God's Unchanging Words and Promises

 

God's Unchanging Words and Promises

The efficacy of God’s Word in our lives is only operational and functional to the extent we obey. We will never be able to rise above the level of our obedience to the Word of God. The implication is that we must seek the true interpretation of God’s Word which is connected to context. The tendency to take Scripture out of its context and attempt manipulation of the same is detrimental to spiritual growth. A classic example is what Satan did when he tempted Jesus in the wilderness. In Matthew 4 : 5-7, the Bible says

“Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’ and, ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.’ ” Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’ ”

Satan partially misquoted Psalm 91:11-12 out of context and Jesus responded with Deuteronomy 6:16. Satan left out “To keep you in all your ways.” which is the other part of Psalm 91:11. This means that we must embrace the whole counsel of God’s Word. We must not pick and choose. For example, we simply cannot gravitate towards the passages that speak about health and God’s provision and omit or disregard portions of Scripture that challenge us to be holy and obedient. Furthermore we cannot afford to have a lackadaisical attitude towards sin and expect victory. It is out of order to proclaim that one’s propensity towards sin is a result of one’s imperfections. Adam and Eve were perfect and yet they sinned. What is the point? Sin is a choice and anyone who sins will be held accountable, imperfections notwithstanding. Period. Thank God for His love and mercy, making it possible for us to be forgiven over and over again if we sincerely repent and turn away from our sin (1 John 1:9). Remember the Word of God  “…is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12) 

There are lots of promises in the Bible that we can hold on to. Some are stated below:

• “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)
  
• “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5)
  
• “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13)
  
• “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31)
  
• “Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord,  as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” (2 Peter 1:1-4)
  
• “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.” (Psalm 23:1)
  

In John 15: 1-8, Jesus said:
“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.”  (Emphases are mine)

• “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)
  

We are involved in spiritual warfare and in Ephesians 6:10-18, we read:
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.”

What and who are warring against? - “...against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”

“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.” (2 Corinthians 10:3-6)

Our battles are not physical battles; they are battles in the spiritual realm against demons, powers of darkness and spiritual forces of evil that are involved in diabolical deeds instigated by the devil. These spirits are evil and very often exploit our weaknesses and/or carelessness. They dangle before our eyes alternatives to God’s Word - demonic agendas that pamper and feed the flesh. Embracing wholeheartedly God’s Word enables us to counteract the subtle temptations of Satan.

The place and importance of total obedience to the Word and commands of God cannot be overemphasised. Expecting victory whilst living in disobedience is unrealistic and in fact foolish. The one who obeys God is a mighty vessel in His hands; such a person walks in victory irrespective of challenges; such an individual walks in confidence and not fear; such a believer walks in divine wisdom and is a perpetrator of extraordinary exploits for our Lord God Almighty. Hallelujah! Are you fully on the Lord’s side? Then you have nothing to worry about. What should you do?
“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33)

My dear brethren, the Word of God is powerful. Get rooted in the undisputable, uncompromising, inerrant, Word of God and Kingdom success and prosperity will be your portion in 2024 (Joshua 1:8). Putting God first is the vital key to growth and fruitfulness. It is a matter of priority. That which we prioritise constitutes the predominant influence in our lives. God bless you as you embrace God's unchanging Words and His promises.
[All Scriptural passages are quoted from the New King James Version (NKJV), unless otherwise stated]

Earth, Heaven and Hell

 

Earth, Heaven and Hell

"In the beginning God ( Elohim) created [by forming from nothing] the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and void or a waste and emptiness, and darkness was upon the face of the deep [primeval ocean that covered the unformed earth]. The Spirit of God was moving (hovering, brooding) over the face of the waters." (Genesis 1:1-2, AMP)

God created the heavens and the earth and subsequently created man. The first man was Adam and his wife Eve was created from one of his ribs. Given that we are created by God, it makes a lot of sense for us to obey and worship Him. The created being is not greater than the Creator. This is why the Bible clearly stipulates what the whole duty of man is: "The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man." (Ecclesiastes 12:13, ESV) 

The Reality of Hell:

"For if God did not [even] spare angels that sinned, but threw them into hell and sent them to pits of gloom to be kept [there] for judgment;" (2 Peter 2:4, AMP). Interestingly, Jesus spoke about hell a lot. Hear what He said:

"But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!" (Luke 12:5)

"And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, ‘where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched." (Mark 9:47-48)

Certain things are clear:

1. God has the power to cast one into hell.
2. Hell is not a pleasant place. In hell, worms that torment people do not die and the fire does not quench. In other words, in hell there is everlasting and indescribable torment.
3. There is a danger of ending up in hell, if one indulges in sin. 

It can be said without a shadow of doubt, that earth, Heaven and hell are real. Someone once said, "If you miss heaven, you cannot miss hell". There is no intermediary destination or location. One is on earth when alive and in either Heaven or hell after death. The contrast between Heaven and hell could not be more profound. Heaven is the dwelling place of God although He is omnipresent. How does that work? When Jesus taught His disciples how to pray, He said, "Pray, then, in this way: ‘Our Father, who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.' " (Matthew 6:9, AMP). On another occasion, Jesus said, "Do not call anyone on earth your father, because you have one Father, who is in heaven." (Matthew 23:9, CSB)

On the other hand, hell is a place of indescribable suffering, torment, hopelessness and inescapable finality. What that means is that if anyone ends up in hell, the degree of despondency cannot be described or even imagined. It is so dreadful that the utter helplessness is enough to kill the soul except that in that situation the soul lives on for eternity in an environment devoid of God. And that is the key. Where God is absent, utter darkness reigns - darkness that is beyond comprehension but which is the citadel of evil. That is why that place is hell - a place where all who have rejected Jesus deserve to dwell with the devil and his demons. One may ask, why does anyone deserve to be banished to hell?

The truth of the matter is that no one is truly banished to hell. Hell is a choice. Anyone who rejects God in his or her lifetime will be given their heart's desire after their demise - a place without God controlled by the devil and his demons in a state of unparalleled torment and that place is hell. God is loving but also righteous and just. His judgements are flawless. Heaven has no use for people who do not fear God and if anyone has demonstrated a disregard for God while on earth, then hell is the right destination for such an individual after death. 

As we ponder on the above statements, it should be clear that we all start our journey here on earth and then go on to spend eternity in either Heaven or hell. To enter Heaven, one has to receive Jesus as personal Lord and Saviour. The Bible says, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16). Therefore, the individual without the Son, Jesus, God the Son will perish - spend eternity in hell. Jesus said in John 3:3, "...Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 

The Bible tells us of what Jesus went through in order to rescue us from the bondage of sin and the devil. In 2 Corinthians 5:21, we read, "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." ( 2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus who was sinless, became sin so that we could be saved and accepted by God. Because punishment for sin had to be exacted and paid for, Jesus lovingly bore the shame, torture, humiliation, deprivation and temporary loss of fellowship with God the Father for us. We should be eternally grateful for His salvation; it's by grace through faith in Jesus (Ephesians 2:8). Will you ignore such a great sacrifice or would you humble yourself before God, repent of your sins and receive Jesus as personal Lord and Saviour?

Do you want to spend eternity in torment OR do you want to spend eternity with Jesus? Eternity is forever - never ending. Eternity would just have started after one billion years. One cannot imagine the hopelessness and despair in hell. Compare that with eternal joy and peace in God's presence in Heaven which is beautiful, pure and without spot or blemish. 

For those of you who say you do not believe in God, you know as well as I do that you are engrossed in wishful thinking. All of creation points to God - the complexity of the human anatomy, the intricacies of nature, the plants and animals (different kinds and species), the sun, moon and planets moving in their orbits without any collision, the forces of nature and gravitational constants, the expanse of the universe (thousands of galaxies of mind-boggling size), the oceans and mountains, hills and valleys, etc. Please humble yourself and run to God. Atheism, agnosticism, evolution and other God-refuting ideologies are basically futile efforts to disprove God. In Romans 1:18-21, the Bible says"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened."

The things mentioned above all point to God, the Creator of the universe. It is unwise and indeed foolish to deny the existence of God - "The fool has said in his heart, “ There is no God.” They are corrupt, They have done abominable works, There is none who does good." (Psalms 14:1). Wherever you are, turn to Jesus today and you will be set free from sin and the bondage of the devil. 

"He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." (John 1:10-13)

Today, you can become a true child of God and thereby avoid hell when you pass away from this world. Call upon Jesus today, repent of your sins and receive Jesus as your personal Lord and Saviour and you shall be saved (Romans 10:13). Have a blessed day. 

Who Are You Serving?

Who Are You Serving?

Exodus 20:3-6
"You shall have no other gods before Me. “You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments."

Matthew 6:33-34
"But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."

Idolatry, in Judaism and Christianity, is the worship of someone or something other than God as though it were God. Anything that takes precedence over God in one's life is an idol. God commanded the children of Israel to serve Him only because idolatry and spiritual adultery is abominable. It is impossible to love God when one's mind is occupied with other gods or temporal things of this world. This is the reason Jesus said in Luke 16:13, 

"No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon."

Everyone is serving something or someone, whether or not that fact is acknowledged. The reality is that you are either serving God or Satan. Jesus spoke about the benefits and consequences of choosing either the narrow path or the broad way.

"Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it." (Matthew 7:13-14)

The broad way leads to destruction while providing the temporal comfort and luxury of this world. Many tread the broad way, deceived by the devil and heading towards hell. Many in the Church have been deceived into thinking that fame and fortune are indications of true spirituality. 

A rich young man who came to Jesus discovered that his enormous wealth did not give him any advantage as far as eternal life is concerned. The pleasures this world has to offer are temporary and do not extend beyond the grave. The Bible says, "And he answered and said to Him, “Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth.” Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.” But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions." (Mark 10:20-22). The rich man had come running to Jesus, had knelt before Him and had asked the question, "What shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?" (Mark 10:17). What was he thinking? Was he sincere? He probably thought he would be commended for his business acumen and entrepreneurship and asked to do something that would cost him nothing. He did not reckon that each follower of Jesus has a cross to bear. He thought he controlled his wealth but in reality, his wealth controlled him. His enormous wealth had become an idol. He served mammon rather than God. Very sad!

Today, many Christians are caught in the rat race of worldly pursuits and gyrate or spin without making any Kingdom impact. A lot of noise is generated by virtue of public applause but Heaven is silent because the chosen courses are off-track. They are on the broad way, being deceived by Satan that they are doing well. After all, they have the trappings of this life to show for their academic brilliance, ingenuity, business success, professional status and worldly applause. They have become idolaters serving the god of mammon (a demon of Satan)  and relegating Almighty God to the background. Interestingly, this reality is almost imperceptible just like the situation with the rich man could not have been perceived by many just by external observation. 

God told Prophet Samuel in 1 Samuel 16:7, "Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” Prophet Samuel was almost deceived by the outward appearances of the older sons of Jesse, David's father. But God knew them and had chosen David, a man after His heart. Remember God cannot be deceived or mocked for whatever a man sows, he will reap (Galatians 6:7) 

A subtle and insidious form of idolatry is gripping the Church of Christ today - mammon worship. Many flock to churches to hear prophecies and promises of wealth, influence, popularity, etc. Yet, Jesus commanded His disciples to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. That means every decision we take in life must be taken with reference to God's will, found in His Word. God will never do anything contrary to His Word and the Holy Spirit will never lead anyone down a path that is opposed to the Word of God. Do you have an idol in your heart? Is there something you love more than God? If so, that thing is an idol and that makes you an idolater.

Who are you serving? Are you serving God or mammon? It should be noted that anything (possessions, family, etc) that takes precedence over God is an idol and must be put away. No wonder God spoke to Moses and the children of Israel in Deuteronomy 6:5, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and mind and with all your soul and with all your strength [your entire being]." (AMP). Jesus reiterated this verse of Scripture in Mark 12:30. God demands and deserves our full attention, our full worship, our full dedication and we should seek Him diligently (Hebrews 11:6). Rewards are only for those who seek Him diligently. 

Examine yourself today and ask the question, "Where is my heart?" Jesus said, "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.". Where is your treasure? Heaven or earth? If your heart is here on earth, then you are an idolater. Short and simple! What that means is that you are not serving God but Satan. Yes, it's a serious statement but it is true. Your treasure cannot be on earth and your heart in Heaven. That is an impossibility. Serving mammon is demonic and therefore satanic. 

In the wilderness, the hearts of the children of Israel were turned away from God onto a golden calf that was made by Aaron and others (Exodus 32:1-6). In verse 21 of Exodus 32, Moses asked Aaron, "What did this people do to you that you have brought so great a sin upon them?" Idolatry, in whatever form is a great sin and God will not tolerate it. What is that idol in your life? Is it your father, mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, your life - job, possessions, status, travel opportunities, business, etc? Jesus said, "If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple." (Luke 14:26-27)

God frowns at idolatry and hates it because it is from the pit of hell, an instrument of the devil and designed to put people under the bondage of sin and the devil. Turn to God today, in repentance and He will deliver you. If you turn away from your sins today in repentance and receive Jesus as your personal Lord and Saviour, you shall be saved and become a child of God (John 1:12). Jesus loves you. May God bless you.