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

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

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

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

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