Finding Contentment

"Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines ... and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the LORD! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!" (cf. Hab. 3:17-18, HCSB). 

"And God will generously provide all you need.  Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others," (cf. 2 Cor. 9:8, HCSB).  

"If any of you wants to be my follower, you must put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross, and follow me.  If you keep your life for yourself you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will find true life.   And how do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul in the process/" (cf. Mark 8:34-36).  


Has someone ever asked you if you're getting what you want out of life?  Have you ever felt incomplete as a person, having no identity, purpose, or plan?  We must not love our lives so much that we don't want to give our spiritual life top priority.  The closer we get to God, the more we realize our dependence and also how He blesses us.   Paul claimed to have found contentment in all circumstances; a tall order.  He had been there and done that if you know where I'm coming from and realized that the key to contentment is to harbor the right mindset, to begin with.

God hates ingratitude and we must never become ingrates who are not thankful for what God has already blessed them with.  Yes, we may not have all our "wants" or "felt needs," but He supplies all our needs to do His will, not our will.  He will "equip you with all that is good to do His will" (cf. Heb. 13:21, HCSB).  ".... The LORD gives grace and glory; He does not withhold the good from those who live with integrity," (cf. Psalm 84:11, HCSB).

Paul's attitude of prayer was to come before the Lord with thanksgiving making his requests known. God will withhold no legitimate need and blessing from us, but that is not the same thing as having everything we want.  When we have this attitude of gratitude we can endure the suffering for the sake of the Name, as Paul realized in his many sufferings for the sake of the cross that the Lord had counted him worthy.

Some people need to lose everything to find out they need God.  Some need to try the world's formulas before realizing they cannot save or satisfy the heart.  We must realize that when we have God in our life, we have everything we need and some don't find this out till they have suffered great setbacks and loss.  There is a certain blessedness of possessing nothing and realizing that God's grace is sufficient.   There's always a place for the sacrifice of thanksgiving in every situation, some of us can always imagine if it were worse as we deserve sometimes.  We must never resent God for holding out on us some blessing that we feel He owes us; this was what Satan tried to get Eve to believe--that God was holding out on her and she would be missing something if she didn't eat of the forbidden fruit.

Some are blessed in all ways, but all in some ways: God is good to everyone (cf. Psalm 145:9).  It is true that some are so blessed that they focus on the gifts, not the Giver, and some see the benefits, not the Benefactor. We are all incomplete without God and our lives are empty and void of fulfillment, dignity, and meaning--that's the bleak outlook without God in the equation. When we experience abundance we ought to learn thanksgiving and that we don't deserve it--it's by the grace of God, not because we are better than someone.  "What do you have that you didn't receive?" (cf. 1 Cor. 4:5).

Paul's secret source was that he learned the true and only source of blessing--God. If we know God, we can tap into God's riches at Christ's expense. Knowing this kind of true contentment is more valuable than anything the world offers. We can find God's purpose and plan for our lives and live life to the full as Jesus promised:  "I have come so you may have life and have it in abundance." (cf. John 10:10, HCSB).  Our security must be in Christ and we must evaluate our lives relative to Him.
Soli Deo Gloria!

Ushering In The Kingdom

The Pilgrims made a compact to usher in the kingdom of God. or literally to "advance the kingdom of God."   Little doctrine did they know but that Christ will usher in His kingdom, and that His kingdom is not of this world.  America is supposedly the "Great Experiment."  They would've done a better job of it and speeded His coming (cf. 2 Pet. 3:12); we ought to always be about "hastening the day of His coming." The question is how this is accomplished.  It doesn't mean passing legislation or beginning new governments such as a great experiment.  Or like the Social Experiment that failed called Prohibition.  Jesus gave us the Great Commission to spread the good news and make disciples, some seek the Second Great Commission to reform society to their agenda and to be a social gospel to help the needy and down and out, we must be lights and not just turn stones into bread but spread the good news.

Jesus kingdom would reign in human hearts, not on the throne of an earthly king or monarch. All authority has been given Him.   Jesus is the King of kings and Lord of lords and we are to make this real in our lives, not force it on others.  We don't conquer territory in the name of Christ, but hearts with love. We love them into the kingdom. "Love conquers a multitude of sins,"  God promised Abraham that his descendants would be a blessing and God saves us to be a blessing (cf. Zech. 8:13) and we are heirs of Abraham as believers.

We never stop expanding Christ's kingdom and when He comes the church age will cease and Satan will have a pass or permission to bring in his idea of a kingdom dominated by him and the antichrist. There have been many antichrists so to speak that had the notion to conquer the world:  Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, Napoleon, Hitler, et alia. The ancient Egyptian, Assyrian, Babylonian, and Persian empires all aspired to world domination, but the Spirit restrains the evil one.  The spirit of antichrist is already here.

We are never to despair that God is not in control ("Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD").  His Providence is governing all events and creatures small and great. Yes, God doesn't just reign, He rules ("For the kingdom is the LORD's, and he is the governor among the nations") not like a do-nothing king or the monarch of the UK who has no powers though they reign. But we are to receive Christ as Lord of our hearts and let Christ's kingdom grow from there by the preaching of the gospel message and living it out as witnesses.   We must admit we are not in charge, nor is any earthly ruler in charge, without any reservations in our lordship decisions--submission is an issue for some.

("The king's heart is in the hands of the LORD...").  What does this mean but we owe complete allegiance and obedience to Christ.  We pledge allegiance to the Lamb on the throne!  No governor or ruler can do anything outside God's will or permission (cf. Lam. 3:37).  We must be encouraged that the only king who is capable of ruling hearts is Jesus.  He has been called the Emperor of love. Christ is indeed the only Potentate and Ruler of heaven, the entire universe, not just earth--all things visible and invisible.

We must not just render lip service to God but bow in obedience to His sovereignty. Every knee shall bow to Him!  This obedience is to the command to repent and stop the charade or hypocrisy and also to put our complete faith and submission in Christ as Lord and trust as Him as Savior. Christ demands the throne room of our hearts, the pass key to our complete soul, and if He isn't there, we are there and in control of our lives, it cannot be neutral!  We must give Christ the ownership of our lives.

We must remember that Satan owns the soul of the infidel and actually influences him to evil and sin, and the only way to get free from his tyranny and power is to surrender to Jesus:  We must say "No!" to Satan before saying "Yes" to Jesus. It is obvious that Satan is having his heyday and we must seek to be set free. "If the Son shall set you free, you shall be free indeed."  But after the church age, Satan will have his day to do as he wills: to take over the world for a period of tribulation on earth.  After we belong to Christ, we are no longer in Satan's kingdom, the kingdom of darkness, and belong to God in His kingdom and are protected from the evil one who cannot touch us.   Soli Deo Gloria!

Interesting Facts About Jesus By Godwin Goziem Jireh

Here are 10 interesting facts about Jesus hidden in the pages of the Bible.
1. The Birth of Jesus

While reporting of the miraculous conception and virgin birth of Jesus, the Gospel of Matthew alludes to this miracle as a fulfillment of the prophecy in Isaiah 7:14. Jesus’ birth led to the division of history into two: Before Christ (B.C) and Anno Domini, meaning “in the year of the Lord” (A.D).

However, it is widely believed that Christ was born earlier than 4 B.C, the date Herod, the wicked ruler who played an active part in Christ’s birth story (Matthew 2), died. But some scholars also hold the view that since the census mentioned in Luke 2:2 probably occurred about 6 B.C., the Lord Jesus was probably born between 6 and 4 B.C.

Although Jesus’ birthday is globally celebrated on December 25 each year, the Bible does not mention His exact birthday. Different scholars have suggested the birth of Christ sometime in winter or early spring. Celebrating His birth at Christmas has come to stay because the date offers an alternative to many pagan festivals happening at this time.

2. The Magi at Jesus' Birth

The Bible does not tell us how many wise men visited newborn King Jesus, though we often see Christmas crèches with three wise men. Perhaps it is because the Magi came to worship Him with three gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh (Matthew 2:11).

3. The Name of Jesus

Jesus, a common first-century name, is the English transliteration of the Greek name Iesus, derived from the Hebrew name Yeshuah, meaning "Yahweh/Jehovah saves" or "Yahweh/Jehovah is salvation." It is the same name as Joshua, but especially given by God's angel to reveal the mission of the Divine Child (Matthew 1:18-21; Luke 1:28–33)


Christ is not Jesus’ surname, but it is a title derived from the Greek term Christos, meaning “anointed one.” It refers to the promised Messiah in the Old Testament. Several other appellative and metaphorical titles for Jesus are seen in the Bible. Examples: Alpha and Omega (Revelation 1:8; 22:13); Author and Perfecter of Faith (Hebrews 12:2); Beginning of the Creation of God (Revelation 3:14); Captain of Salvation (Hebrews 2:10); Creator of all things (John 1:3, 10; Colossians 1:16-17; Hebrews 1:2); Firstborn from the dead (Colossians 1:18); Great High Priest (Hebrews 4:14 ); Image of God (2 Corinthians 4:4; Hebrews 1:3); King (Luke 1:33; Revelation 17:14; 19:16); Lamb of God (John 1:29, 36); Last Adam (1 Corinthians 15:45 , 47); Light of the World (John 8:12 ); Lord (Matthew 22:14, 43); Mediator (1 Timothy 2:5); Prophet (Deuteronomy 18:15; Luke 24:19);Redeemer (Isaiah 59:20; Titus 2:14); Saviour (Luke 2:11; John 4:42; Acts 5:31); Son of David (Matthew 9:27; 21:9); Son of God (Matthew 3:17; Luke 1:35; Colossians 1:15; 1 John 5:20); Son of Man (Matthew 8:20; John 1:51; Acts 7:56); The Way, Truth and Life (John 14:6); The Word (John 1:1, 14).

4. The Four Images of Jesus

In correspondence to the faces of the cherubim in visions recorded in Ezekiel 1:10; 10:15; 41:19; Revelation 4:7, Jesus is seen to be symbolically represented in the Gospel of Matthew as a man, in Mark as an eagle; in Luke as an ox, and in John as a lion.

A close examination of the four Gospels will show that they focus on different aspects of Jesus' identity.

Matthew emphasises that Jesus is the Son of David, the promised Messiah (Matthew 1:1; see Psalm 89:29, 36; 103:11; Acts 2:30); thus presenting Jesus as a humble man (see 1 Corinthians 15:45; 1 Timothy 2:5).

Mark asserts that Jesus is the Son of God (Mark 1:1; see Psalm 2:4, 11-12; Proverbs 30:4; Daniel 3:25; thus portraying Jesus as a swift eagle (see Exodus 4:22; 19:4; compare Psalm 68:18; Ephesians 4:8; 1 Timothy 1:13).

Luke teaches that Jesus is the suffering Savior (Luke 19:10; see 9:44, 56; 24:44-48); thus typifying Jesus as a sacrificial ox (Exodus 20:24; Isaiah 53:7-10).

John reveals that Jesus is God (John 1:1-3, 14; 20:28); thus symbolizing Jesus as a bold lion (Revelation 5:5; compare Proverbs 30:30)

5. Family Members of Jesus

Jesus had half-siblings (Matthew 12:46-47; 13:55–56; Luke 8:19, Mark 3:31). John the Baptist was Jesus’ second cousin, since Mary the earthly mother of Jesus and Elisabeth the mother of John were cousins (Luke 1:36).

James, Joses, Simon, and Judas are named as His brothers. His sisters are only mentioned, but not named. It is believed that they all became Christians after the death and resurrection of Jesus (compare Acts 1:14). According to history, one of them, James, later became the head of the church in Jerusalem.

6. The Appearance of Jesus

Based on the prophetic description of Christ in Isaiah 53:2, it is likely that He was just a normal human being with no special appeal. His betrayer Judas had to kiss Him to help the authorities identify Him (Matthew 26:48) Even after His resurrection, Mary Magdalene mistook Him for the gardener (John 20:14-15). Although nothing in His appearance was extraordinary, His teachings and actions were supernatural.

7. Food Habits of Jesus

The prophet Isaiah predicted that the Holy Child Jesus would eat butter and honey (Isaiah 7:14-15). As an adult, Jesus ate bread (Matthew 26:26) and clean meats (Luke 22:15). After His resurrection, Jesus ate broiled fish and honeycomb (Luke 24:42-43). Therefore, we submit that Jesus ate normal food and was never a vegan, but He once fasted 40 days and 40 nights (Matthew 4:1-2).

Interestingly, Jesus was born in Bethlehem, meaning “house of bread,” in fulfillment of prophecy (Micah 5:2) and He addressed Himself as the “Bread of Life” (John 6:35, 48, 51). The multiplication of 5 loaves of bread by Jesus to feed 5,000 men is the only miracle recorded in all the four Gospels (Matthew 14:14-21; 16:9; Mark 6:34-44; 8:19; Luke 9:11-17; John 6:5-14).

8. Communication Skills of Jesus

Jesus spoke multiple languages- Aramaic the main language spoken by Jews in first-century Palestine, Hebrew the native language, Greek the lingua franca at that time, and possibly, Latin the language spoken by the Romans (Matthew 8:5-13; 27:11-14).

Moreover, Jesus was a witty and eloquent speaker who employed parables so as to make His teachings have a direct and enduring impact on the audience.

9: The Anointment of Jesus

To execute His messianic ministry as a Prophet, Priest and King, Jesus was anointed with the Holy Spirit (Luke 4:18; Acts 10:38); thus He is called the Christ, "the Anointed One" (Matthew 1:16; 16:20; 27:17; Luke 2:11, 26; 9:20; 23:2; John 1:41).

Before the death of Jesus, Mary of Bethany anointed Him with a strong fragrance (Luke 7:37-38; John 11:2) such that He remained fragrant as a victorious king when He rose from the dead (compare Psalm 45:1-8).

10. The Duration of Jesus' Ministry

The earthly ministry of Jesus was quite brief but very exciting and eventful. Jesus Film Project notes:

John’s gospel tells us that Jesus attended at least three Passover feasts during His ministry. There’s one mentioned in John 2:13, another in 6:4, and then the one occurring during the time of his crucifixion:

"When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, many went up from the country to Jerusalem for their ceremonial cleansing before the Passover. They kept looking for Jesus, and as they stood in the temple courts they asked one another, 'What do you think? Isn’t he coming to the festival at all?' But the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that anyone who found out where Jesus was should report it so that they might arrest him" (John 11:55–57).

This means that His ministry lasted at least two years, but there may have been more Passover celebrations that go unmentioned. We do know that many time-consuming things would have happened before they got to their first Passover:

His ministry took him all over Judea.
He was baptized by John.
He fasted (40 days) and was tempted in the wilderness.
He called His disciples.
He started His preaching ministry.
He made a trip to Capernaum with His family and disciples.

All of these things would have added up to multiple months worth of ministry—and we can’t forget the 40 days between the time Christ was resurrected and when He ascended.

In the end, scholars believe Jesus’ ministry only lasted about 3.5 years—an unbelievably short amount of time to change the world.

King Of Kings And Lord Of Lords by Godwin Goziem Jireh

The most common definition of the word king is: "A chief ruler; a sovereign; one invested with supreme authority over a nation, country, or tribe, usually by hereditary succession; a monarch; a prince." The word is applied to human rulers as well as to the Supreme Ruler of the Universe, God. According to Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical, “The concept of the kingship of God is regarded by many scholars as so basic to biblical revelation that it is viewed as an organizing theme for all of Scripture.”

To enable us to have a thorough understanding of what the phrase "the King of Kings" means in the Bible, we will have to examine several scriptural references to king and kingship. But this excerpted response to What does it mean that Jesus is King of kings and Lord of lords? not only saves us the time to do so but also answers the question excellently well:

The phrase king of kings is used in Scripture six times. Once, the title is applied to God the Father (1 Timothy 6:15), and twice to the Lord Jesus (Revelation 17:14; 19:16). The other three (Ezra 7:12; Ezekiel 26:7; Daniel 2:37) refer to either Artaxerxes or Nebuchadnezzar, kings who used the phrase to express their absolute sovereignty over their respective realms (Persia and Babylon). The phrase lord of lords is used by itself in Scripture twice and refers to God the Father (Deuteronomy 10:17; Psalm 136:3).

In Revelation 19:16 Jesus is given the full title “KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS” (Revelation 17:14 switches it: “Lord of lords and King of kings”). The title indicates someone who has the power to exercise absolute dominion over all His realm. In the case of the Lord Jesus, the realm is all of creation. In John’s vision, Jesus is returning to judge the world and establish His earthly kingdom, as He predicted in Mark 13:26.

When Jesus is called “King of kings and Lord of lords,” it means that, in the end, all other rulers will be conquered or abolished, and He alone will reign supreme as King and Lord of all the earth. There is no power, no king, and no lord who can oppose Him and win. There are myriad references to this absolute rule of Jesus and His preeminence over other rulers throughout Scripture. To mention just a few, Isaiah 40:23–24 says that the Lord brings “princes to nothing” and makes earth’s rulers “emptiness.” The mere breath of the Lord will “carry them off like stubble.” Daniel’s vision of the son of man in Daniel 7:13–14 is of one whom he calls “the Ancient of Days” whose everlasting dominion is over all people, nations and languages. In the New Testament, we get a better view of the One these passages refer to. The writer of Hebrews speaks of the Lord Jesus: “He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature, and He upholds the universe by the word of His power” (Hebrews 1:3). The next verse speaks of Jesus being “much superior” to the angels. Clearly, His rule over creation is absolute.

Paul makes the point that Jesus was humbled in His earthly ministry and that His humiliation will result in glorification. In Philippians 2:5–11, Paul discusses the extent to which Jesus went to atone for sinners; Jesus’ perfect obedience is the reason that “God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (vv. 9–11). The Suffering Servant becomes the King of kings (see Isaiah 53:10–12).

Finally, in the book of Revelation we see the Kingship of Jesus made manifest. In chapter 5, the Lamb (Jesus) is the only one in all creation found worthy to open the scroll containing the judgments of God (vv. 2–5). In chapter 11, we hear voices in heaven proclaiming that the kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of Christ and that He will reign forever and ever (v. 15). In chapter 12, we read that the authority of Christ is what causes Satan to be thrown down to earth (vv. 9–10). In Revelation 17:12–14, the Lamb conquers all those arrayed against Him, and John stresses that He conquers because He is King of kings and Lord of lords. Finally, in chapter 19, we read of Jesus’ triumphant coming to strike the nations and tread the winepress of the wrath of God, having the authority to do so because He is King of kings and Lord of lords (vv. 11–16).

Fundamentally, the idea of Jesus being King of kings and Lord of lords means that there is no higher authority. His reign over all things is absolute and inviolable. God raised Him from the dead and placed Him over all things, “far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all” (Ephesians 1:21–23).

Renewed In The Spirit

"As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he." (cf. Prov.23:7).
"Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it flow the issues of life," (cf Prov. 4:23).  

We are not just spirits but souls, minds, wills, and emotive elements--we are complex creatures, not so easily analyzed!   We are musical, rational, contemplative, planning,  religious, and humorous creatures, unlike the animal kingdom.  We are complicated individuals that defy the principles of the animal kingdom because we are hard-wired to work, be creative, and worship--to have a purpose in life, fulfilled with meaning, and having a destiny in God.  Apart from God, we would have no meaning or dignity in life  Thus, our worth as humans is extrinsic and not intrinsic, not inherit but only because we are formed in God's image.

We are not animals who are merely seeking pleasure and avoiding pain while spending their purpose being in heat.  Have you ever observed an animal building a chapel? They are oblivious to the spiritual world and what really matters in life. We seek fulfillment that only God can make us complete in. We are incomplete apart from our destiny to know God.  But the downside of being in God's image is that we are capable of sin and moral behavior and accountability and have capitalized on that freedom by sinning and rebelling against God to show our autonomy and independent spirit. We don't naturally believe in God but are people of unbelief, skepticism, sarcasm, and doubt.  We don't want to even believe in God apart from an act of grace to soften and quicken our souls.

But note that we must come to a change of heart to be renewed in our spirits. This is by regeneration. If we could come to faith in God apart from it, it's not necessary and we don't need God--we just have a flesh wound in our nature, not a permanent defect from our Fall in Adam whereby we are in solidarity with Adam and cannot not sin; i.e, being incapable of not sinning.  Yes, that means all we can do naturally apart from grace is to sin!  Sin separates us from God and He will not even hear us apart from repentance and faith.  Not what must be pointed out is that we think with our hearts and with our minds--not to go by emotions alone apart from reasoning.  We alone are capable of spiritual thoughts and to think on the divine level, contemplating the Almighty and the eternal nature of God--God has put this eternity into our hearts, to wonder of the afterlife.

This means we can be renewed in our thinking or get our thinking straightened out both spiritually and intellectually.  We can become enlightened and informed; i.e.,, we can become illuminated with insight and educated.  Everything isn't a matter of proper facts and data, but of knowing God.  The goal is to know God and apply this knowledge.  To have this mind which was in Christ! What we fixate our thought life on makes all the difference and we have a volition that can decide this ourselves--we are all culpable to control our own thought life and not let it be controlled by our worst impulses or lower nature and instincts.

We must realize to focus our minds on Christ and dwell on spiritual things that are productive and positive influences for good. We must be responsible that the kind of input we give our brains influences our behavior and conduct.  Thoughts are the souls of the act!  And we must note that we reap what we sow,  we must guard our thoughts in Christ to get aligned with His will. We are all a lost opportunity away from throwing away our lives and wasting our brains, a terrible thing to exploit or misuse--no one has the right to live life without purpose or goals.  As they say in tech language, GIGO or garbage in equals garbage out. What we can expect is only as good as the exposure we get from the divine and the influences they have.

Ultimately, the end result depends upon cultivating the fruit of the Spirit, for we are incapable of cleaning up our act and self-reformation, of saving ourselves.  We are morally degenerate and this can be proved by experience.   We cannot deny our own reality. We all need an enabler to live a fruitful life in the Spirit and that Enabler is Christ, our Advocate, Comforter, and Counselor.  He is on our side and finds a way to come to our rescue as our Savior. We can only guard the spirit of our minds in Christ and say no to the flesh before we can say yes to Him.   We must not live in denial and stop thinking we alone can produce good works apart from God; our righteousness then is God's gift to us, not our gift to God.  It is a known fact that the nature we feed is the one that will predominate in our demeanor, behavior, and disposition. To sow to the flesh yields the fruits of the flesh!  That which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

Only walking in the Spirit is the way to defeat the powers and weaknesses of the flesh, to walk in the inclinations of the flesh is evil. Thus, we are responsible to feed our minds with that which is good and pure and of good report, anything virtuous that no one can deny being a positive influence or force for good.  But remember, our God is not just a force or influence, but a Person to know, not even a creed to believe--we must put this faith into practice and turn our creeds into deeds because the faith we have is the faith we show!  The reality of faith is not the profession of it and we all start by the shaping of our minds into Christ's image being converted to the Way of the Spirit or to be wholly devoted and focused on Christ, not self-absorbed.

We all can even become optimists and say that it's not all that bad, but the point is not that we are not bad as we can be but as bad off as can be and need supernatural intervention from God, a miracle to change our nature of degeneration.  Let us, therefore, have our thoughts fixated on Christ and renewed in His image, and this can only happen by an act of God, we have no power to just turn over a new leaf, make a New Year's resolution, or an AA pledge that is going to change our minds.  We must be changed from the inside out. This is the divine formula: worry about nothing, pray about anything, and thank about everything.  Nothing is too small nor too big for God's heart and attention--it's all small stuff to Him.

The key to spirituality is to feed our spiritual nature, to put off the flesh, the old man, with its natural desires that war against the Spirit, and get to know our God more clearly [which is the sign of the believer and the goal of our salvation], to be able to follow Him more closely and to love Him more dearly as Richard of Chichester put it. Yes, we all have an ethic worth living out and fulfilling--to follow Christ, its essence.  We must have faith not one we can live with, but one we will die for.  This is how we bring Christ to the world by our witness and life that is the salt and light for a troubled world.

As a result, we will become new people renewed after the image of Christ, but also with a new lease on life to share this new experience in Christ. Then we will be able to recite with Paul:  To live is Christ, to die is gain.  We know of the goodness of Christ because we have tasted of Him: "Taste and see that the LORD is good,"(cf. 1 Pet. 2:2; Psalm 34:8) and we can know the proof of the pudding is in the eating and no one can persuade us otherwise.  To love Christ, then is to be preoccupied with Him who has priority and ownership over our lives.  Soli Deo Gloria!

The Antidote To Anxiety

Anxiety is real and we don't want to rub it in when someone suffers it as if they're not doing something right or the solution is easy. But we must learn to avoid anxiety disorders or when we are consumed within and don't believe there is a cure. Whatever the illness there is a cure.   For every problem, Christ is the answer--He is the ultimate Answerer! Don't just evade the issue and claim or promise you'll pray for them!   We are only going to have confidence if we learn to trust God in these trying times we are facing.  Sometimes we are let down by our own high expectations and see the solution as simplistic and not real.  But never lose faith in God:  Expect great things from Him and attempt great things for Him, as William Carey said.

We all must come to the place of humbling ourselves before the feet of Jesus and realize we don't know it all.  We must stop trying to save ourselves.  That is to say, that truth is the proper antidote to all errors and the Holy Spirit will convict us of our error and help us to get off the vicious cycle of anxiety due to lack of a proper or spiritual mindset. There is a peace that is beyond our understanding and surpasses knowledge in Christ if we know Him.  But we must be oriented to reality and truth is what corresponds to reality and that ultimate reality is God and to know Him in truth, for He is the God of truth.  Ignorance is not bliss!  We can attribute most anxiety to willful ignorance and people not seeking the truth in Jesus.

The goal of the peace of God is to have peace with God first and that means to see life from His perspective and will, not in ours.  The whole church has the duty of seeing the light and teaching the truth to the flock and truth is the enemy of anxiety because we get properly oriented.  We have one offensive weapon against anxiety--the Word of God.  But God wants our prayers and wants us to seek His will. Sometimes that's all it takes, is to take it to the Lord in prayer and to make our requests known!  We are to worry about nothing, pray about anything, and thank God for everything!

Jesus said that the truth shall set us free and He meant that also from our own anxieties and hangups, especially free from the bondage of our own sins.  We are our own worst enemies and are enslaved by the power we choose to obey--by whatever defeats us!  We can live in the defeat of our own emotions or be set free from their power, for if we walk by the Spirit we are not under the power of the flesh! Joy is the ultimate panacea to anxiety (it's all a matter of our mindset and attitude which we can choose) and this is by the fruit of the Spirit and if we are walking with God we cannot not be joyful--it's automatic, a given!   But remember, gifts are given but fruits are grown; i.e., we must learn to cultivate joy and the fruit of the Spirit by obedience to the Lord--obedience is the only test of our walk by faith--not ecstasies or experiences.

Knowing the fundamentals of basic doctrine is vital to our victorious life in the Spirit because we need a right and peaceful mindset controlled by the Spirit--"Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus."  The mind of the flesh is at enmity against God and is easily led astray and becomes prey to divers false and strange teachings. Such as are those who have an itching ear to hear what they want to hear and false prophets preying on their curiosities and natural inclinations.  In other words, if you have your thinking straightened out, you are less likely to be fooled by Satan's schemes and deceptions, being led astray by his wiles and schemes.  We are exhorted to be "renewed in the spirit of our minds" and to "hold captive all our thoughts to the obedience of Christ."  This is where the body of Christ comes to our rescue to save us from the captivity to our own wrong and sinful thinking.   Soli Deo Gloria!

Quench Not The Spirit!

"Live by the Spirit and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature," (cf. Gal. 5:16).  

Paul exhorts us two things regarding the Spirit not to do:  quench not and grieve not. God feels our pains and when sin.  We are not to put out the Spirit's present fire nor to be a source of sadness to others or God, in that when we sin or go astray from the truth it hurts God more than us and He must chastise us to bring us back and get our attention (cf. Job 36:15).    We can quench the Spirit even in others by being argumentative, divisive, judgmental, or contentions.  Remember, the servant of the Lord must not quarrel (cf. 2 Tim. 2:24) and also that party politics can divide an otherwise healthy church--people have their personal and political loyalties too. 

It is wise to leave one's politics at home and be one in the Spirit at church, even loving those of the opposite persuasion.  It is a bad sign when you get bummed out going to church because of some offensive believer who chooses to parade or flaunt his freedom in Christ and take stands that are not harmonious or seeks validation for his personal agenda. Remember the axiom: bad news travels fast, especially gossip or useless information.

Some brethren can get a reputation for having an insider view or private heresy that he is nursing or even propagating.  One stipulation of the body is to have a basic agreement in foundational Christian doctrines (cf. Psa. 11:3) you would expect in any Christian church. The chief problem of division is that it encourages rogue leaders and failure to be submissive to the church program or discipline.  Members may not even know who to go to in times of need or who are the spiritual leaders.   

This is where lack of leadership, even hypocrisy come in and further erode the fellowship. A certain amount of self-discipline is expected and the church cannot be another playground to advance one's personal program but must get with the program. In sectarian spirit, the problem isn't lack of knowledge as if all believers need is enlightenment to get their thinking straightened out, but to learn how to show love, first to those in their own sphere of influence or circle of friends, within the church and then without.

We all must learn to walk in the Spirit not to give in to the desires of the flesh, which has a tendency to divide and conquer just like the devil's chief strategy (cf. 2 Cor. 2:4).  There may be feuds or even bad blood in the body to be reconciled, even in the most harmonious of churches.  Now, we may have trials, tribulations, adversities, afflictions, or tests of our faith and we must settle the lordship issue of giving ownership of our lives over to Christ.  The joy comes only when we own Him as Lord and the fellowship of His suffering.  We can defy our circumstances, live above them, and even praise God for our trials because they build character and patience.  The more we yield to God's sovereignty, or give Him lordship, the freer we are--slavery to Christ is the way to be set free as Christ said: "If the Son shall set you free, you shall be free indeed."

A key dictum of St. Augustine was "In essentials, unity; in nonessentials, liberty; in all things, charity."    We are never to find a case against one another that we hold a grudge. It's not that those who disagree with you need a lecture or to become informed as much as you need a lesson in loving those you disagree with and in your tolerance of them.  Once we learn to stay in fellowship by keeping short accounts with God, coming clean, and being sensitive to the Spirit, we can then be a blessing to others and contribute to the growth of the body and not just be one to get a blessing.  

This is where fellowship and family come in to play: we are one body in Christ, one in Spirit, and one body to work together for all as a community being sensitive to the needs of the body, submitting to one another in the spirit of love and cooperation   Some of us may need an awakening and to be encouraged in the Word or the fellowship of the body but the same Spirit dwells in each of us and we  are all partakers of it and made to drink of the same Lord (cf. 1 Cor. 12:13)

We are exhorted to constantly seek His face and presence by drawing near to God (cf. Js. 4:8) as Brother Lawrence, the seventeenth-century Carmelite monk, wrote in his book, The Practice of the Presence of God. We can do as he was wont to do and always take it to the Lord in prayer but be supported by the giving or our burden to Him and admitting our needs--nothing too trivial nor big for God.  We can know that the Lord is near and experience His anointing too--when we become sensitive to the leading of the Spirit.  

What we must learn is to acknowledge and praise God for who He is and thank Him for what He's done--that's worship. then we will experience intimacy with God and find joy in the circumstance because we are in a win-win situation with God who is on our side (cf. Psa. 56:9) and we are more than conquerors through Him (cf. Rom. 8:37).  In sum, if we learn to walk in the Spirit not quenching it, we will have the fruit of the Spirit manifest in joy.        Soli Deo Gloria!

Our Eternal High Priest

"... For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more," (Jer. 31:34, ESV). 

Now the Law was only a shadow of good things to come (cf. Heb. 10:1) in Christ and Christ fulfilled it to the letter as well as the spirit of the Law.  But before a person is saved, there is a huge gap between them and God--a chasm only transversed only bridged Jesus through the cross.  In the Old Testament, this was represented by the huge curtain that separated the Holy of Holies and the fact that only the high priest could enter it once daily on the day of atonement. But when Christ died, this curtain was torn in two and entree had been granted to the believer in Christ. Now we can boldly enter the throne of grace into God's presence via the blood of the Lamb shed on our behalf.  That's the good news:  God is now approachable as it says in James 4:8,  "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you."

Thus only Christianity makes full atonement for our sins and thus provides complete propitiation or payment for our sins so that we can be saved by grace through faith.   The problem with the sacrifices before Christ was that they were not perfect and had to be offered yearly and only gave a reminder of sin with no permanent forgiveness. Now we can boldly approach God in prayer (cf. Heb. 4:16) and don't need an earthly high priest.  Jesus is our permanent High Priest who intercedes for us when we sin, sympathizes with us in our needs (cf. Heb. 5:14), mediates for us in life (cf. 1 John 2:2), and has offered Himself as the ultimate, perfect sacrifice that satisfies God's wrath against sin. "For by one offering He hath perfected forever those who are sanctified," (cf. Heb. 10:14, HCSB). NB: He doesn't need to sacrifice daily for sins, but offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice once for all. 

For the Law stated that "without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins" (cf. Heb. 9:22; Lev. 17:11).  We now enter God's sanctuary by the blood of Jesus and draw near to God in a heart of faith.  There is no need for any further sacrifice!  The work of Jesus is done as He pronounced on the cross in toto:  "Tetelestai," or "Paid in Full," i.e., salvation is a done deal.]  We ought not to worry about a bill or debt that's already paid!  Jesus is not to be compared to any other priest for He is --superior to Aaron and the Levites, also to Melchizedek who was the priest that blessed Abraham.  We don't compare, we contrast and see that Jesus is one of a kind and not to be surpassed or equaled.  God the Father has declared Christ a priest forever "after the order of Melchizedek."

The chief benefit of having a personal High Priest in Christ is that He always lives to make intercession for us (cf. Heb. 7:25) whenever we do sin and making our case before the Father so that we are never judged or condemned.  Therefore, since we have this access to God's throne and the right to boldness, we ought to live our lives in full assurance without a doubt about our relationship with God and position in Christ that cannot be altered but is sealed in His blood.   In short, He's now the Mediator of a New Covenant (cf. Heb.9:15) in His blood that we are partakers of through faith--we're free from the penalty of our sins and can freely enter God's presence as royal members of His family.

We must reckon Christ's penal substitution as efficacious enough to atone or make final payment for all our sins once for all, with no need for further sacrifice.  Jesus didn't offer a bull or goat or any animal but offered Himself, and He was perfect because He was without blemish with no sin living under the Law.   And He didn't do this in Jerusalem's temple but before God's Holy of Holies. Therefore, "Since then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession...." (cf. Heb. 4:14).

In closing, let me mention in passing that our righteousness is God's gift to us, to our gift to God (cf. Isaiah 45:24) and that it is real and forensic, as God declares us just, not making us just till we reach glory, and not that it is in God's perfect righteousness and justice that He is both just and the justifier.   "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" (cf. Gen. 18:15), "For God is just, and His justice will not sleep forever."  ---Thomas Jefferson     Soli Deo Gloria!

No Greater Nor Expected Prophet

"The Lord GOD has spoken!  Who can but prophesy?"(Amos 3:8, NKJV). 
"Let us prophesy in proportion to our faith," (Romans 12:6, NKJV).
"For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy," (Rev. 19:10, NKJV).  
"Desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy," (1 Cor. 14:9 NKJV).  

Basically speaking, prophets comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable; they have a message for all time and for everyone--past, present, or even future in application.  There are no prophets per see in the church today, though the gift of prophecy is often exercised as seen when one offers a word of wisdom or edification to the body.   Actually, when the preacher exhorts his flock and speaks a message given by the Lord, it is a prophetic word to be heeded nevertheless (that's why we must take him seriously).  Jesus was a "Prophet mighty in word and deed," (cf. Luke 24:19).  Jesus was indeed the One whom Moses spoke of when he said, "The LORD will raise up for you a prophet..."   (cf. Deut. 18:15).

But Amos warns of a time when the prophetic word will become rare and people will yearn for a word from the LORD and it won't come (cf. Amos 8:11). If we ignore and don't heed God's Word, He may cease speaking to us and be silent.  Just as the Samaritan woman recognized Jesus as a prophet, we ought to recognize this gift in the church body today--"let all things be done for edification."  "Let him who prophesies edify the church," (cf. 1 Cor. 14:4).

"The law came through Moses, grace and truth through Jesus Christ," (cf. John 1:17).   Jesus came to bear witness of the truth!  Those who heard Him knew that what He taught was of the truth and those of the truth heard Him.  Being the personification of truth, He came to set us free from the lies of Satan, and only a Great Teacher could open the eyes of the blind and be the light that lights every man (cf. John 1:9).  We are to be witnesses of the truth also as we abide in Him and His Word.  This is the chief function of prophets: to show the truth to the blind!   No greater message, no greater truth, no greater teacher, and finally, no greater prophet than Jesus!  We must follow in His steps and make our stand for the truth and not stand in the sidelines of neutrality!

Jesus is our prophet, priest, and king in His threefold offices, but especially as a prophet we see Him as our Great Teacher who shows us our sin, opens our eyes, convicts us, and shows us the way.  Jesus was considered greater than Moses and Elijah, who were the two greatest prophets, by His transfiguration and God the Father telling the disciples to listen to Him. God gave His official stamp of approval on Jesus' ministry--"Listen to Him." Jesus told us He never spoke on His own accord but what the Father had told Him to say--He wasn't out to promote His will or Himself, but the Father's.    What really made Christ's preaching so unique and great was that He always practiced what He preached and preached what He practiced without any duplicity. Most of all, Jesus was a man with a message and a man on a mission to do His Father's will and be about His business.

The people were looking for a prophet to come as well as a king to deliver them, as well as a priest greater than Aaron to bring a New Covenant and sacrifice.  They probably thought that three Messiah figures would come.  Israel had not heard from a prophet in over 400 years and finally, God's silence broke and the people sensed a prophet had arrived--"Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD."

We must note that we cannot compare Jesus to any other figure but only contrast Him.  He is greater than Moses, Aaron, Elijah, Melchizedek, David, etc.  To compare them is to do Jesus injustice and to insult His superiority.  It is especially important that Jesus is greater than Moses (representing the Law) and Elijah (representing the prophets) because they were probably considered the two greatest figures in the OT --there would be no doubt He was "The Prophet who is to come," like, unto God Himself, even His life was a message to heed. In the final analysis, Jesus will never be surpassed.

The people were expecting one "like God," in whom they must listen.  He was greater than John too who had come in the spirit of Elijah and was considered a prophet by the people.  The fact that Jesus was recognized as a prophet doesn't mean they listened to Him and obeyed Him--they were fickle and would only hear what they chose to hear and what suited their agendas or needs.   People want a certain kind of prophet that fulfilled their needs and He didn't quite fit the bill, so eventually, they turned on Him.  That is to say, we may be let down if our expectations are wrong.  People hear what they desire.

His message was a thankless one of repentance and salvation, but they wanted deliverance from Rome and a military hero, not a pacifist.  He clearly wasn't the conventional Messiah they expected and they certainly didn't heed His message to repent and seek the kingdom of God--most people followed Him from curiosity, getting their free meals, or seeing signs and wonders as a curiosity.

Anything less than the truth is a lie, or a caricature and is actually idolatry and not worship.   The great lesson is that Jesus is who He is and we must accept Him that way, He is not who we want Him to be--He's not all things to all people; if you want a genie to fulfill your wants He will not foot the bill.  We must beware of those who preach "another Jesus" and not the Lord who demands us to lay down our lives and follow Him even to the point of death, denying ourselves. He demands obedience:  "To obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams," (cf. 1 Sam. 15:22).

He is the Great Prophet in that we must listen or ignore at our peril and He is God's last word to mankind.  We must consequently heed every word, obey His message, and follow Him going on to proclaim His message.  We must be able to practice His message and to apply it to everyday life.  No cross equals no crown!  Christ isn't our enabler in sin but calls us to holiness and loving Him.  Remember, the immeasurable cost He paid for our souls and the least we can do is to obey Him to show our love.       Soli Deo Gloria!  

What Makes The Bible Unique?

1. Over 2,000 fulfilled predictive prophecies in great detail, not just a few lucky guesses.
2. Historical accuracy that is even corroborated by secular sources, even about Jesus—it dehistoricized, it’s totally discredited (and some have tried).
3. Archaeological digs verifying its references (over 25,0000)—as Jesus said, “The stones cry out….” (cf. Luke 19:40).
4. It has been the most translated book in history (over 1800 languages) and has had more impact and influence than any other book in history.
5. It has meaningful miracles that are not just helter-skelter or random; it’s the only holy Scripture that, if you remove the miracles, it is meaningless.
6. It was written by over 40 men over 1500 years and has no contradictions, unexplained.
7. it is inspiring and changes lives of those who read it—it claims inspiration of God—it’s the most quoted book in history.
8. It says, “Thus saith the LORD,” or its equivalent over 3,000 times—it claims to be the Word of God unlike any other “scripture.”
9. The Bible can prove itself if one gives it a chance and only reads it.
10. It has no scientific anomalies, but makes many statements ahead of its time that have been proven true—the Bible is the foundation of the philosophy of science saying there are laws of nature (cf. Job 38:33).