Henry writes on this verse:

We have here the date of this act of love: it was before the foundation of the world; not only before God’s people had a being, but before the world had a beginning; for they were chosen in the counsel of God from all eternity. It magnifies these blessings to a high degree that they are the products of eternal counsel. The alms which you give to beggars at your doors proceed from a sudden resolve; but the provision which a parent makes for his children is the result of many thoughts, and is put into his last will and testament with a great deal of solemnity. 

GOD BLESS YOU

KK

Chapter 1 verse 5

5 he predestined us[b] for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,

ADOPTED AS ONE OF HIS OWN

We can get tied up with the doctrines of election and predestination and yes I completely believe in them, but we need to focus on this fact, that we are adopted into God’s family as sons of the most high God.

Why did he do this?

Remember that God didn’t have to do this, he didn’t and in my case, I have no idea, why he did it.

Adoption is one of the great doctrines of the bible, we don’t have to understand it it fully, we just have to embrace the fact that we are adopted. So many believers are insecure in their faith, they wonder if God truly loves them. If they got a grip of the magnificent doctrine of adoption and the fact that God is their father and they are his son, and that he/she has done nothing to deserve that, then they would feel completely reassured and live in confident faith.

God adopted us to himself, we are his child, he is our Father. He adopts us in a personal way, to himself, once adopted, we are linked to Him, he is our father, we are his child.

He did it through Jesus Christ, all that the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, has we have, we have access to the Father, free and unlimited access, we are clothed with Christ’s righteousness.

Again, adoption is a sovereign gift, all the things, we will talk about, are love gift from the Father, through the Son and applied by the Spirit.

Being a child of God, you are chosen, you are predestined to be sons of the Lord of the universe.

There is no higher privilege than that.. amen

Matthew Henry says this:

Predestination has respect to the blessings they are designed for; particularly the adoption of children, it being the purpose of God that in due time we should become his adopted children, and so have a right to all the privileges and to the inheritance of children

God bless you

Keith

Chapter 1:2-3

Ephesians 1A

EPHESIANS 1

2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

THE MOST PRECIOUS GIFTS

We all love receiving gifts, especially at Christmas and on our birthdays. amen.

But as Christians, we have received gifts that are beyond measure, we are totally blessed.

What have we received:

Firstly

Grace- simply unmerited favour, we do not deserve anything God gives us. What we have is God’s gracious gift to us, he doesn’t have to give us anything, but he does, that’s why it’s grace.

Secondly

Peace-with God and with others. We are now at peace with God, Paul outlines this much more in chapter 2, peace with people and most importantly God

Finally- where do these gifts come from, they are personal gifts to us, given by God the Father, because of the sacrifice of Jesus.

They are personal to us; they are HIS love gifts to us. 

In the following devotions, we will open some of these beautiful love gifts.

Praise his name

God bless you

KK

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places

WE HAVE IT ALL

We often complain that we are lacking this or that in our lives, but spiritually speaking, we have it all.

Every single spiritual blessing we could ever dream of is ours.. amen

God has blessed us, these are of course applied to every true believer, they are personal gifts from the Lord to us. 

They come to us, because of Christ, his work on the cross and resurrection, it is nothing to do with us, grace gives every gift listed in the following verses. We have these blessings because of Christ’s finished work, not to boast about ourselves,​ but to show God’s glory.

These are not ordinary gifts, they are heavenly gifts, we cannot find these gifts anywhere on earth, they are given by God the Father, because of the finished work of Christ and applied to us by the blessed Holy Spirit.

Every true and perfect gift comes from the Father of lights, he has given you these love gifts,

No wonder the first word in this awesome passage is of praise, BLESSED. Oh, he is to be blessed, who else can give gifts, ones that we don’t deserve. BUT GOD

As a Christian, you truly

HAVE IT ALL.. AMEN

God bless you

KK

Chapter 1 intro and vs 1

Ephesians 1A

Introduction;

I am stepping out in faith, am going to write a series of devotions on the book of Ephesians. I hope you will follow along, as we go through this great book.

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God

WHAT A CALLING

Why are we Christians at all?

Why are we in the place we are?

Why for example, am I in China?

We are Christians, because God has chosen and called us, he has called us to serve him and to be his children.

The reason is his will.

Paul was a Pharisee, he was an educated man, who didn’t ever imagine, he would be a preacher of the gospel.

But he became an apostle, by the WILL OF GOD.

We are, what we are, because of the will of God.

Praise God that he has set you apart and placed you in a unique place.

To be called a child of God and called into his service, is the highest privilege in the world.

Let’s never complain of who we are and where we are, because it is by the will of God.

Thanks

KK

1 To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus

SET APART ONE

In the first devotion, we saw that we are, what we are, because of the will of God.

So, what are we:

We are saints, literally, set apart ones. God has set us apart for himself, he has personally chosen us. That is so amazing.

They are in Ephesus, of all the places to start a church, this must have been one of the most difficult, full of idol worship, black magic and the like, but in that place, God set apart some to be saints, as he does in every place.

Despite persecution, which you can read about in the book of Acts, this little group of saints are faithful, that is what we are called to do, wherever we are.. amen.

These believers are grounded in Christ Jesus, they are not faithful to a creed or a theory, they are faithful to a person, CHRIST JESUS.

Why can we be faithful to HIM? Because he is always faithful to us.

It is all about a relationship, a relationship based on HIM, although we are sometimes unfaithful, he never is.

Glory in the fact, that you are his set apart one and that you are and always will be:

HIS SET APART ONE

Thanks

God bless you

” WHY DO WE SERVE GOD?

Noonday 2

Jeremiah 45 5 And seekest thou great things for thyself? seek them not: for, behold, I will bring evil upon all flesh, saith the Lord: but thy life will I give unto thee for a prey in all places whither thou goest. 

。

” WHY DO WE SERVE GOD?

It is always good to do some self examination. 

 The Lord uses this verse to question us: 

Are we serving God to further our own agenda?

Are our motives pure before God? 

God requires not just outward purity in our service for him, but our motives/inner life must be pure.

God says us to, are we seeking to further ourselves and to enhance our standing in the world? 

 It is dangerous, especially for people who share gospel truths online, to seek their own agenda, God says: 

 SEEK THEM NOT 

All of us, me especially need to check our motives, we must remember we are not here to promote ourselves but Christ. 

 God bless you’ 

 KK

THE FIRST TIME

Noonday 2

JOB 42

Then Job answered the Lord and said:

2 “I know that you can do all things,
    and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.
3 ‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’
Therefore, I have uttered what I did not understand,
    things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.
4 ‘Hear, and I will speak;
    I will question you, and you make it known to me.’
5 I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear,
    but now my eye sees you;
6 therefore I despise myself,
    and repent[a] in dust and ashes.”

THE FIRST TIME

One of my favourite songs is the first time by Mercy me. It sort of sums up this passage.

When we meet Job in chapter 1, he seems like a mature believer, but through his suffering, he can have his eyes opened to the true majesty and power of God.

You know,  we can know all about God in theory, in head knowledge, but we have to encounter him dynamically and directly.

Could Job of come to this realisation if he hadn’t gone through all he had been through, probably not. To teach us and stretch us, God has to put us through the fire, not to hurt us, but to burn off all the dross and unwanted things from our lives.

Job felt like many new believers do, a stunning realisation of God’s majesty and power, a freshness and joy that no one could contain.

Look at what it made him do; Come to a realisation that he was nothing and God was everything, come to a place of repentance, an ability to forgive the three loudmouths, his so called friends.

What did God do?. He gave him twice as much.

May you and I come to not just know God in the hearing of the ear, but may our eyes see the glory, beauty and majesty of God.

Here are the words to the song;

Day after day
I try to explain You
Like I can contain You in so many words
You are the ocean
And I’m on the shoreline
Thinking I know you like You could be learned 

It’s so amazing that You’d ever save me

I thought I knew Your face
I thought I tasted grace
But I had never felt anything close to this
Just when I’d seen it all
New mercy breaks the dawn
With my eyes open wide
It feels like the first time, first time
It feels like the first time, first time

This sums up Job’s words and sum up my thoughts, God is so much bigger than me. He is the ocean and I’m on the shoreline.

Job thought he had tasted grace, but he had never come face to face with the living God.

We need to meet with God, not just know Him in theory, but to meet him in person through constant communion and quietness.

May you and I have that deep communion, He desires it, but DO WE?

GOD BLESS YOU

KEITH

Chapter 1:27

James 1

JAMES 1

27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

TRUE RELIGION

What is true religion?

Chapter 2:14-26 of James causes so many Christians problems, they think that it means you can be saved by works, but works are not the root of faith, they are the fruit of faith.

What is God looking for in his church and in each individual believer?

It is two things, firstly, it is a caring approach to the lowest people in society, the widows and the orphans.

All through the OT, the children of Israel, were told to care for the widows and orphans, these were not to be ignored.

In 1 Timothy 5, the church is told to look after widows, this is boots on the ground Christianity, getting involved with the lowest members of society is practical service, remember Acts 6, the church there served widows, they gave food, in Acts 2:42-47, they provided for each other.

We have the practical examples of George Mueller with his orphanages and also that great Preacher Charles Spurgeon had children’s homes and ministry to widows, they cared not just for the soul but for the body.

Our Christianity, not only has to be practical, it must be personal, we need to live a life that is separate from the world, we must live as strangers and pilgrims in this world, although we live in the world, we are not of it, we must not love the world 1 John 2:15-17.

Our lives must be characterized by practical service and personal holiness, these are the two things God is looking for in each one of us. 

Are you serving the lowest people in your church?

Which was the last widow you visited in your church?

Time to get our hands dirty with true and practical service and time to get our hands and heads out of the world and live holy lives before God.

That is pure religion which God likes.

Amen

KK

Chapter 1:26

James 1

JAMES 1

26 If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless.

TONGUE TIED

Do you go to church every Sunday?

Do you read and study your bible?

Do you share the gospel to your friends?

All this is very good and very noteworthy and is exactly what you should be doing, but James, as he always does, under the holy spirit’s inspiration, pulls no punches.

What are the true evidences of Christianity?

In chapter 3, we have a detailed discourse on the tongue, here we have a little taster so to speak.

In chapter 3, James states that the tongue although the smallest member of the body, is like a runaway train, once started rolling downhill, it cant be stopped. I have said something to a family member and it has taken days or even months for the wounds to heal, if they ever do.

Words are like hand grenades; we throw them around carelessly and they end up hurting myriads of people.

The true test of a believer’s life is not how much bible you have read and know, but can you control your tongue?

The true test of a church is how much the members are living in peace with each other. Can you imagine, a non believer coming into your church, and seeing and hearing all the gossip and backbiting going on, it would put them right off.

You can have all your doctrine correct, all your evangelism programs running like clockwork and yet if you are biting and devouring each other with your words, it is completely and utterly worthless.

So, you think you are religious, do you?

If you haven’t been able to bridle or control your tongue, then all your so-called religious is just an empty and worthless shell.

Your words must back up your life, as James will say in his amazing discourse on faith and works in  Chapter 2.

May our words always be seasoned with salt and may they be a testimony to our faith in Christ.

Your testimony will be ruined if you can’t bridle your tongue.

Is your tongue tied by the power of God’s spirit or it is loosed to destroy and gossip?

If it’s the latter, your religion is worthless.

God bless you

KK

Chapter 1:22-25

James 1

JAMES 1

22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:

24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.

25 But whoso looked into the perfect law of liberty, and continuity therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

LOOKING INTO THE MIRROR

The older you get , the less you look in the mirror, well that’s my excuse anyway!

For the Christian, it is the opposite, the Christian loves to look into the mirror of God’s word to hear from God how to further his Christian walk.

If we look into the mirror of God’s word and God speaks to us about something and we do nothing about it, what is the worth of you looking into the mirror in the first place.

You can sit in church every week, you can agree to all the sermons, you can say, Oh yes, that’s a good thing to do, but if you don’t do it, it is worthless.

You see the word of God is a law of liberty, it is a law of life, it is not a straightjacket to hinder you, but it is a chain breaker to break the power of sin in your life.

The devil doesn’t mind you hearing the word of God, he doesn’t even mind you reading it, what he doesn’t want you to do is to obey it.

If you are reading the word of God on a regular basis and struggling to remember it, keep a journal, write down how God has spoken to you.

if you go to the mirror and there is a great big mark on your face, you go to the bathroom to wash it off, likewise when God speaks to you about something from his word, maybe a sin to be confessed or command to obey, don’t put it off.

Be quick not only to hear but to obey.

TRUST AND OBEY

FOR THERE’S NO OTHER WAY TO BE HAPPY IN JESUS THAN TO TRUST AND OBEY

GOD BLESS YOU

KK

Chapter 1:21

James 1

JAMES 1 

21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.

WHAT ARE YOU FILLING YOUR MIND WITH?

I have a question for you.

How much time do you spend watching trash TV and how much time do you spend in the word of God?

Let me tell you that you can never grow in your Christian life, if you are continually filling your mind with the trash of the world. You know James pulls no punches, he calls a spade a spade and tells you as it is.

Although it was written nearly 2,000 years ago, it is so relevant. we need to get rid of all the filth of the word, but we have to replace it with the pure milk of the word of God.

In psalm 119:37, we hear this:

37 Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken thou me in thy way.

So, believer stop watching rubbish on Tv and the internet/cell phone and get your focus on the word of God.

Here are some verses to help you:

1 Peter 2 

2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.

Philippians 4 

8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

Receive the word , let it become part of you, because that is the only thing that can help you grow as a Christian, the TV and Cell phone will not.

God bless you！

kk

Chapter 1:19-20

James 1

JAMES 1

19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:

20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.

QUIET PLEASE

We all want to be heard, we don’t like to listen and we are very quick to anger.

Taken together this is a volatile cocktail that leads to trouble, James fully expounds on the subject of the mouth in chapter 3, so often my reaction is:

SLOW TO HEAR

QUICK TO SPEAK AND QUICK TO WRATH

God’s wrath is perfect, it is based on his righteousness, our wrath and anger as will be seen in chapter 4 is unholy and brings strife, God’s is based on his perfect holiness.

So are you a good listener?

We often hear this said, when there’s an argument ” oh I don’t want to hear this”.

Do we hear the other person or do we like the sound of our own voice?

Are we slow to speak? Is our tongue under control, this is the true test of Christian maturity. Because we don’t hear, we speak, not knowing all the facts and this leads to wrath, so listen before you open your mouth, it will save you lots of trouble and pain.

Are we slow to wrath?

Are we like a volcano or are we virtuous?

MATTHEW HENRY SAYS

  People are often stiff in their own opinions because they are not willing to hear what others have to offer against them: whereas we should be swift to hear reason and truth on all sides, and be slow to speak any thing that should prevent this: and, when we do speak, there should be nothing of wrath; for a soft answer turneth away wrath. As this epistle is designed to correct a variety of disorders that existed among Christians, these words, swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath, may be very well interpreted according to this last explication. And we may further observe from them that, if men would govern their tongues, they must govern their passions. When Moses’s spirit was provoked, he spoke unadvisedly with his lips. If we would be slow to speak, we must be slow to wrath.

God bless you

KK

Chapter 1:18

James 1

JAMES 1

18 It was of His own will that He gave us birth [as His children] by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits of His creatures [a prime example of what He created to be set apart to Himself—sanctified, made holy for His divine purposes].

REBORN FOR HOLINESS

Isn’t salvation just awesome?

God’s will throughout history is for the salvation of man, all through the bible, is the golden thread of salvation of God seeking and saving sinners.

We are reborn, what Jesus said to Nicodemus springs to mind, 

JOHN 3

3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?

5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

The mind of Nicodemus was totally blown away by this, mine is also, this is supernatural teaching, only by the illumination of the Holy Spirit, can we understand this.

What we need to understand is this, that GOD has saved us for a purpose, I love what the amplified bible says on this:

a prime example of what He created to be set apart to Himself—sanctified, made holy for His divine purposes.

We are his example to the world of what he has recreated, we are reborn to honour him, to do his will and to be used by God to reach a need world.

To live holy and blameless lives before him and the world.

Let’s be his living examples to the glory of God.

God bless you

KK

Chapter 1:17

James 1

JAMES 1

17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

LOVE WRAPPED GIFTS

The Lord is a gift giving God, every one of his gifts is good and perfect.

He gives generously, when he gives, he doesn’t spare anything, indeed the most well-known verse in the bible in John 3:16 states that God gave his only son, he doesn’t hold back when he gives. What a joy it is to receive gifts from our God who is so generous.

He also has no favourites, he treats all of us the same, he doesn’t have his favourite people like we have, he is as generous to one as he is to another.

He is also true to his word, if he says, he will give us something, he will give it to us. He is completely and utterly trustworthy, he doesn’t promise something and then say, Oh now I can’t give it.

Every gift he gives is given by a father who loves to give, he is full of love for his children.

Remember every good and perfect gift comes direct from God tied with the ribbon of love from a generous Father.

GOD BLESS YOU

KK

Chapter 1:12-16

James 1

JAMES 1

12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:

14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

16 Do not err, my beloved brethren.

YOUR TO BLAME!

We battle three things every day, the world, the flesh and the devil.

Temptation is all around us, can God take that temptation away?

Well he could, if you want to live in a monastery or on a desert island by yourself, even in those places you would be tempted in one way or another.

No, he doesn’t take away these temptations, he gives us the power to defeat them, with the sword of the spirit in our hands and the holy spirit in our hearts.

If we overcome temptation, we will receive the crown of life, what a reward that is.

God is not the author of temptation; Does he allow us to be tempted? yes, but in those situations, he gives us the strength to overcome it.

Temptation starts slowly, it’s like this:

There is a casino, you have to walk past every day, at first you walk past it, then you gaze into the window, then you go in and look around, then you are gambling, see the progression. Psalm 1 outlines this, we are more and more passive and this leads to sin, bringing forth, not physical death but spiritual death, look at Adam and Eve and look at Samson.

We need to be proactive against temptation, lets go back to our casino scenario, what we need to do, is to find another way so that we don’t walk past that place of temptation.

Many men will say, “oh, I’ve had an affair, with this woman, it’s Gods fault that she came to my office”. If you are tempted in this situation, change jobs, don’t be inactive but proactive. 

It’s like porn on your computer, many men blame God or their wives, when in reality, it’s their lust and fornication, get rid of your computer and be accountable to other men. Confess your faults to one other as it says later in James, stop blaming God and everyone else.

These verses in 1 Corinthians 10 sum it up:

13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

14 Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.

God will give you a way of escape, but look at verse 14, you have to flee from idolatry, if you are tempted by some women at work, change jobs, if you are addicted to porn, then be accountable to others, don’t be inactive but proactive against sin, it may start small, but it will mushroom and it gives birth to only one thing and that is death.

Do not err on this point brothers and sisters.

Paul said to Timothy:

2 Timothy 2:22

Flee also youthfullusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

Not only must you flee these lusts, but you must you must follow righteousness and seek God in repentance.

You will overcome and the prize is a crown of life.

God bless you

Keith

Chapter 1:9-11

James 1

JAMES

CHAPTER 1

9 Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, 10 and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass[c] he will pass away. 11 For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also, will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.

THE RICH AND THE POOR

Christianity is the only faith, that is counter cultural. You can be as poor as a church mouse so to speak and yet be rich as a billionaire in spiritual things, see Ephesians 1.

One of the things, it does, is that it puts money in its proper place. It puts riches in it’s proper place, we need money to live, but we don’t need riches.

It is often said, that you cant take your money with you, but why would you, all the money in the world, can’t buy you into heaven, no amount of money, could buy you the things and the glory that are in heaven.

No amount of money can win you salvation.

When it talks about humiliation here, it talks about if you have money, you have to lay it down at the feet of Jesus. The rich young ruler and others in the gospels refused to lay it down and it cost them, their souls. 

It is difficult for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven, but when he is humiliated and lets everything go for the sake of the gospel, he is exalted, he is blessed. Because he will now have what money cannot buy.

Amen

God bless you

Keith

Chapter 1:5-8

James 1

CHAPTER 1

5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

WISDOM NEEDED NOW

Wisdom is a great gift from God, Solomon asked for it and received it.

In Proverbs 1, it says:

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;
    fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Psalm 111 says:


ThefearoftheLordisthebeginningofwisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!

God graciously gives us wisdom to deal with everyday circumstances, we are told later in James 3, what true wisdom is:

17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.

How do we endure and handle trials? When trying times come, how do we handle them?

We ask for wisdom from God and he will give us the wisdom to get through these things. But we ask in faith, we have to have a complete and utter trust in God and this must come with no doubt.

Sometimes when faced with a situation, we ask for God’s wisdom, but then we try to figure it out through the world’s wisdom, this is being caught between two minds, we cannot be two minds. We cannot afford to have one foot in both camps.

Christians need to completely and totally trusting in the Lord. Otherwise, we will be like a wave on the sea, God cannot give wisdom to us, unless we trust him 100%,  God’s wisdom and man’s wisdom, do not mix.

For the believer, it is either one or the other and I know what kind of wisdom I want, and that is God’s wisdom.

Ask God for his wisdom, act in faith and believe that he will give it to you.

God’s wisdom, will enable you to overcome trials and to see them in the right perspective, it clears the mist and allows you to see them in the divine perspective, but man’s wisdom, only sees them from man’s perspective

God bless you

Keith

Chapter 1 vs 2-4

James 1

CHAPTER 1

2 Count it all joy, my brothers,[b] when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

FAITH BEING PROBED AND PRODUCING

James doesn’t waste time getting to the point, does he?

Faith is a key word in this book, he outlines this further in Chapter 2 and throughout the book. You say that you have faith, well, where’s the evidence.

In the great chapter of faith in Hebrews 11, the people there had their faith tested, Abraham in Genesis 22, Moses by the children of Israel and many others.

All trials and tests we go through are to make our faith real, they are not meant to destroy it, they are meant to strengthen it, that is why James can tell us to count it all joy, in modern terms, to count, every trial as a blessing.

God knows every trial we go through, he is sovereign over every trial and is in control of every situation, he is with us, indeed one of the reasons, we can count it all joy, is because our Lord is with us through that trial.

The more trials we go through, the stronger we become, the first ones hurt, we wonder why, but as we stand against these, we are able to move on and to become steadfast and strong, it is like exercising a muscle, the more you exercise it, the stronger it becomes.

Trials and tests are God’s training ground, they are God’s proving ground for his children, we go through them, because we are his sons and daughters and not bastards. Hebrews 12 and Romans 8.

Remember, we can count it all joy, because they are true evidences of our faith, they mature and grow us and because finally, they prove that we are His.

God bless you

KK

JAMES THE MAN

James 1

James chapter 1

James, a servant[a] of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,

JAMES THE MAN

So, who was this man, James?

He was the half-brother of our saviour; he was the natural offspring of Mary and Joseph. Jesus of course was born supernaturally through the holy spirit.

He was the leader of the Jerusalem church; much is written about him in the book of Acts.

HE HAD A POWERFUL EXPERIENCE

In Mark chapter 3, James, his mother and his brother and his mother thought Jesus was mad, so what happened. The answer is the cross and resurrection of Jesus, this is a life changing experience. Every person who comes into contact with the above is never the same. People like Paul and James, who think Jesus is mad, are now slaves of Jesus Christ.

HE HAD A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP

Everyone like James who comes into contact with Jesus, comes into a personal relationship. Christianity is about a relationship, it is not about religion, it is the only faith, where you can have a personal relationship with God, why because God steps down into human history.

HE WAS PERMANENTLY TRANSFORMED

When people come into contact with Jesus, they are totally transformed, James was changed and millions have been changed over the last 2,000 years.

So, who is James, He is you and me. 

Jesus changed the life of James and he can change yours too.

God bless you

KK

Be an “I Will” Christian

Psalms 3

Be an “I Will” Christian

“With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth. I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches. I will meditate in thy precepts and have respect unto thy ways. I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word… Psalm 119:13-16.”

Of all the psalms, this one is one of the best because it talks about God’s precious word.

Why don’t we have the same attitude the psalmist had in this beautiful psalm? He says, “I will.” He makes a commitment to the Word of God. Someone has testified that only half of Christians read the bible every day. These things should not be.

We need to make a commitment to the reading of the Bible. Rest assured, the devil will put any obstacle in your way to stop you from reading and meditating on scripture; even Christian service.

The Bible is the greatest treasure trove in the world. It is our spiritual food. You shouldn’t just read the Bible but meditate on it throughout the day.

Let God’s truth drip into your spirit. Let it take up residence in your mind; let it encompass your whole being. You may have heard this writing before (I don’t know the author, but I sure agree with him):
:
The Bible contains . . .

the mind of God,
the state of man,
the way of salvation,
the doom of sinners, and
the happiness of believers.

Its doctrines are holy,
its precepts are binding,
its histories are true, and
its decisions are immutable.

Read it to be wise,
believe it to be safe,
and practice it to be holy.

The Bible contains . . .

light to direct you,
food to support you,
and comfort to cheer you.

It is . . .

the traveler’s map,
the pilgrim’s staff,
the pilot’s compass,
the soldier’s sword and
the Christian’s charter.

Here too, Heaven is opened — and the gates of Hell are disclosed.

Christ is its grand subject,
our good is its design, and
the glory of God is its end.

The Bible should . . .

fill the memory,
rule the heart
and guide the feet.

Read it slowly, frequently and prayerfully.

The Scripture is . . .

a mine of wealth,
a paradise of glory,
and a river of pleasure!

It . . .

is given to you in life,
will be opened at the judgment,
and be remembered forever.

The Bible . . .

involves the highest responsibility,
rewards the greatest labor, and
will condemn all who trifle with its sacred contents!

Let’s all be “I WILL” CHRISTIANS!

Make a daily appointment to dive into the word of God!

God bless you, Keith 

Breaking or closing the box

Noonday 2

Breaking or Closing the Box

“And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she broke the box, and poured it on his head. And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, why was this waste of the ointment made? For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her. And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? She hath wrought a good work on me. For ye have the poor with you always, and whomsoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always. She hath done what she could: she is come a forehand to anoint my body to the burying. Verily I say unto you, wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her. And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests, to betray him unto them… Mark 14:3-10.”

Look at the contrast here between the woman and Judas, both had boxes or bags. One used their box to bless and one used it for himself and indeed complained when that box was broken in service to Christ and for Christ. So often we are like Judas, we see someone giving wholeheartedly to the work of God and we say what a waste, it could be used for such and such a thing.

This woman was commended by Jesus; indeed, his words are so true, this woman is now one who shared with millions around the world as a dynamic example of selfless service.

We have the treasure of Christ in earthen vessels, so can I ask you this question? Do you break your box of perfume or do close your box? We have treasures of the perfume of Christ, to share with the world. In another passage the perfume fills the whole house.

Remember that the perfume of Christ cannot reach a needy world, if you don’t break the box. We have the good news of Christ, but do we share it or do we hide it? 2 Corinthians 4:6-7: “For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shown in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.”

Have you broken the box that you have containing the gospel or are you keeping the perfume of Christ, to yourself? 

God bless you, Keith

The Power of One

Noonday 2

The Power of One

“Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance… Luke 15:7.”

The gospels record many accounts of Jesus preaching and teaching to thousands of people during His ministry on earth. In fact, the word “multitude” occurs 40 times in Matthew’s gospel. But His most powerful experiences came when He was ministering to the individual. Consider the following examples:

Nicodemus John 3
Woman at the well John 4
The leprous man Luke 5:12-14
The woman with the issue of blood and Jairus’ daughter Luke 8:40-56
The thief on the cross and the centurion at the cross

The early church also reached large crowds, but also touched individuals:

The Crippled Man Acts 3
The Ethiopian Eunuch Acts 8
The Philippian Jailer, Lydia and the Young girl Acts 16

In Luke 15, Jesus teaches us that the lost have value in the kingdom of God. Heaven’s greatest celebration is not over the multitudes who know Christ, but over the one who comes to Him in faith.

Do you know of someone who needs to respond to Christ’ gift of salvation?

Consider this: You would not have come to Christ, if someone hadn’t prayed for you and shared the gospel; Not only can you pray for the one, you can share the gospel with the one.

Let’s pray and then share the gospel and then let the precious Holy Spirit do his work of grace.

How can we reach the world? One sinner at a time.

Think of how many souls we could reach if each one of us would take the time to share the Good News with one who is lost.

Which One will you pray for? Which One will you share the gospel with?

God bless you, Keith 

Only Jesus

Keith's page 1

ONLY JESUS

I have just had another birthday, life goes fast doesn’t it, the older I get the more I focus on what is truly important.

So many things are calling for our attention, so what is important?

Life goes very quickly; it is over in a flash. I wonder where all those years have gone, it seems like yesterday that I was 16.

What is truly important today?

Jesus asked some of the most penetrating questions anyone has ever asked, he asked:

Who do you think I am?

This is the question everyone must answer.

The answer to this question will define you, it will not only define you here on earth, it will be the deciding factor to where you spend eternity. 

What is your answer to this question?

The apostles said in Acts 4, Now is the appointed time , now is the day of salvation.

The writer of the book of Hebrews said harden not your heart.

Jesus offers you life, don’t put him off, don’t put him aside and don’t harden your heart.

For those of you, who have trusted Christ and him alone, there is an ongoing relationship. Once you are his, it is the start of a relationship that will go on for eternity.

What are you living for believer?

Here are some reasons, why I should be living for Jesus

I HAVE A MANSION

People often say I have many flats/houses, many people in the world say look at my house isn’t it brilliant, but all I can say, look I have a mansion John 14:1-6.

I HAVE A REWARD

We have a reward, Paul is striving for a heavenly reward, look at Philippians 3 and 2 Timothy 4. We see so many people get rich and have many rewards, we may envy them, but we have no need to envy them, we will have the most amazing reward for our service to Him.

I HAVE AN INHERITANCE

We have an amazing inheritance, that will not rust or be taken away, so many people have money in the bank, but we have treasure that will never fade away 1 Peter 1.

I HAVE ETERNITY WITH GOD

We have our Jesus, we will be with him for eternity, whatever we go through here on earth, in terms of persecution, suffering etc is worth it, because of the glory we will have when we spend eternity with him in his heavenly home. Romans 8

What matters to you believer?

What will be the legacy you will leave?

Will your legacy be one of spiritual or monetary value?

I want my life to count for God,  I want to remembered for the grace of God in saving a sinner like me.

Whilst here on earth, I want to do two things:

I WANT TO KNOW HIM Philippians 3

I WANT TO MAKE HIM KNOWN MATTHEW 28:19-20

Make your life count, if you have never trusted Christ, trust him today, if you are serving him, strive for that heavenly crown, for your heavenly reward.

Because LIVING FOR AND LOVING JESUS IS THE ONLY THING THAT TRULY MATTERS

GOD BLESS YOU

KEITH

I can do all things

Keith's page 1

John 15:5

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.

I can do nothing to save myself

It is only through Christ

Through his saving work upon the cross

He saved me through his supreme sacrifice

I can do nothing to satisfy my deepest longing

Only Christ, can give me living of waters

Filling my life and flowing out of me

Supernatural rivers of joy

I can do nothing to forgive others

It is only by looking at the cross

At the One who has forgiven me

Can I forgive the people who have caused me hurt

So much forgiveness, has been given me

I have to forgive as Jesus did

I can nothing to love my enemies

Seeing the hurt they have done to my soul

But I hear my Savior’s words

Father forgive them, and I must follow his word

I can do nothing to love and serve Christ

But He gives me a job to do

To bring light, life and love into people’s lives

Sharing His love to a dark and depressed world

I can do nothing to love my wife

But I know that Jesus loves her so

And He calls me to selfless sacrifice

and to love her as He has loved the church

I can do nothing to share His gospel

I am slow in speech and in tongue

But like Peter, Christ gives me the speech 

To share His gospel and to reach out in love

In my own strength, I can do nothing

But in His strength

through his spirit

I can do All things

Philippians 4:13

13 I can do all things through Christ which strengthened me.

Without Christ, I can do nothing

All these things, I cannot do in my own strength, 

but in His strength and being filled with His Holy Spirit, 

I AM ABLE TO DO ALL THESE THINGS!

written by Keith

Why I am a Christian

Witnessing for the KIng

WHY I AM A CHRISTIAN

So, I am not an atheist, I am a Christian!

You may be saying, but there is no evidence for God, yes there is.

Why do I believe in God, why Christianity?

First let’s look at the influence of Christianity. 

It is a faith that is:

Counter Cultural, it is the one faith, the culture may say one thing, but Christianity says another. It does say that we are to obey government and the authorities, but it teaches that we need to go against the flow of society and to live as lights in the world. The people of God are the salt and light of this world.

It breaks country barriers, no other faith is in every country in the world, the same faith is in China, USA, Uk and Egypt. The faith of these people in different lands is the same, it is the only true global faith.

Atheists say, where is God? if there is a God, where is He? Christ came to earth, lived on earth and died the death you deserve. God has shown his compassion and care for us.

God has sent his Son for us, he cared enough to come. So where is God? He has come and lived amongst us for thirty years,  and died for us. How much care and compassion do you want?

Christianity is the only faith, that centres on a person. It centres on Christ. You may be an atheist, but you cannot deny that Jesus was a historical person.

What made him different? What has made millions of people give up their lives and follow him over the last 2000 years?  

CS Lewis said, that Jesus was either a Liar, Lunatic or Lord. He was one of the other, you cannot ignore the man of Galilee. 

He had a supernatural conception

He lived a perfect life

He said words that were beyond belief

He dies a terrible death

He rose from the grave and defeated death

He changes lives

Christianity centres on the cross, every other so-called religion seeks to reach up to God, but Christianity has God reaching down to man. The cross is central, no other so-called prophet like Mohammed or Buddha has done anything to deal with man’s sin.

Christianity calls for change, a radical one that it calls Conversion. It starts with the Holy Spirit convicting men/women of their sin and calling them to repentance. Christianity is the only faith that changes the human heart, it has brought about change in millions of people, who were thought beyond help. It has transformed Murderers, Drug addicts, Prostitutes and the like.

It also breaks the cycle of sin, man is trapped and has no way out, we go on living day to day and then we die, the atheist says, we have seventy years if we lucky and then we are no more. If that is the case and they are right, what is the point of life?

Jesus said, I am come that they might have life and have it in abundance John 10:10. He offers life with a capital L, not just here in this life, but he opens the way to heaven, he alone can give us peace with God and eternal life.

The greatest proof of Christianity is the resurrection, all the 

other so called great religious leaders such as Mohammed, Confucuis and Buddha, they are just a heap of dead bones, but the tomb of Jesus is empty, as the angels said on that first easter morning:

HE IS NOT HERE

He lives in the hearts of his people, he alone offers hope to people, what does Islam offer, try hard, pray five times a day and you may have a place in heaven.

Jesus says come unto me and I will give you rest, you come to me and you will have abundant life, not just in this life, but eternally.

Does it cost?

Of course, anything worth having does.

It will cost you:

your pride

your sin

But let me tell you, like the man who Jesus said found a pearl of great price in a field, he sold everything to buy that  field.

Jesus is the pearl of great Price, knowing him is beyond every ounce of gold on the planet and more.

The message is clear, Jesus came and died and then rose again, defeating death and will come again. It is a true message; it couldn’t be any clearer. The bible speaks with clarity, creation speaks with clarity, people with changed lived speak with clarity.

The clock is ticking, we all have a limited time on this earth, the most important question, we face is this:

What we will do with Jesus?

As CS Lewis said he is either a liar, Lunatic or he is Lord. 

As an atheist, you can’t get away from this fact, one day you will die. Are you scared, you bet you are!. But Jesus has defeated death and the grave and he offers life, the one you refuse to believe in loves you and went to the cross for you.

God’s command is for everyone to repent, man’s greatest need is peace. Peace with God. Man’s burden is sin, it is like pilgrim in Pilgrim’s Progress, he carries it around, it burdens him. There were many people who tried religion and good works to get rid of their sin, but the only place, sin is dealt with, is at the cross of calvary.

Paul has a great discourse, with the learned men of Athens, here is what he says:

:

Acts 17

,27 that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, 

 but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”

Is God calling you, time is passing. Acts 4:12 says, today is the day of salvation. In Hebrews we read harden not your heart. 

It’s up to you, please carefully consider the evidence.  I write this because of deep care for people, I am saved only because of God’s grace and mercy and can write this and say like Paul Romans 1

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek

God bless you

Keith

ARE YOU GROWING WEARY?

Prayer need

ARE YOU GROWING WEARY?

From: Ron Hawks

“Not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up…Galatians 6:9.”

Most people who come to Christ come when they are facing difficult times. They come when they are in great need. They are hoping for change in circumstances and/or within. Why don’t people come to God when they are in a “good space?” It’s probably because when things are good, we tend to be content with our self-reliance. We call out to God when relying on ourselves isn’t working anymore.

Life can still be tough – even when we rely on God. The apostle Paul encourages those who are living in Christ to “Not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:9) Why would people who have learned to rely on Christ become weary in doing the right things? It’s because we all are prone to lose focus.

It could be that we really want to see things change as a fruit of our good work. We keep our eyes on the change we hope for, and when we don’t see it we become weary and depleted. “Hope deferred makes the heart sick.” (Proverbs 13:6) It can happen to any of us. When we don’t see the change (fruit) we want from our labors, we can wear out.

However, we would do better to focus on doing the right things … for the Lord. It is better to serve the Lord in worship, rather than as a means of change. Yet, in honest, doing rightly rarely provides enough incentive to sustain us over the long haul.

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, He is our prize and the reward for our labors. Let’s work for Him (His delight), in Him (His power), and with Him (in Relationship with Him). When we live with Jesus – the things, the changes and even the results of our labor fade in prominence. He becomes the “why,” He becomes the “how” and He becomes the “treasure.” Jesus lived focusing on His relationship with His Father, and He has opened the same kind of relationship for us. “For the joy set before Him He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2) The joy was in being with His Father – the ultimate joy was in sitting down with His Father.

You may already be feeling some weariness this fall – don’t worry, that’s natural. However, this could great time to sharpen your focus. You will receive a bountiful harvest of deeper relationship with the Lord and all the fruit He produces if you will content yourself in His presence and keep pressing ahead. He is the reward – and He will reward you – it’s a promise!

Pressing on in Him with you,

Pastor Tom

Reliance

Prayer need

RELIANCE

From: Karen Parrish

“For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God, strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light…Colossians 1:9-12.”

I have read this verse many times, and have often thought, there is no way I can walk in a “manner worthy”, because I am a sinner saved by grace. However, as I reread and digest it, it comes to me that if Christ lives within me, and the Scripture says He does, this is an area that I have to depend totally on Christ for this walk.

How do I do that? I have shared with you before that I use to be a “control freak”. I wanted to control everything, not to be mean and controlling, but to protect myself! I have come to learn that human control usually ends up poorly, and I could give you many examples of that.

Since, I now allow Christ to live through me, I depend on Him for ALL my decisions. That means I talk to Him, as I talk to you now. I ask Him questions for answers; I share my concerns and insecurities with Him. I am brutally honest with him, he knows my feelings anyway. I read His scriptures, I praise Him and I thank Him for creating me.

The more I rely on Him, the more I realize His great love is for me in ways I never thought possible. I heard for years, how much God loves us, but as I depend and rely on Him more and more, I experience His love more and more. The beauty of this is that I have a “peace that passes understanding”, and a freedom that is hard to describe.

There is not a good work I can do, except Christ does it through me. The knowledge I receive from Christ, as I depend on Him more and more, is often knowledge I had never even considered, and so I know that this is wisdom from Christ.

Dear brothers and sisters, my prayer for each of you, is that you will rely on and trust Him more and more in ALL areas of your life.

Don’t wait until you are older, as I have done. Let Him be your total source and the peace and joy you will receive will be reflected through you and all you do. In addition, you will experience His love that can’t be measured!

Just knowing He is there for us during the good times and the bad, allows me to be comforted sooner. It also helps me to know those trials are coming to Him as well as me, and we are never, ever alone!

I can honestly say those trials that we all go through, are not as painful, knowing He is enduring them with me. Knowing His love dwells within me, enables me to love others as only He can love through me. All I have to do is know who I am in Christ and who Christ is in me! Praise God for whom ALL blessings flow!

PROMINENT POSITION

Prayer need

PROMINENT POSITION

From: Ron Hawks

“We are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do…Ephesians 2:10.”

Sometimes it feels like you are not getting anywhere. You may be working hard, being faithful and even bearing more weight than those around you. Yet, few seem to notice your work, your abilities or your investment. At times like this, you start to wonder about the future – whether you will ever be seen or heard for what you really are. You may ask what you need to do to get noticed, appreciated and/or rewarded.

Strangely, we find James and John – two of Jesus’ closest followers – in a similar situation. (Mark 10:35-45) They, quite possibly with the input/influence of their mother (Matthew 20:20-28), decided they wanted to take their future into their own hands. They flat out asked Jesus to secure places of prominence for them in His Coming Kingdom. This seemed like a brazen request to the other disciples, though one that may have been in their hearts, too.

Jesus’ response included an interesting idea. He said that these places of prominence “belong to those for whom they have been prepared.” This points to a theological truth with which some have difficulty. God has specific plans and preparations for people. When He said He knew the plans He had for Israel (Jeremiah 29:11), He meant it. The prophecies in Scripture are simply a foretelling of the plans God had/has plans to unfold in the future. God’s “foreknowledge” is perfect and accurate. Thus the apostle Paul can write, “We are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10)

We need not worry about our future – or anything for that matter. (Matthew 6:25; Philippians 4:6) God has good plans for us. Ours is not to try to create our futures or claw our way into them. Instead, we are to discover and discern what God is doing and planning – and simply align our lives and cooperate. This removes the often-accumulating weight of worry from our shoulders. It can release us from needless striving.

If you are working hard, but not being recognized, or if you wonder if you will ever amount to much, remember that your heavenly Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. He has prepared some assignments for you – for which you are a perfect fit. Don’t get caught in the politics and competition for position. Focus on following His lead. Be bold to obey faithfully. He will take you where you need to go and help you become who you need to be.

Trusting God for the future – with you,

Pastor Tom

WHEN LIFE IS HARD

Prayer need

WHEN LIFE IS HARD

From: Ron Hawks

“For to you it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, experiencing the same conflict which you saw in me, and now hear to be in me…Philippians 1:29-30.”

Do you ever feel like you can’t catch a break – like people and circumstances are constantly raising their hands against you? This is part of what life is like sometimes. Life on earth is difficult. Sometimes, even for long periods of times, life can feel oppressive – and bring suffering. Understanding this reality can be helpful – everyone suffers, and everyone needs to learn to persevere.

Unfortunately, many people of faith are baffled when they hit difficult patches. They subtly or blatantly believe that their lives should be easier because they have faith in God. This is wrong theologically and unhelpful for praxis. Jesus’ life was difficult, and it grew more difficult as He continued in His faith. The Apostle Paul’s life was also difficult. Yet, rather than being perplexed by his difficulties or feeling sorry for himself, Paul invited his spiritual son and apprentice to “join him in suffering like a good soldier in Christ Jesus.” (2 Timothy 2:3) Persevering through hardships and suffering is an important part of life. Christians don’t get to avoid it; instead, they get to go through it with the presence and power of the Lord within them.

The anguishes and distresses of life can feel imprisoning, like the chains that literally bound Paul as if he were a criminal. Though he was bound, he wanted Timothy to know that the Word of God can never be chained. (2 Timothy 2:9) We will suffer in many ways; this is part of the order of this age. But God’s Word is never chained – it/He (Jesus is God’s Word – John 1:1, 14) is unstoppable and unrestrainable. The Truth of God may appear to be chained for a moment, but He is always active – and often most powerfully in the dark, when we feel most tied up.

As Jesus is the Word of God, so His resurrection power accompanies that Word. This power goes beyond reason and human striving. The Word of God, this Seed of Truth, is imperishable and indestructible. (1 Peter 1:23) So, there is always hope when you are aligned with God’s Truth. You may experience sufferings of many different kinds, and your circumstances may lead you to feel despondent and despairing; but there is always hope. God’s Word will help you prevail.

James goes a step further, encouraging us to consider our suffering and trials (and even the temptations that surround our trials) with joy, recognizing that they are tools in God’s hands to deepen our faith and build our ability to persevere. (James 1:2)

Are you suffering in any way? Does your spirit feel bound? Take heart … the Word of God cannot be chained. His truth in you – your loving obedience to that Word – will break the chains in due time, in the name of Jesus! Place your hope in the power of God’s Word – it/He provides strength that outstrips circumstance.

Placing my hope on God’s Word with you,

Pastor Tom

Jan Moser

CF DEVS

Prevention 

By Jan Moser

    During several recent Winter Storms with low temperatures (actual) in the teens, we wanted to avoid frozen and burst water pipes, to prevent the incredible mess – not to mention the time-consuming damage repair and dealing with insurance companies (no offense to the caring people working diligently in that field, severalof whom we know). So at both home and church, we have always practiced preventive measures such as dripping faucets, turning up heat a little higher than usual and leaving sink cabinets open during the coldest part of the night. As long as we retain electricity, all is well. Like the old saying reminds us, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” 

    The same is true of our spiritual walk. If we keep up with our daily Bible reading and our worship, we will have better access to the Bible verses in our hearts and minds, when we need them during a difficult situation. 

    If we form our closest friendships with fellow believers,  we will not have as many temptations, or difficulties with saying no to someone when they pressure us to do something that violates our consciences. 

   When we pray (and ask good friends to, as well) ahead of probably challenges, we can have words and action plans prepared before a worrisome topic or situation occurs. 

    Can you think of more helpful preparations?

     May we all ensure that our spiritual foundation is strong and ready. 

Luke 6:47-48, MSG “These words I speak to you are not mere additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living. They are foundation words, words to build a life on. If you work the words into your life, you are like a smart carpenter who dug deep and laid the foundation of his house on bedrock. When the river burst its banks and crashed against the house, nothing could shake it; it was built to last.”

Deborah durrett

CF DEVS

Encounters

(By: Deborah Durrett)

         Life is full of encounters. Having been taught to give others the benefit of the doubt until there was a strong reason to question people and situations, I am more inclined to listen but not come to a quick conclusion. If there is not enough information, then more should be gathered-particularly after a brief encounter. With birdwatching, it is normal to gather intel over the course of several quick rendezvous. In the last ten days, I had occasion to cross paths with one of the many hawks frequenting our area, with some very similar features. With the crossover in size, shape, and color, I was left with doubt about my initial impression of it being a Red-tailed hawk.

“If you judge other people, then you will find that you, too, are being judged. Indeed, you will be judged by the very standards to which you hold other people.”Matthew 7:1-2 VOICE

       The first sighting was noticed by my husband as we took our first lap during a neighborhood walk. The bird appeared to be standing at attention-almost looked like a statue. It was next to the front of a group of azaleas that resembled a hedge, just beneath the front windows of the house. With no time for a photo, I scanned it with my eyes, trying to note color and size in my mind, in order to check my Merlin Birding APP after we returned. All indicators then pointed toward at least four possible hawks. The second interlude was actually a flyby – and nearly a collision – as the bird flew at a semi-downward trajectory and then rolled a bit, to slide between myself and a neighbor, as we chatted out front of our house. If we had not each taken a step – her to her side and me back a bit – one of us may have made contact with it. This added a clue of a potential juvenile bird working on flight patterns. The wingspan also helped narrow down the options of the main four hawks around here. But we still did not have enough information to reach a conclusion. The third approach was an audible cry, clearly from a bird of prey. We sat on our deck while having a hot morning beverage, and the distinctive and boisterous“kik kik kik” or “kek kek kek” had me standing to my feet, looking for a visual on what I knew was a Sharp-shinned hawk. To come to the most plausible conclusion, I needed to have as many pertinent facts as possible through methodically paying attention to details with each encounter.

“Beloved, let us [unselfishly] love and seek the best for one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves [others] is born of God and knows God [through personal experience].” 1 John 4:7 AMP

       Similarly, when we interact with others as representatives of God’s teaching (particularly those who know Christ and follow Him, but also in a similar spirit with those who have yet to know Him), we should seek wisdom to relay the right knowledge at the right moment, to leave others with a taste of the hope of the salvation God wants to impart to His children. Keep in mind that sometimes, it is not always words from the mouth, but actions that witness to others. Also, at times, it is much easier said than done, yet if we do our level best to be kind and not jump to conclusions without facts in evidence, then we can be the best witness possible at perhaps a very difficult time for another person. 

        Birds do not take things personally as humans can and will. And I have had some family situations that made the front page of a local paper more than once, so on some level, I know how messy and challenging living can be. What I have taken from those situations is that sometimes, we need to step into someone else’s shoes for a minute, and consider how a misplaced comment about another’s life could affect them down the road. And when we take things out of context, we can get it all wrong. 

         Then there are also scenarios we experience firsthand, that develop in such a way that it is quite clear there is a problem needing a solution-a ‘red-flag’ serious thing, but we are not necessarily to be in the midst of it. If we need to, we should call for professional assistance. Additional scenarios without direct knowledge are those for which we must “wait and see,” and if you pray, do so! Some relationships that were once meaningful, or did not go further, happen that way for a reason. So if someone shows you signs of that not being a good idea, believe it – and let it go.

“If your brother sins against you, go to him and show him his fault. But do it privately, just between yourselves. If he listens to you, you have won your brother back. But if he will not listen to you, take one or two other persons with you, so that ‘every accusation may be upheld by the testimony of two or more witnesses,’ as the scripture says. And if he will not listen to them, then tell the whole thing to the church. Finally, if he will not listen to the church, treat him as though he were a pagan or a tax collector.” (Deuteronomy 19:18 NIVUK describes this as a false witness/liar.) Matthew 18:15-17 GNT

        Hopefully, we can spend more of our lives encouraging and caring for people on many levels – as friends, co-workers, survivors of various situations, loved ones and neighbors. It is my goal to make every encounter count! Join me, please. 😊

“Help each other with your troubles. When you do this, you are obeying the law of Christ. If you think you are too important to do this, you are only fooling yourself. Don’t compare yourself with others. Just look at your own work to see if you have done anything to be proud of. You must each accept the responsibilities that are yours.” Galatians 6:2-5 ERV

Jan Moser

CF DEVS

Going in Circles

By Jan Moser

Earlier this year, Richard and I were staying in a nice hotel, staffed by dedicated people. But they could not help us with what was keeping us awake until 3 a.m. On a public road less than a mile from the hotel, dozens of motorcycles were circling ceaselessly and loudly for four hours. Local police came and went. We finally were able to sleep, but not very restfully before a five to six-hour drive home!

Aren’t our spiritual lives sometimes like that?  Even we longtime, mature Christians can get stuck and not make any progress in a situation or in our growth. We continue to have the same lack of faith in certain situations, the same frustrations, the same repeated prayer requests to trusted friends. Sometimes, the initial causes are out of our control; however, our responses ARE within our control-with God’s help! 

Let’s ask God to show us what we need to do, to break out of our circling, and to make progress on the path that He has provided for us. He is willing and ready to help us! And we can help our sisters and brothers, encouraging each other as God intended!

James 1:5-6, The Message

“If you don’t know what you’re doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You’ll get his help, and won’t be condescended to when you ask for it. Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought. People who “worry their prayers” are like wind-whipped waves. Don’t think you’re going to get anything from the Master that way, adrift at sea, keeping all your options open.”

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, NLT“Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone? A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.”

Deborah durrett

CF DEVS

Fleeting Comfort

By Deborah P. Durrett

Have you ever noticed that as we are in these earthly bodies, it’s difficult to not remain in some kind of continual motion? We move about in various ways as we sit, stand, or lie down. Even as we sleep, there is a certain amount of movement that goes on as we rest. If we remain in one place too long physically, then we get a sore neck, loss of circulation, an achy back and the like. So when we get settled in to relax at a concert, take a drive, or get a good night’s sleep, our comfort is really only fleeting.

I was thinking about a verse, in particular, in which God asks us to be still, and wondered how he thought that was possible. Well, he’s not necessarily speaking physically, so much as spiritually. We’re always going to have to keep moving, in these bodies designed to move about and rest briefly, and begin again as we follow his leading to fulfill his will. When we quiet our minds and allow God to be our comfort, then we can leave discomforts behind us.

“Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.” (Psalm 46:10, KJV)

The word still, in the Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, breaks it back to the Hebrew word Raphah in 7495. Prime root mend, heal, repair or make whole. So when we stop thrashing about, spiritually speaking, we will be made whole. Even if we can’t stop tossing and turning in our sleep, or we fidget in our chairs at a long meeting, we are still able to achieve the goal of stillness when we allow our minds to rest in the love of our Father. What a blessing it is to know our Father in Heaven’s love is not fleeting, nor is our opportunity for comfort in his care.

“And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.” (Mark 4:39, KJV)

“Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.” (Psalm 37:7, KJV)

Sincere Love Empowers Your Purpose

Pastor Johan

Sincere Love Empowers Your Purpose

“Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with undying and incorruptible love.”. Ephesians 6:24 (AMP)


The plan of the enemy is to undo everything God has done in your life, and to distract you from accessing all Jesus has made available to you through the finished work of the cross. Thankfully, you can wise up to his deceitful tactics and keep him under your feet, while you progress in faith and step into all God has for you in this life. You do this by proactively making use of everything Jesus has placed at your disposal. You have the Word of God! When you meditate on it and obey its instruction, it will clearly lead you in the right direction. You have the Holy Spirit living in you; walking with you; at the ready to fill you with new, overcoming power every day. In all this, remember: the sincerity of your love for the Lord is the foundation. When love is sincere, our obedience to God’s will springs from that love relationship and sustains us. It energizes and enables us to live this empowered life of faith and purpose in Him, while keeping the devil under our feet – where he belongs.

You Have God’s Word on It!

Pastor Johan

You Have God’s Word on It!

“The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the [whole] person; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.”Psalm 19:7 (AMP)

God’s Word is perfect. There is nothing lacking or incomplete in it. It’s rock solid and dependable. When we receive it into our minds and hearts with the right attitude, it goes to work bringing life and restoration to every part of us. So what is the right attitude we should have when it comes to God’s Word? To begin with, we need to see it for what it is. It’s an extension of God Himself… Which means it’s the ultimate truth and it cannot fail. It’s also alive with God’s love and power. When we read it, no matter what the world looks like around us, no matter how we are feeling at the time, God’s Word has the power to comfort us, build a sure hope inside us, and overwhelm us with perfect peace. It really becomes an anchor to our souls. What’s more, we can fully trust it to do its transforming work in us, moulding us into the character of Christ. Psalm 19:7 says the testimony of the Lord is sure. His testimony is His sworn statement; that validates the credibility of His written Word. This means we can believe God’s written word will do all it says it will do in us, because we have God’s own spoken Word on it. Embrace God’s Word today – let it restore, perfect and transform you – you know it will, because you have His Word on it!

JR MILLER

Grace gems

Sermons without words!

(J.R. Miller)

“Each one should remain in the situation which he was in, when God called him.” 1 Corinthians 7:20

When you are tempted to complain and resist the difficulties of your circumstances, and the limitations of your place in life — remember that Jesus, even with all His divine life and all His great powers, for thirty years found room in a humble peasant home, for worthy living and for service not unfitting to His true exalted character.

If you can do nothing but live a true Christian life which is patient, gentle, kind, pure — in your home, in society, at your daily occupation — you will perform a service of great value, and leave many blessings in the world. This kind of life is a little gospel — displaying the wonderful story of the cross of Christ, in sermons without words!

“I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation — whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.” Philippians 4:12

JAMES SMITH

Grace gems

I am going to vomit you out of My mouth!

(James Smith, “Daily Bible Readings for the Lord’s Household”)

“I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were either cold—or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold—I am going to vomit you out of My mouth!” Revelation 3:15-16

The Lord Jesus hates lukewarmness! He would rather we made no profession of religion at all—than to profess—and then not practice His precepts!

He loves to see His people zealous—and it is a shame to us, when we are dull and lifeless in His ways.

It is to be feared, that many professors do not realize that their ‘indifference’ is a sin! They think that having professed Christ, if they just attend to a few religious duties, and creep along in a certain religious course—that this is enough. They are never hot—and they do not really like to see others on fire for the Lord.

Professor of religion, Jesus says, “Be hot—or be cold!“
Be altogether a Christian—OR throw off your vain profession!
Do not wear the Christian name—only to dishonor it!

Professing Christian—are you hot, or cold—or lukewarm?

CHARLES SPURGEON

Grace gems

The Exclusivity of the Gospel

Charles Spurgeon, et al.

(Be sure to LISTEN to the Audio, as you READ the text below.)

The message of the gospel stands as a divine declaration of absolute truth in a world that hates absolutes. In an age intoxicated with pluralism and compromise, few doctrines are more offensive to human pride than the exclusivity of the gospel. Yet Scripture is crystal clear: there is only one way to be reconciled to God, only one Mediator between God and man, and only one name under heaven by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12). This is not bigotry or arrogance, but divine revelation. The exclusivity of the gospel does not reveal God’s narrowness, but His mercy–for He has not left the world in confusion, but has clearly revealed the only way of salvation in His Son.

The Scriptural view of salvation rests upon three foundational truths. Together, they display both the gravity of man’s condition, and the glory of God’s grace.

1. All people without exception are lost sinners and in need of salvation.

The gospel begins with the bad news. Every man, woman, and child enters this world under the dominion of sin and the curse of damnation. “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God” (Romans 3:10–11). Sin has corrupted every faculty of human nature–the mind is darkened, the heart is hardened, the affections are perverted, and the will is enslaved. Humanity does not merely need forgiveness; it needs spiritual life. “You were dead in your transgressions and sins” (Ephesians 2:1).

All stand guilty before the bar of divine justice, and the sentence is eternal condemnation. Man cannot climb to God through morality, good works, or religion. All human virtue is tainted, all human merit is worthless, for “all our righteous acts are like filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6).

This first foundational truth strips man of every excuse and leaves him speechless before God. It prepares the heart to receive grace. Until a sinner sees that he is utterly lost, he will never value the Savior. Until the soul feels the depth of its ruin, it will never cling to the Redeemer. The exclusivity of the gospel begins with this: that apart from divine regeneration, all mankind is hopelessly lost.

2. There is no salvation without conscious faith in Christ.

The second foundational truth proclaims that salvation is found in Christ alone. “I am the way and the truth and the life,” Jesus said, “No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). Every other so-called path to God is false. Every other foundation is sand. Jesus did not die to make many ways possible, but to open one way to God–through His sin-atoning death.

He is the exclusive Redeemer because He alone met the demands of divine justice. On the cross, He borethe sins of His people, endured the wrath they deserved, and cried, “It is finished!” His resurrection is the Father’s declaration that full payment has been made and accepted. Therefore to seek salvation outside of Him, is to reject God’s provision and insult His grace.

Here the words of the apostle Paul ring with terrifying solemnity: “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!” (Galatians 1:8–9)

These verses underline the seriousness of tampering with the gospel. Paul does not leave room for multiple  paths to Heaven. He twice pronounces a curse–anathema–upon anyone who alters, dilutes, or distorts the message of salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.

This second foundational truth, illuminated by Galatians 1:8–9, reminds us that the exclusivity of the gospel is not a secondary issue–it is the essence of Christianity. To alter it is to forfeit salvation itself.

From this passage flow several solemn principles:

(1) The gospel’s purity must be guarded.
No message, no teacher, no experience, no dream is above the written Word of God. Even an angelic revelation is to be rejected, if it departs from Scripture. Truth does not evolve. The gospel proclaimed by the apostles remains the only saving message for all generations.

(2) The gospel’s exclusivity must be proclaimed.
To say that Jesus is one of many ways, is to preach “another gospel.” To teach that moral effort or human goodness contributes to salvation, is to deny grace itself. There is only one gospel–and it centers on the crucified and risen Savior who alone saves sinners by His grace.

(3) The gospel’s enemies must be exposed.
Paul’s words remind believers that the gravest threats to Scripture truth often come from within religious circles. False teachers preach “Christ,” but not the biblical Christ. They use the language of grace, yet deny its substance. The church must therefore test every spirit and measure every message by the Word of God.

(4) The gospel’s authority must be submitted to.
If the true gospel alone saves, then every human philosophy, every religious sentiment, and every self-invented spirituality, must be rejected. God’s truth is not subject to man’s opinions. The gospel commands repentance and faith, not negotiation and compromise.


3. There can be no faith in Christ without first hearing the gospel message.

The third foundational truth reveals the necessity of gospel proclamation. “Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the message about Christ” (Romans 10:17). God has ordained that His saving gospel be made known through preaching, teaching, and witnessing. He could have saved men through visions or nature, but He has chosen the foolishness of preaching to save those who believe.

“How can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?” (Romans 10:14). These rhetorical questions leave no doubt: there is no salvation apart from the hearing of the gospel. Sinners cannot believe in a Savior they have never known, and they cannot know Him unless someone tells them.

Therefore, the exclusivity of the gospel compels evangelism. If Jesus is the only Savior, and His gospel is the only saving message, then Christians must speak with urgency. Silence is cruelty. To know the truth that saves and to withhold it from others, is unthinkable. The narrowness of the way, demands the breadth of our witness.

Conclusion

The exclusivity of the gospel is not a man-made doctrine–it is the heartbeat of divine revelation. It humbles man’s pride, glorifies God’s grace, and exalts Jesus as the only hope for a lost world. All are sinners, none can save themselves, and only conscious faith in the crucified and risen Savior brings forgiveness and spiritual life.

Galatians 1:8–9 thunders across the ages as God’s unchanging verdict against every counterfeit gospel. It warns us that to corrupt the gospel is to be cursed; to cling to it is to be saved.

You must be saved by faith in Jesus Christ, or be lost forever. There is no other gate, no other way, no other door. All roads do not lead to Heaven. Some lead to perdition. Only one road has the blood-stained footprints of the Savior upon it.

JOHN MACDUFF

Grace gems

The joys of that eternal banqueting house!

(John MacDuff, “The Night Watches“)  LISTEN to audio!  Download audio

(You will find it helpful to listen to the audio above, as you read the text below.)

“He brought me to the banqueting house, and His banner over me was love!” Song of Solomon 2:4

“HE brought me!” All of grace! He justifies! He glorifies! The banqueting house is entered with shoutings, saying, “Grace, grace unto it!”

Believer, contemplate the journey ended, the course finished, the victory won. Seated at the marriage feast of the Lamb in glory, guest talking to guest with bounding hearts-recounting their Lord’s dealings on earth-the watchword circulating from tongue to tongue, “He has done all things well!”

Angels and archangels, too, will be participants in that banquet of glory; and bright seraphs, who never knew what it was to have a heart of sin or to shed a tear of sorrow. But, for this reason, there will be one element of joy peculiar to the Redeemed, into which the other unfallen guests cannot enter-the “joy of contrast.” How will this present world’s “great tribulation” augment the bliss of a world at once sinless and sorrowless! How will earth’s woe-worn cheek, and sin-stricken spirit, and tear-dimmed eye-enhance the glories of that perfect state, where there is not that symbol of sadness, nor the solitary trace of one lingering tear-drop!

My soul, seek often to ponder, in the midst of your days of sadness, the joys of that eternal banqueting house! “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain!”
One moment at that banquet table,
one crumb of the heavenly manna,
one draught from the river of life,
and all the bitter experiences of the valley of tears will be obliterated and forgotten!

Look upwards even now, and behold your dear Lord preparing for you this glorious “feast of fat things!” “Do not be troubled. There are many rooms in My Father’s home, and I am going to prepare a place for you. When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with Me-where I am!”

RUTH BRYAN

Grace gems

My Ishi!

(Gleanings from the Inner Life of Ruth Bryan)

“You will call Me Ishi–(my husband). Hosea 2:16

“You will be called Hephzibah–(My delight is in her)
. . . for the Lord will take delight in you.” Isaiah 62:4

Christ is most precious. He is my Ishi! I, His Hephzibah!
What love! What wonders, for a worm so vile! But He has
borne my vileness away–and is Himself my loveliness!

Christ, the Beloved of my soul, is my perfection, and His
blood is my purity. However great my guilt, His precious
blood is more than a match for it all. This has been like
solid rock to my soul. “Praise the Lord, O my soul!

ROBERT LEIGHTON

Grace gems

Dig into these golden mines!

(Robert Leighton)

Let this commend the Scriptures much to our diligence
and affection–that their great theme is our Redeemer,
and redemption wrought by Him. They contain the doctrine
of His excellencies, and are the lively picture of His matchless
beauty. Were we more in them, we would daily see more of
Him in them–and so of necessity love Him more. But we
must look within them–the letter is but the case–the
spiritual sense is what we should desire to see.
We usually huddle them over, and see no further than
their outside, and therefore find so little sweetness in
them. We read them, but we don’t search them as He
requires. Would we dig into these golden mines, we
would find treasures of comfort which cannot be spent,
but which would furnish us in the hardest times!

“My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands
 within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your
 heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and
 cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for
 silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you
 will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge
 of God.” Proverbs 2:1-5

THOMAS BROOKS

Grace gems

God’s love-letter!

Thomas Brooks

(You will find it helpful to LISTEN to the Audio, as you READ the text below.
 Or you may want to WATCH the Video.)

The Scripture is God’s love-letter to men.

Here the lamb may wade, and here the elephant may swim.

The blessed Scriptures are of infinite worth and value!
Here you may find . . .
  a remedy for every disease,
  a balm for every wound,
  a plaster for every sore,
  milk for babes,
  meat for strong men,
  comfort for the afflicted,
  support for the tempted,
  solace for the distressed,
  ease for the wearied,
  a staff to support the feeble,
  a sword to defend the weak.

The holy Scriptures are . . .
  the map of God’s mercy—and man’s misery,
  the touchstone of truth,
  the shop of remedies against all maladies,
  the hammer of vices,
  the treasury of virtues,
  the exposer of all sensual and worldly vanities,
  the balance of equity,
  the most perfect rule of all justice and morality.

Ah friends, no book befits your hands like the Bible!

The Bible is the best preacher.
This book, this preacher will preach to you . . .
  in your shops,
  in your chambers,
  in your prayer-closets,
  yes, in your own bosoms!
This book will preach to you both at home and abroad.
It will preach to you in all companies.
It will preach to you in all conditions.

By this book you must live.
By this book you must die.
By this book you shall be judged in the great day!
By this book you shall be saved—or by this book you shall be damned!

Oh, therefore . . .
  love this book above all other books,
  prize this book above all other books,
  read this book before all other books,
  study this book more than all other books!
For he who reads much, and understands nothing—is like him who hunts much, and catches nothing!

Speaking of the blessed man, David says, “His delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night!” Psalm 1:2

“How I loveYour law! I meditateon it all day long!” Psalm 119:97

TIMOTHY

Guest Devotions

FROM TIMOTHY AN AFRICAN CHRISTIAN

My Apologies to You, Lord:

I really do not even know where to begin in a place of an over-full heart. But let me try to start. I am sorry. Truly, deeply, and with all my heart, I am sorry.

And as I take the time to write this letter, I find myself burdened by all my failings and take them before you not to hide or excuse them but to ask for your forgiveness.

God, I know how I failed you in so many instances in a single day. The times I take you for granted, forgetting to thank you for all the blessings bestowed upon me, are countless, because I so easily get fixated on the lack of what I don’t have rather than offering thanks for what I do.

Throwing You out, I end up getting caught up with my plans, my wants, my problems, and so on. I know You are always there, yet I continue to try and live on my own strength, crumbling once more and again.

Dear Almighty God, I am sorry for speaking when I should have kept silent and for hurting others with the words I said or the actions I took, for pride, anger, impatience, or doubts.

Forgive me for the time wasted in petty affairs and for those things that are of no importance, and for forgetting that this is not about me, but about You.

Forgive me, Lord, for the many times when fear, anxiety, and gloom sat too high in my mind against Your urging me to trust in You. For silencing the quiet moments for prayer. For shutting out the chance to read your Word, or not really listening when you spoke to my heart.

God, thank you for your blessings. May your strength, power, and protection be with us.
Timothy

CHAPTER 1:15-26

Acts 1

Reading Acts1:15-26

The Forgotten disciple

We know little of Matthias, after this snapshot, we hear nothing about him.

We know in verse 21, that although he wasn’t part of the inner group of apostles, he was closely  associated with them and saw everything that happened. So he was a man who stayed the course, he did not leave, when many so many were leaving.  Probably this is why he was chosen, because he could be trusted.

Can the same be said about you?

Secondly, he was chosen to be a witness to the resurrection.

Here was a man who was like the apostles who had seen the miracles Jesus had done, but also he was a witness of the resurrection.

Today we are to be witnesses of that resurrection, Jesus truly rose from the dead, it is not a figment of the apostles imagination.

These twelve men and others were going to tell the world that Jesus lives.

We don’t know where Matthias ended up, but we know that he played a full role on the day of Pentecost and was imprisoned at least twice for his faith, all of the apostles except John died a martyrs death, so we know that this forgotten apostle gave up his life.

Many people in the church live in the background, they are not at the front, but serve consistently behind the scenes.

Maybe you think, just because your name is not well known that you have been forgotten, but it hasn’t. God sees all your service and will reward you in due time, with a crown of life.

JUST LIKE MATTHIAS

Tell people of the resurrection of Jesus, that he is alive.

God bless you

Kk

CHAPTER 1:VS 10-14

Acts 1

ACTS 1

10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

WE HAVE A JOB TO DO

Jesus had gone, the disciples were left alone.

They had been promised the Holy Spirit to empower them, but it had not yet come.

They were sad obviously that Jesus had left them, but the angels asked them and asks us:

Why are you gazing into heaven?

As believers, we have a job to do. Jesus is coming back and our job to share the gospel and to proclaim it to the whole world.

We are to look for his glorious appearing, but also, we are not to waste any time, simply gazing into thin air and wasting our time on trivial things that don’t matter.

Jesus will come again, let it be our aim to bring as many with us as we able..

Share the gospel,  this should and has to be our main purpose for living.

Let’s make sure we don’t gaze at worthless things and focus on our main job

SHARING JESUS WITH A NEEDY WORLD.

God bless you

Keith

ACTS 1

12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. 13 And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. 14 All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

THE SECRET OF SUCCESS

Why was the early church so successful?

Was there some magic formula?

Yes, the Holy spirit was poured out on the early church, but there were three things that the early church had, which we need to have.

Biblical unity

Throughout the gospels, we see the disciples as a competing force, one or the other wants to be at the forefront. They all were seeking the place of honour, but here they were in unity. God blesses unity, he does not and will not bless disunity within his church. Isn’t it time to stop all our petty squabbling and arguments? We act like spoiled children sometimes, I once heard about two deacons who fell out about what colour paint they should have in the sanctuary, this is pathetic and is evident in most churches nowadays.

Prayer

This is a powerful weapon; they were praying when the holy spirit fell. We spend too much time talking and not enough time praying. The early church was a praying church, why aren’t we?

Study of the word

To preach the word and to share the gospel, you have to know the word, you must spend time digging deep into the word. They were people of the book, not many books, we read so many self-help books, instead of the one book that can truly help.

When we have our focus on these three things, then maybe God will bless us.

God graciously blesses his church, when the church puts its focus on the right things, then it can have success and change the world.

God bless you

Keith

CHAPTER 1 VS 8

Acts 1

ACTS 1：8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

DYNAMIC WITNESSING

We saw in the first devotion, that we aren’t to be worried about when Jesus will come. It’s interesting that Jesus hasn’t even ascended back to heaven and the disciples are trying to find out when He is returning.

What is the key word here? It is BUT!

Jesus recommissions the disciples. Remember in Matthew 28, He said all power is given in heaven and earth to Him, and now that power was to be given to the Apostles and Disciples.

What would of happened if the disciples had gone directly to the temple and started preaching? Nothing would of happened, because the Holy Spirit wasn’t given to them yet!

It’s great to look into the Greek here. “Power” is the word dunamis, which is where we get the English word, dynamite. Remember, that we don’t just have a message that is powerful, but one that is ABSOLUTE DYNAMITE!  A message that shatters nations and empires.

The second Greek word is maturos. This is the word for “witnesses.” We get our English word, martyr from this; nearly all the twelve disciples became martrys, all except John.

God had a plan: first the Jews, then Samaria and then the Gentiles. God knows what He’s doing and we have to follow His leading.

Notice also that the power was personal, “ye shall receive power,” that is still the case today. We have the same power, that dunamis living inside of us. Why is it living inside of us? Because we are to be bold witnesses for Christ; we are to do the same things as the disciples did! They said they were there to tell what they had seen and heard Jesus do. It is our purpose to tell what Jesus has done in our lives.

May we be witnesses just like the disciples were to all Jesus said and did…Amen.

Filled with dynamic power.

GOD BLESS YOU

kk

Devotion 2

Chapter 1 verse 8

 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

IT IS FOR US

This is surely one of the most amazing promises in the whole bible, but so often we think that it was a special anointing that was just for the disciples, it applied for them, but it doesn’t apply to us.. now.

But it is truly for us, it for us., right here and now in the 21st century.

The promise still rings true, the same dynamic power that was given to the disciples back in first century Palestine is still available to us, right here and right now.

The promise of power is the same and the commission to reach the world is still the same, some of you will witness in your own backyard, some further afield and some go to the uttermost ends of the earth, wherever you share the gospel, the urgency still stands.

The call to be his witnesses is still the same, you have the Living holy spirit inside of you.

Are you being a witness for him, wherever you are?

God bless you

Keith

CHAPTER 1 :1-7

Acts 1

Acts 1

In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, 2 until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3 He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.

4 And while staying[a] with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with[b] the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

THE FURTHER STORY

Acts starts where the gospels finish, what Jesus said to the disciples especially in John 13-17 was now going to come true. Jesus had gone to the cross, redemption had been done, now what?

How was God going to reach the whole world, well he would start with 120 men. God doesn’t need many to do his work, 120 men totally trusting in Him and filled with the holy spirit, are more than enough.

Why did the work succeed?

They obeyed the commands he gave them, as we look through this book, we see that the church walks closely with God.

He showed them many proofs, they must have had many questions, their minds were settled, they knew the truth of 2 Timothy 1:12

12 which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me

In other words, the apostles did not believe blindly. They had seen the resurrected Jesus with their own eyes, so their faith became extremely firm.

They waited for God’s time, they must have been excited, but they waited for God’s time. They were in step with the spirit of God.

All this led to success in the work of God. Acts is a how to book, how do you serve God, how do you preach the gospel. how do you address authority and how to give your testimony.

Let’s dive in to this wonderful book

God bless you

Keith

ACTS 1

6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.

THERE SOME THINGS YOU NEED NOT KNOW

In life, there are some things we shouldn’t know, or to put it another way, it’s better not to know certain things.

I wonder if we know the date and time of the second coming?  How wonderful it would be if we knew the day of Christ’ return…right?  Maybe it would change the way we live and share the gospel.

Jesus is the One coming back, and even He doesn’t know the time he is coming back。

Look at the cults, nearly every cult proclaims they know the date of Christ’s second coming, and they have been made to look very foolish.

But we are given clues, yes in passages such as Matthew 24 and others.

But our primary focus is one of watching and serving God. 

The ten virgins are a prime example. Only five trimmed their lamps; many people inside the church will be caught unaware when Jesus comes again.

What will happen if he finds the Christian in adultery or doing something he/she shouldn’t? Do you think he will be taken and raptured?

We shouldn’t worry when He will return; Our focus should be on living our lives as if He could return at any moment. That means serving God and living lives of holiness that please Him.

GOD BLESS 

KK

REPENTANCE BY KENNY MCCLINTON

Bible words

ulsterchristians.org

Repentance: a change of mind – about God and sin. (Matthew 3:2)

The Psalmist said, “Thy Word have I hid in my heart, that I MIGHT not sin against Thee.”  You see, he (Ezra in this case) was a Godly realist, not some self-righteous, self-deceived, hypocrite.  He knew he would sin, but desired deeply that he might fight against sinning by the help of God the Spirit and the Word of God.  Praise the Lord!  (Psalm 119:11)
(1 John 1:8) (Jeremiah 17:9) (Psalm 130:3-8)

Yet, repentance from our sin is continually required on a daily basis – even AFTER our original Repentance unto Salvation in Christ Jesus and in Him Alone.  (1 John 1:8-9)

Definition of the term:  To repent means to completely change one’s mind concerning our attitude to God and sin; to make an about-turn from sin to follow God; to cease from following hard after selfish sin; and to turn to follow hard after true Godliness; to cease from being a WILLING slave to sin, and begin to try to be a WILLING servant of Christ Jesus. (Hebrews 12:14) (Psalm 51:1-13)

As the Scriptures teach: “Turn Thou me, and I shall be turned, for Thou art the Lord my God…”. (Jeremiah 31:18)  We are ‘turned’ thus, and then, once turned, we continue to turn to God daily, and away from the world, the flesh, and the Devil.  (Romans 8:1-14)

Repentance:  Repentance unto life Eternal is a saving grace wrought in the sinner’s heart by God the Holy Spirit – through the means of God’s Word (i.e. the Gospel of Christ’s Cross). (John 16:8) (Romans 10:17)

It is an awakening of the DEAD sinner to a sense of peril to his/her soul of the Eternal Torment of Hell, and to his/her guilt before God’s Holy eyes.  (Psalm 9:17) (Habakkuk 1:13)

Repentance awakens the sinner to a deep concern towards his/her sins, and the odiousness of such sins when compared to the absolute sinlessness of God’s dear Son, Jesus Christ. (Job 42:4-6) (Hebrews 4:15) (1 John 1:5)

Repentance: Repentance is not mere remorse (self-pity!), but a clear realization of God’s wrath against sin, and of God’s grace and mercy towards sinners who are called of God to repentance and receiving of Christ Jesus as both Saviour and Lord. (Luke 1:46-50) (Isaiah 6:1-7)
Consequently, the repentant sinner so grieves for, and hates, his/her sins, that he/she turns away from them, and turns instead in obedience to God – proposing and endeavouring, to the very best of his/her ability, to walk in fellowship with God; in the way of God; as manifested in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.  (Zechariah 4:6b) (1 John 1:1-7)

This is to ‘…walk not after the flesh…’ in daily practice, ‘…but after the Spirit…’. (Galatians 5:16-26) (Romans 8:1-10)

Repentance:  Repentance is absolutely necessary for the sinner to be saved!  It does not MERIT pardon; but, pardon is not be had without it! (Luke 13:3) (Ephesians 2:8-10)

Repentance is therefore, clearly proven to be of God’s free grace – it is freely given as an unmerited gift to whomsoever God, in His Sovereignty, elects to grant it.  (2 Timothy 2:25-26)

Repentance:  Repentance involves seeing and feeling sin to be not only deadly to the soul, but a filthy and hateful thing in God’s pure sight! (Ezekiel 18:27-32)

All who seek to serve God, must therefore, seek to put away sin DAILY – by humble confession to Him Alone; and by being continually washed from daily sins by a daily, ‘…washing of the water of the Word…’.       (i.e. daily Bible readings and confession of sin to God)  It is what the old Puritan believers called, ‘Keeping short accounts of sin with God.’.    (John 15:3) (Philippians 3:12-14) (1 John 1:8-10) (Ephesians 5:26)

Progressive Sanctification:  In the above manner we are progressively sanctified from daily sin in our lives as Christian believers – in relation to our actual naturally sinful STATE.  Just as we have been Absolutely sanctified in our, ‘…once for all time…’ STANDING, in Christ Jesus, by the precious Blood of His Cross.   (Hebrews 10:10) (1 Peter 1:18-19)

Obedience is the direct result of true repentance.  (James 1:22)

Repentance:  Repentance then, leads progressively to the great Scriptural doctrine of Conversion (i.e. ‘…old things passing away, all things becoming new, in Christ Jesus)  (2 Corinthians 5:17) (Revelation 21:4-5)

The Holy Bible becomes our daily looking glass, our personal mirror.  We read the Word, and the Word shows us where we go wrong, and how to keep ourselves clean for the Lord’s use. (Hebrews 12:14) (Psalm 119:105) (John 17:17)

A Practical Point of Repentance:  Repentance does not make a sinner incapable of committing sin!

Note King David’s experience.  (2 Samuel 11:1-17)  He committed the sins of adultery and murder AFTER he was appointed King; AFTER he was anointed of, and chosen by, God! (John 15:16)

Read the apostle Paul’s own words of detestation of the sin yet within his OLD NATURE after he was gloriously saved; AFTER he was chosen to be a minister for God!  (Romans 7:14-25) (Acts 9:1-20)

Yet, both REPENTED from their sins; and repented CONTINUALLY for their sins, no doubt, ever after until the day they died.  (Psalm 51:1-13)

Conclusion:  We who are born again of the Spirit of God, and redeemed by the precious Blood of Christ Jesus, first repent from sin and are saved; then we make repentance a daily practice in our lives for Christ.

We must keep ‘short accounts…’ with God concerning daily sins, and enjoy close fellowship with a thrice Holy Lord God; and with all believers of ‘…like precious faith…’.  (Psalm 16:11)

Sin separates us from close fellowship with God – repentance leads us nigh to Him and to other sincere believers.  (Isaiah 59:1-2) (James 4:6-10)

God blesses the repentant sinner’s soul.  Hallelujah!  What a Saviour!  What a Sovereign!  What a Lord God!  Amen. (2 Corinthians 12:7-10)

This therefore, is the Scripturally sound Reformation doctrine of true Repentance.  Believe it.  Rejoice in its truth.  Teach it to others – and the Lord God shall bless you Eternally in His truth.  Amen.

REGENERATION BY KENNY MCCLINTON

Bible words

ulsterchristians.org

Regeneration:  a change of nature – from God (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Definition of the term: To regenerate is to bring NEW LIFE to; to cause to be Spiritually reborn; to quicken (or give life to) that which is DEAD; to impart a new nature from God (i.e. which means believers have two natures when born again, the old nature and the new!). (Ephesians 2:1)

Regeneration:  This is a work of creation, performed by God alone in the breasts of His elected people.  (Ephesians 1:3-6)

We are passive in this act of God’s grace.  As fallen creatures, we have no power to originate this miracle of new life – “…Salvation is of the Lord!”   Praise God for His grace!  (Genesis 5:3) (Jonah 2:9) (John 6:37;44)   (John 15:16)

Mankind was CREATED in the image of God – a tripartite being i.e. three parts. We were created body-soul-spirit, just as God is Father-Son-Spirit.  (1 Thessalonians 5:23) (Genesis 1:26-28)

The body relates to the dust from whence it came.
(Genesis 2:7) (Genesis 3:19)

The soul relates to, or communicates with, other like human souls i.e. each other.

Created mankind’s spirit was the unique part of Adam/Eve which enabled them to communicate with God the Creator – BEFORE sin separated them from our Holy God.  (Genesis 3:1-24) (Isaiah 59:1-2)

Born Vs Created:   Every person born of woman (as opposed to being originally created by God), therefore, since that time in Eden’s Garden are born sinners; we fall short of God’s perfect standard of righteousness.  (Romans 3:10; 22-23)  (Psalm 51:5)

Why is this so?  Because God told our forefather, Adam, that if he ate of the forbidden tree (nothing to do with sexual relations!) on that very day, he/she would ‘…surely die…’. (Genesis 2:16-17)

Now, we know that it was not physical death God spoke of here! How do we know? Because Adam lived after the Fall until he was 930 years old!  (Genesis 5:5) Therefore, we realize that the Lord God spoke of SPIRITUAL DEATH.  Adam/Eve were smitten by spiritual death the moment they sinned in disobedience to God.(Ezekiel 18:4) (Romans 6:23)
Sin made them hide from God’s Holy Presence (Genesis 3:9-10)  The DEAD human spirit desires no fellowship with the Lord God.        
(1 Corinthians 2:11-16) (Isaiah 53:2)

He that was created SUPERNATURALLY became merely NATURAL due to committing sin against his Creator God. (Romans 7:14-24)

Thus it follows that, all BORN of Adam/Eve since then are begotten in Adam’s sinful image. (Genesis 5:3) (Job 14:4)  We are born spiritually dead – a body; a soul; and a dead spirit!  (Ephesians 2:1)

That is why Christ taught us, “Ye must be born again!”  We must be Spiritually regenerated!  (Titus 3:5)

This can only be done by God the Holy Spirit Himself. (1 Corinthians 12:12-13) We are thus regenerated into Christ’s Body – the true Spirit-born Church. (John 3:3-8) (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Regeneration is therefore seen plainly to be the free gift of God to Hell-deserving sinners. We cannot WORK our way to Heaven!  (Ephesians 2:8-10) (John 3:16)

God’s Means of Showing Grace:  (Acts 4:12) (John 14:6)

The means God has provided for us to be Regenerated (or saved) are two-fold – prayer and the Word of God. (2 Timothy 2:1-5) (Jeremiah 33:3)

Prayer:  No one can really PRAY unless the Holy Spirit enables (or inspires) us to pray. (Romans 8:26)  We can recite useless, ‘…vain repetitions…’, but we cannot actually pray by God the Holy Spirit and according to His will. (James 4:3)  God, therefore, makes His people’s prayers to be both inspired and to be heard.  (Psalm 19:14)

God, the Holy Spirit’s first ministry to us is to convince (or convict) the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of Judgment to come.  (John 16:8) Prayer is thus our true means of fellowship with God – we speak to God in prayer. (Psalm 91:15)  (Revelation 20:11-15)

The Word:  No one can be Regenerated, ‘born again’, without first reading, or hearing, God’s own inspired Word – the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.  (2 Timothy 3:16-17) (2 Peter 1:20-21)

This doctrine can be more clearly evidenced in the Old Testament illustration of Ezekiel’s valley of dried bones.  (Ezekiel 37:1-10)
The dry bones represent all who are DEAD in sin and trespasses; all who are unregenerate; all who are not ‘born again’ of the Spirit of God! (Ephesians 2:1)  Read how the Lord told Ezekiel to “…prophesy upon these bones…”. (Ezekiel 37:4)  Paul reveals unto us the fact that, “…faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.” (Romans 10:17) (Hebrews 6:1;6)  Then, after the preaching of God’s Word, the dry bones are breathed into and come alive!  Hallelujah! (John 3:8)  This the miracle of Spiritual Regeneration.

We ‘hear’ God’s call due to God-given faith, and receive Eternal Life as the gift of God’s grace.  Conviction of sin, and our desperate need to be saved, are revealed only through the Word of God contained in our Bibles. God speaks to us by His Word.  (James 5:16) (Colossians 4:2)

We are encouraged to preach the Gospel also! (2 Timothy 4:1-5) (Matthew 28:19-20) (Mark 16:15-16)

Why are we inspired to preach the Gospel?  So that the Lord can use His means of Regeneration grace to the full; and reward our labours for Him in the Salvation of precious and immortal souls. (Daniel 12:3)
(Proverbs 11:30)

What a great and gracious Saviour!  Amen!  (Hebrews 7:25)  Hallelujah!  These Bible truths surely make us free!

Conclusion:  This, therefore, is the great Scriptural doctrine of Spiritual Regeneration.  We receive a new nature from God which remains obedient to His Commandments, and helps us daily to battle against the desires of our own carnal natures; fallen natures which shall always be at enmity against God. (John 14:15) (Romans 8:7)

The Spiritual battle is continuous! (Exodus 17:8-16)  But, the Victory has already been won for us at a place called Calvary; won by the all righteous Christ Jesus, the Son of the Living Lord God.  Amen.  And praise be always to His Almighty Name!  Glory to God in Christ Jesus!  In the risen Jesus we have Regeneration Life Eternal.  (Romans 7:14-25)

JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH BY KENNY MCCLINTON

Bible words

ulsterchristians.org

Justification by Faith: a change of standing – before God.

Definition of the term:  To justify means to legally acquit, to declare righteous; it is the opposite to condemn.  (Deuteronomy 25:1)
(Proverbs 17:15)

Our God Almighty is a Holy and Righteous God. (Habukkuk 1:13)
(1 John 1:5b)

As born sinners (Psalm 51:5), mankind is therefore born guilty of sin in God’s Holy eyes, and to remain a Holy God, the Lord God Jehovah is duty bound, by His own pure Holiness, to punish sin and to condemn all sinners to an Eternal Hell! (Psalm 9:17)  No sin can enter Heaven!
(1 Corinthians 6:9-10)

Justifying is the Judge’s Act:  To receive Justification therefore, if one is being tried in the dock of a court, means that the accused (you and I!) receives the verdict of ‘not guilty’ from the judge. (Isaiah 43:9;25-26)

In Scripture, God is the Righteous “…Judge of the whole earth…” (Genesis 18:25), and His dealings with the sons of men are constantly described in forensic (legal) terms.  (Psalm 119:71-72)

Righteousness:  True righteousness (full conformity to God’s Laws) is what God requires of men and women, and He shows His own Righteousness as Judge in taking vengeance on those who ‘sin’, or ‘fall short’ of His perfect standard.  (Psalm 7:11) (Isaiah 5:16) (Acts 17:30-31) (1 Peter 4:1-5) (Romans 14:11-12) (Exodus 20:3-17)

Therefore, since we know from Scriptures that there is ‘…none righteous…’ (Romans 3:10), since ‘…all have fallen short…’ of the Righteousness of God (Romans 3:22b-23), it follows that al born of woman since Adam are born under God’s Holy condemnation of sin!  All, of course, but the altogether Righteous Son of God – the Lord Jesus Christ.  Praise His Name!  (Hebrews 4:15) (2 Corinthians 5:21) (1 Peter 2:21-24) (1 John 3:4-5)

All mankind, therefore, except Christ Himself, are born guilty, Hell-deserving sinners! (Psalm 14:1-4)
There are no ‘big sins’ and ‘little sins’ in God’s Holy eyes.  SIN IS SIN! (James 2:10)
We are double guilty of sin.  We are doubly condemned by the Righteous Judge!  How?  Well, first we are guilty of inherent Adamic sin
(Genesis 5:3), and then again, of the actual sins we naturally commit! (Romans 7:14-24) (1 John 1:8)
There remains, therefore, no hope for any sinner if God’s Righteous verdict goes against us.  ‘…our God is a consuming fire…’.
(Hebrews 10:30-31) (Revelation 20:10-15)

Question 1:  If all are born sinners, all fall short of God’s Righteous standards (i.e. Christ’s perfection) (Matthew 6:33), then, ‘What must I do to be saved?’ (Acts 16:30-31)  How can the born sinner be JUSTIFIED? (i.e. just-as-if-I’d-never-sinned) (Job 14:1-4)

Answer 1:  “Ye must be born again!” (John 3:3-8) (1 Peter 1:18-25)  We must be given a new birth from God Above, we must be regenerated by God the Holy Spirit (Ezekiel 37:1-10) and enter into the Body of Christ (i.e. the true church) (1 Corinthians 12:12-27)  Christ must enter into us, and bring His Spiritual banquet of blessings with Him. (Revelation 3:20)  We thus, ‘…die daily…’ unto self, and live daily unto the Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:31b) (Galatians 2:20)  Yea, more!  Jesus lives His resurrected life in us, through faith.  (John 14:6) (Leviticus 17:11) (Jon 10:10)  Hallelujah!  Amen!

We cannot work our way towards Justification – it is done through faith, the gift of our Sovereign Lord God. (Hebrews 11:1;6) (Ephesians 2:8-10) (Psalm 115:3)

Question 2:  How, therefore, can we receive faith to be justified before a Holy Lord God?

Answer 2:  One place only – “Faith cometh by hearing (or reading) and hearing by the Word of God.” (Romans 10:17)  We cannot be saved (or justified) without first hearing the Word of God – the glorious Gospel of Christ’s Salvation Sacrifice at the Cross for sinners. (2 Timothy 3:16-17) (Acts 4:12)
Who will ever seek to saved, if first they are not made aware that they are indeed lost? (John 16:8) (Luke 19:10)

It is therefore, perhaps easier for an actual thief, and actual murderer; an obvious sinner, to hear and receive the Gospel Truth and be saved!
(Psalm 51:1-13)

Nice old ladies and gentlemen; church-going, ‘good-living’ persons, who have never seemed to do harm to anyone in their lives; these poor people are the hardest to reach with the Gospel!  Why?  Because they don’t really believe they are indeed vile sinners in God’s pure eyes!
(Revelation 3:14-19)

Thus, they die and open their eternal eyes in a Christ-rejecter’s Hell!  Why? Because they never really sought to be justified before God – in Christ Jesus!  They rely on their own assumed righteousness to get them into Heaven.  Thus, they reveal their disbelief of God’s Word – “…none righteous…”.  (Romans 3:10)

Conclusion:  All those sinners, who by simply taking God at His Word, and receiving Christ Jesus as both Saviour and Lord, are born again: declared not guilty; deemed sinless in their STANDING before God’s Righteous Throne (Exodus 12:13) (Isaiah 1:18); imputed (i.e. put to their account) the Righteousness of Christ Himself! (Psalm 32:1-2)  Hallelujah!

We thus manifest true trust in Christ’s Righteous ATONEMENT upon Calvary’s Cross; His suffering in our place; for we who are blessed with faith to believe and to keep on believing (i.e. the continuous verb ‘believeth’ and ‘cleanseth’).  (John 3:16) (John 1:7)  Praise God!

Therefore, when a born sinner REPENTS (i.e. turns away from sin and turns fully to follow God) and receives Christ by faith – he/she is born again of God and declared fully JUSTIFIED in God’s Holy sight.

This is the great Reformation/Protestant doctrine of JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH.  Learn it!  Teach it! Believe it!  Be blessed with the joy and liberty of its truth.  Amen.

WHY I AM NOT AN ATHEIST

Witnessing for the KIng

PSALM 14

The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”

    They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds;

    there is none who does good.

PSALM 53

The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”

    They are corrupt, doing abominable iniquity;

    there is none who does good.

WHY I AM NOT AN ATHEIST

When someone repeats themselves, you need to sit up and take notice. 

Well in two of the wonderful psalms , God repeats himself. We have many today, who call themselves atheists, and it is to them, that I address this message.

In the Hebrew, the true meaning is:

THE FOOL HAS SAID IN HIS HEART, NO GOD

So, let’s get this straight, you aren’t an atheist, you are an idolater. You are someone who worships an idol, which is anything that takes the true place reserved for God and you won’t let it go.

Romans 1 verses 18-32, gives a clear outline, why people are idolaters, they love sin and they won’t let it go.

At the start, let me, pull no punches, the evidence is clear and I wish to tell you, Why I am not an atheist, by the end of this message, you won’t be either.

First of all, I don’t believe in Chance, Atheism is strongly linked to evolution, which says that we came about through some explosion many millions of years ago.

That is like looking for a ten-dollar bill in a stack of hay, the chance of finding it is so remote, you wouldn’t waste your time even trying. 

Secondly, I don’t believe in chaos, if there was an explosion, all explosions, lead to chaos, they leave everything in disorder, look at the order in the world, the earth is spinning on its axis, if it moved off its axis a small amount, we would be all burnt alive by the sun rays. We have seasons, we have order in our universe. We have order and not disorder.

Look at the evidence:

Creation and the cosmos

Atheists believe that we have slowly evolving over millions of years, that we came from monkeys or that we climbed out of the sea. Look at the beauty of creation, look at a flower, so many beautiful flowers/animals and birds, brightly coloured. Do you think, this just happened over millions of years?

Yes, I believe in intelligent design, because all designs need a designer. God created all we see around us in six literal days, he did it all, I know it astounds the mind, but our finite minds are unable to grasp this, it is almost too wonderful for words. Look at the human body, everything, we even have the most advanced waste disposal system, God thought of everything.

Look at the cosmos, it would take us 1000 years to reach the end of our galaxy flying at the speed of light, and there are many millions of galaxies, did they happen by chance?

Look at man’s conscience, man is the pinnacle of creation, he is the only one, with a moral conscience, he is capable of regret, of compassion, he/she has emotions. Again, I ask you, did these unique features come about by chance or evolve over millions of years.

Look at man’s chasing, every single people group, worships something, there are people all over the world, that worship trees, spirits, rivers and animals, why?. There are tribes in deepest China, that worship nature, everyone seeks something to worship, even so-called Atheist’s worship something, even if it is themselves!

Because they know deep inside them, that there is something else, something outside them.

Look at Man’s crisis, he surely is in trouble, the deeper he/she goes and the further we go into history, the worse it gets. History goes from one disaster to another, every one worse than the last. Wars and disease are now man’s daily battle, it is like a chain weight around his neck. What disaster will it be next? Covid has surely shown man’s complete impotence, he is helpless, but still, he seeks to handle things on his/her own, he/she refuses to hand things over to God and acknowledge who God is, and that he has made a complete mess of things.

It would mean man would have to humble himself, and believe me, he is far too proud to do that!

Look at man’s condition, man hates the S word. He/she hates the word sin, every atheist, right at the bottom of them, will tell you, that there is no God, because they want no moral responsibility.

If there’s no God, like they argue, there is no judgement, we can live how we like, but there is a God and there is judgement Hebrews 9:27

These are the facts, look around you, look inside of you.  You have all the evidence, The uniqueness of the universe, the uniqueness of man, his utter helplessness and his deep need.

I am not an atheist, because every time, I see a flower or an animal, I see God’s hand, every time I see another human, I am reminded that they are uniquely created by God.

Why believe in something like atheism, that gives people NO HOPE?

Let’s eat drink and be merry for tomorrow we die, but there is more to life.

There is a purpose and that is a God who created you and loves you.

I am a Christian, I wasn’t always a Christian, something or someone changed me. I met and know the Living God.

He is a moment-by-moment reality, it is not some religious fantasy, I know his presence, I have seen and am seeing his power, not just in my life.

In my second message, I will share Why I am a Christian.

God bless you

KK

WHY?

Keith's page 1

1 Corinthians 1

26 For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards,[c] not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are,

WHY?

I often think on this question, WHY HAS GOD SAVED ME?, after all, in my family, both my brothers are smarter and better looking than me, one is a business owner, another one was able to communicate effectively with many different people.  I am not business savvy or an able oral communicator.

My nephews and nieces are intelligent and clever people, one nephew is a PHD, another is a computer whizz, so why did God choose me?

You look at the people God choose, twelve disciples, who if you were being honest, you wouldn’t touch with a barge pole! They were a motley group of low life’s, but filled with the power of God, they turned Jerusalem and ultimately the world upside down.

So why does God choose the so called foolish things to confuse the wise?

It got me to thinking, and so I asked the question WHY

Below is a little poem/prose, that asks  the question?

WHY?

I know that he has saved me

From sin and from death

My only question is Why?

1 John 5:12-13

He has given me grace and mercy

Things that I do not deserve

My only question is WHY?

Ephesians 2:4 and Ephesians 2:8

He has called me by name

To serve him day by day

My Only question is WHY?

Isaiah 43:1

He has loved me with an everlasting love

His love will never leave me or forsake me

MY only question is WHY?

Jeremiah 31:3 Hebrews 13:5

He has saved me from the pain of hell

Saved from the fire of the second death

My only question is WHY?

Revelation 2:11

He has saved me, so I can say

I know my redeemer liveth

My  only question is WHY?

Job 19:25

He has saved me, so I can know

Without a doubt, that I am saved.

My only question is WHY

Romans 8:31-39

He has saved me, out of the pit

And placed my feet on the rock

My only question is Why?

Psalm 40:1-4

He has saved me, and called me his son.

Allowing me to approach his throne with confidence.

My only question is WHY?

Hebrews 10:19-22 and Romans 8:14-17

He has saved me, and given me the robe of righteousness

Christ’s righteousness is now mine.

My only question is WHY?

Isaiah 61:10 and 2 Corinthians 5:17-19

He has saved me, and given me peace with Him.

Through Christ, my sinless substitute

My only question is Why?

Romans 5:1

He has saved me, and given me a place in heaven.

My name is in the lamb’s book of life

My question is WHY?

Revelation 21:27

He has saved me, nothing can separate me from him

For time and eternity

My only question is Why?

Romans 8:38-39

He has saved me, and he has justified me

Now I am declared righteous, through his precious blood

My only question is WHY?

Romans 3:24, 5:1 and 8:30

He has saved me and graven me on the palms of his hands

Never will he forget me

My only question is WHY?

Isaiah 49:16

He has saved me, and rescued me from his righteous wrath

That I fully deserved because of my sin and rebellion

My only question is WHY?

Romans 5:9

I have no further questions

As I have all the answers

They are given in his word

By strong and faithful promises

Given by the living God

That stand the test of time

And will never ever fail

God’s promises are like a rock

That s immoveable

Thanks be to God, that I know the answer to the Question

WHY

There is no human reason that God choose me, I know that he has set his love upon me.

Thanks be to God.

One day, we will not ask Why.

When we gaze into our Saviour’s face, we will know the answer to the question

WHY?

Thanks to God, who has saved me.

If you are reading this, and haven’t yet trusted Christ, please read the following verses.

Romans 10

9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. 11 For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.”

Belief in the finished work of Christ and confession of Christ are essential ingredients of Salvation.

We need repent, believe and confess.

Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.

Please take time to read the stories of how three thousand souls on the day of Pentecost and how the Philippian jailer, in Acts 16, had their question answered.

Both asked

What must we do to be saved?

But you know the answer?

The question is:

Will you do as they did?

Acts 2

37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” 40 And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” 41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.

Acts 16

25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, 26 and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened. 27 When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” 29 And the jailer[e] called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. 30 Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” 32 And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. 33 And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. 34 Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God.

Thousands upon thousands every single day from every country, come to faith in Jesus and his sacrifice on the cross and his glorious resurrection.

God’s offer is open, but one day it will close, it’s time to trust Christ.. tomorrow may be too late.

HE IS AND WILL BE

Keith's page 1

This is a poem written in response to a song by City alight, please listen to the song below

He is and will be  

Malachi 3:6   1 Thessalonians 5:24

Faithful,  Gracious and Merciful

Is our God who never changes

He and He alone is the one I trust

All my hope is based on Him

And what He has promised in His precious word

If He says something in His word

He is faithful to do it

His promises are backed up by his very nature

The only true God

Who keeps covenant for generations

The true God who cannot lie

His promises are backed up by the testimonies of thousands of believers

From Abraham to the present day

Gods’ promises and are steadfast and immoveable

He does not change,  His mercy,  love, and grace stand secure

Day to day, year to year, they remain constant

Based on the solid rock of His word

For me, they are life transforming

I know like Job that my redeemer lives

And that He can be trusted

Despite my doubt and despite my wandering heart

My redeemer gives me what I don’t deserve

That’s why, He is worthy of all glory, praise and honour.

Because I know that he has been faithful true and gracious, throughout my life and will be till He calls me home.

Then I will sing with millions of saints

Worthy he has been and worthy now is the lamb 

to receive glory honour and worship for evermore

He is my Redeemer

He is my Sustainer

He is my Saviour and sin bearer

He is my deepest desire

Jesus is worth it,  

because He is worthy

Amen

All glory to God

NANJING PHOTO FILM

Keith's page 1

NANJING PHOTO FILM

I have only seen excerpts of this film, but what I saw made me sick, it is heartbreaking.

My heart goes out to the people of Nanjing, innocent people were slain, but as the gospel says 

Where sin abounded, Grace even more abounded.

I love the city of Nanjing and it’s people.

GENESIS 18

That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?

The film called Dead Man’s Rights has made a great impression on me. I am a foreigner who lives in the city where these terrible events took place, all the way back in 1937.

I have lived here since 2012 and live every day with the Chinese people. During this time, I have walked all over Nanjing, I have walked all round Xuanwu Lake, the centerpiece of Nanjing, and I walked on the impressive city walls.

So what can we, as Christian believers, learn from this film?

The first thing is that we realize that man is out of control because of his sinful heart and his rebellion against God.

Jeremiah 17 says:
9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

Man is the highest piece of God’s creation, but he acts like the lowest. He parades his sin and rebellion as a trophy.

Sin, when it is fully grown, brings forth death. In James 1, it says:
15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

Romans 1 is a devastating critique of man’s condition. Listen to these sobering words:
29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
31 Without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

Many times, it says, God gave them over, literally, he said, you want to go this way, go ahead.

The second thing is that the gospel is desperately needed; it is the only answer to man’s depraved and broken heart.

The gospel of Jesus Christ is the only solution to man’s heart problem. Man needs a new heart as outlined in these verses from Ezekiel 36:
25 Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.
26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh.
27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.

Jesus said to Nicodemus (John 3), Peter said to the Jews on the day of Pentecost, and Paul to the Philippian jailer in Acts 16: you need to repent and trust Christ and Him alone for salvation. It is only through trusting Christ that we can be rescued from a life of sin and misery (Psalm 40:1-3).

The gospel changes not only individuals but cultures. It is cultural and yet counter-cultural; it challenges the deep-rooted prejudices within societies and transforms them with its radical power.

The gospel also brings forgiveness. When you have been forgiven from all your sin, you can then truly forgive. This film will bring to life great hatred because one nation will not face up to its past, and another finds it hard to forgive. The gospel deals with the past; it wipes the slate clean for people.

Forgiving people from the heart is probably the most difficult thing to do, but it releases you from the pain. 

The gospel also brings people together. God saves people not on the basis of country of origin, skin color, age, or background. He saves them because of His great grace and mercy through Christ. He is bringing together people from every country, language, and people group for His glory.

In Heaven there will be millions of Chinese and Japanese there will be no more anger between them, Christ brings all his people together, the Lord will save from every nation and culture.

There has been great suffering inflicted by one country on another. The suffering runs deep, but the gospel brings people in contact with the suffering servant who went through terrible suffering for us. He is completely able to empathize with our suffering; He knows everything we have gone through (Hebrews 4:14-16).

The gospel is one of eternal justice. People are brought into contact with the One who sees everything perfectly and who one day will deal out perfect justice. Did those people in Nanjing get real justice?  NO

One day they will. Everyone will have to give account, and everyone will be judged with perfect justice.

Hebrews 9:
27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

Revelation 20:
11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

So, the gospel is the answer, but what lessons can we learn from this sorry episode?

Three hundred thousand innocent people were killed in a short time; terrible and evil atrocities were committed, but 250,000 people were saved. Foreigners in Nanjing, including Germans, British, Americans, and others, started a safety zone where many people were saved.

In today’s world, we have the chance to invite people to come to Christ; He is their safety zone, He alone is their refuge. How many people have you invited to the safety zone of Christ?

The ark was a place of safety, and Noah was a preacher of righteousness, but no one accepted the offer. Everyone thought Noah was nuts: “It’s going to rain? It hasn’t rained for years, don’t be so crazy.”

It should teach us to pray. The Japanese people number 120 million, but less than 1% follow Christ. My friend Michael tells me it’s a very difficult mission field; the ground is very hard.

Also, pray for the deep wounds of the Chinese people to be healed. There is deep pain for this country; wounds take time to heal, but through the healing balm of the gospel, they can be healed.

What did we learn? We learned that although man seeks to bring disaster and pain, God can bring love and grace through the cross and resurrection of Jesus.

The gospel brings hope, it brings healing, it allows people to have new hearts and gives them the ability to forgive.

It teaches us that the greatest need of the hour is to share our glorious gospel; time is of the essence.

In closing, remember these words of the Apostle Paul from Romans 10:
12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

The walls of Nanjing are very high, they are very wide, indeed at some points 5 -8 cars can drive alongside each other.

Ezekiel 62:6 and Ezekiel Chapter 33 say we are watchmen on the wall, we see the enemy coming, we have to warn the people.

Likewise we have to warn the people around us about the coming of our  Lord again, time is running out.

2 Corinthians 5:8-15

LET US TELL THE PEOPLE OF THE WORLD, THAT THERE IS REFUGE TO BE FOUND IN CHRIST AND ONLY IN CHRIST, THAT THEY CAN BE FORGIVEN AND GIVEN A NEW HEART, A NEW START, A NEW LIFE AND LIVE FOR THE GLORY OF GOD AND HIM ALONE

AMEN

Keith

THE WILDERNESS YEARS

Keith's page 1

This is the story and my testimony of my wasted years, one thing, you will get from me, is my honesty. May this testimony inspire and challenge you. My name is Keith Hobkirk, I am a simple Christian servant of the Only true God, who redeemed  from sin, death and hell. I hope my story touches you life.

MY STORY                       

I am going to be seventy soon (well in 2029), just before my sixteenth birthday I trusted Christ as Saviour, but he never had total control of my life. My wilderness years were between 1986 and 2001, from the ages of 27 to 42. These were the best years of my life.. I cry with pain often because of this.

Most of my life, spiritually speaking has been wasted, why because I didn’t obey God, I went my own way, did my own thing.

Life lived not being obedient to God for the Christian is wasted. You have him as Saviour, but never as Lord.

I trusted Christ, but have spent most of my life sadly fighting against him, rather than living for Him.

Has he restored me?

Yes, and he is my everything, I owe God everything, without Him, I am nothing.

My story is a warning, to any of you, follow God with your whole heart, never take your eyes off Jesus.

The devil comes to kill steal and destroy, he has taken some of the best of my life, deceiving me that I could live without God.

Don’t let him fool you Christian, keep your eyes fixed on Christ.

I cant change the past, but I can do two things.

I can warn others of the mistakes I made and then live like never before for my Saviour and Lord.

I am restored and completely forgiven, but the sadness still remains.

William Borden once said

No reserves

No regrets

May you live for Him, without reserve and having no regrets

In Christ

Kk

IS JESUS KNOCKING ON THE DOOR?

Simply Scripture 1

REVELATION 3

20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.

21 The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. 

22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”

IS JESUS KNOCKING ON THE DOOR?

This is the final letter to the seven churches and is probably the most severe. This church was rich beyond measure, but Jesus had a terrible verdict on this church.

When I came to faith this verse was used, but it doesn’t relate to salvation. Indeed, it is both an invitation and a rebuke to the church.

Why should Jesus be standing and knocking on the door of the church? Surely the handle of the church is on the outside, and doesn’t Jesus have the key?

If He had either, then surely, He wouldn’t be standing outside knocking. It is because He wanted His church to invite Him in, but sadly, like this church, many of today’s churches lock Jesus out of their lives.

Surely if someone knocks at the door of your house you let them in! So what are the reasons Jesus has to knock? Here are several:

Each of the five churches that are criticised in these chapters in Revelation have a reason for not opening the door.

The Ephesian church had left their first love. They wouldn’t open the door because they didn’t want to show Him the extent of their sin and falling away. Basically, they were ashamed to open the door. The Ephesian believers started off burning all their books of enchantment and witchcraft, but maybe this was slowly creeping into the church again? Are you afraid to open the door because you have fallen from your first love, though once you would have gladly opened the door, however now the door stays firmly shut?

A church or an individual believer doesn’t usually slam the door shut on the Lord… we close it one push at a time. It starts with the something small. Maybe you prayed for one hour per day, but now you only pray for 10 minutes. Maybe you read your bible and loved to dig into the word every day, maybe now it’s every week or maybe you read your bible just on Sunday or on bible study night. You still carry your bible, and everyone sees you with it, but do you currently read and obey it?

The church at Ephesus had everything right and they were active in sharing the gospel, they discerned error and would not tolerate false teachers and they were doctrinally sound.. yet they had one thing wrong…they had left or abandoned their first love, the flame of passion had been put out, what was once burning passion for Christ, was now only a flickering flame. 

Are you/ Am I like that?

I know that I although I love the Lord, it is not with the same passionate first love I had.

It’s like when you fall in love, your whole life is consumed with the other person, it’s the same with Jesus. When you become his, there is something radical that happens in your life, a new love.

Have things crowded out your first love?

It could even be good things such as ministry and preaching, all these things are good, but they are not the best. Mary sat at the feet of Jesus, he said she had the best part. Luke 10:38-42

The church at Pergamum had a serious problem with false teachers. So why would they open the door? If you have false teachers in your church, they are not likely to answer the knocking of Jesus on the door. False teachers will never answer the door to Jesus! Why? Because they will be exposed by Jesus. False teachers will not answer the door to Jesus, they do not want their churches or their followers to learn about Jesus.

The church at Thyatira had a real problem with sexual sin, as it was rampant in that church. Let me ask you… if a church or an individual is full of sin, will it open the door? No, it will keep the door closed. Look at what Adam and Eve did after they sinned: they hid themselves. Psalm 32 says:

3 For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.4 For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. Selah

5 I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity;

   I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord, and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah

Is your life or the life of your church full of sin? If it is, then you will find it very hard to open the door. You don’t want to expose your sin to the piercing stare of the Lord. You try and hide it, but Jesus sees everything and knows everything. Do you think by keeping the door closed, that you can hide your sin?

The fourth church was Sardis: the church that had a great name, and many people called it alive, but in the opinion of Jesus it was dead. How many churches say this? We are alive, but whose opinion is that?

In fact, they are dead. That is why Jesus is knocking at the door. He is trying to wake the church up, but how can dead people open a door?  Do people think you are alive? The question isn’t what people think of you, it’s what Jesus thinks of you. You need to wake up from your spiritual sleep and deadness and open the door, because Jesus is knocking.

The final church is probably the worst culprit. Why was this?

The Laodicean church had everything, so their door was closed. If you have everything in your house and a door-to-door salesman comes to your house, do you open the door to him/her?. No… because you already have everything.

So many churches today think they have everything, and they do. They have programmes, great buildings, great sound systems, great worship teams, but they lack one thing, and that is Jesus. The door is closed on Him, He knocks on the door.

Maybe you have everything, but again in whose estimation?

In all these churches, there is one remedy and it is this… REPENT.

If you have lost your first love.. you need to repent.

If you have false, teachers invading your life or life of your church.. you need to repent.

If you have sin, in any shape or form in your life, or in the life of your church.. you need to repent.

If you are dead and lifeless and need to wake up.. you need to repent.

If you think you have everything and need nothing.. then you need to repent.

But the promise to all who do truly repent and open the door to Jesus is intimate fellowship with Him. Some of us are fearful to open the door, because we are frightened to let Jesus see what is behind the door. But Jesus knows what is behind the door! He sees right through the door! He sees your heart believer, and you cannot hide anything from Him.

So repent, open the door and have intimate fellowship with your Saviour.

The church and the individual Christian need to open the door to Jesus. He must not be shut out of our lives, or out of our churches. He wants and desires for us to put Him at the centre of our lives.

Don’t leave Him knocking at the door… let Him in.

God bless you,

Keith

LETTERS Y AND Z

Alphabet U-Z

WE ARE GOING TO YONDER CITY

REVELATION 21

1And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

In pilgrims progress, the pilgrims are constantly looking for the heavenly city, their eyes are always directed to heaven.

Our eyes, have also to be focused towards heaven, we travel on this road towards the heavenly city and we travel on it, knowing that at the end of this road is something beyond description.

This is what keeps us going, sometimes the road is incredibly rough and steep, and the one thing that does keep us focused and hopeful, is that one day, we will see our Saviour and share his glory.

When someone asks, where are we going?

We say, ” we are going to yonder city”

We are going to see our Saviour.

Our eyes and our focus, have to be on heaven.

The glories of heaven are one of the greatest motivations for us, the glories of heaven are so amazing.

Romans 8

18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

The glories of heaven, are among the greatest motivations to us, the glory of heaven is totally awesome.

If we are going to Yonder City, another thing we must do, is to take as many people as we can with us to this glorious place. 

We must grasp the glories of heaven; 

Praise God.

Are you going to Yonder city?

KK

REVELATION 21

21 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

ZION’S CITY

We come to the end of the alphabet, and for Z, we are going to finish at our final destination.

Pilgrim, Hopeful and Faithful went on the way to the celestial city, a city that is beyond words, please read the rest of chapter 21 to be totally awed.

This is the thing that keeps us going, this is the blessed hope of Titus 2:13

13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

Going along the way is awesome, but it is tough, there is a blessed hope, the hope of the believer is to see his/her Saviour.

When life got to its hardest point, in Doubting castle, Pilgrim plucked a key out of his bosom called Promise.

One of the promises on that key ring is this:

JOHN 14

14 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.

Rejoice Christian, you are going home. One day you will see your Saviour and all pain and sorrow will cease.

As we end this series, let’s rejoice that we are home.

God bless you

Keith

LETTER X

Alphabet U-Z

THE X FACTOR

John 7:38

King James Version

38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

JOHN 14

16And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you anotherComforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

JOHN 16

Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.

8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:

9 Of sin, because they believe not on me;

10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;

11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.

There was a TV talent show many years ago in the UK that was called the X factor, it was a singing show, which unknown singer had that extra piece they called the X factor?

Every Christian has an X factor which is the Holy Spirit.

Let me say from the outset, that the Holy spirit, is fully God. He was there at creation, he was there at Jesus baptism, he was there at the cross and it was through Him that Jesus was raised from the dead.

He was poured out at Pentecost, he can be grieved Ephesians 4, he can be lied to Acts 5:1-11, in this passage, he is clearly identified as God. He is part of that unique mystery called the trinity, we see the trinity in action, working as one, in creation and in redemption.

The Holy Spirit lives in each and every true born-again believer, indeed it is him, who lifts the veil from their eyes about sin and about their need of Christ.

The job of the Holy spirit is to reveal Christ to us, he is to uplift Jesus, by opening up our eyes to the truths of scripture, I have no ability to understand any of scripture, it is only through him, that I am able to share it. It is the Holy Spirit, who moved people to write the Holy Bible.

He lives in us to sanctify us unto God, to make us more like Christ, that is why there is a daily battle going on between the flesh and the spirit Galatians 5:16-17 and Romans 6 and 7.

That is why in Romans 12；1-2，we are told to renew our minds, so that we can be transformed, the Holy Spirit uses Gods word to transform us.

Daily, we need to filled with the Holy Spirit, he lives within us, but we have to sow to the spirit, we have to starve the flesh and let the Holy Spirit, work in our lives, we need to stop blocking him by our anger, bitterness and evil speaking. Ephesians 5:18 Ephesians 4:17-32.

God’s Holy spirit can be blocked by our complaining attitude, we are told to give thanks for everything 1Thessalonians 5:18, if we are constantly complaining, then it blocks his work.

The Holy Spirit, is not just the X factor in our walk, it is in our witness. When we share the gospel, we can talk and talk to someone, we explain in detail, we share many bible verses, but somehow, they just don’t get it. The Holy Spirit is the illuminator, he and he alone, convicts of sin, righteousness and judgement, in other words, he makes the sinner aware that he is guilty before God, that Jesus is the only way to God, that is through the righteousness of Christ that we are saved, and that the terrifying consequences of sin is death and eternal separation from God.

When I was saved all these elements came to fruition, as I was made aware that I was a sinner and that Jesus was the only way to salvation.

The Holy spirit gives the Christian the X factor in his walk with Christ and in his witness for Christ.

。

The fruit of the Holy spirit is outlined in Galatians 5:22-23and in Colossians chapter 3:12-17

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;

13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.

15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

Being filled with the Holy Spirit is like Jesus says in John 6, living waters flow out of you.

Your walk will be close to the Lord, your witness will be active as people are brought to the Saviour.

The great command is

Be filled with the spirit

Constantly being filled every day,  don’t block him, unleash his power in your life.

He is the comforter, he is our confidant, our confidence, he is the one who lives within us. Jesus has not left us, he has given us another comforter

The Paraclete, the one who comes alongside us

He is our X factor.

Praise God

God bless you

Keith

LETTER W

Alphabet U-Z

WHAT ARE WE TO DO WHILST WE ARE WAITING ON EARTH?

EPHESIANS 5

16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

Do you want to get to heaven, as Paul did?. But had to stay on earth

Philippians 1:23

King James Version

23 For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:

We are citizens of heaven, we long for that place, but we are needed here on earth, until the Lord sees fit to call us home, so what are we to spend our time doing?

We are to redeem our time, not waste it, lets look at some of the things we could be doing.

WORKING 2 Corinthians 6 :1

We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.

We are not here to be idle; we are workers together with God, this is a joint venture, we are his co-workers. Yes, we are unworthy servants Luke 17:10, but we are God’s instruments to serve and reach a world that needs to know Him.

In Galatians 6 and 2 Thessalonians 3, we are told not to be weary in well doing, in other words, keep doing good, keep serving others, keep on serving God.. don’t stop even for a minute.

WATCHFUL ISAIAH 62:6

Isaiah 62:6

King James Version

6 I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the Lord, keep not silence,

A watchmen is constantly on the lookout, even the slightest hint of danger, they report it, nothing gets past them, they see everything.

Jude said that people had crept into the church without people noticing, maybe the watchmen were asleep or distracted?

Are you keeping watch?

If you are a pastor, are you keeping watch over your sheep? Are you guarding the flock of God?

Ordinary believer, are you watching out for false doctrine spreading in your church and are you watching over young believers in your fellowship?

WORSHIPPING

What will we be doing in heaven? Worshiping and praising God.

We ought to be a worshipping people, our hearts should show forth the glories of the Lord. Let’s get focused on heaven by worshipping God on a daily basis, as that is what we will be doing in heaven. Let’s have a real heart for worship, adoration and praise to God.

WITNESS ACTS 1:8 MATTHEW 28:16-20 AND COLOSSIANS 4:2-6

Our greatest honour is to share the gospel, to be used by God to bring another person to Christ, is awesome. This is probably the main reason, we are here, not to make money, not to satisfy ourselves but to reach others. 

This must start with our families, we have to touch our families for Jesus, many households are divided, a mother trusts Christ but the husband doesn’t. This is so important, so many women in China, put church first, but they have the wrong priority, its family first.

WARNERS

We need to be Warners, people are going to a Christless eternity, are you a watchman on the wall, if you are and then you see danger, but don’t see anything and the wall gets broken down, you are guilty. Ezekiel Chapters 3 and 33

WARMERS

Are you a warmer?

What is a warmer?

Do you open up your home to fellow believers?

Is your home a haven for Christian friendship and fellowship?

When people meet you, do you warm them or repel them?

Are you a Christian, that makes others feel comfortable and warm?

WARRIORS INVOLVED IN WARFARE  2 TIMOTHY 2:3 COLOSSIANS 4:12 2 COR 10:4-5 EPHESIANS 6:10-18

We are in hand to hand combat, as a:

Soldier

We are all soldiers in God’s army, we have armour, we have weapons. Whilst we are here on earth, we will spend our time in spiritual warfare, remember Christian, you are in a war. In Pilgrim’s progress,  Pilgrim had many battles with the enemy, he was equipped with armour, why because he was to experience daily spiritual warfare.

Prayer warrior

Epaphras was a man who battled fervently in prayer, he was a fervent prayer warrior. Our prayers are a dynamic spiritual weapon,

Are you a fervent and passionate prayer warrior, like Epaphras was.

What are you doing with your time on earth?

We are to se our time in God honouring activities, like the ones mentioned above, if we do this, we will sure be:

REDEEMING THE TIME

Remember use your time well.

Don’t waste your life on trivial things, invest your life in eternal things.

God bless you

Keith

LETTER V

Alphabet U-Z

THREE V’S FOR VICTORY

1 JOHN

1 John 5:4

King James Version

4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

Psalm 24

King James Version

24 The earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.

2 For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods.

3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place?

4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.

5 He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.

6 This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah.

TITUS 2

Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

How can we live in today’s world?

We can be conformed to the world or transformed by God’s spirit; we have a choice.

So how are we to live in today’s world:

The first way, we have to live in today’s world is:

VIRTUOSLY

We live in a dark and dangerous world; we are to live holy lives in a world that is sinful and dirty. In psalm 24, we have instructions on how we are to live in respect of our actions and words.

In 1 Thessalonians, 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus, there are many verses that tell us, how to live in today’s world, one of the things that is interesting is that the word Sober is mentioned several times especially in Titus 2.

We are told not to be drunk with wine in Ephesians 5:18, we are to be sober. We cannot watch if we are drunk. A drunk man wants to sleep, all he is interested in is the next drink.

But we have to be constantly watching, denying worldly lusts, the way to live is to follow Titus 2:12, to live soberly, righteously and godly lives in the midst of a perverse and evil generation, cleansing our minds through the continual washing of the word of God in our lives Psalm 119, Romans 12:1-2 and Colossians 3:16

VISIONARY

Secondly, we must be visionaries, in several ways.

Isaiah had a vision of the glory of God in Isaiah 6, we must have a deep and full relationship with God, time must be spent in God’s presence, through intimate fellowship with the Father Matthew 6:6.

That will create a deep and passionate vision for the lost, Isaiah had this vision of God, but it wasn’t so he could stay in that situation, the call to him was, I want someone to go, who will go for us.

Vision for God’s work and vision for God’s glory are inseparable, they come together. We need to have a vision to reach out with God’s word, We need to have a vision of God in all his glory but that vision and encounter, must drive us to worship and to sharing his glory with a needy world.

VICTOROUSLY

We have the victory in Jesus, ultimate victory belongs to us.

Revelation 12:11

King James Version

11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

Ultimate victory belongs to us, but also daily victory belongs to us. We are able to overcome the world, these wonderful verses in 1 John are so relevant to us:

1 JOHN 2

13 I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father.

14 I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.

1 JOHN 5

4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

We are victorious, we follow a victor, Jesus defeated sin and the devil, we will trip up daily, we will fail, but the more we become the image of Jesus by soaking ourselves in his word, we will have the victory.

Are you living a virtuous life?

Are you living a visionary life?

Are you living a victorious life?

God bless you

kk

LETTER U

Alphabet U-Z

UNDERSTANDING THE BATTLE

EPHESIANS 6

10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Christian, you are in a battle!

Some Christians seem to think that the Christian life is a daydream, that we are here on earth to eat, drink and be merry, when the opposite is true, they seem to want to let everyone else fight the battles whilst they live a life of ease, they seem to want to come to Church once on Sunday, another thing ticked off their to -do list.

What we have to understand is that we are in a battle, a wrestling match, it is hand to hand combat with an enemy, we cannot see, it is a spiritual battle fought not with earthly weapons, but with heavenly ones.

Do you really understand what you are involved in:

The environment

Today’s world is not a good place, it is a world full of sin and here’s the bad news, it’s going to get a lot worse. For the Christian, it is a place he/she is not comfortable in. If you are comfortable in this society, then I suggest you are not truly saved 1 John 2:15-17.

To be in love with the world is to be against God, you cannot be on both sides at the same time, you are on one side or the other Exodus 32：26 and Joshua24：15.

This world stinks with the stench of sin, it is everywhere, it permeates every nook and cranny, it is infectious disease, which has one answer and that is the blood of Jesus.

Christian, you need to be aware that this world is not a holiday camp, but a battleground.

Your example

You have the greatest example in the world, your precious Saviour, he came down to earth and defeated Satan through hs death, but it took all he had. Do you think it will take us anything less?

Many believers throughout history have fought against the evil devil, but again it takes all they have, it is not for the halfhearted. Look at the example of Jesus in the garden, he sweated great drops of blood, look at what the apostle Paul went through for the gospel.

Jesus was the author and finisher of our faith, he finished the devil for good, but it took everything he had, it took his life. We need to understand it may take ours. Hebrews 12:1-3 Colossians 2:11-15

Our eyes

Hebrews 12

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.

Our eyes need to be focused on what has gone before, before anyone goes into battle or a war, old battles are studied and analysed.

But we can look to the ones who in the bible, who actually won battles, not only that, we can focus on the Lord Jesus who won the ultimate battle at the cross and through his resurreuction, we always need to focus our eyes on Jesus.

Endurance

2 Timothy 2

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

A soldier goes through difficult training, the roman soldiers of Paul’s day, didn’t have a cosy bed to sleep in. They had to sleep under the stars.

What are you willing to give up and endure for the cause of Christ?

Energy

2 Timothy 2

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.

What is your energy being spent on?

You cannot fight on the battlefield if you are constantly playing till 2am on your cell phone. 

Our enemy

Satan is very powerful, but although he is, his power is limited.

Look at the example in Job chs 1 and 2, he can only as far as God allows him and no further. He is portrayed as a roaring lion, but a roaring lion, who has a very long leash, controlled by God.

After he tempted Jesus in Matthew 4, he had to leave him, he couldn’t touch him. 

We need to remember that although the devil can hurt us, he can

only do to us, what God allows, God is sovereign and will only allow us to be tempted to a level we are able to stand, he will always give us a way of escape. 

Our equipment

In Ephesians 6:10-18 and 2 Corinthians10:4-5, we have our equipment laid out for us.

My question is this:

Do we keep our equipment in tip top shape? Every Roman soldier, would take pride in his equipment.

His sword would be sharp and polished, are we studying and meditating on the bible every day?

Shield of faith, are you acting in faith on the promises of God every day?

Prayer, are you fervently coming before the throne of God every day?

Or are you letting your Armour go rusty?

When some Christians want to put their Armour on, they can’t, because it hasn’t been used for so long, they don’t know how to use it. They don’t know how to act on the promises of God or to use the sword of the spirit effectively.

Make sure you do!

Extraordinary God

Do you fully understand his extraordinary power?

I don’t think we do to be honest. Paul in his two great prayers in the book of Ephesians in Chs 1:15-23 and 3:14-21, tries to give us a flavor of the power of God.

When we realize a little of how all powerful God really is, we would have no fear, no doubt and we would have victory all the time, but we don’t, we are fragile humans.

We need to realize that we are filled with all the fullness of God through his Holy Spirit, the same one that raised Jesus from the dead, the same on that filled the disciples o the day of pentecost.

Let us understand these things:

Our environment is a sinful world

Our example is a wonderful Saviour

Our enemy is a defeated foe

Our equipment is made for us to to use

Our Extraordinary God has and will give us the victory

Our eyes must be focused on Jesus

Our endurance must be to the end

Our energy must be put into the right things.

Amen

God bless you

KK 

LETTER T

Alphabet N-T

TRUTH TELLERS

JUDE 3-4

3 Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. 4 For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

PHILIPPIANS 2

Philippians 2:16

King James Version

16 Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.

Truth matters. amen

We live in days that are very dangerous, scripture is being undermined at every turn, the authority and sufficiency of scripture is being taken lightly.

Jude says that false teachers and I want you to take notice of this word, unnoticed. 

That is an interesting word, how people creep into your house.

You can leave your door a little bit ajar, many churches have left their doors a little bit ajar and now many false teachers are hiding in the church. One compromise has led to another, one small sin has led to another. Look at the five churches in Revelation chs 2-3, they started off well, but they left their doors ajar.

The second way, they crept in, was because they were asleep. Jesus says how does the thief rob the house, he binds the strong man of the house, in the following verses we see this:

Matthew 12

29 Or else how can one enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.

Mark 3:27

King James Version

27 No man can enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house.

Many churches are unaware of the danger, they are asleep. The strongman of the house has been bound, and the thief who is Satan, who comes to steal, kill and destroy. Who is the strongman, it’s the pastor, the pastor has departed from the truth and is engaging in error and false teachers have crept in and now the church is in uproar.

The church needs to do things with the truth:

Firstly, it must not hold fast to the truths of scripture, in this contemporary culture, this is seen as outdated, we must hold fast to the truths of God’s word, despite the surrounding culture saying otherwise.

We must be led astray for the latest church growth fad, we are told how to build an effective church in the book of Acts and how to rebuild the broken down walls in Nehemiah, why do we need to resort to the books of today’s so called Church experts and their Purpose driven books, when we need to hod fast to God’s word and not Man’s. When it comes to God’s truth, we should be say no compromise, even if that sets us at odds with society.

We need to be fully awake, some are sleeping, indeed many churches are sleepwalking, the enemy sees them as easy pickings and they are now no use to God at all, they are neither hot nor cold, and we know the Lord does to that church. Revelation 3:14-21

We cannot share the gospel, we cannot tell the world of the gospel, if we don’t hold fast to its truth. Over 50% off American evangelicals don’t believe the word of God, they don’t hod fast to the truth.

How can they share something they don’t believe?

Before we can hold some forth, we have to hold it fast. To hold fast, means that we are not shaken, nothing shakes our belief in the word of God, we know that it is the power of God unto salvation, we know it is quick, powerful and sharper than any two-edged                                                                     sword Hebrews 4:12-13

Let us hold fast to the truths of God’s word, so that we can hold it forth to a needy world.

The world wants to see a church that believes what God says, if we don’t believe it, how can we expect the world to, maybe this is the reason, so many Christians don’t witness.

How can you share in something you don’t truly believe in?

Time to awake out of sleep and time to close the door, it is time to hold firmly and steadfastly to the truth and then and only then, can we share it with clarity and power.

May God help us

God bless you

KK

LETTER S

Alphabet N-T

SERVICE WITH A SMILE

Reading John 13:1-5 Philippians 2:5-8

We enjoyed being served, many people serve us. They serve us at the restaurant, at the supermarket  and at the gas station.

We are servants, but not to an earthly master. We are servants to a heavenly master, we have his example in his life, especially in John 13,  there is the benchmark for us.

So to sum up, what service means, here is an acronym to help us understand it.

S  is for Selfless service

Christ did not come to be serve, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many. Service is not about you, it is never selfish, it is always selfless. When we serve people, we will do anything, there is nothing we won’t do for people. After all Jesus served us, he washed the disciples feet, the lowest form of service, he gave us this amazing selfless example. Service to others is not about exalting yourself, but exalting Christ.

E is for everyday

Serving people is not a one off thing, it is a continuous thing. It is a life trait, it is something we do and we love doing. We are not to be weary of well doing. 2 Thess 3:13 Galatians 6:9

R is for reverent service

Our service to God must be reverent, whatever we do is to the glory of God. We are to serve God in a way that brings him glory 1 Cor 10:31.

In Ephesians 6, we have this verse:

Ephesians 6:7

King James Version

7 With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men:

Everything we do is for God, we are serving others, as if we are serving Christ.

Are you doing the washing up at church?

Do it if Jesus was going to use that plate or cup.

V is for virtuously

Luke 17:10

English Standard Version

10 So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants;[a] we have only done what was our duty.’”

Even when we serve, pride is probably our biggest enemy. We think oh look at me, I’m doing such a good work here, arent i good. But in fact, we are nothing but unworthy servants. Pride kills service, in fact pride makes us unfit for service, pride can be a service killer, remember to serve with a virtuous heart. Psalm 24

I is for instant service

Have you heard the pastor plead week after week for someone to do that job or this job in church, People are reluctant to come forward to service, But we should be instant in serving the Lord, when the Lord gives the call to serve in some area, we should be ready and willing to go, we should be like Isaiah, who said Here I am send me.

C is Christ centred Service

Everything we do must be centred on Christ, when we serve people, it is to show Christ’s love and compassion to that person or group. We serve because he first served us, he gave us a living breathing example of what service was like.

E is for encouraging service

There are many one another’s in the New testament, one especially is to stir up one another to faith and good works Hebrews 10:24.

When we serve others, it is meant to encourage others to grow in their faith, Paul was served by many people, look at the three people, who served him, in these verses in 1 Cor 16：

17 I rejoice at the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus, because they have made up for your absence, 18 for they refreshed my spirit as well as yours. Give recognition to such people.

They are great examples, they did not come to be refreshed by Paul, but they brought refreshment to him. Have you encouraged another to serve God? Have you encouraged one who is in the service of God.

Remember service is:

SELFLESS

EVERYDAY

REVERENT

VIRTUOUS

INSTANT

CHRIST CENTRED

ENCOURAGING

May you serve God with all these things in mind.

God bless you

Keith

LETTR R

Alphabet N-T

REACH OUT WITH THE GOSPEL

COLOSSIANS 4

3 At the same time pray for us, too, that God will open a door [of opportunity] to us for the word, to proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I have been imprisoned; 4 that I may make it clear [and speak boldly and unfold the mystery] in the way I should.

5 Conduct yourself with wisdom in your interactions with outsiders (non-believers), make the most of each opportunity [treating it as something precious]. 6 Let your speech at all times be gracious and pleasant, seasoned with salt, so that you will know how to answer each one [who questions you].

1 Thessalonians 3

  Finally, brothers and sisters, pray continually for us that the word of the Lord will spread rapidly and be honored [triumphantly celebrated and glorified], just as it was with you;

We often hear of an opportunity economy, every political statement from whichever party you listen to, says, we are here to create opportunities for people.

As Christians, we have constant opportunities to share the gospel, we are called to reach out and tell people thee wonderful news of salvation through faith in Christ alone.

Every day we meet many people who seem ok on the outside, but in reality are in deep pain. God brings people across our path every single day, he gives us opportunities to share the gospel, whether by words or Christlike actions.

Look at verse 5 and 6 of Colossians 4, we have to treat every person, we talk to or meet as a precious opportunity. Every person is different, they are unique, they will all different needs, but God will bring people across your path, who you are able to share your testimony and life story with us.

We do not reach them, just by preaching at them, our words and reactions, are to be seasoned with salt. Are our words gracious and pleasant? Do your words and actions drive people away or draw them nearer to Christ?

In letter Q, we talked about being ready to answer people about your faith. I often remember, sharing the gospel and the person concerned just didn’t get it, however simple I made it and how many times I explained it. Remember that once you didn’t get it once, so be patient and gracious.

Sharing the gospel is the most amazing privilege, Jesus reached down and then he reached out, to the poor, helpless and needy.

We are to be to be ready to reach out to a needy world, God will bring people across our path, who we can share with.

Pray that every day, God will give you doors of opportunity and when he does, seize the opportunity and reach out with Christ’s love.

 A final illustration, years ago in the park, I met a Chinese man, who spoke good English, he was fascinated by me, being English. But what we started talking about was not spiritual, it was Henry the eighth and his six wives, then we moved onto spiritual things.

That my friend, it is reaching out and taking every opportunity.

Be part of God’s opportunity outreach!

God bless you

KK

LETTER Q

Alphabet N-T

QUESTIONS QUESTIONS QUESTIONS

1 PETER 3

15 But in your hearts set Christ apart [as holy—acknowledging Him, giving Him first place in your lives] as Lord. Always be ready to give a [logical] defense to anyone who asks you to account for the hope and confident assurance [elicited by faith] that is within you, yet [do it] with gentleness and respect.

People are always asking questions, what happened, who am I and why am I here, are some of the commonest questions asked today.

As a Christian, you have the answer to all of life’s questions, that is Jesus.

In his lifetime, Jesus was asked many questions, the pharisees asked him if he was the Son of Gid, sadly they didn’t like the answer.

God asked a very important question in the garden of Eden, again man did not want to answer, so he went off and hid himself. The question God is asking you is:

Where are you?

Are you trying to hide from God?

There is no hiding place.

Another vital question that you have to answer is this one from Matthew 16

Now when Jesus went into the [c]region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they answered, “Some say John the Baptist; others, Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah, or [just] one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed), the Son of the living God.” 

This is the most important question anyone  can answer, your eternal destiny depends on your reply to this question.                                                                                                      

Who is this man Jesus?

He claimed to be God in the flesh?

In Romans 10, it says this:

9 because if you acknowledge and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord [recognizing His power, authority, and majesty as God], and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart a person believes [in Christ as Savior] resulting in his justification [that is, being made righteous—being freed of the guilt of sin and made acceptable to God]; and with the mouth he acknowledges and confesses [his faith openly], resulting in and confirming [his] salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him [whoever adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Him] will not be disappointed [in his expectations].

The answer is to say, Jesus is my Lord. To believe in your heart and confess it with your mouth.

To those who have trusted Christ, now is the time to ask your friends and family, what do they think of Christ, it is time to confess your Saviour before men, it is time for believers to confront the world with the reality of sin, judgement and salvation.

Remember the verse in 1 Peter, when we are asked to give a reason for the hope that lies within us, have you an answer?.

To do this, you have to soak yourself in the word of God, your whole being must be immersed in God’s word.

Could you answer a Muslim?

Could you answer an atheist?

People are asking questions, you have got the true answer Jesus?

A final question, if someone came up and asked you on the street:

WHY ARE YOU A CHRISTIAN?

Could you answer them from the bible?

God bless you

Keith

LETTER P

Alphabet N-T

PRAYER AND PRAISE ARE POWERFUL PRIVILEGES

PSALM 73

28 But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works.

PSALM 34

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

Of all the privileges of being a Christian, the ones of bringing our prayers and praises to God, are on the top rung of the ladder.

Before we came to faith, we were alienated from God, we were unable to reach him, let alone talk with him, but now because of the sacrificial death of Jesus, we are able to approach God and call him our father. Hebrews 10:19-22

Prayer is not just talking to God and bringing our requests, it is part of it, we are not to come with a big shopping list. God is to be praised first, why because he deserves it, before we ask for anything from him, surely it is right to thank and praise him for all he is and how much he has given us.

Prayer changes things, but so does praise, why? Because it takes our focus off ourselves and places it on God.

Jesus outlined how we should pray in Matthew 6, Paul prayed for each of the churches he founded in passages such as Philippians 1:9-11 and Ephesians 1:15-23. In Philippians 4:6-7, we are urged to bring our requests to God, in Psalm 62, we are told to empty our hearts in Prayer and in ! thess 5, we are told to pray without ceasing.

Prayer is a wonderful privilege, so why is the prayer meeting, the worst attended meeting at virtually every church?

God answers the prison cell  prayer in Acts 12 and 16, he sends revival through prayer 2 Chronicles 7.

Praise to God is best illustrated in the book of Psalms, there are so many psalms that tell us, what to praise   and how to praise God.

We are to praise him for the following reasons:

：

For who he is 

For what he has done for us

For what he has given us

For salvation and all that entails

Prayer and Praise are linked, one place we say them working in conjunction with each other, is in Acts 16:

祷告与赞美是相互关联的，《使徒行传》16 章就是一处体现它们

25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.

26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed.

27 And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.

28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.

29 Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas,

30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

32 And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.

Prayer and Praise have dynamic power, both of them working together, not one in isolation, we praise God for who he is and what he has done for us and then we know that when we pray we can come in a bold manner knowing that he will answer us, according to his will.

God is worthy to be PRAISED.

GOD is pleased to hear both our prayers and our praises.

GOD loves to hear our PRAYERS

In the summer, I was going round the ruins of Huntingdon castle, this was the birthplace of Oliver Cromwell, Lord Protector of England from 1650-60 and a godly man, there was a stone at the castle, which had these words on it.

HE NEVER LEFT FOR BATTLE EXCEPT THROUGH THE HARBOUR OF PRAYER

We should never go into daily battle, without prayer. In Ephesians 6, we have the Christian’s armour, one is usually overlooked and that is prayer. We need to have our armour on, but if we do not pray, it’s worthless. Samson shook himself, he said I will go out as before. How often do we do that?

Every day before we go out let’s pray.

Let’s always take advantage of these two awesome privileges, let’s pray without ceasing and may God’s praise be continually in our mouths.

Murray Mcheyne said this on prayer

A man is what he is on his knees – nothing more, nothing less

Operation world Page 301

Are you a man/woman of prayer and praise?

These two things should define a person, when Ananias said in Acts 9, how will I recognise Paul, it was told him behold he prayeth.

Does that describe you?

Psalm 34 starts with the phrase I will bless the Lord at all times, his praise is continually in my mouth.

Are you defined by your attitude of praise?

Is your mouth filled with praise?

Do you pray without ceasing?

May we always be a prayerful and praising people.

For his glory alone

God bless you

KK

LETTER O

Alphabet N-T

THE ONE ANOTHERS

John 13

34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

 Over fifty times in the New testament, we have these one another’s, these speak clearly and concisely to us in a  way we can understand.

We will do a series on these one another’s in due course, but here, let’s make some general comments about them.

First of all:

They are direct commands to obey

These special phrases are given not as options to us, but commands to obey. Jesus said, if you love me keep my commandments.

John 14:15

King James Version

15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.

Some of these commands especially relating to forgiveness and being patient, run against our natural inclination.

Not only are they direct commands, they are demanding commands.

As we have already said, the flow of the world, says that we should care for ourselves, but lots of these commands challenge our mindset to think of ourselves first.

These commands demand change, they demand radical discipleship, if these commands were only obeyed by the church, then the world would sit up and take notice of us.

Not only are they direct and demanding, they dissect all our thought patterns, the word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than a two-edged sword. Hebrews 4:12-13.

They are there to transform our thinking Romans 12:1-2 and 2 Corinthians 10:4-5, we need to constantly cleanse our minds, letting the pure water of the word flow through it. Colossians 3:16.

They are also distinctive commands, commands such as love one another and be patient with one another, are not found anywhere else.  These things make Christians distinct.

What does Christ say, they will know you are Christians by your love for one another, this is what makes Christianity unique. It  is not like Buddhism or Islam; it has a deep and dynamic command system that radically transforms the heart.

These commands should be our delight, in Psalm 119, the psalmist says, I delight to do thy law. The commands of the Lord are not some burden to us, they are there to set us free.

Imagine, if we obeyed the command Forgive one another, how much freedom would that give us.

Are the one another’s your delight?

Finally, they are dynamic, they are life changing. Any church or individual who fully embraces all these one another’s in their life and the life of the church, will be transformed.

These commands cover the whole sphere of your Christian walk, they cover your personal walk, they cover your walk in church.

Please go and find a good bible concordance and find out how many of these one another commands, there are in the NT.

It is an exciting journey for you and one that will transform your life, please find out all these wonderful commands and then test yourself.

Say: Let’s take the command to Love one another.

Am I loving people?

Am I loving everyone equally?

Test yourself and see if you match up.

Are you obeying the one another’s?

If you do, it will totally transform your life.

God bless you

KK

LETTER N

Alphabet N-T

NO NO NO!  TO THE DEVIL

EPHESIANS 4

24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.

26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:

27 Neither give place to the devil.

28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:

32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

The devil is the Christian’s enemy, he hates God Ezekiel 14, but he can never hurt God Genesis 3:15. So who does he go after, that’s right, he goes after the Christian and the Church.

Every weapon he can muster is targeted on us, we are in the firing line so to speak. He truly, has it in for us, he is like a roaring lion:

1 Peter 5:8

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaringlion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

He wants to devour us, he is seeking those he can devour, how does he do this:

In this passage, we have some of the weapons that the devil uses to trap the  Christian, do you notice that he uses our emotions, he gets us to be angry, that’s an emotion, it isn’t a wrong emotion, if it’s focused on the right thing, Jesus was angry at what was happening in the temple, but he did not sin.

Every trap that the devil lays in this passage, is answered by the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, speaking through Paul, God wants you to give no place to the devil, here’s how you do it.

In verses 24-25, we have to put something on and take something off, it is like morning and evening, in the morning, you put on new clothes, you take off the old clothes, this is the same with the Christian. 

COLOSSIANS 3

7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.

8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.

9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;

10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

The putting on and taking off is a continuous thing, just like the filling of the spirit Ch 5:18, every day and indeed every moment, we have to be taking off our old clothes and putting on new clothes, how can we do this:

Romans 12 tells us:

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

We are to be moulded by God’s word. How much time do you spend in God’s word each day? Now compare how much time you spend playing on your cell phone and watching rubbish on TV?

We need to have our minds cleansed, by God’s spirit using God’s word, this is the only formula.

We need to:

Colossians 3

16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

We need to let the word of God dwell in our hearts and lives, to dwell, means to take up residence, we are to welcome it, it must be the primary guest in our hearts.

SAY THIS AS YOUR READ YOUR BIBLE

Word of God I welcome you, speak to me as I meditate on your truth.

As we meditate on God’s word, it will bring overflowing joy, we will sing aloud of our God and it will touch our fellow believers.

Remember, the devil hates to hear Christians praising God, why? Well it reminds him of his previous job!

So let’s examine, all the weapons the devil uses and God’s answer.

Lying, everyone tells lies or untruths, so how can we stop this, by speaking truth Ch 4:15 Zechariah 8:16. The more we grow in grace, the more love we have for God, we will grow to be like him

2 Peter 3:18

We are now in a unique fellowship of like minded believers, people who love the truth, being with them will rub off on you.

Anger, how can you be angry and sin not? Surely this is impossible? Jesus was angry at the things, his Father was. So must we be, are we angry at our sin and are we angry at injustice, this is righteous anger and not sin.

Many people let anger fester, they let it hang around for years, and it destroys their lives Psalm 37:8, it means that we have to let it go, don’t let it fester. If you have an argument with your wife/husband, do you let it last for days?

Be angry at the things God is angry about.. sin and wickedness.

Laziness, God created work, it is not his will, that people do not work, You work for your own benefit, but also you work so that you can share with others Acts 20:35 Luke 3:11

Corrupt speech. we are not to use our mouths to curse but to comfort Colossians 3:8, our mouths are to be used to edify and not to break down.

Bitterness, Anger, Clamour etc, James 3:16-18 James 4：11

These things left unchecked will give the devil open house in a Christians life and in the life of the church, the devil thrives on this kind of thing, it is his meat and drink, the more anger and resentment, he can sow, the better it is for him. What is the answer?

We are angry and resentful against people who have hurt us.. amen, I won’t talk to that person, because they sat in my seat that I’ve sat on in church for twenty years!.

God’s answer to this is deep and passionate Christian love, forgiveness being the start.

Has anyone upset you?   Forgive them from the heart.

Has anyone been bitter  and angry towards you? Be tender hearted towards them.

Why must I forgive you may say? Well how many sins, has Christ forgiven for you, when he saved you? He washed all our sins away, he did not hold any sins to our account, he took on all your sin.

But I can’t forgive you proudly say, what if Christ had said the same thing. We deserve hell and eternal punishment, but we have received grace Ephesians 2:1-10 1 Timothy 1:12-15. God’s gracious has been freely given to us, we need to give grace to others, even though they don’t deserve it.

If we leave an open door for the devil, what does that do?, well it breaks our fellowship with God and grieves the precious Holy Spirit, it hurts him, wounds him and says to him, I don’t need you.

How many times, have I and you grieved God’s spirit?, In my case it is many hundreds of times.

But God has given us guidelines on how to say No to the devil. When the devil comes knocking with any of these temptations: 

Anger, Laziness, Bitterness etc, have a sign up saying:

I GIVE NO PLACE TO YOU DEVIL.

May God give us the strength to follow his precious word, it is there to help and guide us. Psalm 119:105

GOD BLESS YOU

KK

PAKISTAN PART 12

Asia 1

MUSLIM PEOPLE

Over 200 million Muslims are unreached in Pakistan, please pray for these following groups, please click the following links to learn more about these groups

Sindhi Sama

https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/18164/PK

Awan

https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/16264/PK

Bawaria

https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/16347/PK

Dhobi

https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/17519/PK

Jat Jakhar (Muslim traditions)

https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/21508/PK

Kamboh (Muslim traditions)

https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/17581/PK

Jat Ponwar

https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/21751/PK

Thathera (Muslim traditions)

https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/17693/PK


Rajput Khabbal

https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/22449/PK

Perna (Muslim traditions)

https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/17664/PK

Hajam

https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/19655/PK


Pashtun Omarzat

https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/22244/PK

PAKISTAN PART 11

Asia 1

SINDH

The Hindu peoples in this area are responding to the gospel, please pray for the following people  groups

HINDU PEOPLE GROUPS

AGER

Please pray that they would be free from the spirit world and witchcraft

https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/19163/PK

Chamar

Pray that their hearts would become open to the gospel

https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/16561/PK

Arora

They need to trust Christ

https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/16239/PK

Charan

A rich people who need Christ

https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/16571/PK

PAKISTAN PART 10

Asia 1

BALOCHISTAN

An area that has few believers, but recently there has been the first flowerings of people movements, please pray for the following:

PEOPLE GROUPS

UZBEK

Please pray the Holy Spirit would move in mighty power

https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/14039/PK

Thakkar

Please pray for these few people to come to Christ

https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/18245/PK

Baloch Sadozai (Sardaar Zai Rind)

Pray that these people would come to faith

https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/22052/PK

Dehwar

Pray for more workers to go to this people

https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/19441/PK

Brahmin Audich

Pray for this small group of people to come to faith

https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/19929/PK

Badhai

Please pray that pride would be removed, these people need to be humbled to come to faith

https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/16332/PK

Baloch Mohammad Shahi

Pray that these people would come into contact with true Christians

https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/22038/PK

Pashtun Kakar

Please pray for a move of the Lord in all these people groups

https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/22188/PK

PAKISTAN PART 9

Asia 1

KHYBER ( FORMERLY NORTH WEST FRONTIER)

A chaotic and mountainous region governed by Pashtun tribes and sharia law.

Probably the hardest place to be a Christian on earth, there are a few isolated believers and even fewer fellowships.

Please pray for these small buds to grow and blossom.

PEOPLE GROUPS

TURKMEN

Please pray for resources and labourers for these people.

https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/15654/PK

HOTAK PASHTUN

Thank God bible translation is in progress

https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/22177/PK

Kuchi Afghan refugee in Pakistan

Pray for these dear people who are refugees

https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/22100/PK

Pashtun Mangal

Pray for a move of God amongst the Pashtun people

https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/22225/PK

Rajput Khaimkani

Please pray for the establishment of a church amongst this people

https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/20409/PK

Pashtun Salarzai

Pray that the holy spirit would move amongst this people

https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/22261/PK

Pashtun Mohammadzai

Please pray that relevant media would be available in the Pashtun language

https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/22233/PK