Let’s Connect
“Ministering the Love in Christ”
#Love Manual
Weekly Love meetings:
Every Saturday 3-5pm @ The Craft Center next to E Tower Kampala road
Launched on 18th Jan 2014, come lets feast on the father’s love: will be honored to see you.
Contacts:
0779564427/ 0704453873
0701337258/ 0788420115
YOUR SINS ARE NO MORE, YOU ARE PERFECTED FOREVER
The Bible declares that all have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory and you might say “But I have been a good man, I have not wronged anyone”
For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners so also by one man’s obedience many will be made righteous. (Rom5:19 KJV)
From the above scripture you realize many were made sinners not because of their sins but because of one man’s disobedience that’s Adam’s disobedience, when Adam sinned all of us were made sinners so whether you try to do good or not you remain a sinner just because of Adam’s sin.
The good news is that the scripture also says by one man’s obedience many will be made righteous. You realize it doesn’t say that by you doing good things you will be made righteous, God knows in our own efforts we can’t meet His standard of righteousness even when we try so hard we end up missing it in one way or another. The law says when you break one commandment your guilty of all yet Jesus was like even when you just look at a woman lustfully you have already committed adultery and when you just feel anger on someone you’re guilty of murder.
Now who can really meet God’s standard? No one except Jesus
The law was not given for you to keep; in gal3:19 and Rom5:20 it clearly shows that the law was given that the offense (sin) may abound (increase) so that people may see their sin. gal3:23-25 shows that the law was just a guardian until the coming of Jesus so that when Jesus comes we deal away with the law and run to Jesus by the way of faith.
The law was given to show us our need for a savior, to show us how weak we are, to bring us to the end of ourselves such that when the savior comes we run to Him by the way of faith and Jesus has already come so we no longer have any dealings with the law and in gal3:10 tells us that if you try to keep the law so that you can be made right with God you are under a curse so say bye to the law because you don’t need a curse. You realize it doesn’t even say if you break the law but trying to keep it brings you straight under a curse.
How can I be made right with God then? By one man’s obedience
Rom5:19 also tells us that by one man’s obedience many will be made righteous and 2cor5:21 tells us that Jesus was made sin He who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God. You clearly see that Jesus didn’t first do any sin to be made sin so that you also don’t need to first do anything good to be made righteous, just as Jesus was just made sin you also are just made righteous by just believing on Jesus. Righteousness is a gift you can’t work for it and it’s not your righteousness but the righteousness of God (Rom5:17, 2cor5:21). You can only receive it by believing on Jesus Christ the righteous.
So am made righteous just like that, no punishment!
And the lord has laid upon Him (Jesus) the iniquity (sins) of us all. (Isaiah53:6 KJV)
But He was wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed. (Isaiah53:5 KJV)
John the Baptist in john1:29 said behold the lamb (Jesus) of God who takes away the sin of the whole world and 2cor5:21 says He (Jesus) was made sin for us. All the sins of the world were put on Jesus and He also took our sin nature and all the wrath of God fell on Him, He took all the punishment for our sins that we may never again be punished for our sins and He had to die because the wages of sin is death; got cut off from God. Jesus satisfied all God’s anger and God declared your sins and lawless deeds I will remember no more (heb10:17), I will never again be angry and punish you (isaiah54:9). Jesus took your place; no punishment is left for you.
As long as God is concerned you don’t have any sin because all your sins (past, present and future) where laid on Jesus and so God has no reason to punish you. You might be wondering even future sins! Let me ask you; did Jesus die for only your past sins? You were not even born yet so all your sins during His time of death were in the future but were all laid on Him and had to take all your punishment so that there is no any punishment left for you today.
Jesus the perfect sacrifice for all the sins of the world
For by the power of the eternal spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins. (heb9:14b NLT)
So also Christ died once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. (heb9:28a NLT)
In the Old Testament sacrifices of sheep, bulls and goats used to be offered for sins but these sacrifices could only cover sins for a year that’s why they used to offer them year after year. These sacrifices could not take away sins but could only cover them and so the person could be safe for a full year but the blood of Jesus takes away all the sins of the world.
Jesus’ sacrifice was perfect in removing all the sins of the world once for all that’s why he doesn’t have to die year after year. If the blood of bulls and goats could cover sins for a year why do some people think the blood of Jesus couldn’t take away the sins of the world once for all.
As far as God is concerned all your sins past present and future were taken away by the perfect sacrifice of Jesus that’s why He says;
By which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once and for all. (heb10:10 KJV)
For by one offering he has perfected for ever them that are sanctified. (heb10:14 KJV)
The offering of the body of Jesus Christ has sanctified you/ made you holy once and for all (not subject to change) so you can’t become more or less holy irrespective of what you do.
In God’s eyes you have been perfected forever because of one offering which goes to show the value of the offering Jesus Christ so never look at yourself as imperfect because that only insults Jesus, you devalue the sacrifice of Jesus every time you think because you have sinned now you are less perfect, less holy for the offering of Jesus has made you holy once for all and has perfected you forever.
So when I sin what happens? No imputation of sins
Blessed is the man to whom the lord will not impute sin (Rom4:8 KJV)
Even as David also describes the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputes righteousness without works. (Rom4:6 KJV)
God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself “not imputing” their trespasses on them. (2cor5:19)
You are that blessed man, even when you sin your sins are not imputed on you and this is because all your sins were imputed on Jesus Christ and he was condemned, punished in your place 2000 years ago when he died on the cross for you.
Now instead God imputes righteousness on you apart from your works, even if you have sinned you remain righteous because righteousness was just imputed on you the day you got saved and Jesus was made sin that you might be made the righteousness of God in Christ. Jesus is your righteousness, your holiness that is why you can never lose your righteousness, your holiness (1cor1:30).
Should I ask for forgiveness when I sin? No need.
But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His son cleanses us of all sin. (1john1:7 KJV)
Who has delivered us from the power of darkness and has translated us to the kingdom of His dear son. In whom we have redemption through His blood even the forgiveness of sins. (col1:13-14 KJV)
My little children, these things I write to you that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an advocate with the father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world. (1john2:1-2 NKJV)
I use many scriptures just to avoid misunderstandings. Scripture is telling us if we walk (NLT says live) in the light, the blood of Jesus cleanses us of all sin. First of all this scripture is talking about where you walk or live not how you walk or live, they are just saying as long as you walk or live in the light no matter how you walk or live, the blood of Jesus will keep cleansing you of all your sins. First; if you have no sin (walking perfectly), why would the blood cleanse you; you will not be having any sin so it’s not how you walk but where you walk else the statement would be meaningless. And col1:13-14 tells that you have been translated from the kingdom darkness into the kingdom of light the kingdom of His dear son so from the day you got born again you stepped into the light so now no matter how you walk the blood of Jesus is there to cleanse you. When you do sin before even God can see that sin, the blood of Jesus will have already cleansed it so you have nothing to ask forgiveness for.
But 1john1:9 talks about confessing our sins, what were they talking about? When you read from the context, john was writing this chapter to non believers who have no fellowship with us for our fellowship is with the father and the son (1john1:3) and showed them that for us the believers who live in the kingdom of light have fellowship one with another and the blood of Jesus keeps cleansing us. So that confession of sins was for non believers, actually he was calling them unto salvation.
But in 1John2:1-2 here john was addressing believers who were still struggling with sin telling them that if you do sin, don’t worry you have an advocate with the father Jesus the righteous who is the propitiation (atonement) for your sins and also for the whole world. He didn’t talk about anything like ask for forgiveness. This is because col1:14 and eph1:7 says; in whom we have redemption even the forgiveness of sins, have speaks of present so that very moment when you have just made sin, you have the forgiveness of sins. They don’t say we will have forgiveness when we ask for it, no we have it because of the blood of Jesus according to the riches of His grace so instead of asking for forgiveness just thank Him for the gift of forgiveness of sins He has given you through Christ. By the way in the terms of the new covenant as you will see later God says; you sins I will remember no more so when you sin just thank God that He doesn’t remember that sin. Check out these for more info (psalms 130:3-4, col2:13, eph1:7)
So incase I sin can I still expect good things to happen to me? Yes
There is therefore now no condemnation on them which are in Christ Jesus. (Rom8:1 KJV)
He that believes on Him (Jesus) is not condemned. (john3:18 KJV)
Condemnation is katakrima in Greek which means damnatory sentence and it comes from condemn (katakrino in Greek) which means to be judged worthy of punishment so when bible says there is no condemnation on you it means you have been judged not worthy of punishment even when you sin because the qualification is as long as you are in Christ/ as long as you believe on Jesus (saved).
Everything negative came as a punishment when Adam sinned that is; sickness, failure, poverty, struggle (sweat) but Jesus took all your punishment e.g. He was made poor that you might be made rich, He was beaten/ striped for our diseases, He sweat blood so that we never sweat (struggle) again.
So you should expect good always especially when you sin because you are judged not worthy of punishment and beside you have been perfected forever so you forever qualify for good things.
This is what real love is: it is not our love for God; it is God’s love for us in sending His son to be the way to take away our sins. (1john4:10 NCV)
GOD LOVES YOU PERFECTLY IRRESPECTIVE OF WHAT YOU HAVE DONE
Many people love us but they know little about us and yet even then they don’t love us perfectly, imagine if that person who loves you knew you exclusively; if he/ she knew those bad things you have done or you do that you don’t want anyone to know about, if he/ she knew does bad thoughts you think about or towards him/ her some times, if the knew how dirty and wasted you are would they still love you the same. Most people love us conditionally that’s why their love keeps on fluctuating, some of them don’t want to even look at you for some time when you do something bad/ wrong, some can even beat you up that’s why you can’t tell them all the little details about you because they cant handle it.
But God knows you perfectly more than you even know yourself, He knows the bad things you are about to do even before you think about them, He knows how dirty you are, He knows even what you hide deep in your heart and yet He chooses to love you perfectly and unconditionally.
Do you want to say even when I do sin God still loves me perfectly? Yes
But God commends his love toward us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. (Rom5:8 KJV)
Its clear that even when we were yet sinners, too dirty, at our very worst, following the path of death and even never cared God so loved us that He gave in His very best (Jesus) to die for us. We never deserved it but He chose to love us and if He loved us so much like that at our very worst what makes you think He can love you any less today when you do sin. His love is unconditional that’s why when we deserved nothing He gave us His everything (Jesus) to clearly show that it’s not about us (what we have done or what we haven’t done, who we are) it’s about Him (who He is, what he has done, what He’s doing).
Should I crash Jesus my beloved son or these humans? Jesus
Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise (crash) Him (Jesus). (Isaiah 53:10 KJV)
God had a choice to crash you who was so dirty, sinful, never even wanted to know anything about Him or crash Jesus His only begotten son in whom He is well pleased, who was perfect, knew no sin but chose to crash Jesus and spared you. He had all the reasons to crash you, you deserved it, Jesus never deserved to be crashed but God so loved you that He chose to crash His son in your place.
Can you imagine you who is guilty and Jesus who is innocent standing before God and He chooses to crash Jesus for your offenses not even His offences and He declares you innocent even though you are really guilty, that should be too much love and yet it says it pleased Him to crash Jesus wow you should be so special.
God loved Jesus so much that even on Jesus’ baptism God opened heaven and declared to the whole world that this is my ‘beloved’ son in whom am well pleased but if He gave in Jesus like that then He must really love you and that’s why the bible says if He didn’t spare His son what can’t He really do for you freely. (Rom8:32)
You are the Great Treasure.
The kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field.
Again, the kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant on a lookout for choice pearls. When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it. (math 13:44-46 NLT)
Most people when they read this passage they think Jesus is the treasure but let me ask; what did you sell to buy Jesus, what is good enough to buy Jesus because it says to get enough money to buy the field, what did you have really? You had nothing to present.
Its Jesus who had to give up everything to buy you, He gave up Heaven, all the glory, He even gave up His nature to take on our sinful nature, He was beaten, crosfied, crushed, carried all your sins and all this was to buy you. You are that pearl of great value, that treasure that He saw and decided to give up everything just to buy you.
Can you imagine; to buy you He had to buy the whole field ha ha we shall talk more about that later but you got to know you are a great treasure to God/ Jesus that’s why He was willing to do anything to buy you.
Do you see that when He found the treasure/ choice pearl the search ended, He finally rested? Jesus couldn’t rest before finding you; He finally found His rest in redeeming/ saving you. Jesus is our salvation/ redemption today (1cor1:30) so in all your struggles you should know Jesus can only rest when you are completely saved/ redeemed from that situation so know He is working out all things to make sure its all well with you so that He can finally rest. Jesus after crying out its finished that’s when bowed (in Greek ‘klino’ meaning lay) his head (john19:30) yet one time He said the son of man has no where to lay (‘Klino’) His head which speaks of Him finally finding rest in saving you His treasure.
God’s Heart is always on you
For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. (math 6:21 KJV)
Where your treasure is there will your heart be also and we have seen that you are a great treasure to God meaning His heart is always on you, whatever touches you touches His heart, He feels everything you go through. He cares about you explicitly, he pays attention to even the little details about you that’s why He says even the hair on your head are numbered.
Wow He is so much into you that He even has time to count your hair, what can really miss Him? Nothing can happen to you and goes unnoticed by Him and you can rest assured that He will deal with everything about you for your good because He loves you so deeply
You have captured my heart, my treasure, my bride. You hold it hostage with one glance of your eyes. (song of songs 4:9 NLT)
Notice, it’s not that you will capture His heart after you have done something good, you have already captured His heart and if you capture a man’s heart then you can eat of everything that man has. What can’t God do for you after you have captured His heart like that; you can eat of everything God has because His heart is always on you for you have captured His Heart.
You are so precious to God
If thou know not, O thou fairest (most beautiful) among women… (songs1:8 KJV)
You are all fair (beautiful), my love, And there is no spot in you. (songs4:7 NKJV)
For we are unto God a sweet savor of Christ…(2cor2:15 KJV)
First of all in the book of Song of Songs whenever it’s the man speaking that stands for God/ Jesus speaking and you are the woman. Do you know in songs the first words to come out of Jesus’ mouth were “O thou fairest (most beautiful) among women” and people always speak out first what is burning so much in their heart. Wow what is burning so much on Jesus’ heart is to assure you that you are the most beautiful of all, for He says you are all beautiful, beautiful in everyway and there is no spot in you. Sin always makes you feel impure, imperfect, dirty, and ugly but God wants to assure you that you are all together beautiful and that beauty is the very beauty of Christ very perfect in everyway.
You are a sweet savor of Christ, you are so sweet before God, your scent fully satisfies His heart yet it’s not your scent but Jesus’ savor/ scent just to show it’s not about you but all about Jesus and as long as Jesus’ savor is sweet you are sweet before God and you are accepted. He says “I am overcome by one glance of your eyes” (songs4:9 LIV) that’s how precious you are that just one glance of your eyes is enough to overcome Him. He says you stand out even among queens and numberless virgins (songs6:8-10) just to show that even among the best you still stand out. I encourage you to take time and read Song of Songs to find out how God sees you, how intimately He is in love with you and always interpret the whole bible in line with Jesus’ finished work.
You are so special to God, nothing is more important to Him than you.
If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders. When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors saying rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep. (luke15:4-6 NLT)
You are so special to God that He is willing to give up on anyone else or anything else to first attend to you, you are so important to Him that even if all other people are with Him doing well His heart is on you and He even gives up on all the others to come look for you/ attend to you.
Some times we say; does God really have time for me: oh yea He will give up on anything else to first attend to you in fact even if you were the only one on earth Jesus would have died for you. May be there is something you want Him to deal with and your like will He? Yea there is nothing more important to Him than you and He takes pleasure in attending to you that’s why He carries you joyfully on His shoulders and even throws a party telling all the neighbors and friends.
Because of you Jesus died for the whole world. Seriously! Yes
The kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field. (math 13:44 NLT)
Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Won’t she light a lamp and sweep the entire house and search carefully until she finds it? (luke15:8 NLT)
Why would this man buy the ‘entire field’ instead of just buying the treasure and why would the woman light a lamp and sweep the ‘entire house’? I don’t know why but what I know for sure is that if it wasn’t for the treasure the man wouldn’t have bought the entire field and if it wasn’t for the one lost coin the woman wouldn’t have swept the entire house.
Of course we know when you buy the entire field you find there other things or even other treasures and when you sweep the entire house you find there other things or even other coins. You realize the focus wasn’t the entire field it was the treasure but ended up buying the entire field, in the same way you were the focus of Jesus’ death but He ended up dying for the whole world. So because of you Jesus died for the whole world, I told you; you are special.
You can finally rest in your father’s love
When you find love you rest; many people look for satisfaction but true satisfaction can only be found in love
Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly father feeds them and aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? (math6:26 NLT)
And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work (toil) or make their clothing yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. (math6:28-30 NLT)
Don’t worry about these things saying what will I eat? What will I drink? What will I wear? These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers but your heavenly father already knows all your needs. (math6:31-32 NLT)
Let me ask; is it the responsibility of the son to take care of himself or the father’s responsibility? It’s of course the father’s responsibility to take care of the son and that’s why it’s very important for you to look at God as your father because then you rest assured you are taken care of. Your father doesn’t look good if you are not good, the son is the glory of the father.
Many times we worry about what we shall eat, drink, cloth which speaks of the physical/ material needs but if your father feeds the birds which are not His sons what about you His beloved son that’s why in the scriptures above they say your father feeds them (birds) to show you that if He is feeding these folks which are not even His sons how about you. It also says it’s unbelievers who are dominated by cares/ worries/ thoughts not you because for them they don’t have a father but for you; you have a father who cares passionately about you.
They say the birds don’t sow reap or gather (plant, harvest or store), flowers don’t toil which speaks of the natural process, Your father loves you so much that He doesn’t want you to go through the natural process of sowing then wait patiently to reap or gather with toiling/ sorrow added to it. Do you feel good if you have all the riches but your son is toiling so hard to have something to eat? Your father has everything and He wants you to enjoy everything He has because all He has is yours so don’t worry rest let Him feed you.
It also says the flowers/ lilies are clothed more beautifully than King Solomon in all his glory; the lilies are white in color which speaks of righteousness: you know the bible speaks of being as white as snow, being clothed in white in revelations which all speak of righteousness but remember God has given you His righteousness (2cor5:21) so you are clothed more beautifully than Solomon in all his glory.
Also it speaks of; if God clothes you; you will definitely be more beautiful than all the beauty the world has ever seen so don’t try to cloth yourself let Jesus do everything for you. If it’s Jesus doing it then you can be assured of perfect beauty so let Jesus do everything for you and also let Jesus be your beauty: rest.
You are of more value to the father
Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your father’s will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. (math10:29-30 KJV)
So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows. (math10:31 NLT)
Why would you really count the number of hair on my head? Who has time to do that? Your father wants to show you that He pays full attention to even the very little details of your life. Sometime we think God has the whole world to run does He have time for these little things of mine? He does even if it’s just a spot on your white cloth or you just can’t see your pen. Ha Ha a spot on my white cloth, a pen which someone can just go buy another!
When it comes to His son there is nothing too small or too big, your father pays full attention to anything and everything that concerns you big or small with all the resources of heaven just there to make sure its all well with you and this is because you are more valuable to Him.
Scripture says two sparrows are sold for a copper coin and yet in another passage in Luke12:6 it says five sparrows are sold for two copper coins meaning these sparrows are so cheap that when you buy four of them for two copper coins they give you one for free. But if as cheap as they are; not one of them can fall to the ground apart from your father’s will what about you His beloved son. By the way it will never be your father’s will for you to fall to the ground that’s why you can have the confidence that by God’s grace you will keep rising from glory to glory.
You are more valuable to God your father than a whole flock of sparrows and if He never forgets a single one of them (luke12:6) and He has time for them you definitely have His full attention at all times.
Ask your father and rest
You parents-if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly father give good gifts to those who ask him. (math7:9-11 NLT)
We have seen you are so valuable to the father and He pays full attention to you with all the resources of heaven lined up for you so incase of anything small or big talk to Him and He will certainly deal with it. Ask anything from God He will surely do it for you because if these sinful earthly fathers can give good gifts to you whose love for you when compared to God’s love for you is nothing/ shame how about your Heavenly father.
I tell you most times before you even ask Him He will have already done it for you because He knows all your needs and it’s His responsibility to take care of you but you can talk to Him about anything and rest for he cares for you, just be conscience of His love for you.
He is the one person who loves you intimately, passionately, unconditionally and perfectly whether you are bad or good and will always be there for you at all times not to just say sorry but to take care of all your cares to make sure it’s all well with you. If it matters to you then it matters to Him much more so talk to Him always about anything.
Jesus is your new identity
Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He (Jesus) is so are we in this world. (1john4:17 NKJV)
Many people have accepted Jesus as their savior but have not accepted Him as their true self and that’s why some times they feel less of themselves, they feel condemned, less holy, less righteous, less privileged. You can’t define yourself by what you do because you will always fall short of the standard, you will always find a reason to feel less qualified.
You have to accept Jesus as your true self because as He is up above so are you in this world. It’s not that so will you be when you do something good and it’s not as Jesus was while walking on earth even though that’s good already but as Jesus is right now in heaven on the right hand of the father perfect in glory so are you in this world.
The devil will always want to point you to yourself asking you; do you think you are good enough? Point him back to Jesus telling him is Jesus good enough? As He is so am I in this world and he will have nothing else to say to you. God today treats you as Jesus and it’s because He loves you that He has put you in the same position/ place as Jesus. God looks at Jesus to define you and Jesus qualities for anything; so are you in this world that’s why when you pray ask yourself if it was Jesus praying would He get what He is asking for? Does He qualify? So are you in this world.
The same love and favor Jesus is enjoying in heaven today is on you so when you go for that job interview and as you do everything just know all the favor on Jesus is on you also so you will be given preferential treatment as if you are Jesus. Everything treats you as Jesus, the day treats you as Jesus, life treats you as Jesus, angels and God treat you as Jesus because as He is so are you in this world so you can expect good days only. Accept Jesus as your true self.
The principal of beholding
But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory just as by the spirit of the lord. (2cor3:18 NKJV)
One time the disciples were in a boat faced with a strong storm and they saw Jesus walking on water and peter told Jesus that if He is the one let Him tell him to come to Him; peter effortlessly walked on water as long as his eyes were on Jesus but when peter removed his eyes from Jesus and focused on the storm he started sinking (math14:22-33).
It may not make sense just beholding but what ever you behold ministers to you, if you behold the circumstances around you; you will sink down with them. Look around you and you will be destructed, look in you and you will be frustrated because you will find a lot of disqualifications but look unto Jesus and you will be transformed from glory to glory by the spirit of God. The spirit goes to work when you behold Jesus and the spirit bears witness to only the truth so unless you behold the truth the spirit has nothing to bear witness to and Jesus is the truth (john14:6).
Keep looking at Jesus, find out who He is, what He has because as He is so are you in this world and you are a joint heir with Christ (rom8:17) so everything He has is yours too. Keep beholding His loveliness, His beauty, His goodness and the spirit will take care of transforming you from glory to glory just as in the wilderness those who were bitten by snakes could just look at the bronze serpent lifted on the pole and were healed. I know we always want to do some thing but the best thing you can do is just rest and just behold Jesus and you will see effortless transformation.
The one thing needful
And she had a sister called Mary who sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His words. But Martha was distracted with much serving and she approached Him and said, “Lord, you do not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me” And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things” (luke10:39-41 NKJV)
There is only one thing worthy being concerned about. Mary has discovered it and it will not be taken away from her. (luke10:42 NLT)
In human eyes Mary seemed to be lazy just sited there listening to Jesus as Martha was busy serving the lord (preparing a good meal for Him) and here we see Jesus commending and appreciating Mary instead. You see while dealing with men it’s more blessed to give than to receive but when it comes to Jesus it is more blessed to receive than to give; you just need to sit down at His feet and listen to His sweet words.
Martha was so concerned about serving Jesus that she was caught up in her own works and she ended up not only blaming Mary but Jesus also that why doesn’t He care that she is serving alone as if it’s Jesus who told her to serve in the first place. Whenever you boast of your works; I want to do this, do the other for Jesus before long you will be frustrated at everyone including yourself
In life people often times are so worried and troubled about many things that they get worn out, frustrated, depressed and some even get heart diseases. People are worried about what will I eat, where will this come from, what if this happens but your father loves you so much that He doesn’t want you to be torn apart by these worries and cares that’s why He wants you to have only one concern.
Just sit down rest listen to the sweet words of Jesus; you will hear Him say: you are all together lovely, you are perfected forever, and your tongue is sweet. Just sit down keep looking at Jesus and listening to his sweet words and He will perfect everything about you, let Him care about everything else, don’t get lost in your own cares. May be you are sick, don’t concern yourself with the sickness for you just rest listen to what Jesus is saying: by His stripes you were healed and don’t try to make the disease go away that’s His role for you just behold Him as your health, your beauty, the lover of your soul, your shepherd, your advocate, your comforter and he will take care of everything concerning you.
Jesus is Your servant
For even the son of man (Jesus) came not to be served but to serve others and to give His life as a ransom for many. (math20:28 NLT)
One time Jesus washed the feet of His disciples (john13:4-8) just to show them that I know you take me as lord but am also here to serve you, am willing to lower my self down to the lowest level just to serve you, am here for you. Even in Jesus’ death He was serving man, He was doing it for you, everything He did; the healings, miracles all was to serve man. I know we so much want to serve Jesus just like Martha (luke10:39-42) but His pleasure is in serving you so will you allow Jesus serve you? Don’t be like peter who never wanted Jesus to wash his feet.
After resurrection, Jesus appeared to His disciples by the sea of Galilee after they had toiled all night and caught no fish, He didn’t only give them a big catch of fish that they had to just drag the net but also prepared breakfast (bread and fish) for them and even made some fire to warm them up since they had been out in the cold for the whole night (john21:1-13). Jesus wants to do everything for you so chill sit back let Him serve you.
Jesus can multiply
Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks to God and distributed them to the people. Afterward he did the same with the fish. And they all ate as much as they wanted. (john6:11 NLT)
Jesus used five loaves and two fish to feed five thousand men not counting women and children, the scripture says He took the loaves, gave thanks and distributed. Something happened to these loaves and two fish while in His hands, Jesus multiplied them and as long as people still needed to eat the supply was there and at the end of it all there were 12 baskets of left overs.
Jesus can take the little and multiply it to meet the need with plenty left over, put that little you have into His hands and see the overflow. For example they can give you only 5 minutes to make a presentation, trust Jesus to take the 5 minutes multiply them and you will see tremendous results, may be you have less to present to win that deal but trust Jesus to multiply that little. Me now days even if someone gives me one minutes I know Jesus can multiply the few words I speak in that one minute and bring results beyond imagination. Jesus Multiplies.
The blessings of God are on you
The lord will open unto you his good treasure, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season and to bless all the work of your hand. You shall lend to many nations, but shall not borrow. And the lord shall make you the head and not the tail; you shall be above only and not be beneath. (deu28:12-13 NKJV)
When many people read about God blessing the work of your hand they make work the focus there by telling you; you have to work more so that God can have what to bless but trust me this scripture is about the blessing not the work. Why would God talk about the obvious; even before then people where working, all God was looking at was what His blessing can do.
If this scripture was about work then who ever would work much would have much but it isn’t the case. Two times Jesus found His disciples when they had been toiling all night to catch some fish but caught nothing and if it was about work then these disciples would have caught too much because they had plenty of work to present (luke5:1-10, john21:1-6).
But when Jesus the carrier of blessings arrived in one incidence He told them to cast the nets they caught so much that both boats were filled with fish and on the verge of sinking. They caught more than what they would have caught on their best night and these were experienced fishermen so don’t say they never knew where the fish was. It’s the blessing of Jesus that makes a difference and blessings are upon the head of the righteous (prov10:6) and you are the righteousness of God in Christ.
As you do everything; God wants you to know that it’s not about the work but the blessing of God that is upon you, you can do so little and get immense results. Let your focus be on the blessing not the work and this will cause you to lend to many nations, borrow from non, be the head and not the tail and be above only because you have realized that its not about the work but the blessing of God that you carry.
In our reference scripture all work of your hands; that all work in Hebrew stands for past and present which goes to show that when God’s blessing is upon you, you get paid for even the work you did in the past that may be they cheated you or paid you less just like the Israelites where given gold and silver as they left captivity in Egypt. So no work of yours shall go unpaid.
The bigger the problem the easier it is to Jesus
When Jesus wanted to feed 5,000 men He used 5 loaves and 2 fish and there were 12 baskets of leftovers (math14:13-21) but to feed the 4,000 men He used 7 loaves and a few small fish; they don’t give the number of fish but when they use a few it means they are more than one probably even more than two and they had 7 baskets of leftovers (math15:32-39).
We can see that when He wanted to feed the bigger group He used less; only 5 loaves and two fish and yet even had more overflow/ leftovers than when feeding the smaller group of 4,000 men that’s He had 12 baskets leftover compared to the seven. It looks like the bigger the problem the easier it is to God so when you are faced with a big problem rejoice because it’s easier to God.
Jesus can open doors
….These things says he that is holy, he that is true, he that has the key of David, he that opens and no man shuts, and shuts and no man opens. I know your works: behold I have set before you an open door and no man can shut it. (Rev3:7-8 KJV)
Many people try so hard to get ahead in life; some go through hard work, spending sleepless nights just to enhance their carrier or business, some are befriending everyone thinking that will help, some sleep with their bosses and others bribe everyone just to get that deal. In the process of trying to get ahead in life some have ended up losing themselves, they can’t imagine the person they have become.
But your father loves you so much that He doesn’t want you to go through all that, Jesus has the key of David, He can open doors for you that no man can shut and shut those bad doors for you and no man can open them. This is what Jesus is saying to you today; stop struggling to open the doors for your self, behold I have already set before you an open door, relax let me do everything for you. Let Jesus open the doors for you, relax and you will see them unfold before you. You can be in a situation and you don’t seem to see how you can get out of it, tell Jesus to open the door for you and He will because He cares.
THE NEW COVENANT
For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. (Heb9:16 KJV)
For a will and testament is valid and takes effect only at death, since it has no force or legal power as long as the one who made it (testator) is alive. (Heb9:17 AMP)
Jesus is the testator of the new covenant/ testament and before the death of the testator the testament is of no effect so the New Testament came into effect only after the death of Jesus. Why is this important? It’s important because many people when they reach Mathew they think the New Testament has began and so get words that were spoken by Jesus and just want to apply them to us who are in the New Testament. Jesus operated in the Old Testament and for us we are under the New Testament.
Jesus could say words like; if your hand makes you sin cut it off though I have not seen anyone enforce this, they instead get some commandment like don’t commit adultery, you must love God with all your heart, mind and strength yet even them they don’t love Him that much but they like pushing the commandments to you. They have even lowered the law to their standard yet Jesus said when you just feel anger/ envy towards someone you are already guilty of murder and when you break one commandment you are guilty of all meaning even if you just lie to some one you are guilty of homosexuality, murder, adultery, etc.
For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. (john1:17 KJV)
He has enabled us to be ministers of his new covenant not of written laws but of the spirit. (2cor3:6a NLT) For the letter kills but the spirit gives life. (2cor3:6b KJV)
The old covenant was about the law/ commandments but the new covenant is for grace that’s why you can’t afford seeing someone push commandments/ demands on you even if they were said by Jesus because we now know Jesus was under the Old covenant and also He wanted to establish the perfect law so that people can realize they need a savior. The law demands righteousness from you but grace supplies righteousness to you. (Rom4:6)
The law (letter) kills, it demands and when you can’t supply or when you supply less it condemns you. Grace on the other hand supplies everything to you that’s righteousness, holiness, health, wisdom, riches and this is because Jesus paid so no more payment needed, you can just come and receive for free. Wow isn’t it good, refreshing and comforting to know you are under a covenant where there are no demands on you, not any but supplies only.
Do you see from john1:17 that truth is on the side of grace not the Law? The law is not the truth that will set you free, grace is. And in Greek when they say grace and truth came by Jesus the word ‘came’ is in singular which goes to show that grace and truth are considered as one thing, you can’t separate one from the other and that one thing is Jesus Christ. Why do you think they don’t say that grace and truth was given by Jesus just as they say the law was given by Moses? It’s because grace and truth is the person of Christ and when Jesus arrived, grace and truth arrived that’s why they say grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. So grace is what Jesus has done for you, what He is doing for you, what He is doing in and through you, what Jesus is to you; grace is all about Jesus, it’s the person of Christ.
Terms of the New Covenant
“This is the covenant I will make with my people on that day, says the lord: I will put my laws in their hearts and I will write them in their minds.” Then he says, “I will never again remember their sins and lawless deeds.” And when sins have been forgiven, there is no need to offer any more sacrifices. (Heb10:16-18 NLT)
The first good news is that there is no mention of you doing anything, we see God saying: “I will, I will” meaning this new covenant is all about God doing, you have no part here to play, you are like a sleeping partner: God does everything and for you, you just enjoy everything (you are the beneficiary of God’s sweat). In the Old Covenant man had to do his part before God could do His, man was demanded to first fulfill the law so however much God wanted to do His part, His hands were tied up by the terms of the covenant that’s why in the Old Testament they never knew God as love but now God has removed you from the picture, He doesn’t want your unfaithfulness to prevent Him from lavishing His love on you (Heb8:8-9).
If God wants you to do anything for Him, He writes it in your heart: you just feel like doing that thing that’s what it means to put His laws in your heart and write them in your mind and He does it through you by His spirit (philipian2:13): God works in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Wow even to will its God! Now what are you left to do other than enjoying? Nothing
The other good news is that He says “I will never again remember their sins and lawless deeds” there are some people who think God is there noting down all your sins and when you appear before Him, He is like; you have this sin and the other. That is called remembrance of sins and the reason He doesn’t remember your sins is because all your sins (past present and future) were put on Jesus even before you were born, before you committed any. (Isaiah53:6, 1peter2:24, psalms130:3-4)
So as a person under the new testament you should always know in this New covenant its all about God doing everything and also your sins are not remembered by God that’s why the scripture continues and says when sins have been forgiven, there is no more need for sacrifices: all your sins (past, present and future) have already been forgiven. Jesus not offering Himself again and again as the sacrifice for your sins is the proof and testimony that all your sins have been forgiven.
Opening Up Jesus from the Old Testament
For the old system under the Law of Moses was only a shadow, a dim preview of good things to come and not the good things themselves. (Heb10:1 NLT)
For these rules are only a shadow of the reality (good things) yet to come. And Christ Himself is that reality. (col2:17 NLT)
Heb10:1 clearly tells us that the Old covenant/ testament was a shadow of good things to come and someone might be like what are these good things and when are they coming? Col2:17 answers that question, it tells us that the ‘good things’ to come is Christ Himself and the good news is that He has already come so you can enjoy the good things right now.
It’s therefore true for us to say that the Old Testament is a shadow of Jesus, Jesus is in the Old Testament concealed/ hidden but He is in the New Testament revealed. There are pictures everywhere in the Old Testament pointing to Jesus, for example; all the types of sacrifices they used to offer all point to Jesus our perfect sacrifice, the high priest his clothes and services points to Jesus who is our high priest forever and when you study those pictures of Christ hidden there you discover new features about Jesus.
David putting down Goliath and using his very weapon to cut off his head is a picture of Jesus pointing to Jesus using the very weapon of the devil death to destroy the devil (Heb2:14). Why is it import for you to see Christ everywhere in the bible? It’s because as He is so are you in this world (1john4:17), what He has is yours too because you are a joint heir with Christ and Jesus is the truth and the spirit bears witness to only the truth. So even as we preach lets open up Christ to the people.
Your faith is more than enough
…..according as God has dealt (given) to every man the measure of faith. (Rom12:3 KJV)
For if they which are of the law (works) be heirs then faith is made void (futile in AMP : producing no results) and the promise made of no effect. (Rom4:14 KJV)
Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law (works), yea are fallen from grace (Gal5:4 KJV)
…..but faith which works by love (Gal5:6 KJV)
Jesus said if you have faith as little as a mustard seed you can say to the mulberry tree to be uprooted and planted in the sea and it will obey you (luke17:6) and we see that to every man God Himself has given the measure of faith. Let me ask; is the measure of faith less than a mustard seed? Isn’t it good enough? Of course it’s bigger than a mustard seed. And faith isn’t a feeling, just because you feel like you have less faith it doesn’t mean you have less faith because you already have the measure of faith. Faith isn’t measured on feelings.
So if I have good enough faith then what is the problem? Rom4:14 tells us that if those of works be heirs then faith is made void. They don’t say you loose your faith, no your faith is just made void (futile: producing no results) the moment you add works to it because you can’t mix faith with works. With works you are trying to earn yet with faith you just receive freely by grace so you can’t be when you are trying to earn something through your works and expect your faith to work too. Works de-activate your faith; some people think if I pray more, give more, fast more, do some good then I will receive. Works make Jesus of no effect and the promise of being heirs of the world also of no effect.
If you do anything even if it’s prayer and you think because you have prayed now you ‘deserve’ to receive, you have gone back to works. Jesus should be your only qualification for everything, don’t try to earn anything because that brings you under the curse (Gal3:10) and you fall from grace (Gal5:4). With faith it’s by grace (unmerited favor) only (rom4:16), no merit required.
So how do I make my faith works? You can’t make your faith work but love can. Gal5:6 says faith works ‘by’ love and ‘by’ is a Greek word “dia” which means; by the means of, by reason of. So faith works by the means of love and that love there is agape in Greek which is God’s love like the one of john3:16 where they say God so loved (agapao) the world so when you behold God’s love for you, your faith starts to work and before you know it, it will be producing mind blowing results. Get rid of the works (trying to earn/ self effort) and behold your father’s love.
See how God loves you, He calls you His beloved son, His treasure, you are so precious to Him, more valuable than anything, He cares so much about you that He doesn’t want you to even have any cares, He watches over you, it’s His responsibility to take care of you because He is your father, He loves you so much that He gave in His son Jesus to die for you, what can’t He do for you? And when you behold this love it will cast/ drive out all the fear in you (1john4:18), your heart will always be joyful, full of peace because there is someone who passionately loves you and cares about you, the lover of your soul, the restorer of your soul (psalms23:3).
Jesus is on the throne of grace
For we don’t have a high priest who can not sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. (Heb4:15 NKJV)
Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Heb4:16 KJV)
Every time I used to read that Jesus was tempted in all points as us yet without sin, I would feel condemned because to me it was like; if Jesus was tempted in all points yet didn’t sin, you also should be able to over come those temptations so when I could miss the mark I would feel bad and I always missed the mark. But Jesus was doing everything for me so that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in me by just believing on Him. (Rom8:3-4, Rom10:3-4)
Jesus sympathizes with our weaknesses, He knows we are weak; we are bound to miss the mark in some way or another even when we try so hard and that’s why verse 16 follows. Jesus is sited on the throne of grace (unmerited favor) and He is calling us to come boldly and obtain mercy and grace. Throne of grace means the throne where no merit is required, you might have missed the mark or sinned or you don’t have enough works to present: no enough prayers, no enough giving, no enough good deeds don’t worry you too can receive because Jesus is at the throne of unmerited favor so come as you are and obtain mercy and grace to help on that need you have.
One time Jesus was moving and blind Bartimaeus shouted out “Jesus son of David, have mercy on me” Jesus stopped and told him to come to Him then asked him; what should I do for you? (mark10:46-52) and there are two other accounts of Jesus stopping and asking what should I do for you whenever they cried out have mercy on us (Luke18:35-42, math20:29-33).
Mercy means treating someone not as he/ she deserves so whenever you come to Jesus and say treat me not as I deserve, Jesus stops everything else He is doing and asks you; what should I do for you? Jesus wants to treat you not as you deserve, you deserve bad things but He wants to show you goodness and mercy so don’t come to Him presenting a lot of things to qualify you, no qualification is needed here on the throne of grace so come and receive freely (Rom8:32).
Jesus lays traps for you
It was said to her, “the older shall serve the younger” As it is written, “Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated” (Rom9:12-13 NKJV)
He left Judea and departed again to galilee. But He needed to go through Samaria. (John4:3-4 NKJV)
Bible says He (Jesus) needed to go through Samaria, there were other shorter routes but He chose to use the one that goes through Samaria and scholars say it was the longest route. He did this just because of one woman He wanted to minister to that’s why I tell you; you are so special if Jesus had to walk all that distance for only this one Samaritan woman then He can do anything just for you one person.
When you read the passage of the Samaritan woman in John4:1-42, you realize the woman was doing the usual staff: she used to always come to fetch water at that weird hour not knowing Jesus was laying up a trap for her. As you do your usual staff have the consciousness that Jesus is working in the background laying traps for you and there is no way you can escape them and these are traps to blessing you that’s why anything can happen even as you do the usually that’s why for me am always expecting good at all times, am always like: any time I can fall into one of these traps God is laying for me everywhere.
You can go to the job as usual and all of a sudden you get a promotion, you can be going for that meeting as usual and all of a sudden you meet someone who blesses you with money you have never even thought of.
Lets look at Jacob, God chose him even before he was born and said Esau the elder will serve Jacob the younger but God had to set him up for that. One time Esau was hungry and he agreed to trade his birthright for food (Gen25:27-34), also Jacob deceived his father Isaac and was blessed instead of Esau (Gen27:1-40), then Jacob wrestled with a man (some versions say God) who later changed his name to Israel and blessed him (Gen32:22-32): have you ever asked yourself what God was doing by the camp of Jacob unless He went there just to bless him.
Do you think all that is just co-incidence? No, God had already spoken of Jacob that his brother Esau would serve him, He has loved Jacob and rejected Esau so He had to lay all traps to make sure what He had spoken of Jacob comes to pass. Do you know what God has spoken of you? He says; you shall lend to nations, Kings and princes shall bow before you and serve you, you shall be the head, you shall not lack anything good and He (Jesus Himself) is laying traps for you to make sure all He has spoken of you comes to pass and you can’t miss these traps. Any day you can fall into any even when you think you are good as escaping them just like the Samaritan woman who always came at weird hours to fetch water because she never wanted to find there people, anything can happen beloved. The traps will look for you even in your hiding place just as Jesus looked for this Samaritan woman in the hour she used to hide in.
Jesus the visible image of the invisible God
He is the exact likeness of the unseen God [the visible representation of the invisible] (col1:15 AMP)
We look at this son and see the God who can’t be seen. (col1:15 MSG)
He is the image of the invisible God. (col1:15 NKJV)
One time Jesus’ disciples were asking Him about His father and He was like He who has seen me has seen my father because He is in me and I am in Him. Many people didn’t realize that when Jesus came in the flesh, God had come in the flesh (1tim3:16, john1:1 + john1:14). God is invisible but Jesus is the visible part of God, if you want to see God you see Jesus, Jesus is God in the flesh: He puts flesh on the invisible God.
Imagine you have been hearing pastor joseph prince (he is my bishop; it’s a great honor to use his name) that he raises the dead and you have never seen him then one time you hear someone calling himself the visible pastor prince, won’t you go to this guy and demand him to do for you all that you have been hearing about joseph prince? Yes you will demand the visible proofs from this guy and if he is the one he will produce them.
In the same manner, Jesus is here calling Himself the visible representation of God, the God in the flesh and if He is the one then He has to produce some visible proofs/ tokens. Jesus is the person who produces the visible tokens of the invisible; He puts flesh on the invisible.
Bible says you have been blessed with every spiritual blessing, you have been blessed with everything pertaining to life and godliness (2peter1:3), as Christ is; so are you in this world, you have the mind of Christ. A lot has been said about you but you don’t seem to see it so you try so hard to make sure you manifest that life of God in you, you do all confessions, all actions of faith but all with a mindset of making things happen.
Beloved its not your role to make things happen, rest let Jesus put flesh on all those invisible things that have been said about you, He is the one to produce the visible tokens so don’t wear yourself out, get frustrated with making things happen. Sometimes when we read who we are in Christ, we feel like we are demanded to live that life and we feel pressured to measure up to that standard and when we fail we feel condemned and sometimes we try to cover up our imperfections but Jesus wants you to know that it’s not your role to make things happen, don’t take that burden He wants to take it for you. He Himself will cause that life to flow through you (2cor2:14) effortlessly so relax beloved.
Jesus holds it all together
He existed before anything else and he holds all creation together. (col1:17 NLT)
And He Himself existed before all things and in him all things consist (cohere, are held together). (col1:17 AMP)
Sometimes we try so hard to hold things together but things just seem to slip out of our hands the more; you try saving or even giving and tithing (biblical principals) to be financially stable but you are just accumulating debts, you try so much to keep you marriage or relationship together: you show love, give gifts or even go for counseling but it’s seems like it’s just becoming worse. You are frustrated don’t know what to do because you have tried everything you know of but it’s just slipping out of your hands the more.
Hear Jesus say; I hold everything together in my hands, let me hold it for you. Jesus holds the heavens in their place and they have never fallen down even though there are no pillars, it’s only Jesus who can hold things and they never fall apart, let Him hold it for you. May be you think you have got it all together but you will have it all together not for so long, you are weak soon or later it will run out of your hands, we have seen billionaires fall to the ground: people who thought they have it all held together so let Jesus hold it for you even if you feel you are doing pretty well in holding it all together. But always remember that even if it seems like it has run out of your hands, Jesus has got it all in his hands. There are moments when I feel like now I have lost this one, only to realize Jesus has it all in His hands for me.
Build on Jesus the rock
….Behold I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious and he who believes on Him shall by no means be put to shame. (1peter2:6 NKJV)
As it is written, Behold I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offence and whosoever believes on Him shall not be a shamed. (rom9:33 KJV)
Jesus taught about a man who built on a solid rock and when the storm came his house didn’t collapse which isn’t the case with the man who built on sand and when the floods and storm came his entire house collapsed to the ground. What are you building on? Some people are building on their works; they believe in their giving, their fasting, their prayer, in their speaking in tongues, they believe if I just pray or speak in tongues or fast or give or confess more of the word then am good to go. Trust me am not against prayer, fasting, speaking in tongues, giving or confession, I love these things but they can’t take the place of Jesus.
Let me ask; with that strategy, what happens if you forget or you don’t get time to pray or speak in other tongues or give or fast or do enough confession before you go for that test or that interview or that presentation? It means you will fail, the moment you don’t do, you are done. Secondly with those things you can’t know how much of it is good enough: you don’t know how much prayer or confession or fasting or giving or speaking in tongues or even good deeds you must make to receive what you want. You can see with me that there is no guarantee in those things and Jesus didn’t die that we may not be sure. We can say that, that is what they call building on sand.
Jesus in us is the hope of glory (col1:27) and that hope is elpis in Greek meaning joyful and confident (certain) expectation of good. Because of Jesus we have that joyful and confident expectation of good; He is the assurance that good must happen so let’s build on Jesus and Jesus alone. How do we build on Jesus the solid rock? It’s only by believing on Him and there is a guarantee that you will by no mean be put to shame: you come to Jesus and you are like; I don’t have anything to present but I know you love me, you died for me and I believe you will do everything else for me freely. Believe that you will receive everything not because of you but because of Jesus because as he is so are you in this world and God looks at Jesus whose is your true self to bless you so come and receive only because of Jesus’ perfect work.
Jesus is also called the rock of offence to those who have plenty of works to present, there is no way you are not offended if you do so much and get nothing yet the person who is doing nothing is receiving too much, you have applied all the principals, you do a lot in church, you even think you are more righteous and yet the guy who everyone knows he is still struggling with sin is flourishing/ prospering in everything. It’s because you think you are better that’s why you are not receiving, throw away your works and come receive freely by grace only on the account of Jesus. God loves you so much that He has qualified you forever in Christ so receive only by Christ the solid rock beloved.
How to minister to Jesus
….Jesus worn out by the trip sat at the well, it was noon. A woman, a Samaritan came to draw water... (john4:6-7 MSG)
He told them, “I have food to eat you no nothing about” (john4:32 MSG)
Now Jesus was from a very long distance from Judea, so worn out, tired and hungry that He decided to rest by the well and soon a woman came and Jesus started talking to her and by the time the disciples came back asking Him if He needed some food, He was doing good, He told them I have food you know nothing about and they were wondering who had given Him food. Something happened to Jesus while talking to this Samaritan woman.
The more Jesus talked to this woman the more He was refreshed and by the time the disciples came back He was good to go. Every time you take from Jesus you minister to Him, He gets more refreshed just like the story of Martha and Mary (luke10:38-42): Martha was busy trying to prepare some food in a way of ministering to Jesus but Jesus commended and appreciated Mary who was just sited there receiving from Him, listening to His sweet words. Jesus wants you to come and draw from His well that never runs out.
Jesus feels useless and not needed every time people don’t want to receive from Him, He feels like His services are not needed that’s why He used to move from town to town ministering to people; healing the sick, opening eyes of the blind, casting out demons and He could do that all day and every other day and He could move mostly on foot. Who can do that day in day out unless He is being refreshed by the ministering itself?
Often times Jesus used to tell His disciples: oh yea of little faith and faith is used to take from God so He was literally telling them oh yea of little taking, why don’t you take some more. He could not say oh yea of little righteousness or oh yea of little fasting or oh yea of little prayer but oh yea of little faith. Jesus wants you to come and receive more and more from Him because that makes Him feel more useful, needed, more honored as the only one who can and more refreshed. He wants to lavish His love on you so come; take and take and take more and more freely.
God is for you
What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? (Rom8:31 KJV)
Explanation below is got from Rom8:26-39, check it out.
In this section, I just want to show you from Rom8:26-39 that God is really for you. First it says that the spirit helps you in your infirmities (weaknesses) for you know not what you should pray for as you ought but the spirit makes intercessions for you with groaning that can’t be uttered; this is what is called praying in the spirit (tongues). The spirit knows the heart of God and it also knows you since now you are one with the spirit so it knows more about you more than what you know, we are limited in knowledge and that is a weakness which the spirit helps us in.
For example you may not know that may be the car you are in is going to get an accident but the spirit knows all that so when you pray in the spirit (tongues), the spirit which knows all things makes intercessions for you even about that accident and you find yourself escaping the accident. So when you feel like you don’t understand what is going on and you don’t even know how to pray about it just pray in other tongues, the spirit will take care of it all. You don’t need to know everything to pray for everything and sometimes God doesn’t want to overwhelm us by telling us the exact things to pray about so He just puts in us a desire to pray in tongues and when you feel the flow just let it flow. Instead of telling you that you might fall on an accident which might cause you to worry, wear out, He loves you so much that He just lays a desire on your heart to pray in other tongues.
Secondly it says; all things work together for good for you who is the called. All things means all things not only those that come from God so whether it comes from the devil or from you or from God or from the fallen nature it will always work together for good for you. Can even bad things work out for good especially if I caused them myself? Yes they also work for good for example King David committed not only adultery on Bathsheba but also murdered her husband (2sam11) but from that relationship that was not meant to be he got King Solomon the wisest and wealthiest man ever before me ha ha.
How can something good like that come from something bad? God can make it all work together for your good and Rom5:20 says; where sin abounds grace super abounds so that super abounding grace can make super good to come out sin also. Apostle Paul preached so much about this that they started saying that he is saying let us sin that grace may abound or let us do evil that good may come (Rom3:8, Rom6:1). No what it means is that; if sin or evil has already happened or if you find yourself in sin or evil know there is a super abounding grace that is able to turn everything around and make super good to come out of it all. Sin can’t stop grace it actually magnifies grace because now when you look at how David’s sin was and how God made super good come out of it, you realize God is really so good, you see His heart of love.
The third is; God knew you before you were even born and He predestined you to be conformed to the image of His son Jesus so He wants to work on you so that when someone see you he can’t differentiate you from Christ and God Himself will do that so relax let him work on you. It says He has justified you; justifying is to declare innocent/ righteous and it’s not that He is going to justify you but He has already justified you, He has already declared you innocent that’s why He says who shall lay charge on you, it’s God who justifies so if people come saying you have done this sin and the other, He declares you innocent because He is the one who justifies.
Lastly; who is he that condemns, it’s Christ who died rather now sited at the right hand of the father making intercessions for you. The guy who is supposed to condemn you is instead making intercessions for you. Let me ask, if Jesus makes a pray to God does He answer? Of course yes so Jesus is always at the right hand of God telling Him; you can’t punish that guy because you punished me in his place, give him this blessing and the other because I paid for it with my blood so God has no option but to keep blessing you. For me when I feel weak in prayer I have the confidence that Jesus is always praying for me and so always expect good things to happen, you know Jesus can’t pray amiss.
Also the other way to look at Jesus making intercessions, in the Old Testament they used to offer sacrifices of birds but it was always the work of the high priest to get the bird, trim it, remove feathers, make it clean before he presents it to God and that is exactly what Jesus is doing today as your high priest: when you pray, He takes your prayers, cleans them up, removes all imperfections, removes your unbelief, adds there His righteousness , His sweet aroma then present them to God so by the time they reach God they are always very clean and sweet and God has no option but answer them and that’s why I have confidence and Joy when I pray.
You are more than a conqueror through Him who loved you. The secret behind living life more than a conqueror is in knowing that He loved you, Knowing God’s love for you empowers you to live as a more than a conqueror. You realize they don’t say to live as a conqueror because we are not in the business of conquering, Jesus did the conquering for us, and we just join in to enjoy the victory just as when David put down Goliath, the Israelites didn’t have to go fight also, they just joined in the celebration and enjoyed the victory. But that power is found in knowing God’s love that if He spared not His son Jesus but gave Him up for you what can’t He give you freely together with Him, you can enjoy everything for free because He loves you so much, Jesus paid for everything.
Nothing can separate you from the love of God, what ever the situation you are in even if you are faced with death, God’s love can reach you and bring you out of it all, turn everything beautiful for you. Now you can see that God is for you and nothing can put you down, ten thousand may fall on your right a thousand on your left but nothing will touch you. God out of His heart of love has got everything I have explained just there for you, you can count on His love.
The treasures in psalms 23
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me besides the still waters. He restores my soul: he leads me in the paths of righteousness for his names sake. Yea, though I walk in the valley of shadow of death, I will fear no evil for you are with me, your rod and staff they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil, my cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall fallow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever more. (Psalms 23 KJV)
First of all, I can’t exhaust psalms 23, it’s so rich but am going to try to explain the little I can. A sheep is considered one of the laziest creatures in the world, they can’t think for themselves, they are not smart in that even if you leave it grazing some where in the open and rain comes and there is a shelter 100 m away, it may not move away from the much rain. They don’t look for food themselves, they wait for the shepherd to come and take them. Lazy as they seem, God refers to us often times as sheep so we need to look carefully at the features of a sheep.
You see God doesn’t want you to be smart like you know it all, He wants you to sit and He does everything for you, He can even make decisions for you: you can be when you are trying to decide on something but can’t seem to arrive on a conclusion, relax let Him do it for you. It’s the role of a shepherd to take care of the sheep and Jesus is your shepherd (John 10:11) so it’s His role to take care of you and if you look at Him like this before you know it you shall not be having any want. Some people say God deals with needs only but the scripture says you shall not want. If Jesus is taking care of you, rest assured all your needs and wants will be covered.
Jesus says He is a good shepherd He knows His sheep and He gives His life for the sheep (John10:11-15). A shepherd knows his sheep inside out and Jesus is your shepherd and He know you inside out, He know even those little needs and wants you have, He know you to the least detail that’s why He says He even knows the number of hair on your head so rest assured that He is taking care of everything.
He says He is not a hireling who takes off when a wolf comes and leaves the sheep to be torn apart and even scattered, He is willing to give His life for the sheep which goes to show that Jesus your shepherd is not willing to allow anything bad happen to you, He is willing to do anything to make sure you are safe and doing well. There is a testimony of a family which was selling off almost all their furniture to clear the mortgage but Jesus raised up someone from very far who had never even seen these people, he paid them the money they were selling and even told them to remain with their furniture so it’s like he gave them money for free. Jesus is willing to do anything for you; He will move nations just to make sure you are good.
Do you know healing is wrapped up in knowing Jesus as your shepherd (1peter2:24-25)? When you look at Jesus as your shepherd, someone taking care of you, you rest and have peace that’s what they call restoring your soul and when your heart is restored healing starts flowing through you for a merry heart does good like medicine (prov17:22). By the way most people get diseases because of fear, worries, unrest but all the fear is driven away when you know Him as your care taker (shepherd), the one who watches over you, the restorer of your soul.
Do you know even the secret behind living life more abundant is in knowing Jesus is your shepherd (john10:10)? The entire john10 Jesus was talking about Himself as the shepherd and when you look at Him as the shepherd you realize He is doing everything for you. For us we can do not so much really but when Jesus is doing He does so much for us to contain, He even lives that abundant life of His in you. He makes you rest and just enjoy that’s what it means to make you lie down in green pasture: green pasture is good news (food) to the sheep. The very thing you have been looking for, He just makes you lie down (rest) in its abundance.
You realize it doesn’t say He makes you lie down in old grass but in green (flesh, new) pasture and pasture it’s Hebrew word means habitation (place) which speaks of making you rest in the new covenant, you can’t rest in the old covenant (He can’t make you rest in old grass). The old covenant of law/ demands can’t bring rest but the new covenant of grace/ unmerited favor is so relieving, it makes you rest. By the way you don’t make yourself rest, He Himself makes you rest, and actually you find yourself in perfect rest the moment you look at Him as your shepherd.
He leads you in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake: in Israel, what they call paths of righteousness are simple paths dag around mountains from the bottom to the top for the sheep. These paths always end up on the top which speaks of every time you sit back and let Jesus lead you, do everything for you, you will always end up on top. You might have started small but Jesus will bring you to the top not because of your goodness but for His name’s sake because He doesn’t look good when you are down, not doing well.
Notice it says though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death not He leads me. Some people make you think God will bring you into some bad moments or you should expect some bad moments, that is not true: God will never bring you into bad moments but when they come or even when you cause them to yourself like the way Abraham lied that Sarah was just his sister and king Abimelech took her for himself, God is still there with you to bring you out of it just like He told the king “if you touch this woman you are a dead man” and the King had to give her back (Gen20) with even sheep, cattle, goat, silver yet Abraham even lied for a selfish reason (that they don’t kill him to take her, he wanted to save himself at the expense of her dignity).
By the way it’s just a shadow not the real valley of death because Jesus over came death and asked death; now where is you power? So even when you feel like now you are doomed, you are done, that is not true because Jesus over came death. By the way a shadow of a dog has never bit anyone so don’t worry it’s just a shadow and when Jesus the light steps in, the shadow will be no more, you will move out of it even more blessed like Abraham with sheep, cattle, silver.
Jesus prepares a table before you in the presence of your enemies, Jesus wants to bless you even while your enemies are still there watching but can do nothing. The oil was always poured on the sheep to drive away the flies and the devil is referred to as Beelzebub (lord of flies; luke11:15) and flies stand for evil spirits so that anointing oil is for driving out evil spirits from you that’s why a born again can’t be possessed by evil spirits. First of all you are sited with Christ in the heavenly places far above all powers or principality (eph1:20-22, eph2:6) so devils are under your feet. Anointing also means enablement so when it says He anoints your head with oil, your cup runs over it means He Himself gives you the enablement or empowerment more than you need to be a great success in this life here.
Goodness and mercy shall follow you; the word shall follow in Hebrew is ‘radaph’ meaning pursue and hunt you down, also to persecute you so you can say goodness and mercy shall pursue and hunt you down, persecute you all the days of your life. Everyday you wake up know that the goodness and mercy is on the hunt and pursuit for you, they want to persecute you, everywhere you turn goodness and mercy is already there waiting for you so you can’t miss them however much you try to hide. That is a good mindset to have. There are a lot more treasures in this psalm that you can dig out for example I haven’t talked about the rod and staff.
The power of love
And yet I show you a more excellent way. (1cor12:31 NKJV)
Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part But when that which is perfect has come then that which is in part will be done away. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, understood as a child, I thought as a child but when I became a man, I put away childish things. (1cor13:8-11 NKJV)
Now we see things imperfectly as in a cloudy mirror but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete but then I will know everything completely just as God now knows me completely. These three things will last forever-faith, hope and love and the greatest of these is love. (1cor13:12-13 NLT)
First of all I want us to agree that the entire 1cor13 is talking about love but in 1cor12 apostle Paul had been talking about the spiritual gifts: word of knowledge, word of wisdom, faith, gift of healings, working miracles, prophecy, discernment of spirits, speaking in tongues and interpretation of tongue but he closed the chapter by telling them; and yet I show you a more excellent way then he started the chapter of love. Love is the more excellent way, today when we see people operating in those spiritual gifts we even give them a different ranking and yet that is not the more excellent way and am not against the gifts, I just want to show you the more excellent way.
By the way scripture says, all those of tongues, prophesy, knowledge will fail, cease and vanish away and continues to say; now we know in part and prophesy in part but when that which is perfect has come then that which is in part will be done away and also that; when he was a child he did everything as a child but when he became a man, he put a way all childish things. From the context, we see that; that which is in part and which is childish that is to be put away when the perfect has come is these things of prophesy, tongues. And the perfect is love, actually from the context; love is for the mature. Some people say love is for those who are young in the spirit and the spiritual gifts are the ones for the mature but we see the opposite here, a man who knows love is the one who is mature and has dealt away with childish things. By the way the gifts are good but love is the best, with love you don’t have to wait for someone to prophesy that tomorrow will be good because you already know there is a God who deeply loves you and can’t let tomorrow be a bad day. You may not find a person soaked in love busy commanding things here and there trying to make things happen; he just chills and allows Jesus to do everything for him since He loves him so much that He doesn’t want him to ware himself out over cares.
It continues and says; now we see imperfectly but then we will see with perfect clarity, now we know in parts but then we shall know everything completely. Love is what enables a man to see everything perfectly and completely, love opens it all to you; you can’t know God fully except by love. For this reason I am committed to opening up this love of God to people so that they can see perfectly and completely and mature deal a way with childish things.
Everything else can fail but love never fails. (luke19:1-10) Onetime Jesus was passing by and Zacchaeus the chief tax collector in the region very rich but short climbed a sycamore tree just to see Jesus and when Jesus reached where he was He told him to come down that He was going to dine with him and people grumbled seeing that He was going to dine with a notorious sinner.
First of all the tax collectors those days were considered the worst sinners, they could collect money from their own people for the foreign country, they were not allowed to even enter the church, they were out casts but Jesus gave this man the gift of acceptance apart from his works, showed him love unconditional and before long the tax collector was like; am giving half of my wealth to the poor and pay back four times to those I have cheated. Wow where did this man learn giving and repentance from without Jesus talking about it? Love, the gift of acceptance, the goodness of the lord taught him and his life was completely turned around.
The Samaritan woman at the well (john4) used to come at a weird hour because she never wanted to find there people and Samaritans had nothing to do with Jews, they could not even talk or get anything from each other but Jesus showed her that you are accepted, lavished love on her, ministered to her and the very woman who was fearing to find there people ran and spread the good news to them in the town. Love empowered her to face her fear and conquer it that’s why we are more than conquerors through Him who first loved us (Rom8:37). The power to live as a more than a conqueror is found in knowing He loved you, knowing His perfect love for you.
The woman caught in the very act of adultery (john8:3-11); Jesus told those who wanted to stone her that the one without any sin should cast the first stone and they all walked away then he turned to this woman and said; where are your accusers? Has no man condemned you? Neither do i: go and sin no more. You realize He didn’t tell the woman to go sin no more then He will not condemn her, He gave her the gift of no condemnation then told her to go sin no more. The power to go and sin no more is found in knowing there is no condemnation on you. Some people think love/ grace brings about sin but let me show you what brings about sin.
But sin, finding opportunity in the commandment [to express itself] got a hold on me and aroused and stimulated all kinds of forbidden desires (lust, covetousness). For without the law sin is dead [the sense of it is inactive and a lifeless thing] (Rom7:8 AMP)
I was a live once without the law but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died. (Rom7:9 NKJV)
Sin uses the law to express itself that’s why it’s written the law came that sin may increase (Rom5:20), when the law came sin revived and I died so if you want to see revival of sin, preach the law and the letter kills (2cor3:6) so you will just be killing your people. But love conquers sin just as we have seen in the story of the tax collector and woman caught in the very act that’s why I love preaching love. By the way; we love (God, people) because He (God) first loved us (1john4:19) so the more a person sees how much God loves him the more he will love God and people, God’s love causes you to love effortlessly that’s why I preach God’s love only.
This is what real love is: it is not our love for God; it is God’s love for us (1john4:10 NCV)
I love “love”.
#love
