Transformers

How can I be a living sacrifice unto God? What is conforming to this world’s standards? Is it possible for my mind to be transformed?

Romans 12:1 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service”.

Romans 12:2 “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God”.

In the first verse of the 12^th chapter of Romans, the apostle Paul urges the brethren to honour God with their bodies. This is a message that is still relevant to us living today in the 21^st century. If our bodies are the Temple of the Most High God, we must present them holy, and acceptable unto Him. Many folks in today’s society claim that their bodies are their own and so they can do as they please with it. The fact is though, that these bodies which we occupy were bought with a price and paid for by the blood of Jesus Christ. Therefore, they are on loan from God and should be treated as such; we must use them in a manner that would glorify Him at all times.

How Can I Be a Living Sacrifice?

Paul tells us “by the mercies of God, that ye resent your bodies a living sacrifice”. These words have powerful meaning to the Christian. Firstly, the mercies of God are too numerous to mention. By you waking up every morning and being able to do every-day activities, you are experiencing the mercy of God. We, holy as we try to be, are nothing more that dirty, wretched sinners whose human instinct is to go against God. That’s what sin is: it stands in complete opposition to the Living God as it seeks to break and compromise His Holy Law. Sin is transgression of the Law, and we as humans being born in sin and shaped in iniquity cannot help, because of our nature, to sin. Praise God for grace! When we call on Jesus, we are able to overcome sin, experience grace and live as He would want us to. Protection from danger, loving you even when you purposefully do wrong and, keeping you in good health can all be classified under “the mercies of God”. Paul now says, when you’ve realized how awesome and vast His mercies are to you, that you must present your body a LIVING sacrifice. A living sacrifice would be something that has life and is acceptable and holy unto God. In Old Testament times, the Prophets would often kill sheep and lambs-dead- and offer them as sacrifices unto God. Jesus wants us to be the exact opposite. He wants to treat and use our bodies as a living sacrifice, one that has movement, so others can see how we act and be encouraged to act in like manner. The living sacrifice can still honour God, but it can be used more than once, if you present your bodies a living sacrifice you can share God’s love with everyone you come into contact with. Ponder this:

Matthew 5:14 “You are the light of the world…”

When you present you bodies as a living sacrifice, you will not want to do anything to it or put anything into it that will bring harm to it, as it is the Temple of the Living God. When the pressure comes to have pre-marital sex, use drugs, participate in the consumption of alcohol, and even partake in food that will knowingly do damage to your body, you will be able to stand and say “No, this body is God’s own, and I must treat it that way!”. As you do this, you will be the light of the world and the salt of the earth Jesus talked about in Matthew 5 and others will want to follow the same pattern. You see, Jesus told us in John 12:32 that when He is lifted up, ALL men will be drawn unto Him. So when you decide to swim against the tide, be different from everyone else and present you body as a living sacrifice that is holy and acceptable to God because you have upheld the standards He has outlined in His Word, others will applaud this behavior and will be able to do nothing but to see the good in what you’re doing and follow your actions as you follow Jesus’! The only way to become a living sacrifice is to submit yourself totally to God, pray, and be determines; He will then empower you to overcome the snares of the devil and will allow you to show His love with those around you. Remember, we can do ALL things through Christ!

Are you presenting your body as a living sacrifice unto God?

Don’t Conform to the World’s Standards

Jesus made it plain in His Word that light and darkness cannot mix. Therefore, the Christian must never lower his or her standards to that of the secular world. We must in all things, truly put God first and look at the situations we find ourselves in from His perspective. There is a dark, demon-filled world out there and we cannot allow it’s attractive outside appearance to cause us to be caught in a web of sin and sorrow that can be difficult to get out of. Today’s society is all about ‘fitting in’ and being ‘accepted’ but as followers of Christ we are called to stand out, to be different, to be a peculiar people and never to conform or go backward on what we believe. The word conform means “to act in accord with the prevailing standards, attitudes, practices, etc., of a society or a group”. This suggests that the standard of God and the standard of the world are light years apart and the apostle encourages us not to be conformed or act in accordance with the prevailing trends we see around us, but to stand out and be a beacon of light in a cold, dark world. Ponder these verses of Scripture:

Matthew 7: 13 “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

Matthew 7:14 “Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it”.

This is the reason God doesn’t want us to conform; the world allows so many ‘little’ lies and errors to be wrought into its perception and thought, that it corrupts the plain truth! We must be diligent as citizens of the Kingdom here on earth and not be pulled in by the snares of the world. How can it be that Christians claim they believe they were created by God, and then say they also believe in evolution? How can Christians claim that the consumption of alcohol is something that Jesus, the Saviour of this world partook in? How can we say that God’s Law has been changed or nullified? The answer is simple: conformity. The world has planted the little seed of doubt in our minds that there might not even be a creator God and the thought, subtle though it is, has placed itself in the back of our minds. Pastors, Priests, and Christians out drinking alcohol the night before Church and then going to praise the Living God the next morning at a worship service- it’s all conformity! Jesus Christ, the one who’s Blood means life for the Christian did not use fermented grape juice that would be of damage to the bodies of the ones who drank, He’s God! The breaking down and decaying process of the grape is what caused fermentation, where is the life in that? He told in His Word through the Psalmist David years ago that those who are deceived by alcohol are unwise; it is something that followers of Christ should not partake in! How many deaths, unwanted pregnancies and sorrowful tragedies have been caused by this one addictive substance? The answer is that it’s too numerous to mention. People say God’s Law has been done away with or changed; this cannot be so… stop conforming! Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever according to Hebrews 13:8 and throughout His Word He repeatedly states that His 10 Commandments will stand forever, they are the standard in which we should live by. We’ve got to get out of this habit of trying to fit in with everybody else and practicing certain things just because everyone else is doing it. Because it feels good now, doesn’t mean it will profit you in the long run. We must stay close to God now, because only in Him can we find refuge and strength. The world offers you no protection. Think of the Prodigal Son, the world offered him its luxurious lifestyle for a while, but in the end he was sucked dry and left in such a low state, he ended up eating pig’s feed. Never dance with the devil, you can’t move like him! We must take the name ‘Christian’ with pride and honour God in all we say, do, and even how we think. Jesus told us to be in the world, but not of the world and offers us to enter through the straight gate and the narrow way, one with standards and one where you cannot act any old way you feel… entering through this gate will lead to Eternal Life. The broad road may seem to have its advantages now but it is all a delusion: the end result of following this path is destruction. Jesus calls us to be different, not to conform, but to be transformed today!

Have you been conforming?

Be A Transformer

Finally, the apostle Paul encourages us, after we have resisted conforming to the worlds standards, to be transformed by the renewing of our minds that we might prove what is the good, perfect, and acceptable will of God. The word means “to change in form, appearance, or structure; metamorphose”. Unlike the world ‘conform’, this world called ‘transform’ does not take on such a negative connotation. You see conforming has to do with swimming with the tide and adjusting your temperature according to the temperature around you; transformation however is a change that is not stirred by your external environment but by something from within that causes you to adjust to different situations as needed. Paul says that we must be transformed by the renewing of our minds. Yes, it is possible for the mind to be transformed and renewed! To renew your mind, you must be careful of the things you watch, listen to, and the activities you engage in. The only way to renew the mind is to heed the charge of Philippians 2:5 and let the same mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus! You must think as he thought, and approach situations you face in life with a humble, and loving approach. We cannot let the devil sneak into our train of thought; beware of the things we engage our minds in! Satan is a very cunning individual, and he will use his subtly to try and discourage you, make you feel like nothing and ultimately lead you in the totally opposite direction from the one God had planned for your life. We must continue to let God lead in our lives and be converted from conformity and be enlightened to transformation. Ponder:

Matthew 6:33 “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you”.

Here we are charged to seek first God’s Kingdom before worrying about the stresses of life and downgrading ourselves by conforming to the standards and practices, of this cruel, cold world. This is a call for transformation! We must be bold for what we believe in and seek to fulfill the purpose that God has for our lives. That’s why when folk ask us why we follow certain religious practices, or pressure us just to ‘have a little fun’ that will be of ‘no harm’ to us, and you know it is wrong, instead of being molded by the peer pressure and conforming to and accepting their request we can be transformers because our minds would have been renewed and say ‘No, God would not want me doing such a thing!’. Just like transformers in the movies, when faced with trouble we will not give in and show our human weakness, but we will change our structure from within, stand up for the standard of the Living God, and be justified in doing so! God loves when we are transformers. Then He will show us His perfect, good, and acceptable will for our lives, all we have to do is ask Him to tell us. When you become a transformer you will be able to show by your fruits that you truly love God with all your mind, soul, and strength and He will reveal to you His perfect and acceptable will. You will be able to walk in the pathway God has designed for you and you will have a peace in your heart that only you and God will have knowledge of. You will be able to truly be an ambassador for the Lord Jesus because with a transformed mind, the devil will have no power! Let us endeavour to be thermostats, ones who set the temperature for those around them-transformers- and not thermometers, those who simply become hot or cold, depending on their external environments-conformers. Be a transformer today!

In conclusion, the apostle Paul encourages the brethren-us- to honour God with our bodies -in essence becoming living sacrifices and also to stand firm for God in such a troubled world and not be conformed or be molded into its shape; don’t engage in its practices. He then encourages us, after we have presented our bodies living sacrifices to God and after we have not been changed by the world’s influence, to be transformers. We must be able to lift up Jesus in times when others seek to put Him down, and when the devil brings his subtle temptations, we can transform because our mind would have been filled with Christ’s love, and fend off his attack. Oh, how sweet to trust in Jesus! How sweet it is to represent Him and obey His Word! Praise God for the transformers!

Are you a transformer?

God bless you!

Amazing Love

How far does God’s love go? Will that constant sin you commit stop the flow of love? Does God care about you, even when you are rebellious toward him?

John 15:13 “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends”.

The amazing love of God, reaches to the vilest sinner and has no preference. Plainly, God loves ALL people, no matter what you’ve said or done in your lifetime. God’s Love is unconditional, and His mercy endures forever and ever. He wants to see His children following Him, but if we stumble, His grace extends far enough to cover us! We must always lean on God in whatever we go through, that’s why Proverbs 3:6 tells us to acknowledge God in ALL our ways. He knows what is best for us.

The Depth of Love

The devil is clever at making us feel less than worthy of going to God for help. Do not be fooled by this tactic, Jesus’ amazing love never fails, and no matter what you go through in your life, God will always be there right by your side. He promised us in Hebrews 13:5, that He would never leave nor forsake us, why worry? Ponder these verses of Scripture:

Romans 5:8 “But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us”.

Romans 5:9 “Much more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him”.

Romans 5:10 “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life”.

What great love is this! God’s love was so strong for us that while we were sinners, while we transgressed His Law, neglected Him, and did our own thing, He still sent His Son to die for our sins. He knew our sinful thoughts and actions, He knew that we would not talk to Him as much as we should, He knew that we would forget to read His Word and be reluctant to go into His House, yet he extended His everlasting arms of mercy toward us! 1 John 4:8 tells us that God is love, and if this is so we must get to know God in order to understand His great love. His compassion and concern for the well being of His children, stretch way further than you can imagine. There is nothing you can do to cause God not to love you. Jesus not only said in John 15:13 that the greatest love that can be shown is one laying down his life for his friends, He went and displayed the action. He displayed the greatest aspect of love. His unselfish nature and compassionate character allowed Him to look at a bunch of rebellious sinners, and give His innocent blood so they would have a chance at Eternal life in Paradise with Him. Love was so important to the Lord, that He based His entire Law on it. Check this out:

Matthew 22:37 “And Jesus said unto him, ‘Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind’”.

Matthew 22:38 “This is the first and great commandment”.

Matthew 22:39 “And the second is like unto it, ‘Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself’”

Matthew 22: 40 “On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets”.

Love to God and love to our fellow man are the greatest duties for the Christian. We must remember this in our daily actions, and strive to live up to the mandate that Christ has charged us with. In the world that we live in, everyone is about getting revenge and getting even with others that have done us wrong. This isn’t the way to go about handling our conflicts tough. Romans 12:19-20 tells us that we should leave it up to God to repay; He has the final say, not us. When we have this type of love we can feed our enemies when they are hungry, and give them drink when they are thirsty and “be not overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good”, verse 21 says. You see in this world, we are supposed to be bringing others to Jesus. When you show love to persons who have wronged you, it may spark a change in them and cause them to accept Jesus as their personal Lord & Saviour. You see, love brings salvation! Once we have love first of all for the Living God and for our fellow man, we won’t want to do anything to offend either of them. The Bible tells us that God is love and so if we have God in our lives, we have love! Love is the answer for all the troubles we face in this world, the hearts of men are turning cold and self is being exalted. Instead of lifting up the Lord Jesus in our everyday lives, people use terms like “I’m doin me” and “its all about me” to govern their thinking and everyday lives. Submission to a Higher Power is becoming a thing of the past and consequently we only live for today’s satisfaction. We need to get back to loving the way Jesus did, seeking to hurt and seek revenge on our neighbours is of the devil and should not be a practice for the Christian. Imagine if Jesus took offence to the sins we as a human race have committed and decide not to die, we would have no hope of one day being totally free from sin. Jesus led by example, and if we want to truly be followers of Him, we must show the Agape love that does not discriminate but seeks to reach all.

Love & Mercy

The love that Jesus Christ showed and continues to this human race should boggle your mind. How many times have you ditched Him for some secular activity? Going to His own House and purposely not paying attention? How many times have you chose reading fictional books instead of His Holy Word? Do you keep the line of communication with Him open? Despite all our sin, Jesus stand ready to wash us clean in His cleansing blood. All we have to do is ask Him, He desires to see all of His children saved. No matter how vile of a sinner you think you are, Jesus is a better Saviour. There is nothing that you can do, say, or think that if you confess, you won’t be forgiven of. Jesus said so in His Word:

1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness”.

Sometimes in this Christian journey, we may feel down discouraged, and unworthy to even worship the Living God. We need not feel this way, Jesus knew our hurting before we even told Him, He just wants us to acknowledge His Supreme Power; but it actuality, He has never left your side. The power of God is so awesome that it can turn the vilest sinner into the most effective minister. Think about it: If God loved us so much that He would send His only Son to die for a fallen race that he knew beforehand would miss the mark of His Holy Standard, then His love mercy, and grace will extend to you, no matter what circumstance you find yourself in. Try this: as soon as you wake up in the morning, blink your eyes and move your hands. That is the evidence of the depth of love and mercy that God has for you! We as human beings are only breeding grounds for evil, lies and corruption, we have nothing good to offer to God. Why then does he continue to plead with us and allow His blood to cover our many transgressions? There is only one answer: Love!

Friends, the devil is real and he is very busy. Anyone who doesn’t believe in how much power he has hasn’t been attacked by him. His only purpose in this life is to get you on the highway to hell! He wants to be like the Most High and he will put obstacles in your spiritual pathway and in your mind that will cause you to doubt God an ultimately stray from the faith. The Christian cannot allow this to happen. We MUST rely on Jesus for He is the ONLY hope we have to even make it through even one day. In our last presentation we talked about how we are wrestling against powers and principalities of the devil and that we need spiritual armour to win this fight. The devil is busier than ever because he knows that he has but a short time, we must cling to the Cross of Christ like we never did before. I encourage you, even if you have been walking the devils way for days, months, or years to do like Jesus did in Matthew 4:10 and say ‘Get thee behind me, Satan’! The Love of God is so big that you cannot get around it, and He will accept you back into the fold of saints bound for the Kingdom. Just as Jesus said in the Parable of the Lost Sheep in Matthew 18:12-14, so is our Father’s love so strong for us that He will search for the one lost sheep even if he has 99 already in His fold. There is a conflict going on in this world today, between good and evil, between Christ and Satan and only if we accept and abide in Jesus amazing love will we be able to overcome. Ponder Jesus words:

John 10:10 “The thief cometh not but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly”.

Choose Jesus and His love today. No matter where you have been in your life, what you have done or how you have felt towards God, He prepared a place in His kingdom for you, He wants you there! When we truly submit to God’s love, we realize its life changing power, and its ability to turn our lives completely around. You don’t have to do anything to please Jesus, He will come knocking at YOUR door! His love for you will cause Him to seek you and get you out of any situation you may find yourself in. All you have to do is believe and do what He tells you to. When we experience this for our selves, it will captivate us and give us a peace inside that passes all understanding because we know that Jesus will be with us in whatever situation we go through and He will forgive us when we go astray and heal our spiritual lives. These words of this gospel song will then come alive in us:

“Think about His Love. Think about His goodness. Think about His grace that brought us through! For as high as the heavens above, great is the measure of our Father’s Love!”

God bless you!

Wrestling Match

In this fight against good and evil, who are we fighting against? Who fights our battles? How can we be victorious? What is the armour of God?

Ephesians 6:12 “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places”.

Ephesians 6:13 “Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand”.

The Bible makes it clear that we as Christians do not wrestle against humans, against things that we can see in this struggle between good and evil. Therefore we need to be prepared as we go throughout or journey to literally “hit what we cant see”. You may not know it but the devil is a very smart person, he knows your weaknesses and he will do everything in his power to get you to serve him. The battle we right are against powers, against doctrines that test out faith in Jesus. Against things that seem right, but in the end will lead to bitter destruction. Ponder this passage of Scripture:

Proverbs 14:12 “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death”.

We must focus, and realize that the enemy is more powerful than we think. He will not hit us with things that we can see with the naked eye, we must have on the armour of the Living God to win this battle. Think about it: the devil knows that if he comes right out and says “serve me”, no Christians whatsoever would do it. This is why he uses different tactics. He does it subtly, through the television, though music, though movies, through ego, through role models. He wants to be served as if he is God, so we must be on guard at all times so that we would be able to defeat the adversary, who is the devil himself.

Spiritual Warfare

As the text has told us, the battle we are in is not against flesh and blood, not against mere humans, but against spirits, against the rulers, against spiritual wickedness. You may not see it right away, but trust me it is there. Have you ever listened to the rapper Jay-Z? He is known as a hip-hop mogul and has sold millions of records during his rapping career. ‘Run this Town’ was a popular song for him and one that most of the world became acquainted with because of its catchy lyrics and retro beat. Listen to some of the worlds he uses in the popular song during his verse:

“Black cards, black cars. All black everything”

“You can call me Cesar, in a dark ceasar”

“It’s the return of thee God, Peace God…”

“Ain’t nobody fresher I’m in Mason”

Now some would look at these quotations and ask the question: Whats the big deal? Let me tell you: if you watch the video, you would see the setting that is being portrayed. Jay-Z, Kanye West, & Rihanna are in all black, with a lot of persons following behind them in all black, carrying sticks, torches and other weapons. If Jay-Z is calling himself “Hova” or “J-Hova” which is a name that is only meant for the Most High God, who is he comparing himself too? Sure, he uses a different spelling but the sound and meaning is the same. He also says that he is ‘Mason’ which a short term for the Free Mason society. On the internet you can find a lot of information about that society, and why it is something that the Christian would not want to indulge in.

You may also know the song ‘Empire State of Mind’ ft. Alicia Keys. It was one of the biggest songs released from his album, The Blueprint 3 and was number one on the Billboard charts. You may be someone who hasn’t heard it or innocently listens, but let’s highlight some of the things Jay-Z says in this song:

“If Jesus paying Lebron, I’m paying Dwayne Wade”

“Hail Mary to the city, you’re a virgin. And Jesus can’t save you, life starts when the Church ends”.

Wow. What a bold statement about the Most High. This man is actually comparing himself and the Saviour Jesus Christ! Now for you basketball fans out there, I think you would agree that Lebron is better than Dwayne Wade but even still, how could he bring the Saviour of the World down to a level that He would be even paying a mere man? Jesus died for the sins of Lebron James, there is nothing that Jesus has to pay for Lebron, Jesus is God, and Jesus created Lebron and Jay-Z. The only thing that Jesus Christ paid for Lebron is the price on Calvary’s Cross so that he, you, I, Dwayne Wade, and even Jay-Z would have a chance at Eternal life with Him. And this is the type of thing we put into our minds each day.

Secondly, this song goes against the entire teaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ. If Jay-Z is telling you that Jesus can’t save you, which is an obvious lie because that was His sole mission while He was here on earth, then who is Jay-Z saying that CAN save you? He says that life doesn’t start until the Church ends, so does that means that those of us who take pleasure in going into the house the House of the Lord don’t have a life? Who gives Jay-Z the authority that says that Jesus, the Saviour, God’s Son, God Himself, Creator, The Light of the World, cannot save you? Is not Jay-Z a mere man created by Jesus Himself? Think about it: if Jay is calling himself the same name as the Living God, and then turning around and saying that God’s Son can’t save you, what is he telling the sub-conscience of his listeners? Is this type of thing from God? No. But it’s not exactly something that is on the surface either. Most persons are too caught up in the hype or the beat to actually realize what these words are saying and how they are downgrading and trying to make of no effect the central figure of our religion: Jesus Christ. Ponder this:

Philippians 2:5 “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus”.

We must be aware of the things around us, friends. Jesus would have never indulged in such things that would try to downplay the name of God. Ponder these two verse of Scripture:

John 6:51 “I am the Living Bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this Bread, he shall live forever: and the bread that I will give is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world”.

Psalm 122:1 “I was glad when they said unto me, let us go into the House of the Lord”.

Are these two verses of inspired, Holy Scripture not the complete opposite of what Jay-Z’s music tells us? Now my question is this: Which do you spend more time in? The secular music of the world? Or the Holy Word of God? The Word of God is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path says the Psalmist David. Which do you let influence you the most?

Signs of the illuminati and demonic phrases and images have crept their way into the music of not only Jay-Z, but also Rihanna, Lady Gaga, and Kanye West, and other hip hop and rock artists. All of these persons have a big influence on the ears of even some of us Christians and these things are what we feed our sub-conscience every time we listen. You may say now that you just listen to the music, but you don’t really believe that things that they say; the simple fact is though that your sub-conscience records everything and those message are implanted in your brain. You see the enemy will use his influence in an aspect of our lives that makes us as humans so vulnerable, music. The devil can be complex with his attacks, be watchful of all. The mind is a powerful thing and it can accomplish great tasks, and so he wants to make his mark there and to distort it. Note that this is not an attack on the personal character of Jay-Z, but simply an enlightenment of the music he produces and the content thereof. From drug addicts to even the rulers of the great nations of this planet, the devil tries his best to subtly get persons to follow him because he knows our weakness toward the substance or how much we look up to a role model. The Word of God always has an answer for us and a way to be victorious over the enemy. Ponder this verse of Scripture:

Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things”.

Do you focus your mind on heavenly things?

God’s Armour

Ephesians 6:14 tells us to girt about our loins with truth and have the breastplate of righteousness. This is essential in fighting in this spiritual warfare. Jesus said that He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life in John 14:6. The Truth will always set you free and it is a mighty weapon for the Christian. When the enemy comes with false doctrines and temptations that are not of God, you will have the truth of His Word to evade any attack. Next is the breastplate of righteousness. We must have a Christ-like attitude always and not seek revenge on our brothers and sisters. We should be lights and wherever we go, Jesus should be high and lifted up. Ephesians 6:15 tells us that our feet should be shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. The gospel will change the lives of people forever. Imagine a planet with some 7 billion inhabitants and Jesus desires a personal relationship with each one. He came and died for the sins and every one and if it was only one single sinner on earth, He would have still came and died for the sins of that person. We must go out and preach the gospel, dispel the enemy, and bring the peace of Jesus Christ into the lives of men and women. Ephesians 6:16 tells us that above all we should take the shield of faith that we would to quench the fiery darts of the wicked. For the Christian, faith is a powerful tool that must be used to the maximum. It enables to accomplish things that for others may see as impossible. It helps us in our everyday journey, it keeps us encouraged, and it pleases our Saviour, Jesus. Ponder what Jesus said about faith in the Word:

Matthew 17:20 “And Jesus said unto them, ‘Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you’”.

Think about it: If faith the size of a mustard seed can move mountains, what can faith the size of an apple or even a television set do? The enemy dislikes faith because it will not allow him to be victorious over us. Faith is the victory and we must use it that way. Ephesians 6:17 tells us to take the helmet of salvation, and the sword if the Spirit which is the Word of God. Salvation is found only in Jesus, and because of His spilled blood on Calvary’s cross do we have the free gift of Salvation. That blood made it possible to inherit Eternal Life. We must claim it always and remember that no matter what Satan may try to throw at us, Jesus paid the price and He loves us dearly! The Word of God is something that the enemy cannot withstand. Ponder these verses of Scripture about God’s Holy Word:

John 1:1 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God”.

Hebrews 4:12 “For the Word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of the soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart”.

You see once you have the Word with you, you would have God with you! The word of God is powerful and amazing and it something that with strengthen you when you are at your lowest. Anything that the enemy may try to feed you, you can test with the Word of God. Satan likes to use subtle errors to throw of us of the straight and narrow. We must not let him do that, the Word is a lamp unto our feet and a light to our path and it will illuminate any darkness that tries to invade the heart or mind of the Christian. The Word is life! Finally, Ephesians 6:18 tells us to pray always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, watching unto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints. Friends, prayer changes things! It is our line of communication with God Himself. It’s a free phone line that runs 24/7. Whenever you have a need, a burden, or just want some advice, prayer is the answer because it is a direct line to God. He always listens to our prayers and answers them according to His will. If the enemy tries to baffle us, prayer is the medium through which we can seek God’s advice. The texts tell s us to pray always, which means without ceasing, keep in constant communication with God and nothing will ever cause you to go astray! Ponder these different pieces of God’s armour that allows us to be equipped for battle against even principalities, and powers. They are mighty and if we are equipped with them, nothing can defeat us.

If the enemy attacked you, would you posses the pieces of the armour to defeat him?

In conclusion, we have seen that we as Christians do not wrestle against mere flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers. Not just against the secular influence of the world, but even false doctrines and practices that have crept their way into the Christian Church. The only way to be victorious in this spiritual wrestling match is to have Jesus in your heart and have Him abiding there always. He will give you the tools to fight the battle, He’ll provide the armour. He will show the things to put into your mind and those things that you shouldn’t. He’ll show you what is good to listen to, and what type of music is just a trap of the enemy. He will cause you to drink form the Water He gives, the Water that will cause you to never thirst again, the Water that will be a well in you, springing up into Everlasting Life. Ponder this verse of Scripture:

Revelation 3:20 “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me”.

Would you open the door of your heart, and let Jesus in?

God bless you!

Tell The World

What is the Great Commission? How can we do our part in getting the gospel out? How important really is it?

Matthew 28: 19-20 “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:”

“Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen”.

Jesus wants us to go into all the earth and literally share the good news of His Amazing Grace! Think about it: when you have a party, others find out about it through the invitations given out. Jesus wants His followers to do the same thing: to give the people of this earth an invitation to hear of a Saviour who died for all the sins of man and who wants to give each and every one the gift of Eternal Life. We have got to realize that our God cares for all the people of this world, no matter their situation or circumstance. Weather good or bad, tall or short, black our white, Jesus loves you! Along with this decree, Jesus gives us the assurance that He will be with us always- through our trials, through those depressing moments, through those times when you want to give up-even unto the END He says.

Observing All Commanded Things

Jesus made it clear to His followers that apart of spreading the gospel was teaching people to observe His Law. He plainly stated that we should TEACH men to observe ALL things He has commanded us. Ponder this passage where Jesus connects the commandments with eternal life:

Mark 10: 17, 19 “And when He was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to Him, and asked Him, ‘Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?’’

“Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother”.

Jesus plainly stated to the rich young man, that keeping His commandments were key in the steps toward Eternal Life. And Jesus even made certain to verify which Law He spoke of. You see, the Jews had some 603 commandments that were not written by the Hand of God that they were bound to. Jesus though, was speaking about the 10 commandments, His Eternal Law of Love, written with His won finger, the one which Psalms 111:7-8 tells us stands fast forever. Jesus was leading by example, relating to this man in the same way that He wants you and I to relate to others, and show them the narrow way which leads to life. Matthew 5:19 tells us that those who do and teach God’s commandments will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. We’ve got to realize that we must keep God’s Law in its entirety. Read James 2:10. We cannot pick and choose which ones we like. This is the same Eternal 10 Commandment Law which contains the 4^th commandment, charging God’s people to observe the seventh day of the week as the Sabbath. Jesus also gave us commandment to love God and our neigbours. This is actually the fulfilling or full meaning of the Law. If you read the 10 commandments carefully, you would realize the first 4 show our love for God and the last 6 focus on our neighbor. If Jesus made it a point to tell us to observe all things He commanded us, shouldn’t we make sure we are?

Reflect on your spiritual life, are you doing everything God asks of you?

Doing Your Part

The spreading of the gospel is something that requires all hands on deck. We need everyone of God’s followers on board to carry out this great mandate. This message of God’s Love has to be preached to every living soul on this earth. Some people put their trust in Jah, Mohammed, Buddha, Allah and other persons who can’t offer ANYTHING in comparison to what the Saviour Jesus Christ offers us! If you draw a comparison, you would see that with all of these other figures you would have to do certain things and perform certain tasks to get something in exchange from them, you have to find your way to them. With Jesus it’s different though, He makes Himself available to everyone at no cost, and He comes seeking after us. Revelation 3:20 tells us how Jesus is at the door of our heart, waiting to be let in, gently knocking, because He as a desire to have a relationship with each and every one of His children. We must make an effort wherever we are to be a testimony for Jesus. There is a whole world out there in need of this message and it starts with you. Jesus Himself said that before the end of the world, this message must be preached. Ponder Jesus words:

Matthew 24:14 “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come”.

Jesus plainly stated that before the end of the world, this gospel must be preached in all the world, because everyone deserves a chance to hear of His saving grace. This is why we cannot believe in the “secret rapture” theory. We must realize that we must go through the time of trouble before Jesus comes and do get through it we must heed the warning of the Three Angels Message of Revelation 14:6-12. The first angel talks about Fearing God and getting back to worshipping Him as the Creator of Heaven & Earth. The second angel talks about how Babylon is fallen and its message is that we as Christians should not be engaging in activities or practices that are not of God. It is a call to get out of the world practices that has even crept its way in some Christian Churches today. The third angel warns against worshipping the beast, which has nothing to do with a computer chip, but demands worship and allegiance from its followers. This is why verse 12 of Revelation 14 tells us that the patience of the saints is keeping God’s commandments and having the faith of Jesus. The word for patience literally means “endurance” and so by this we may know that if we follow these guidelines, we’ll be ready for Christ’s coming. Everywhere we go we must be telling the world of God’s love and correcting some of the false doctrines that have even found its way into the Church. Every day we must be a witness and a testimony, even in our own country, school, or home. This message has no exceptions, everyone MUST hear it! Jesus said plainly said the before He comes back the message must go out.

Why not do your part today, and hasten His coming?

The Importance of the Message

There is much importance getting this message out to the world. It is a last call before Christ comes, for everyone to humble themselves and submit to Him. This message of love has within it the steps to Eternal Life with Jesus and it shows the entire world that He is a just and fair God and that He loves all of His children equally. Our God has a desire to see all of His Children saved and even though He knows that all of us will not accept Him, He still wants us to give us a fair chance to hear about Him. He wants us to be receptive to His Word. There are some persons in the world who have never heard the name Jesus Christ. This is why He has charged His followers with such a great task. Also, among those who know Him, some are not following His Word and doing what He requires. Jesus didn’t come to the cross and die for the sins of a few; He came and died for ALL that through Him WHOSOEVER believeth should have everlasting life. Jesus desperately wants to come and take His followers home to be with Him forever. Before that happens this mandate must be fulfilled. He has promised to be with us always, even unto the end of the world. This seems to suggest that Jesus recognized the troubles and turmoil we would go through in spreading the gospel, because some will not be receptive. He assures that He is with us at our lowest, at our highest and always. He doesn’t want us to even think that He has left us alone. Hebrews 13:5 boldly declares that He will never leave nor forsake us and verse 8 of the same chapter tells us how Jesus is the same forever. He doesn’t change. If He was with us then, He will be with us now and forevermore. Spread the good news is what He asks. Why don’t you accept the mandate?

In conclusion, we should be privileged to work for the Master. Also, we should be excited to go and reach others and see them saved in the kingdom. What a sight! There is great joy in knowing that you have played a small part in bringing someone closer to Jesus! Even if we cannot travel to all the countries of the world, we can do our part in our country, our school, our work, our home and if all God’s followers around the globe would take up the same initiative, the work would soon be finished. People need the Lord; there is nothing of substance that this world can offer you! Let’s do our best to get the word out: Jesus is coming soon and He wants all of us to be ready! Ponder Jesus words:

Revelation 22:12 “And, behold, I come quickly; and My reward is with Me, to give to every man according as his work shall be”.

Are you working for Jesus?

God bless you!

A Light In The Darkness

How can one person make a difference in such a big world? How can we as Christians make an impact and let our light shine? How can we cause others to give glory to the Father? Jesus told us:

Matthew 5:14-16 “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid”.

“Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house”.

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven”.

Jesus told us plainly, that we are to be the light of this world. Now, there is need for a light because otherwise that area wouldn’t be filled with darkness. For example, if you did have a light in your bedroom in the night, how would you see? The light is necessary to show us the way ahead. So for Jesus to say this there must be some darkness in our world today. With the rise of secularism, people’s minds are being taken off of love for their God and focused on loving themselves. Jesus has called His children out to be a shining light in the darkness, to combat the forces of evil, to lift up His name, and cause people to realize how great the God of Heaven really is. Jesus is calling out a people to reflect the light of His glorious character and to cause others to want to follow Him.

Who Is The True Light?

John 8:12- Then spake Jesus unto them again saying, “I am the light of the world: he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life”.

Jesus is clear in this passage of Scripture- He is the light of the world and the way to eternal life. Jesus must be the centre of everything we do. We must try daily to imitate Him, to live how He lived, walk how He walked, think how He thought, and reason as He reasoned. He said plainly, that if you follow him, you SHALL have the light of life- no questions asked. This is the attitude we need to adopt: to be like Jesus at all times. If you look at His life, death & ministry, you would notice that Jesus was always humble, He never cursed anyone out, He never sought revenge against His enemies. He loved persons just by seeing them. He ministered unto them. He didn’t backtalk His parents, He never disrespected His elders, He never backstabbed, He forgave others, He never gossiped, He wasn’t rude. He lived the life that you and I should strive to live every day. The next time you feel yourself facing a difficult situation, ask the questions, “What would Jesus do?” and “Is my light shining?” and it will help you in how you act, relate to others, and it will indeed affect they type of life you live. If you follow Jesus, the powers darkness will have no power over your life.

Are you following in Jesus’ footsteps?

How Can I Be A Light?

The Bible is clear on the fact that Jesus does not want His followers to be mixed up with the world and with the things of this life. We are to be set apart, portraying the character of Christ wherever we go. Jesus said that He is the Light of the world & that we are also lights. We are to be lights, reflecting off the true Light which is Christ Jesus. We are to be a replica of Him! That means we cannot be caught up in everything the world is. Ponder this:

Matthew 6:19-21 “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:”

“But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:”

“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also”.

Is your mind more focused on this world or on Heaven? In order to be lights, we must not focus on the material wealth that this world has to offer. After all, Jesus is coming back to take us to Heaven, not to leave us here on this sin-sick planet. We need to let our light shine, and let it do so boldly. Jesus Himself said in Matthew 5:15 that men do not light a candle and then put it under a bushel, they lift it up on a candle stick, so that it gives light unto the whole house. We cannot be shy with our witness of Christ, we must illuminate the house wherever we go. Think about it, what’s the point of having a light if you’re going to hide it away? We should be a witness at home, at school, in Church and out. Your friends and family should notice the difference in you. The only way for us to truly be the light in this dark world is to have Jesus living in our hearts. He is The Light, and He must be in us that we may be lights, reflecting His character always. Revelation 3:20 tells us that Jesus has a desire to live in us, in our heart, and to abide there always. So keep your mind on heavenly things, showing others the way to eternal life, by pointing them to Jesus Christ.

Is your light shining?

Living The Mandate

Let your light so shine before men: let the world know that you do not want to follow the crowd. Dare to be different! Many people claim to put God first in their lives, but their actions say a totally different thing. And like they say, “Actions speak louder than words”. Are you spending enough time in the Light to reflect It? Just because everyone is drinking that Heineken, you don’t have to give in to the temptations of the world. Just because everyone is fornicating, you don’t have to take part. Just because everyone neglects to read their Bible, you don’t have to neglect yours either. Just because everyone is smoking that marijuana, you can dare to be different! That is the purpose of being a light: when darkness looms you are to illuminate the atmosphere. This can be a means of spreading the gospel. According to John 14:6, Jesus is the only way to the Father. When others see you portraying His character in your life and realize that living for Him is the best thing you can do with your life, they will realize truly how good the Father is and want to praise Him for His wonderful mercy! When they see you being like the good Samaritan, helping those in need, forgiving those who have wronged you, and loving others they have no choice but to be drawn to God. Jesus said it this way:

John 12:32 “And I, if I be lifted up, will draw all men unto Me”.

Once the character of Christ is lifted up and He is put at the forefront, He was promised that people would be drawn. This goes hand-in-hand with being a light: lifting up Jesus, the true Light in this Dark Age. Ephesians 6:12-13 tell us that we are wrestling against the powers of darkness and spiritual wickedness in high places and the only way to stand is to have the full armour of God! We must be enlightened. The world must see a difference in the way we speak, think, and interact with each other! Hebrews 13:5 tells us that He will never leave us nor forsake us and verse 8 tells us that He is the same always. This means that we have no need to fear in standing up for Christ & what is right, but that we should go forth in boldness and illuminate this dark world with our Lord & Saviour Jesus Christ!

In conclusion, it doesn’t take an army of people to make a difference. Though the more the better, one person can make a difference in the lives of many if they pattern their life of the Saviour. All we have to do is trust God, He will take us through all our difficulties and He will be right there with you as you go through it. He loves you more than you think. This is why He has called us to be lights. He wants us to show forth His character on earth, so that some of His other children may repent, follow Him, and be saved when He comes! What a Saviour! He is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. This is why He wants you to shine for Him… because He loves His children so much! The Bible states that Jesus has already displayed the greatest love that can be shown:

John 15:13 “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends”.

What did Jesus do for you on Calvary’s Cross?

Do you love Him enough to let your light shine for Him?

God bless you!

Left Behind?

Many in the world today believe that this Earth in which we now live in will end with “the saved” disappearing or being raptured away to heaven with God, while those “left behind” will have to face 7 years of tribulation from the beast power of Revelation. Then Jesus will come back again for those who didn’t make it in the first time. While this is an intriguing, and even encouraging way to believe, is it really the truth? Let’s see what the Bible says about the second coming of Jesus:

Matthew 24: 27 “For as the lightening cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be”.

The fact that Jesus even uses this comparison, strongly suggests that His coming will be visible to all people. Both the saved & the lost will witness the coming of our Lord.

Revelation 1:7 “Behold, He cometh with clouds; and EVERY EYE shall see Him, and they also which pierced Him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of Him. Even so, Amen”.

Think about it this way: Jesus strongly warned us in the Bible to keep watch because we do not know the hour in which He is coming. If Jesus planned to sweep us all away in secret to be with heaven with Him, why would He tell us to watch for His coming? Furthermore, if that were so, would He be coming to us as the Bible says, or would we be going to Him?

Matthew 24:43-44 “But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of Man cometh”.

The Second Coming of Jesus Christ will be a visible event! The entire world will witness the Second Coming of Jesus when He arrives to reign as King of Kings!

One Taken, the Other Left?

Many who claim that the Second Coming of Christ will be a secret rapturing away of the Church primarily use Matthew 24:37-41 & Luke 17: 34-37 as their Scriptural back-up. If you read both passages closely though, you’ll realize that Jesus isn’t taking about a secret coming at all. Let’s focus on Luke 17:

Luke 17: 34-37 “I tell you, on that night two people will be in one bed: one will be taken and the other left.”

“Two women will be grinding grain together; one will be taken and the other left”.

“Two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left”.

“Where Lord?” they asked. He replied, “Where there is a dead body, the vultures will gather”.

Some may claim that these verses totally support the secret rapture theory. If you look closely though, you would realize that these verses did not state that those persons are left behind alive. Actually, the Bible in 2 Thessalonians 2:8 tells us that at the Second Coming of Christ, the forces of evil and wickedness, He shall “destroy with the brightness of His coming”. Luke 17 gives us a detailed description of the two classes alive at the return of our Lord. Noah’s & Lot’s day had two classes: the saved and the lost. Both times, those “left behind” were not alive. Jesus makes it too plain to be misunderstood when He says, “It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed” in verse 30. The issue in Luke 17 is not one being whisked away to heaven and the other here on earth for another 7 years, it is weather to save or lose your life. Take a good look at verse 37 where the disciples ask “Where Lord?” when asking about the ones that are left. Jesus plainly states, “Where there is a dead body, the vultures will gather”. Revelation 19:21 tells us that those left behind are slain and birds eat their flesh. After Jesus comes, there will be no second bus to catch. Your fate would have been decided, there will be no second chances at that time.

What Difference Does It Make?

Some may pose the question: What does it matter if I believe in the secret rapture or not? The answer is simple this: If you believe that Jesus will rapture those away who are right with Him, and then wait 7 years to come back again for those who weren’t ready the first time, then it might cause you to delay your decision to follow Christ because you would be under the impression that when the rapture happens, you would still have a chance to accept Him. On top of that, the Bible doesn’t teach such a thing and as Christians, we only want to believe what God’s Word teaches. The Bible teaches that if you aren’t ready for Jesus when He returns and you haven’t accepted Him as your Lord & Savior, you will be lost forever- no second chances. The devil wants men & women to believe that they will have a second chance at heaven after the rapture, so they can delay their acceptance of Christ now. By doing this he will deceive many and when the time comes and there is no rapture, it would then be too late to change your heart. Jesus Himself said:

Matthew 24:24 “For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect”.

Do NOT be deceived today! This is the ultimate plan of the devil: to deceive the whole world. The only way to know truth & be able to realize error when it presents itself is to study the Word of God & have a personal relationship with Him. The harm in believing the rapture theory is that it is playing with your eternal destiny. It is teaching men to be relaxed and laid back when Christ Himself taught us to be watchful and ready for His coming.

Do you really want to take chances with your own personal destiny?

How Christ’s Coming Will Be

Friends, the Second Coming of Jesus Christ will be a visible, loud, audible event. Nothing about it will be a secret. Let’s ponder this passage of Scripture:

1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 “For the LORD Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:”

“Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord”.

“Wherefore comfort one another with these words”.

The Bible clearly reads the Lord will descend with a shout! Have you ever heard a quiet shout? I imagine that if the Bible states that Jesus is returning with the voice of the archangel and the trump of God that this will NOT be a quiet event. There will be no disappearance of folk and the rest of us here wondering what happened. Shouting? Voice of the Archangel? The trump of God? I would like to suggest to you that this event just may be the loudest thing this planet has ever witnessed! Every eye will see Jesus, there will be no privileged first class that gets to see Him first, everyone will at the same time! It then says that we will be caught up- those who have died in Christ & the faithful who have lived until He comes- to meet Him in the air. He will come down & we will see Him and we all will be caught up in the air. There will be no disappearance… this thing is visible!

In conclusion, we have seen how the Bible teaches that Jesus will return the second time. There is not one Scripture in the Word of God to support a secret coming where people disappear & go to heaven with God, and those “left behind” have 7 years with the anti-Christ to accept Jesus and catch the second bus. There is no second bus. Revelation 13:3-9 plainly tell us that the beast power will demand worship from all who live on the earth. We will have to go through the time of trouble BEFORE Jesus comes back, not after he has “raptured away” the Church. Read Revelation 2:10, we all must go through the time of trouble, not just those who haven’t accepted Christ. Let us heed the warnings of Christ and be ready for His glorious return. Think about it: In Matthew 24:42 Jesus tells us to watch. If the secret rapture theory is true & the coming of Christ isn’t visible, what would we be watching for? Jesus doesn’t make mistakes, friends!

Matthew 24:44 “Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of Man cometh”

Are you ready for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ?

God bless you!

The Forgotten Commandment

People today are always on the go. Non- stop. Seven days a week. Could that be the reason that nothing on this planet seems to be going right?

Exodus 20:8-11 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work. But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it”.

This passage speaks volumes. God has told us to remember the day that He rested from the creation process, to honour Him by not doing any secular work on this day. In addition to that He has blessed it, sanctified it, and set it apart for a holy purpose. For some strange reason though, this wonderful commandment which entails three very important characteristics of the nature of God has been thrown to the side, and generally stomped upon by planet Earth. Look, it entails:

· His Name: The Lord thy God

· His Title: Creator

· His Domain: Heaven & Earth

Why have we tried to cut the 10 commandments down to 9? The 10 commandments are a mirror, to show us our sin, and to reflect the loving character of the Living God. The Bible calls love, “the fulfilling of the law”. You see when you keep the Sabbath; it is like a sign between us and our Lord, that we would know that He is out God. Consider these verses of Scripture:

Ezekiel 20:12 “Moreover also I gave them my Sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the LORD that sanctify them”.

Ezekiel 20:20 “And hallow my Sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am the LORD your God”.

Jesus said plainly in John 14:15 “If ye love Me, keep My commandments”. People in today’s world will find every excuse in the book to run away from this very important commandment. Arguments range from “the Sabbath is only for the Jews” to “Jesus abolished the law” to “I can worship everyday”.

Sabbath only for Jews?

First of all, How can the Sabbath be for the Jewish nation if it was instated from Creation? Genesis 2:2,3 plainly state, “And on the seventh day God ended his work which He had made; and He rested on the seventh day from all his work which He had made. And God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it: because in it He had rested from all His work which God created and made”. The first Jew would not come on the scene until many centuries later. This commandment was made for mankind himself. Jesus said so in Mark 2:27-28 “And He said unto them, the Sabbath was made for MAN, and not man for the Sabbath: Therefore the Son of Man is Lord also of the Sabbath”. You see, the Sabbath was not for one particular group of people, it was for all of God’s children. Jesus said he was Lord of the Sabbath. So if it was made only for the Jews, why would he show favoritism by being Lord of their day when we know that He loves all of us equally? That’s like saying “Thou shalt not kill” was made for Americans only: It simply doesn’t make sense! There’s a reason the Psalmist David said in Psalms 11:7 that All His commandments are sure… All were made for the benefit of mankind! In fact, James 2:10 tells us that if we keep the law, but stumble in one point we are guilty of all.

Think about this: How can the 4^th commandment be for the Jewish nation, and the 6^th commandment, for example, be for the Christians when both are contained in the same 10 commandment Law that James says you are guilty of breaking all of if you offend in one?

What do you think?

Jesus Abolished the Law?

Jesus never came to abolish the law, he came to magnify or fulfill it. Look at this prophecy in Isaiah 42:21 “The LORD is well pleased for His righteousness sake; He will magnify the law, and make it honourable”. Ponder Jesus words:

Matthew 5:17-18 “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled”. Jesus said TILL HEAVEN AND EARTH PASS, so where do we find the authority to take away from God’s Law? Others argue that once we have faith in Jesus, we have no need to keep the law because it will then be a hindrance to us. Does the Scripture teach that though? Ponder this:

Romans 3:31 “Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law”.

How could Jesus abolish His Law of Love? In fact directly after He mentioned that He had not come to destroy the law but to fulfill it(which means to fill to the full or magnify) He said in Matthew 5:19 that whosoever breaks one of the least commandments and shall teach men to do so will be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven. Those who do and teach the commandments will be called great in God’s Kingdom. Read Psalms 111:7-8. It plainly states the God’s commandments stand fast FOREVER! We have already established that the Sabbath commandment is a part of God’s Eternal 10 Commandment Law, once which you cannot pick & choose which ones you like. God’s Word is NOT a salad bar! You get everything, and if we would humble ourselves we would realize that His commandments are not grievous and it is truly a blessing to keep them!

1 John 2:4 “He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him”.

Is the truth in you today?

I Can Worship every day?

Actually persons making this argument are right: We can worship every day, I do. We can worship God Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. The thing is though; He said to keep the SEVENTH DAY holy. He told us to do this a sign between He and us, the Sabbath is like no other day. God only blessed and set one day a part of the week for a holy purpose: The Seventh day.

Some may say that Sunday is the Sabbath- I say no. Sunday is widely regarded in all Christian denominations as the day Jesus rose from the grave. If you read the first few verses of Matthew 28 you will see that the Bible calls this day plainly: the first day of the week. From way back in the time of Moses, when God was giving the 10 commandments, He stated that only the seventh day was the Sabbath. Ponder these verses:

Malachi 3:6 “For I am the LORD, I change not…”

Hebrews 13:8 “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and forever”.

God doesn’t change, friends. How then could he change His Holy day? He knows all things, so if He in the beginning made a particular day holy, why would there be a need to change it? I would like to suggest to you that the day of Jesus resurrection is not nearly as important as the FACT that His resurrection took place to give us the victory over the grave. So friends you cannot make any particular day of the week “your Sabbath”. There is only one:

Exodus 20:10 “But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God…”

Why not keep God’s Sabbath today?

In conclusion, I want to make an appeal to persons who have read this and realize that obeying God is more important that doing what we are accustomed to or what our traditions dictate. The Lord will help you through because In Hebrews 13:5, He said that He would never leave nor forsake us. The world has thrown this commandment to the side, but in reality it is missing out on an immense blessing. The Bible promises blessing to those who honour His Sabbath:

Isaiah 56:2 “Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil”

Read Isaiah 58:13-14 and learn of the great rewards the Lord has promised for those who honour His holy day. Also in Hebrews 4:4, it is a reflection of Genesis 2:2,3. If you were to read Hebrews 4:9, you would discover that the word rest can be substituted for “keeping of a Sabbath”. If you have the King James Bible, it would be in your margin. That passage plainly states that the keeping of a Sabbath or a Sabbath rest remains to God’s people. He wants His followers to experience the wonderful joy in spending the holy hours totally unplugged from the world, and 100% plugged in to Jesus’ Amazing Love. Think of Jesus' words in the gospel of John:

John 15:14 “Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you”.

Are you a friend of Jesus?

God bless you!

Daily Study

Most people of today do not realize the important of the Word of God. As Christians we must realize that the devil's biggest asset is keeping is so busy and caught up in the cares of this world, that we have no time to read & understand the Word. The Bible proclaims "thy Word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee". Ever wonder why people today seem to have little to no interest in Church, and only depend on God when they want something? Its a lack of the study of His Word.

John 1:1 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God". If you understand the Word of God then you will understand the character of God. This is no time to be caught up in the cares of this life. We need to heed the teaching of Romans 12:2, "And be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind..." The aim of the enemy is to keep us caught up with secular affairs and keep our eyes off the important things.

Matthew 24:43-44 "But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh". This is a serious warning folks, we need to humble ourselves and stop living our lives as if God & His Word is just something to do when you hit 50 years of age or older. Sports, drugs, sex, technology, and egos have become the most important think in the mind of the modern individual today. Persons and mixing creation & evolution theories. Persons are asking the question: Is there really a God??

Friends, I want to suggest to you that Jesus Christ is the answer to every problem you face and you have to be in tune with His Word to understand the times in which we live. The Bible is not something to be taken out weekly at a Church service, but it is rather the map the leads us to Eternal Life. Matthew 4:4 "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word the proceedeth out of the mouth of God". We can do nothing in and of ourselves and it is only because of the mercies of God that we survive! We will take time to go and watch all the latest movies, be on facebook 24/7, and study for hours at a time for school exams, yet we neglect the Word of God? Only what is done for Christ will last friends. Jesus said Himself in Mark 8:36 "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?".

In conclusion friends we need to pray the prayer of David found in Psalms 51: 10 "Create in me a cleane heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me". Yes technology is good friends, and there is nothing wrong with good clean fun. But we must watch out for the snares of the devil. He wants to keep us busy. He wants to keep up from reading God's Words of Life so when he brings his false prophets, we won't know enough truth to stand up for it! Don't let this be your fate, renew your mind with the daily study of the Holy Word of God today! Humble yourself!

2 Chronicles 7:14 "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land".

Do you need healing today?

God bless you!

The Start

Hey friends,

This is a small ministry I hope will go a long way in saving souls for the kingdom. I hope to start blogging on a number of different religious topics soon. God bless!